Expansion Rumors Megathread
- Thread starter MagnusPax
- Start date
Playing for equity in a future MLS team. Interesting strategy. I don't know how much having Drogba in the ownership group helps, but having him as a player to draw crowds as a USL team will help root the club and fluff the market in terms of fan support.
I think MLS will add two in the Southwest yet, between San Diego, Phoenix, and San Antonio. All three are solid bids, unless someone trips up.
Phoenix has a lot of advantages. Big metro area. Good stadium option if they can play at U of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. It is indoors (important), but also has a grass field. No idea if the pitch would be big enough for soccer.
There are two Gold Cup quarterfinal games at that stadium this year. My guess its large enough.
http://www.universityofphoenixstadium.com/events/2017/goldcup
I love how they incorporated the phoenix bird with the ball. Nice touch.
Phoenix already is in control of the land for their own stadium and has hired architects for a new stadium. They would not play in UofP.
Man, I really don't want another team in southern California. It's annoying that San Diego seems to have cut in line.
Phoenix would be cool, though.
1 minute later Edit: I'm not sure how much having Drogba in the Phoenix ownership will actually change things for them. I suppose the biggest difference he'll make is upping the attendance in the short term which might put them in a better spot in the expansion order.
Still it seems crazy that USL has already got to the point where they're signing the older stars. I mean, I know it's only one team but still. Times are a changin' and they're a changin' fast.
1 minute after the 1 minute later Edit: Here's an interview with Drogba on why he moved to Phoenix. Basically he says that Phoenix offered him a staff/coaching position and he needed to look at what comes after his playing career.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39582489
Phoenix would be cool, though.
1 minute later Edit: I'm not sure how much having Drogba in the Phoenix ownership will actually change things for them. I suppose the biggest difference he'll make is upping the attendance in the short term which might put them in a better spot in the expansion order.
Still it seems crazy that USL has already got to the point where they're signing the older stars. I mean, I know it's only one team but still. Times are a changin' and they're a changin' fast.
1 minute after the 1 minute later Edit: Here's an interview with Drogba on why he moved to Phoenix. Basically he says that Phoenix offered him a staff/coaching position and he needed to look at what comes after his playing career.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39582489
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I think the instant rivalry with Tijuana is worth it. Converting American TV viewers to soccer is difficult. Getting TV viewers who already watch soccer to tune into MLS games is relatively much easier. There are millions of those south of the border.
A San Diego v Tijuana yearly rivalry game, plus CCL and a new rumored MLS v Liga MX competition, plus having Juan Carlos Rodriguez (president of Univision Deportes) as an investor in MLS is all part of a massive shift toward Mexico, IMO. MLS sees rivalries driving ratings. USA v MEX is the biggest one.
Cincinnati is super sports crazy. College sports is big there (Bearcats basketball), and even high school football is big. They also have a hockey team or two as well. I could see a team doing well there maybe.
They average more than some MLS teams in attendance. They would be a great addition and a success, little doubt.
Fun fact - the highest season ticket price in Cincy is lower than the lowest season ticket price in NYC. I think the average ticket is $5. They don't know if they can get people to pay MLS prices
Minor league hockey team. Not even AAA team. Irrelevant to discussion.
Interesting. I suppose this is helpful to their bid, although playing outdoors in Phoenix from late April through September is really difficult. I would think they'd need a plan to deal with the desert heat just like Qatar did (or was supposed to) for the 2022 World Cup.
U of Phoenix Stadium has the ideal solution. Indoor arena with a carpet of grass on a gigantic rolling bed. It rolls out to grow and back in for the games. Pretty amazing. For the uninitiated, it is where the Cardinals play and where a couple of College Football Championship Games have been held - and, come to think of it, where the USMNT has played some international games.
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