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This report in the Seattle Press Intelligencer on MLS expansion confirms a few things that have been rumored for awhile. Perhaps the most poignant is the rumor that MLS is keen on a 2nd club in the New York metro area due to the potential it has to spark a rivalry with Red Bull NY.
Here is an excerpt:
A second franchise in New York is the most intriguing option. MLB's New York Mets are reportedly looking into purchasing a MLS club and could build a soccer-specific stadium near its new $600 million baseball stadium in Queens, N.Y., which is set to open next year.
"The Mets are looking at a stadium adjacent to the new Citi Field," Garber said. "It is a soccer-specific stadium that would be developed in the area in and around the new Citi Field."
While some argue that a second New York team wouldn't survive because of the attendance woes experienced by the current team, the New York Red Bulls, who are averaging under 16,000 per game this season in cavernous Giants Stadium, Garber brought up some interesting points.
"I don't think anybody ever expected from 1996 through today that the Red Bulls and the MetroStars before that would be selling out a 77,000 seat stadium," Garber said. "That was never the goal of that team. The question here really is what do we need to do to be sure that the Red Bulls can be more successful tomorrow than they have been in the past.
"Part of that hinges on that stadium [Red Bull Arena] in Harrison [N.J.] getting built and opening in 2009. We are convinced that they will have a much stronger fanbase once they are out of Giants Stadium, which as you know, hasn't really even been a facility that has worked well for the [NFL's] Giants or Jets.
"That coupled with the fact that we believe the rivalry with a team in the area will create some of that passion that exists in L.A. with Chivas USA and the Galaxy and the rivalries that sort of drive the fan support of teams throughout London and Milan and Rome and Mexico City. We think one of the things that will really take the sport to a much higher level in the metropolitan area would be two MLS teams."
Very good. Get it done. Good for the league.
If they put it in Queens expect to hear the same grumbling from so-called "big soccer fans" from Manhattan about having to travel the same way they complain about having to travel to East Rutherford. Oh, and they way they will about having to go "all the way" to Harrison.
Personally I think the league needs to expand it's footprint nationally before it starts doubling up teams in the same city. Let's get something in the huge vacant space south of DC and east of Houston and Dallas.
"Personally I think the league needs to expand it's footprint nationally before it starts doubling up teams in the same city. Let's get something in the huge vacant space south of DC and east of Houston and Dallas."
Well, what soccer mad cities exist in that big vacant space?
Not many outside of florida.
The Northeast is the home of soccer in the US. This is a game that thrives on rivalries from teams close together so traveling fans can make the trip. The Pacific Northwest also has a 30 year rivalry.
The south has none of that. They have no history with the sport where as New York had multiple teams going all the way back to the ASL in the 1920s.
What did "expanding the national footprint" do for the NASL?
Ask the Atlanta Apollos.
Oh that's right, you cant cause they no longer exist.
jim, why would they grumble about a stadium that is serviced by the same mass transportation that shea stadium and the us open stadium is "the 7 train and the lirr" which connects flushing to both grand central and penn station. all giants stadium is serviced as far as mass transit goes is a nj transit bus line coming from port authority which takes you about 2 hours both ways due to traffic...
obviously you aren't a new yorker
Do you know what poignant means?
Has Garber run this by the people in Canada?
lots of NY talk lately - with the Mets coming public on their plans and now Garber. I almost feel as though they are preparing you! Obviously this is the League favorite and if they make a bid - lets face it - they are going to be a TOP contender. Good Owner, Stadium Plan - Big Soccer Area - all the peices are there
It's been made clear time and time again that Garber is a huge fan of NY2. I honestly think they'll get in this round with St. Louis or Montreal getting the other spot.
This is probably a done deal. New York gets in, St Louis gets screwed.
STL isn't getting screwed because of NY2. STL is screwing themselves.
It'll probably be NYC and Montreal or Vancouver.
All of these bids have the money, and the owners with the willingness to make it work. There seem to be too many holes in the St Louis bid. Portland's time will come, just not now.
Montreal would be the most prepared, with an expandable-SSS already built and the highet average attendance in USL1. They are also proving that they have a good management team in place, with their recent success at the Canadian Championship, CCL, and a late-season push in USL1.
This would be huge for MLS. Every pro sports league in N.A. needs to be strong in the North East.
One big thing holding back the MLS is terrible venues in the East. New teams and venues in NJ, PHI, and NY are exciting for the league. New venues in NE and DC would be even better. It's what needs to happen if the league is to grow.
I hate NE. Best team in MLS, worst venue, bottom of the league in attendance. I do hate FC, but at least they care. Its hard to even hate fans that don't even care.
New England desperately needs a stadium. I know Kraft owns Gillette and all but that venue is AWFUL. I worry about the Sounders next year for all the same reasons.
I think that this is a done deal for NYCFC in MLS by 2011 !!!
Thanks Mr Wilpon !!
Borough Boys NYC
Will RBNY rebrand to Red Bull New Jersey with the addition of an NYC team? Maybe they'd find a niche as Jersey's team!? That'd make for great rivalries with NYC and Philly.