ajzepp Posted January 21, 2011 Posted January 21, 2011 This is the sort of thing that really gives me hope that the MLS is going to continue to slowly but surely expand the soccer niche in America. This is a really interesting article that brings back some of my earliest memories of soccer, and also shows not only how stable the MLS is as a league, but also how attractive expansion franchises are these days. There are already three more teams on the way for this year and next, and the NY Cosmos are attempting to fill out the league at 20. They are also involving several key individuals - Pele, most notably - who were with the organization back in the 70s. Linky
Cugalabanza Posted January 21, 2011 Posted January 21, 2011 Nice! I like it. I was really into the NASL there for a while as a kid. I was a Rochester Lancers fan. Me and about 11 other people. Anyway, this is a step in the right direction.
ajzepp Posted January 21, 2011 Author Posted January 21, 2011 Nice! I like it. I was really into the NASL there for a while as a kid. I was a Rochester Lancers fan. Me and about 11 other people. Anyway, this is a step in the right direction. Same here...I remember being given a Tampa Bay Rowdies flag when I was a kid...and I know I've mentioned it before a few times, but I received my first professional instruction in the sport by one of the Cosmos players who played along with Pele and the boys...Kurt Kuykendall. I'm pretty excited about this franchise being re-born
GoodBye Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 This is the sort of thing that really gives me hope that the MLS is going to continue to slowly but surely expand the soccer niche in America. This is a really interesting article that brings back some of my earliest memories of soccer, and also shows not only how stable the MLS is as a league, but also how attractive expansion franchises are these days. There are already three more teams on the way for this year and next, and the NY Cosmos are attempting to fill out the league at 20. They are also involving several key individuals - Pele, most notably - who were with the organization back in the 70s. Linky One of the 3 teams is our very own Portland Timbers!
ajzepp Posted January 22, 2011 Author Posted January 22, 2011 One of the 3 teams is our very own Portland Timbers! I expect your full support of the Portland Timbers from this point forward, young lady!
GoodBye Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 I expect your full support of the Portland Timbers from this point forward, young lady! Of course! It's the only MLS soccer team around here...I think. Oh, Seattle may have one??
Cugalabanza Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 Of course! It's the only MLS soccer team around here...I think. Oh, Seattle may have one?? Yup, the Sounders. I was curious, so I just looked them up. This part from Wikipedia struck me as impressive: "In their two seasons, Seattle has sold out every league match"
Peace Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 Yup, the Sounders. I was curious, so I just looked them up. This part from Wikipedia struck me as impressive: "In their two seasons, Seattle has sold out every league match" MLS soccer attendance per game is higher than NBA, NHL. MLS only plays a 36 game schedule but factor in that two stadiums only seat 10k fans and that's impressive. http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/04/18/mls-average-attendance-higher-than-nba-and-nhl/ New York has the Red Bulls. The Cosmos will face an uphill battle. Right now it's hype associated with owning the Cosmos trademark.
/dev/null Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 The Cosmos? Did they name their team after a Seinfeld character or a drink for gay men?
PTS Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 Seattle has the best MLS fans hands down. It's on par with major European clubs, I'm pretty sure guys like Beckham have said the same. When you see QWest Field during a Sounders game, you think you were warped into Manchester or Chelsea's stadium. US Soccer needs to play in Seattle.
ajzepp Posted January 22, 2011 Author Posted January 22, 2011 MLS soccer attendance per game is higher than NBA, NHL. MLS only plays a 36 game schedule but factor in that two stadiums only seat 10k fans and that's impressive. http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/04/18/mls-average-attendance-higher-than-nba-and-nhl/ I knew the World Cup ratings were higher than the NBA and NHL, but I had no idea MLS was doing this well with their attendance. The powers that be ahve done a fantastic job with this league...To think that they're in their 15th season (or something like that) and still becoming stronger, that is really cool. I tend to follow the EPL and the Champions League more than I do MLS, but now that Philly has a team and the Cosmos are coming back (hopefully), this is a league I will likely start becoming more involved with. Kudos to them! The Cosmos? Did they name their team after a Seinfeld character or a drink for gay men? The Cosmos were kickin' ass in soccer long before Michael Richards could even say the words "racial tirade" Seattle has the best MLS fans hands down. It's on par with major European clubs, I'm pretty sure guys like Beckham have said the same. When you see QWest Field during a Sounders game, you think you were warped into Manchester or Chelsea's stadium. US Soccer needs to play in Seattle. Dang, if they can get a few more markets sizzling like Seattle, this league will really start to make some noise. I was really hoping that the Rhinos would get prmoted to the MLS...but Philly getting a team was a close second, and the Philly waterfront stadium looks REALLY cool.
GoodBye Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 Yup, the Sounders. I was curious, so I just looked them up. This part from Wikipedia struck me as impressive: "In their two seasons, Seattle has sold out every league match" Yes, I remembered that after I posted the above post. They will now have a huge rivalry with the Portland Timbers! The people here are excited to get a team, so I'm sure they'll sell out every game. Soccer is pretty popular here.
PromoTheRobot Posted January 23, 2011 Posted January 23, 2011 The MLS boned the city of Rochester and the Raging Rhinos. They dangled an MLS franchise if the city built a stadium. Well they built the stadium and the MLS suddenly forgot Rochester as an expansion city. Figures. PTR
ajzepp Posted January 23, 2011 Author Posted January 23, 2011 The MLS boned the city of Rochester and the Raging Rhinos. They dangled an MLS franchise if the city built a stadium. Well they built the stadium and the MLS suddenly forgot Rochester as an expansion city. Figures. PTR I didn't understand that at all...I haven't lived back in Ra-cha-cha for a while now,but my understanding is that the Rhinos are VERY well supported. That would have been a great franchise for MLS...
/dev/null Posted January 23, 2011 Posted January 23, 2011 The Cosmos? Did they name their team after a Seinfeld character or a drink for gay men? The Cosmos were kickin' ass in soccer long before Michael Richards could even say the words "racial tirade" So you say they named their team after a drink for gay guys? And you root for them why?
Cugalabanza Posted January 24, 2011 Posted January 24, 2011 So you say they named their team after a drink for gay guys? And you root for them why? At least it's a drink with booze in it. That's a hell of a lot better than the other NYC MLS team, which is named after a beverage for teenage wannabe partiers not cool enough to score ecstasy.
Peace Posted January 24, 2011 Posted January 24, 2011 At least it's a drink with booze in it. That's a hell of a lot better than the other NYC MLS team, which is named after a beverage for teenage wannabe partiers not cool enough to score ecstasy. At the same time, if the Cosmos trademark owners had had their stojan together a few years ago, they'd have gotten the MLS team then. Turns out they didn't. So the NY team went out and got a real sponsor worth money and got their team. I'm a Philly guy so I'm bound to hate the NY Red Bulls but the Cosmos are more of a PR thing at this point than anything resembling reality. RE Rochester Rhinos: Don't you think Rochester would have a hard time supporting a 20,000/game soccer team? I don't know but at $50+/ticket, it doesn't seem likely Rochester could generate that much juice. Maybe some of you former Rochesterians can let me know. (I grew up there but haven't lived there in 15 years.)
Cugalabanza Posted January 24, 2011 Posted January 24, 2011 RE Rochester Rhinos: Don't you think Rochester would have a hard time supporting a 20,000/game soccer team? I don't know but at $50+/ticket, it doesn't seem likely Rochester could generate that much juice. Maybe some of you former Rochesterians can let me know. (I grew up there but haven't lived there in 15 years.) At that price, it wouldn't work. But I think that would only be for the primo seats, no? Probably most seats would go for half that. I don't know the demographics and I haven't lived in Rochester since 1996, but my guess is they could support an MLS team.
Peace Posted January 24, 2011 Posted January 24, 2011 At that price, it wouldn't work. But I think that would only be for the primo seats, no? Probably most seats would go for half that. I don't know the demographics and I haven't lived in Rochester since 1996, but my guess is they could support an MLS team. MLS tickets in Philly start at something like $40.
Cugalabanza Posted January 24, 2011 Posted January 24, 2011 MLS tickets in Philly start at something like $40. Ouch.
Recommended Posts