Comments on: Is Portland Making a Case for an MLS Club? http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/ It's always football season somewhere. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:07:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-23805 Dave Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:13:19 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-23805 Terry: A pro/rel system won't work in American sports for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the possibility that New York and L.A. could get relegated, and that would ruin national TV contracts. That's just one reason why owners fear relegation. Terry: A pro/rel system won’t work in American sports for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the possibility that New York and L.A. could get relegated, and that would ruin national TV contracts. That’s just one reason why owners fear relegation.

]]> By: Terry Lechecul http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-23798 Terry Lechecul Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:59:53 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-23798 Montreal has had exemplary ownership, won 2-3 cups in the past decade and overstuff a small track field which is supposed to fit 10,000 into 12-13,000 and wasnt well situated The team will get next year a new stadium right next to a subway line that will seat 15,000 with expansion capabilities for another 4-5,000. The U20 World Cup games there his summer saw the Olympic stadium filled up with crowds of between 42 an 45 thousand and 1 0r 2 games in the 50,000 range. Throw in the city next to Portland and its not even a choice if it comes to a new MLS team. Dave: isnt it the job of the national federation to decide relegations and such? I know we dont have a concept of national federations since most of our sports dont have one and the ones like basketball or hockey live in a parrallel universe but it seems to me that the relegation system is a must have. The closed league system produces no possibilities for organizations that have shown commitment to succeed further and instead keeps a status quo of bottom feederswhich consistently linger. Montreal has had exemplary ownership, won 2-3 cups in the past decade and overstuff a small track field which is supposed to fit 10,000 into 12-13,000 and wasnt well situated
The team will get next year a new stadium right next to a subway line that will seat 15,000 with expansion capabilities for another 4-5,000.

The U20 World Cup games there his summer saw the Olympic stadium filled up with crowds of between 42 an 45 thousand and 1 0r 2 games in the 50,000 range.

Throw in the city next to Portland and its not even a choice if it comes to a new MLS team.

Dave: isnt it the job of the national federation to decide relegations and such?
I know we dont have a concept of national federations since most of our sports dont have one and the ones like basketball or hockey live in a parrallel universe but it seems to me that the relegation system is a must have.

The closed league system produces no possibilities for organizations that have shown commitment to succeed further and instead keeps a status quo of bottom feederswhich consistently linger.

]]> By: Will http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-23106 Will Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:53:52 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-23106 While MLS is trying to avoid the fate of the overexpanding NASL, don't believe for a second that they are going to actually stop at 16. More like pause and jack up the expansion fees because 16 is a number they can live with for a while. While MLS is trying to avoid the fate of the overexpanding NASL, don’t believe for a second that they are going to actually stop at 16. More like pause and jack up the expansion fees because 16 is a number they can live with for a while.

]]> By: Dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22253 Dave Thu, 30 Aug 2007 03:49:48 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22253 Jeff: Won't happen. The ownership structures in MLS and USL are too different, and once you introduce promotion, people will ask when you'll also include relegation, which terrifies MLS ownership. Jeff: Won’t happen. The ownership structures in MLS and USL are too different, and once you introduce promotion, people will ask when you’ll also include relegation, which terrifies MLS ownership.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22250 Jeff Thu, 30 Aug 2007 03:33:09 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22250 Next time MLS wants to expand, they should just promote the top USL-1 team (and USL should promote a USL-2 team to take their place). Wouldn't that make things a lot cheaper for MLS in the long run, seeing as how they wouldn't have to deal with the annoyance of starting a whole new franchise? Next time MLS wants to expand, they should just promote the top USL-1 team (and USL should promote a USL-2 team to take their place). Wouldn’t that make things a lot cheaper for MLS in the long run, seeing as how they wouldn’t have to deal with the annoyance of starting a whole new franchise?

]]> By: lorance http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22079 lorance Wed, 29 Aug 2007 01:06:56 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22079 poor guy. .. dead at 22 <a href="http://sports.binertia.com/puerta.html" rel="nofollow">Puerta is dead</a> poor guy. .. dead at 22
Puerta is dead

]]> By: Timbers tidbits for Tuesday http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22042 Timbers tidbits for Tuesday Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:23:41 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22042 [...] Football Blog: Is Portland Making a Case for an MLS Club?: That’s a huge turnout for a USL-1 match. This is a league which had an average attendance of [...] [...] Football Blog: Is Portland Making a Case for an MLS Club?: That’s a huge turnout for a USL-1 match. This is a league which had an average attendance of [...]

]]> By: GOALSeattle.com http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22041 GOALSeattle.com Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:17:49 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22041 Attendance in USL has NOTHING to do with MLS expansion. It is all about investor / operators joining the MLS business scheme. This is why Seattle are well ahead of PDX right now: they have a billionaire who wants a team (Joe Roth) and a stadium they can start in right away (Qwest). Chances are looking good that the Sounders will draw around 10k for the FC Dallas match, but it will have no bearing on MLS expansion. Attendance in USL has NOTHING to do with MLS expansion. It is all about investor / operators joining the MLS business scheme. This is why Seattle are well ahead of PDX right now: they have a billionaire who wants a team (Joe Roth) and a stadium they can start in right away (Qwest). Chances are looking good that the Sounders will draw around 10k for the FC Dallas match, but it will have no bearing on MLS expansion.

]]> By: Bob http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22040 Bob Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:15:59 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/08/28/is-portland-making-a-case-for-an-mls-club/#comment-22040 There's practically zero political interest in bringing a team to Portland and there really hasn't been an ownership group dedicated to doing so. Seattle will likely get an MLS team first but that won't be a result of USL attendance or superior soccer support. The Timbers have outdrawn the Sounders every year they have been in the league. The 25,000 the Sounders got for the game against Vancouver was because it was the first event ever held at Seahawks Stadium. Seattle will likely win out because it has more corporations, a larger population and a few different potential owners. Portland will simply continue to support its team regardless of the league it is in. There’s practically zero political interest in bringing a team to Portland and there really hasn’t been an ownership group dedicated to doing so. Seattle will likely get an MLS team first but that won’t be a result of USL attendance or superior soccer support. The Timbers have outdrawn the Sounders every year they have been in the league. The 25,000 the Sounders got for the game against Vancouver was because it was the first event ever held at Seahawks Stadium.

Seattle will likely win out because it has more corporations, a larger population and a few different potential owners. Portland will simply continue to support its team regardless of the league it is in.

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