MLS 2014 Season

The league has finally done something about Chivas, stepping in and taking over the club until a new owner can be found. To this I say, it's about time. Supposedly they want to find an owner who will leave the team in the L.A. area, but a new team name (and stadium) is likely.

There were rumors going around a week or two ago that Stan Kroenke may be looking to get into the soccer market in L.A. He bought a nice big parcel of land next to the Forum and Hollywood Park, an area that is being rapidly developed. The story was that he wanted to expand the Arsenal brand into the States, creating the L.A. Gunners. But Don Garber said that's not going to happen, that MLS no longer wants owners of multiple teams. Unless, of course, Kroenke decides to sell the Rapids. With this league, who knows what will happen?

There is, of course, a saying about the devil you know, but I have to imagine that any situation will be an improvement over the old one.

 

The re-brand needs to bring back the LA Aztecs.

 

The league is committed to them staying in LA.... :roll: :lol: Not a snowballs chance in Hades that there will be a second soccer specific stadium built anywhere near here (unless someone wants to come and pay for the whole thing, but one team is clearly enough ). Tim, that land is way too valuable to build a small stadium, Kroenke is using it for leverage against the city of St. Louis to try and force $$$ for dome renovation for his Rams. Speaking of St. Louis, now is the time for an ownership group from there or some other city that would support a team to pounce.

 

I don't know, Joe. I think there's still a possibility a new stadium gets built here, though maybe not by Kroenke. You have a similar situation in the NY/NJ area, and while we don't know if it will work yet, the league is certainly up for trying it.

Certainly there would have to be a distinct separation between the clubs both geographically and in the way they are positioned/marketed. Orange County? The IE? Certainly if Southern California can sustain two hockey teams, we can sustain two soccer teams.

I can only speak to my position on the matter, but I would happily welcome another team to the area. I should not, by all accounts, be a Galaxy fan. It's actually quite contrary to how I normally support teams. But I would always choose the Galaxy over Chivas for obvious reasons (and I'm not even talking about on-field performance). Again, I don't know how widespread my take on matters is, but I'd imagine there are potential fans out there for a viable, well-run, competitive team that is not the Galaxy.

 

I think your right Tim that the league wants 2 teams in the LA area, but just cant see someone shelling out millions in downtown area since the HDC (Stubhub Center?) is still relatively new. Not sure where in Orange County where they could build. Maybe the IE would support a team, they do support multiple minor league baseball teams and a hockey team well. Perhaps the guy who wants to build an NFL stadium near Diamond Bar could be swayed to start with a soccer complex first (there is room for multiple stadiums where his land is)

 

Switching gears from the Chivas mess, did anyone take note of Jason Kreis leaving Real Salt Lake for NYC FC awhile back? He is surely getting a huge pay raise, but assuming a ton more risk. He did an amazing job at RSL, and given time (in short supply in New York sports) will build a winner there as well. Kreis and Porter are the 2 guys I see as future USMNT coaches if they want that job.

 

Yeah, at first I thought this was a train-wreck of a decision by Kreis. He seems to be the type of coach that wants a very specific type of player but more importantly a certain type of person playing for him. I could just see ManCity making him take players on loan that dont fit what he wants and it then being a mess. However, I read an interview a while back and it sounded like ManCity have given him all the necessary assurances that they will only bring in the right type of players and that he and Reyna will have control over that. But it's still a honeymoon at this point so we shall see.

 

Kreis will have resources to tap that were unimaginable at RSL. He's a brilliant manager, and given access to more top-level MLS players, he's only going to be better. And when Der Kommissar moves to the front office, I suspect Kreis may slide into the hot seat for the USMNT.