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(04-30-2014 08:31 PM)Dracarys Wrote:  

(04-30-2014 05:32 PM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(04-30-2014 04:53 PM)panama Wrote:  

(04-30-2014 07:39 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(04-29-2014 09:56 PM)Dracarys Wrote:  Covering the upper deck seats is what the Vancouver Whitecaps have been doing for years. They have a system similar to what's shown in the video. Its not the best setup, but its better 40,000 empty seats. I really hate the Atl soccer team is going to have to play on turf. I think the MLS is rushing this expansion, and not have a soccer only stadium is a set back imo. I feel the same way about UAB. I would be very unhappy with UAB playing in a dome, and not getting our own stadium. But I would happier than I am right now.

This is exactly what I think. I think there were better equipped cities for an MLS team in this country. I don't have anything against Atlanta, I just don't care for what they are doing right now. Again, it's better than nothing, it just isn't what I would have preferred. We can check back in a few years and see if Atlanta averages anywhere near 30,000 fans a game. My guess is they don't.

Do you have to average 30k to be successful in MLS?

Apparently not... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Leagu...attendance

Its a city of 5.5M with more immigrants than any city in deep south. Plus they will be selling King Arthur's castle. They will be fine.

That's what the stadium will hold for soccer. That's why I used the number, and I think the experience won't be great. You know what other city has a lot of immigrants? Miami. That worked out well before. We'll never know how it works out until we see it, I just have my doubts.

9911 what cities do you think would be better?

I think the MLS had to get into the south (Florida doesn't count). I would like to see a team added in the Carolina's or Virginia, instead of Minneapolis or San Antonio.


I think Atlanta was the right choice, but I would have rather seen the silverbacks promoted as opposed to a brand new expansion team (it worked well for the sounders). It appears the most important thing to the MLS in this situation is the ownership, and the willingness of that ownership to spend big bucks. The MLS was requiring new expansion teams to have their own soccer only stadiums. But with NYCFC and Atlanta they seem to be content with the team playing a stadium that is owned by the ownership. That's what I really hate. These clubs need their own stadium. I can't imagine enjoying a soccer game at Yankee stadium.

I'm all for this civil conversation about the subject. I agree the MLS needed to get into the south. I live in Huntsville, so it's pretty much 8 hours to the closest team. I would love to be able to attend some games, so like I said I'm all for Atlanta for my benefit. As far as areas to go into, I think the Carolinas should have been a huge target. Virginia would probably work too, but I just don't see that as getting a southeastern presence at this point. The other cities I really would have considered are St. Louis and Indy, and again they aren't southern cities.

I was good with Orlando. I think the MLS did everything right there. I would have been okay with Atlanta had they built a soccer specific stadium. I'm not thrilled about another New York team at this point, but I get the reasoning for it. I hope one of the 3 areas I listed gets the next team, but I could live with San Antonio or Phoenix as well.

I'm not really sure what the MLS is building towards, but it is getting rather large. I think it really needs to work toward a European style, as playoffs just aren't as exciting to me as the promotion/relegation set up. I understand this probably can't happen for quite a while, but I hope it eventually does.

(05-01-2014 07:52 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(04-30-2014 08:31 PM)Dracarys Wrote:  

(04-30-2014 05:32 PM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(04-30-2014 04:53 PM)panama Wrote:  

(04-30-2014 07:39 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  This is exactly what I think. I think there were better equipped cities for an MLS team in this country. I don't have anything against Atlanta, I just don't care for what they are doing right now. Again, it's better than nothing, it just isn't what I would have preferred. We can check back in a few years and see if Atlanta averages anywhere near 30,000 fans a game. My guess is they don't.

Do you have to average 30k to be successful in MLS?

Apparently not... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Leagu...attendance

Its a city of 5.5M with more immigrants than any city in deep south. Plus they will be selling King Arthur's castle. They will be fine.

That's what the stadium will hold for soccer. That's why I used the number, and I think the experience won't be great. You know what other city has a lot of immigrants? Miami. That worked out well before. We'll never know how it works out until we see it, I just have my doubts.

9911 what cities do you think would be better?

I think the MLS had to get into the south (Florida doesn't count). I would like to see a team added in the Carolina's or Virginia, instead of Minneapolis or San Antonio.


I think Atlanta was the right choice, but I would have rather seen the silverbacks promoted as opposed to a brand new expansion team (it worked well for the sounders). It appears the most important thing to the MLS in this situation is the ownership, and the willingness of that ownership to spend big bucks. The MLS was requiring new expansion teams to have their own soccer only stadiums. But with NYCFC and Atlanta they seem to be content with the team playing a stadium that is owned by the ownership. That's what I really hate. These clubs need their own stadium. I can't imagine enjoying a soccer game at Yankee stadium.

I'm all for this civil conversation about the subject. I agree the MLS needed to get into the south. I live in Huntsville, so it's pretty much 8 hours to the closest team. I would love to be able to attend some games, so like I said I'm all for Atlanta for my benefit. As far as areas to go into, I think the Carolinas should have been a huge target. Virginia would probably work too, but I just don't see that as getting a southeastern presence at this point. The other cities I really would have considered are St. Louis and Indy, and again they aren't southern cities.

I was good with Orlando. I think the MLS did everything right there. I would have been okay with Atlanta had they built a soccer specific stadium. I'm not thrilled about another New York team at this point, but I get the reasoning for it. I hope one of the 3 areas I listed gets the next team, but I could live with San Antonio or Phoenix as well.

I'm not really sure what the MLS is building towards, but it is getting rather large. I think it really needs to work toward a European style, as playoffs just aren't as exciting to me as the promotion/relegation set up. I understand this probably can't happen for quite a while, but I hope it eventually does.

I agree with the last part about promotion and relegation, but I think that has to be a goal for 20 years down the road. Owners are not going to buy into a league that their team could fall out of the very next year. Plus I don't think the second or divisions are anywhere close to where they need to be for that to be successful. I am going to hate having more than 20 teams. I also hate America's obsession with the playoffs. The Supporters' Shield should be the most important trophy in the MLS.

Yep. Playoffs in the MLS are a joke to me. And I agree, promotion/relegation is nowhere near ready to happen in the US. Pro soccer teams are still pretty much losing propositions for owners, so they definitely aren't going to want to have to funnel money into second tier teams at this point. But like you said, maybe in 20 years or so. I hope in the future(like you said, 20 years or so) the MLS tries to structure itself more like the big leagues around the world and continues to improve the product on the field. It's still painful to watch the MLS sometimes, but it is definitely leaps and bounds better than it was 15 years ago. As the sport continues to grow in popularity, and the league continues to grow in general, hopefully it will turn into something great.