MLS Expansion?

or maybe the Philly D-cells.....ya know....what philly fans will throw at you if you don't do well!!

 

Be careful there Don...I am a Phillies fan. I might have to ban you!! Just kidding.

 

I think any city or town that can show an interested fan base and provide a soccer specific stadium can should have a team. There are more than 4 EPL teams in London alone and a number of CCC and L1 teams as well. I am hopeful that MLS and the other soccer leagues in the US will merge into a tiered system like the EPL and Football Leagues in England. I would love to see relegation fights. The only thing that should matter to a team is, is the stadium full of supporters, the rest will take care of itself. I am probably delusional but its what I would like to see. So I hope everyone of those places gets a team and we do get the league to 18 teams or even 20. We could then have a proper season where every team plays each other twice and with the addition of cup games and superligue games that would be a great season of soccer.

 

I have a feeling MLS will have 20 teams by like 2020. So many 20s!!! But here's a list of who I think are serious candidates:

-New York
-Miami
-Seattle
-St. Louis
-Vancouver

 

Related, but not on point.

This guy does not go in-depth, but what he is saying makes a lot of sense. Myself included, I've seen quite a few previous posts that proposed similar sentiments.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mls/news?slug=r ... &type=lgns

That said, what exactly is Toronto's business model, that is making it so successful?

See, I care.

 

I would personally LOVE to see Seattle get a team, preferrably just move the Sounders up to MLS. I used to go to a ton of Sounders games as a kid when they were in the NASL and would love to see them back in the majors.

Edit: Also the Pacific Northwest is a huge soccer supporting area. They would have no problems drawing crowds.

 

What he observes, he gets right. Then suggests improvements that make no sense.

While I tepidly supported and defended the playoff system before, this is the FIRST year I've been really excited about it.

And he gets it all wrong... it's not that 8 teams make the playoffs that counts. It's that 5 teams DONT!

Of course, it MAY be that this guy doesnt realize that MLS, this year, fixed the previous conference-related problem where a lesser team makes the playoffs while a better one doesnt.

This year, the playoff teams will be the 8 with the best records.

Yes... doom mongering traditionalists who insist that we do it the 'traditional way', the European way.. how is that any different?

Yeah.. it would REALLY help out RSL if they'd had to play the East teams MORE. And wouldnt we ALL be enthralled in our toddler league if we could just give up hope altogether in midseason and fight for place. What is 'innovative' about that?

And we shouldnt necessarily do things the way other NA sports do ..because they've had scandals?!!!!!

And yeah... what is the business model?

Answer: Be run by a group that runs another very successful franchise. In a cosmopolitan city which can identify with the players.

And of course it helps if it's a 'new thing' in town. Remember the Expos!

 

"Remember the Expos!"

Did Petty just toll the bell??

 

Minaya had them averaging something like 20K before they moved to Washington.

 

Farewell tour stats I would believe.

 

I did, and I didnt.

What that means is that being the new thing gets attendance, then you have to compete.

You know.. the more I think about that article, the more pissed off I get.

Yahoo NEWS writer, right? The first half is.. the last half he shoves in his OWN opinion.

And even THAT isnt supported well.

Then WHY bring it up.. who is it brings it up? Euro snobs still bring it up, what's forgotten is it was an experiment with FIFA approval .. who else is going to try it?

Yes it certainly does... like for about EVERY fan of every team but Colorado!

Why? 'Oh I dunno... just seems right to say that!'

Yes, that's right.. aint traditiona wonderful!

And there I sit twiddling my fingers waiting for this freakin' twit to tell me HOW and WHY it'd be better. Well, he doesnt say... so i guess it's just OBVIOUS dontcha know! Maybe 'cause then we'd be more like the Fizzy Pop?

 

I am not saying this is his reason for less teams in the playoffs, but this is a reason.

Since we don't have relegation there should be some sort of reward for making the playoffs. Not just a small reward but a big money award. The less playoff spots there are the more prestegous it would be to make the playoffs and the better the fight to get there in the regular season. Teams that would make the playoffs would make more money and thus be able to buy better players. It is almost like setting up a relegation system, that way the only way the weaker teams can get better is by getting big money to invest, just like the weaker teams in europe do.

I am a fan of the euro model, but I am realistic enough to know that is not coming here. I just want to see the best soccer in the US I can see and since I don't live in a place that will ever get a team (burlington, VT) I want to see it on tv. The only way I will see it on TV is if espn thinks they can get good ratings and the only way they will get good ratings is if they put a good product on the pitch and that takes money.

For the record I would favor a 4 team playoff. Each top team from each conference and then the next 2 best teams. Now that would cause a battle towards the end of the season for those last two spots which I think would see good soccer being played and it would be fun to watch.

I don't know if this is what the writer of the article was thinking, but its how I interpret it.

 

I understand fvt... but the idea is to grow attendance, that is STEADY attendance, FIRST!

The h'umurican fan aint gonna go watch a bunch of no-hopers! Sorry THAT 's just the way it is... and we arent alone, that's why I referenced the Expos.

Anyway looks like St Louis may be next.. quietly sneaking up on MLS.

 

It reminds me of a smaller version of the Darlington Arena. And we all know how well they're doing with attendance!

 

I totally agree on attendance, but if you take toronto as an example, they have great attendance. I think attendance is the responsibilty of the local fans of a club. If burlington had a team I would be there every home game even if they were getting killed. The #1 selction criteria for a new team should be local fan interest. as long as they feel they can fill a stadium that is all that should matter not location.

St louis may be a great choice there has always been alot of soccer fans in that area. I think if they approve and build that stadium complex an MLS team would be a no brainer.

 

I actually get the idea of having a hotel right where the stadium is. To steal the money from away fans who stay overnight. Or maybe the opposing players.

 

I would love to see a team in STL. St. Louis has such a great sports culture and so many people there support all their local teams without reserve that I know an MLS franchise would be well supported from day 1. My reasons for wanting an STL franchise aren't all for the good of the league though. The Fire haven't captured my fancy and I'd love to have a team close by to support. I can be in Collinsville in 2 hours.

 

It begins to look better for Philly

While status qu remains and if Beckham can do something to bring LA out of the deep crap, look for STL and Phi after San jose.

 

To be honest, I had never even considered STL as a possibility. It does seem to be a good city for various sports. I wonder if the MLS would be able to gain a foothold there. That'd make for a good rivalry with KC and even Chicago. And I, personally, think rivalries are great for the league and the sport.

And philly should have one. I am surprised Pennsylvania hasn't had one already. Though I prefer Pittsburgh over Philly! But that is just grassroots preference on my part.