OT: Premiership Forum

[Nasty_Magician]

Also, not to be all New York centric, but if the upcoming New York franchise catches on and actually becomes a thing in New York, it'll be huge for the league. New York is the marketing capital of the world, if the MLS can gain steam and catch the attention of the right people it will go a long way toward making the MLS a very legitimate world class league (more so than it already is).

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Well can we atleast agree that they should probably avoid Atlanta? 2 NHL teams have come and gone plus the Hawks already dont draw well (then again, what NBA team does?) I'm sure if the Falcons starts losing they'd be on "blackout watch" too.

I agree ... and Im not saying expanding to 24 wont be risky ... it will ... especially when theyve already pulled the plug on 2 florida teams

but we are talking about a 7 year timeframe here

there was a good debate yesterday i heard about soccer not being in the "culture of north american sports" so expansion will never work

cultures change!

40 years ago baseball, boxing and horse racing were massive

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I agree ... and Im not saying expanding to 24 wont be risky ... it will ... especially when theyve already pulled the plug on 2 florida teams

but we are talking about a 7 year timeframe here

there was a good debate yesterday i heard about soccer not being in the "culture of north american sports" so expansion will never work

cultures change!

40 years ago baseball, boxing and horse racing were massive

I've said this many times. Aside from the demographic change (Hispanics are rapidly becoming the majority), youth football participation is down pretty drastically, parents don't want their kids brains turning to mush, so I think you see an increase in youth soccer participation.

Not to mention, soccer is a great sport to attend and they are making it more and more enjoyable to watch on TV. There is basically a set time limit, Americans love knowing that if a game starts at this time it will be over in 2 hours. If you sit down to watch a baseball game you could be there for 4 hours. Soccer has momentum for sure.

Add to that the change in economics and the cost of playing soccer vs other sports, it's very appealing to people.

 

[mooger_35]

whitecaps had 3 u-18's see time on their pdl roster ... there were rumours Sam Adekugbe had signed a pro contract and was gonna suit up saturday v portland ...so the players are coming for canada ... eventually

Whitecaps residency players: A future, earned

One of the reason I enjoy the PDL is due to the fact that (on Victoria at least) about half the players are local.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I've said this many times. Aside from the demographic change (Hispanics are rapidly becoming the majority), youth football participation is down pretty drastically, parents don't want their kids brains turning to mush, so I think you see an increase in youth soccer participation.

Not to mention, soccer is a great sport to attend and they are making it more and more enjoyable to watch on TV. There is basically a set time limit, Americans love knowing that if a game starts at this time it will be over in 2 hours. If you sit down to watch a baseball game you could be there for 4 hours. Soccer has momentum for sure.

Add to that the change in economics and the cost of playing soccer vs other sports, it's very appealing to people.

this is huge ... in and out of the stadium in 2 hours ... what team sport can offer that ... especially if youre a parent with young children ... Ive taken my 5 year old son to a CFL game, WHL game and a Whitecaps game ... all in the evening ... he only "survived" the whitecaps game lol

and MLS has to have it in its league strategy to promote "supporters groups" ... they are the lifeblood ... no other tribal fan engagement thing like it in any other north american sport

MLS knows it too ... the Cascadia Cup is a fan originated trophy that Seattle/Portland/Vancouver have fought for in season since they all were in USL ... at the start of this year, MLS started co-opting the term "cascadia cup", came up with its own logo and started using it in their own promotional material ... but its trademarked by the 3 supporters groups ... MLS backed down and iirc has started paying a nominal fee to the supporters groups for the use of the trademark

 

[TiLoBrown]

I agree ... and Im not saying expanding to 24 wont be risky ... it will ... especially when theyve already pulled the plug on 2 florida teams

but we are talking about a 7 year timeframe here

there was a good debate yesterday i heard about soccer not being in the "culture of north american sports" so expansion will never work

cultures change!

40 years ago baseball, boxing and horse racing were massive

Ah yea... Florida...ugh. Beckham will get his Miami because hes Becks and he wants it there but Orlando would probably be the better spot from what I hear. Either way expansion would work, if they pick the right cities and dont stike out more than twice during the phase

 

[jstewismybastardson]

One of the reason I enjoy the PDL is due to the fact that (on Victoria at least) about half the players are local.

caps roster was pretty much 3/4's SFU, UBC and UCFV guys

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

i'll fight you for them!

i dont think Cary is too far outside of Raleigh, just because Chapel Hill and Durham can both feed in to Cary as well. certain parts of Durham anyway. i definitely think there's enough soccer fans in the triangle to support an MLS team, but i do think they'd have to either add on to Wake-Med or build a new stadium. i remember reading somewhere that there are additions to Wake-Med in the works should the Railhawks did get promoted

i really want them to promote the Railhawks. I'd try to go to every game if they did that. NASL just doesn't have the pull.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that then. I have friends in Raleigh who hate driving to Canes games even because of the location being "so far" away from downtown (their words, not mine, though I understand the frustration trying to get in and out of that arena). I think it has to be closer to the center of Raleigh or closer to Chapel Hill to be truly successful.

 

[dash]

Not sure if posted, but congrats to Camilo for being named MLS player of the month for July (first time a Whitecaps player has been hono(u)red like that I believe).

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Not sure if posted, but congrats to Camilo for being named MLS player of the month for July (first time a Whitecaps player has been hono(u)red like that I believe).

he was probably the best MLS'er against Roma during the ASG too ... stock is rising

 

[awaz]

We'll have to agree to disagree on that then. I have friends in Raleigh who hate driving to Canes games even because of the location being "so far" away from downtown (their words, not mine, though I understand the frustration trying to get in and out of that arena). I think it has to be closer to the center of Raleigh or closer to Chapel Hill to be truly successful.

they're sissys then

i consider anything 30 minutes or closer to be a reasonable distance for something like that.. granted, i drive 30 minutes for work, and 30 minutes for soccer in north raleigh once or twice a week..

 

[TiLoBrown]

I think 45 minutes is the cutoff for "too far"

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Wow

Report: Clint Dempsey to Seattle Sounders being finalized | Soccer By Ives

 

[Darth_Tom]

YWNA! Go Liverpool!

 

[jstewismybastardson]

YWNA! Go Liverpool!

In soviet rawsha, you liverpool supporter walk never alone

 

[Darth_Tom]

In soviet rawsha, you liverpool supporter walk never alone

Man U supporter?

 

[ritari330]

Wow

Report: Clint Dempsey to Seattle Sounders being finalized | Soccer By Ives

Wow indeed. Think he should've stayed in the EPL at a mid-table team instead. Definitely still has the ability to make a difference in the EPL, just not on Spurs. Knew he was leaving though with the signings they have made and it being a world cup year. He was supposedly in talks with Everton and I think that would have been a much better place for him, but who knows. Maybe it's about wanting his kids to go to school in the States? 150K a week is hard to turn down as well...

On the flip side, its good for the MLS. Raises the leagues reputation and clint will bring quality play.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Wow indeed. Think he should've stayed in the EPL at a mid-table team instead. Definitely still has the ability to make a difference in the EPL, just not on Spurs. Knew he was leaving though with the signings they have made and it being a world cup year. He was supposedly in talks with Everton and I think that would have been a much better place for him, but who knows. Maybe it's about wanting his kids to go to school in the States? 150K a week is hard to turn down as well...

On the flip side, its good for the MLS. Raises the leagues reputation and clint will bring quality play.

"Tot'num" will be ok

9 mill for clint

100 mill euros for that guy wales bales

And bringin in coach lasso

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[mooger_35]

 

[ritari330]

"Tot'num" will be ok

9 mill for clint

100 mill euros for that guy wales bales

Not so fast my friend...

AVB criticises Carlo conduct | Video | Watch TV Show | Sky Sports

Unfortunately still think there's a decent chance he leaves.

Needs to make sure he gets a hair cut first.