OT: Philadelphia Union Discussion

[oneydcat*]

im annoyed that philly plucked jacobson from united, hes a tough *******

 

[jb**]

The stadium is in a very nice area. I would be surprised if people don’t flock there. They will have the initial it is new crowd. After that much like the fever and the like they will be gone like the wind.

 

[pelts35.com]

The stadium is in a very nice area. I would be surprised if people don’t flock there. They will have the initial it is new crowd. After that much like the fever and the like they will be gone like the wind.

It will be interesting to see how this team does both in the short and long run. Certainly a winning product will help.

BTW, great avatar! Did you know that he owns a rib joint in Atlanta (Abdullah the Butcher House of Ribs and Chinese Food)?

 

[jb**]

It will be interesting to see how this team does both in the short and long run. Certainly a winning product will help.

BTW, great avatar! Did you know that he owns a rib joint in Atlanta (Abdullah the Butcher House of Ribs and Chinese Food)?

Yes. He is not tall at all. Was surprised how short he was in person. He still wrestles and is like close to 70 at least. He should have had a run in the wwf at some point.

 

[Dash22]

They will have the initial it is new crowd. After that much like the fever and the like they will be gone like the wind.

I think you would be surprised by the popularity of the soccer in the area. The team has over 50% of the stadiums tickets sold through season tickets already.

 

[pelts35.com]

Yes. He is not tall at all. Was surprised how short he was in person. He still wrestles and is like close to 70 at least. He should have had a run in the wwf at some point.

He's probably 5'8" at most. He was ahead of his time. I wish his prime was in the 90's as I would have loved to have seen him live at the ECW Arena.

 

[pelts35.com]

I think you would be surprised by the popularity of the soccer in the area.

Yes and no. It's popular to play among kids and it may be popular for the World Cup, but I'm not convinced that the stadium will be full after the first season or two. As I said before, winning would help. A losing team is a recipe for disaster.

This said I know indoor soccer is a completely different beast than MLS, but the Kix, despite being good, often played in front of crowds under 5,000.

 

[jb**]

I think you would be surprised by the popularity of the soccer in the area. The team has over 50% of the stadiums tickets sold through season tickets already.

no i wont be surprised. It has always been popular. thast doesnt translate to ticket sales or supporting a team. like i said talk to me in 4 years and see what it is like.

 

[Dash22]

Yes and no. It's popular to play among kids and it may be popular for the World Cup, but I'm not convinced that the stadium will be full after the first season or two. As I said before, winning would help. A losing team is a recipe for disaster.

This said I know indoor soccer is a completely different beast than MLS, but the Kix, despite being good, often played in front of crowds under 5,000.

As a HUGE soccer fan myself, I have only ever watch/attended on Kixx game, and that was only since a friend of the family was on the team. The sports are not comparable.

I really think that the team will do well in the area, the affordability of the tickets will play a huge part in that. The novelty of the team may keep crowds near capacity in the first few seasons, however, i still expect to crowds over 10,000 regardless of the record/opponent once the initial novelty has worn off.

 

[DUHockey9]

My buddy got drafted by Chivas yesterday!

 

[Jester]

As a HUGE soccer fan myself, I have only ever watch/attended on Kixx game, and that was only since a friend of the family was on the team. The sports are not comparable.

I really think that the team will do well in the area, the affordability of the tickets will play a huge part in that. The novelty of the team may keep crowds near capacity in the first few seasons, however, i still expect to crowds over 10,000 regardless of the record/opponent once the initial novelty has worn off.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/attendance?league=usa.1&year=2009&seasontype=1&cc=5901

Pretty safe assumption it looks like.

Yes and no. It's popular to play among kids and it may be popular for the World Cup, but I'm not convinced that the stadium will be full after the first season or two. As I said before, winning would help. A losing team is a recipe for disaster.

This said I know indoor soccer is a completely different beast than MLS, but the Kix, despite being good, often played in front of crowds under 5,000.

Not sure you're giving it enough credit....there's an already extant fan base that has been lobbying for this team that reports 5,000 members on its own. And, as the numbers above suggest, MLS has been drawing decent numbers everywhere they've gone and have been very cautious in expansion.

 

[FlyHigh]

The MLS has gone about expanding in exactly the right way, NHL could have learned from that example.

Anyways, as bad as the quality of MLS, some of those guys are pretty technically good. The biggest eye-opener for me was the skill level of some of the guys on the Kixx which is admittedly indoor.

I played with a few members of their team last summer (I play at a park where they were running a camp for a couple weeks) and I'm not that great (maybe borderline D-I, but probably not and I never pursued it) and I definitely couldn't play for a big school, but I know what I'm doing at least and some of those guys are pretty damn good, a little surprised a couple of them didn't work harder to pursue a career in Europe.

 

[L-train*]

I was the best pure defensive player in my league back in HS, and I regret not playing in college. Nobody got a ball past me.

 

[jb**]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/attendance?league=usa.1&year=2009&seasontype=1&cc=5901

Pretty safe assumption it looks like.



Not sure you're giving it enough credit....there's an already extant fan base that has been lobbying for this team that reports 5,000 members on its own. And, as the numbers above suggest, MLS has been drawing decent numbers everywhere they've gone and have been very cautious in expansion.

after the firast year or 2 they will be below the league average.

 

[FlyHigh]

I was the best pure defensive player in my league back in HS, and I regret not playing in college. Nobody got a ball past me.

I play midfield, I'm a good passer and a great shooter, but I have terrible technique and dribbling. I see the field really well, just don't have the feet to match.

 

[Jester]

after the firast year or 2 they will be below the league average.

I agree...only 5 teams are above league average because it's weighted up, and they'd have to be playing near capacity (on average) to get there.

However, I think they'll do fine. Nothing spectacular, but fine.

 

[Jester]

blow me. it is a realist approach. soccer will not draw here. Stop being a whiny little girl. support this chief.

It won't draw here, but will draw in Kansas City? There are holes in your argument. It isn't going to be challenging the other teams anytime soon (if ever), but it's a bit silly to argue that the greater metro area of Philadelphia cannot support a soccer team just as well as most other cities in the MLS. They'll do fine.

 

[GKJ]

Kansas City also doesn't have a SSS, but has managed to survive somehow thus far without folding or relocation.

 

[Haute Couturier]

Will these games be televised?

 

[Jester]

Will these games be televised?

I know for a fact ESPN is broadcasting their first game (they said so during the draft), and that they regularly broadcast MLS games. I don't know if a local channel is going to pick 'em up or something (I have a friend trying to get a gig working the beat on the team, but as of last discussion he didn't know what the deal was on that front). I wouldn't be shocked to see Comcast pick 'em up given that they have two channels and just the Phils.

 

[GKJ]

Fox Sports Channel should have some, although I don't know if they have any blackout restrictions or anything.

 

[L-train*]

I play midfield, I'm a good passer and a great shooter, but I have terrible technique and dribbling. I see the field really well, just don't have the feet to match.

Dribbling was my major problem. But when you can put the ball where you want it from 40 yards away, dribbling (for a d-man) becomes a very minor problem.

Stop the attack, gain possession, clear the ball up to the midfielders/forwards.

 

[KevinLin]

I have high hopes for this team. Already have a large loud fanbase. And I love their draft and what they've done with the team so far. Strong on defense and in goal and then a younger potential filled mid-field and forward group. Should be interesting to see who they get as a DP. I am sure Nowak has midfielder or forward in mind.

 

[KevinLin]

Also as crazy as the MLS seems to Euros....it is meant to avoid stuff like the NY Cosmos or http://deadspin.com/5448605/no-one-in-the-premier-league-has-any-money from happening. It has helped develop American talent and is starting to grab more central and south americans before they go to europe. The goal is to build a financially stable league with a fanbase, and then slowly crank up the money for bigger acquisitions. Also the 250 million for beckham is kind of fudging the numbers as it was mostly sponorship deals and the team really did not pay that much money to beckham.

 

[Gert B Frobe]

The stadium is in a very nice area. I would be surprised if people don’t flock there. They will have the initial it is new crowd. After that much like the fever and the like they will be gone like the wind.

that's hysterical