Crew - The Price of Success

If this were any other year, especially 2007, season ticket orders would now be flooding into the Crew front office. That's not too difficult a supposition, either. All the Crew would have needed was to make it into the playoffs last season and they would conceivably have made it all the way into the finals.

But this isnt last season. And with the economy in the tank, Crew attendance will not improve appreciably, especially season ticket attendees. This isnt just the Crew's problem but one that all the clubs will face.
As it is now, the Hunts must make some difficult decisions and from background static, they have.

Sigi will sign with the Sounders and take assistant Mike Lapper with him*. HSG simply cannot afford to pay Sigi what he's worth AND keep the nucleus of the team with him. The Sounders however are blessed with ownership that has more money than sense... and 19,000 ticket orders. How many have paid the dosh, though, is debatable.

Schelotto, though, WILL remain with the Crew for one more season and so will Marshall and Rogers. In fact the wisest of the players will want to remain in Columbus, as they love both the city/fans and their teammates.

As far as the coaching goes, in the past I been strongly against Bobby Warzycha being given the post. I no longer feel that way. Bobby was a dreadful influence on the midfield when he played his final season, totally ruining the team when we had a true #10 -Perez- around which we could have built a solid attack.
But now he's studied under a master and has seen how to achieve success. He'll have Brian Bliss for player recruiting evaluation, as well, so we dont have to worry about Bobby bringing in the euro-duds he scouted and suggested in the early decade.

But that isnt the real problem.. because while there seem to be three profitable MLS franchises at this point, I dont see how anyone can end the 2009 season in the black... with the possible exception of the Sounders and that will be by accounting tricks.

* Added: Lapper has denied that he's going with Sigi {that was from Ives, so you make the call}. Says he wants to {a} assist Robert Warzycha and {b} stay with the Crew.

 

While I figured that this would happen, it just blows my mind. I know about the proximity of his family and also think that Seattle is an awesome city, but wow. He finally has the team he wanted and would get a crack at the CONCACAF Champions league next season and yet he would rather rebuild again. I would think that would get tedious, but I guess he still has the fire for a challenge.

 

MLS is much more affordable than its competition and sports, from an attendance perspective, tends to do well in depressed economic times.