MLS Thread: Enter Zlatan

[DoyleG]

http://deadspin.com/sacramentos-mls...source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow



Sacramento bid appears to be in trouble. Seems like the owner is trying to snake the original founders

Sad if Sacramento becomes another Rochester.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

The Sacramento situation is a sick joke...the Republic need to be in the MLS ASAP.

Nagle is a snake and can't be allowed in, though, so the fans get screwed. Lovely. Did he think nobody would notice that he was orchestrating what is effectively a coup?

 

[Brock Anton]

Sounds like the Sacramento group got it's **** together and are now working with one another.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

The Smurfs could use a local derby. Well, not sure if local is the right word since SJ and Sacto are technically different markets but there's enough room for another Norcal team.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Sounds like the Sacramento group got it's **** together and are now working with one another.

I'd still have to imagine this seriously damaged their chances.

 

[Brock Anton]

I'd still have to imagine this seriously damaged their chances.

I agree. I still think it's likely that they get in this go round, but in no way are they a lock anymore.

 

[jason2020]

Out of the 12 bids how many do people think will get awarded teams.

 

[Savant]

Out of the 12 bids how many do people think will get awarded teams.

I think 4 will be added, but starting in different seasons.

 

[KingLB]

Without being an ass to certain cities. You have to wonder if MLS starts thinking about the future of the league (ie 20+ yrs from now). And makes decisions on cities that will draw TV viewers not just the most fans in the stadium today. And how can bring Corporate money with them.

Are Cinci/Indy really great plays going forward? Despite the fact that obviously make good choices today.

I may be a little bias', but the 4 markets I'd take are San Diego, St. Louis, San Antonio, and Tampa Bay.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Without being an ass to certain cities. You have to wonder if MLS starts thinking about the future of the league (ie 20+ yrs from now). And makes decisions on cities that will draw TV viewers not just the most fans in the stadium today. And how can bring Corporate money with them.

Are Cinci/Indy really great plays going forward? Despite the fact that obviously make good choices today.

I may be a little bias', but the 4 markets I'd take are San Diego, St. Louis, San Antonio, and Tampa Bay.

I'm with you. Cincinnati proved something great in 2016 with their support of an expansion USL team...but no single season can prove long-term viability, and Cincinnati is a smaller mid-sized city with a shrinking population and a MLB team that would be competition during the meat of the MLS schedule. I have no doubt in my mind that FC Cincinnati having such a good start was aided by the fact that everybody in baseball projected the Reds to lose 95+ games last year (they exceeded expectations by merely losing 94) and with that Reds attendance dipped by nearly 25% from 2015 to 2016, which no doubt aided a shiny new team. USL games are also incredibly cheap, season tickets for students are $50 for FCC and general admission is $75...for season tickets. The most expensive season tickets are $65 less than the cheapest season tickets for the nearby Columbus Crew.

I'm not saying Cincinnati will be a bad market, I'm saying they still have a lot to prove that no single season could. I want to see how well that market can do when the team isn't brand new and the Reds aren't hopeless. I'd like to see if they can still bring in the attendance when ticket prices quadruple, as they'd have to for the team to have any chance of being profitable in the MLS. Unfortunately most of those questions could only be answered by them actually having an MLS team...but I'm still not buying it as sustainable at this point in time.

I do think it'll be 4 teams out of these, possibly 5 if they finally give up on Miami (please give up on Miami), but there's only a couple of the markets that I feel strongly about. San Diego should absolutely get a team to fill the void left by the Chargers (though their upside would be limited given the closeness of Xolos, literally a 24 mile drive between stadiums...but the lack of a border crossing (and language barrier) would mean a lot to the majority non-Latino population), ditto St. Louis for the Rams. I feel strongly about Sacramento, but the Nagle situation raises a major red flag about that group. After that I'm kind of open. If Miami gets ditched then Tampa absolutely should have a team...actually I'd tend to think Tampa should get a team again regardless, especially if the Rays don't get their stadium situation figured out, also I kinda want to see the Rowdies brand in the MLS, but I'm not convinced that it'd be a runaway success a la Orlando City.

The only bid I'm outright against is Phoenix. I see neither a widespread desire for a team there, nor the support of their other teams to dissuade the same concerns I have over smaller cities like Cincinnati and Indianapolis being able to support their teams long-term.

Also I'd put a team in Raleigh long before I'd ever consider Charlotte, but that isn't to say I don't think Charlotte could support a team. That's a clear either/or situation and I just think the demographics of Raleigh are a much better fit for the MLS than Charlotte is...though their branding is painfully lame.

 

[Brock Anton]

FC Dallas is going to livestream all 26 of their non-national TV games on their website for free this season.

 

[Brock Anton]

Fredy Montero back in MLS with the Whitecaps. That's gotta sting a bit for Sounders fans.

 

[bluesfan94]

FC Dallas is going to livestream all 26 of their non-national TV games on their website for free this season.

This is awesome.

 

[Savant]

Fredy Montero back in MLS with the Whitecaps. That's gotta sting a bit for Sounders fans.

Vancouver finally finds their striker?

 

[Brock Anton]

It's official, D.C. United are finally getting their own stadium.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It's official, D.C. United are finally getting their own stadium.

Good. I think it gives the league a bad look that they were still playing in RFK.

 

[Ugmo]

Wha? I thought DC broke ground last year.

 

[gphr513]

Really kind of excited to get into MLS this year now that we have a top flight team in Minnesota. We've played 5 pre-season games so far, and I think all have been draws

I've only been able to watch parts of two games, but Johan Venegas has been impressive so far.

 

[Shrimper]

When does this season start?

 

[Big McLargehuge]

When does this season start?

March 3, with Minnesota @ Portland opening things up.

 

[Basement Cat]

Really kind of excited to get into MLS this year now that we have a top flight team in Minnesota. We've played 5 pre-season games so far, and I think all have been draws

I've only been able to watch parts of two games, but Johan Venegas has been impressive so far.

Look for Kevin Molino too.

On the real though, I think Minny struggles mightily over the course of this season.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

According to some media reports, The Whitecaps see Manitoba to BC as their territory, and are against a Canadian league from establishing there.

Ignoring the fact they have done NOTHING to establish themselves in the prairies.

 

[gphr513]

Look for Kevin Molino too.

On the real though, I think Minny struggles mightily over the course of this season.

That seems to be the external opinion, for sure.

Among Minnesota fans, I think most understand that we're probably not going to be great, but many don't think it'll be as awful as outsiders project.

I just don't know about the league as a whole, or the players in it, to be able to judge it yet. From what I've watched, I think that attacking will be solid, but the little I've watched suggests that our midfield may not be great. Passing/Distribution has been a little lackluster. Although, that may just be a matter of the players not having chemistry together yet.

 

[Fulham]

According to some media reports, The Whitecaps see Manitoba to BC as their territory, and are against a Canadian league from establishing there.

Ignoring the fact they have done NOTHING to establish themselves in the prairies.

Apart from running two academy centres in Saskatchewan(Regina, and Saskatoon) One in Edmonton, and One in Winnipeg, as well as having partnerships with all three provincial organizations, and have scouted and developed many kids from these provinces that has led too multiple CMNT players, and NCAA scholarships that wouldn't have occurred otherwise.

Saying "NOTHING" is extremely ignorant. Nothing is what TFC, the Impact, and vast majority of MLS teams do outside of their metro areas's

 

[DoyleG]

Apart from running two academy centres in Saskatchewan(Regina, and Saskatoon) One in Edmonton, and One in Winnipeg, as well as having partnerships with all three provincial organizations, and have scouted and developed many kids from these provinces that has led too multiple CMNT players, and NCAA scholarships that wouldn't have occurred otherwise.

Saying "NOTHING" is extremely ignorant. Nothing is what TFC, the Impact, and vast majority of MLS teams do outside of their metro areas's

Nice, but irrelevant.

To suggest that we would be where we are without the MLS presence is typical nonsense. Players were going on scholarship and making professional ranks long before TFC arrived with its national exclusivity. The Whitecaps arrival means nothing since they had an academy system before they even entered MLS.

Altruistic my Les Rouges backside. Its about protecting profits for the team and their resistance shows how determined the MLS teams are to protect their sand box. Nevermind people like yourself had a decade to make an impression and did nothing.

Give it up already.