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Post by Kyle Feller on Jul 9, 2009 8:41:46 GMT -5
In recent months I've become very interested in the business aspect of Major League Soccer and USA Soccer in general. As I read interesting tidbits from around the interwebs I'll do my best to translate them to this thread, for those of us interested in such issues.
So without further delay.....my first official "business" note:
Philadelphia Union (MLS Expansion 2010)
"In Philly, there is a report that the Union have sold more than 7,000 season tickets. With nine months to go until First Kick in 2010, that is a solid number. Hopefully as players get signed and the stadium goes up, tickets will clear the 10k mark and get near the 15k cap set by the team."
My Take: This is a "solid" number for Philly at this point. It isn't on pace with what Seattle did out of the gate, but nonetheless I could think of several MLS teams that would be happy with a season ticket list of 7,000 (My beloved New York Red Bulls for example). I anticipate a number of around 12k-13k for opening day in Chester, PA.
Portland Timbers (MLS Expansion 2010)
"There is a “funding gap” between the money promised by Merritt Paulson, the City of Portland and other sources. Specifically, there is more than a $28 million hole, even if the City is able to sell more than $35 million in bonds in a tough market (if not, the gap is much larger). Now citizens in Portland opposed to the deal are speaking out in an effort to kill the deal. The Oregonian is reporting that a number of local architects are working to preserve Memorial Coliseum by placing it on the National Register of Historic Places. If that effort is succesful, it would block the two-step required to get the Timbers their own stadium. Portland’s minor league team is supposed to get a new stadium in place of the Coliseum while the Timbers are supposed to move to PGE Park."
My Take: Henry Paulsons son is the supreme leader of sports in Portland, owning both the Portland Timbers (USL1/MLS 2010) and the Portland Beavers (AAA Baseball). Portland has been awarded an MLS with the understanding that they will have a soccer stadium ready to go, which as this point they are struggling with the funding.
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Post by knaveljm on Jul 9, 2009 11:54:03 GMT -5
I think MLS has a really strong business model in place. They have done a great job putting their franchises on solid footing -- much better than any league not called NFL, MLB or NBA. And considering how young the league is compared to the long histories of those three, they are probably doing a better job than just about anybody else.
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Post by huisrealgood on Jul 9, 2009 14:10:16 GMT -5
For a league that many thought would go under after a season or two the MLS is sticking surprisingly strong in the United States. I don't think it will ever become a top 3 followed sport in America, and it may never reach the NHL for 4th, but I think it could find a niche and stick around for the long haul.
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Post by incognitoman on Jul 9, 2009 19:57:00 GMT -5
Regarding Philly, I think it will turn out extremely positive. I spent almost 3 months out there last summer working, and their fans are exactly as advertised- annoying yet extremely loyal to their city. (I was called a frontrunner because I live in Ohio and have been a Cubs fan for 15 years.) The only team that doesn't do extremely well is the Sixers. Now, they do make money and they aren't in any way possible in financial trouble, but they were among the bottom of the league in sell-outs. The Phillies and Eagles sell out nearly any game. Some Phillies games, I only had the option to get in as a standing room only, and others even those were sold out. I was there when the Soul won the Arena Bowl (or whatever the AFL's Super Bowl is called) and the fans loved it. I am pretty sure they were in the upper echelon of attendance. I am not 100% positive, but I even think the Lacrosse team wasn't doing bad compared to other LAX teams.
Sorry for the rant, but due to all of this, I think the Philadelphia Union will do fine there. In fact, I heard a lot of people getting excited, and this was the summer of 2008. I'm not sure where the stadium is going, but it could hinder the team if not off of Broad St. They are tearing down the Wachovia Spectrum, which is where the Sixers used to play and the LAX team played and is in the same parking lot as the venues of the Phillies, Eagles and Sixers.
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Post by Kyle Feller on Jul 15, 2009 11:16:35 GMT -5
"There are a couple of interesting TV notes surrounding US soccer this week. The most significant is the announcement that the English rights to the USA/Mexico World Cup qualifier belong to……Telemundo. According to Mr. Goff, Telemundo will show the game in Spanish on its main channel and in English on “mun2″ a station available in only 30 million households. Telemundo is owned by NBC. According to Goff, ESPN attmpted to purchase the game from Telemundo, but the rights were not for sale. Given the strange start time (4:00 p.m. ET) for the midweek game, the match will likely not be a ratings dynamo. Yet, the lack of availability in English will dramatically impact the ability of the work crowd to catch the game at a bar and of the college/school crowd to watch the game at home. This is the biggest World Cup qualifier in years, and Telemundo’s power play will likely deny millions of American sports fans the opportunity to watch the game." - Footiebusiness
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Post by Kyle Feller on Jul 15, 2009 15:24:04 GMT -5
"There is a “funding gap” between the money promised by Merritt Paulson, the City of Portland and other sources. Specifically, there is more than a $28 million hole, even if the City is able to sell more than $35 million in bonds in a tough market (if not, the gap is much larger). Now citizens in Portland opposed to the deal are speaking out in an effort to kill the deal. The Oregonian is reporting that a number of local architects are working to preserve Memorial Coliseum by placing it on the National Register of Historic Places. If that effort is succesful, it would block the two-step required to get the Timbers their own stadium. Portland’s minor league team is supposed to get a new stadium in place of the Coliseum while the Timbers are supposed to move to PGE Park."My Take: Henry Paulsons son is the supreme leader of sports in Portland, owning both the Portland Timbers (USL1/MLS 2010) and the Portland Beavers (AAA Baseball). Portland has been awarded an MLS with the understanding that they will have a soccer stadium ready to go, which as this point they are struggling with the funding. Update:PGE PARK TO GET SOCCER MAKEOVER The owners of the Portland Timbers have reached a tentative agreement with the city of Portland for $31 million to renovate PGE Park. Under the agreement, which must be voted on by the city council, team owner Merritt Paulson will contribute $8 million up front, as well as pre-pay $11 million in rent and ticket taxes. The city will borrow $11.2 million against an existing Spectator Facilities Fund, which comes from ticket taxes and other fees at all city owned arenas and parking garages, and from taxes on hotel rooms and rental cars. The refurbished PGE Park (formerly Civic Stadium), is the centrpiece of the Timbers’ bid for a Major League Soccer expansion franchise.
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Post by Formerbruin on Jul 15, 2009 17:53:16 GMT -5
Brush up on your Spanish, Amigo. Then enjoy the match.
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Post by huisrealgood on Jul 16, 2009 14:36:44 GMT -5
"There are a couple of interesting TV notes surrounding US soccer this week. The most significant is the announcement that the English rights to the USA/Mexico World Cup qualifier belong to……Telemundo. According to Mr. Goff, Telemundo will show the game in Spanish on its main channel and in English on “mun2″ a station available in only 30 million households. Telemundo is owned by NBC. According to Goff, ESPN attmpted to purchase the game from Telemundo, but the rights were not for sale. Given the strange start time (4:00 p.m. ET) for the midweek game, the match will likely not be a ratings dynamo. Yet, the lack of availability in English will dramatically impact the ability of the work crowd to catch the game at a bar and of the college/school crowd to watch the game at home. This is the biggest World Cup qualifier in years, and Telemundo’s power play will likely deny millions of American sports fans the opportunity to watch the game." - Footiebusiness That's dumb. I can understand it though. Telemundo wants this game for themselves, they have the rights... they can do with it what they want.
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Post by Kyle Feller on Jul 20, 2009 8:46:22 GMT -5
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Post by Kyle Feller on Jul 22, 2009 9:10:19 GMT -5
MLS Expansion Race Heats Up:
With Philly and Portland lined up to be Franchises #17 and #18 for Major League Soccer......"Top men" have focused their attention to the scramble for teams #19 and #20.
Here is the list of 5 finalists, per "Sports Business Journal"
Atlanta The Carolinas Florida (likely Miami?) Montreal St. Louis
My Perspective:
Strike where the iron is hot! USL teams moving to MLS has proven to be a great thing for MLS in recent years. Look no further than Seattle and the example it has set when you begin thinking about which cities deserve a team.
Montreal currently plays in a small stadium (Stade Saputo: 13,500 Capacity) but has shown in the past that it's fan base is more than willing to fill larger stadiums (The all-time single game high is the 55,571 fans in attendance for the 2009 CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final against Santos Laguna (Mexico) at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal , Quebec , Canada.)
Montreal would be a homerun in the mold of Seattle, and would add a geographical rivalry for Toronto, not to mention hopefully start moving the MLS the way of lowering their requirements for US/Canadian citizens per team.
The second team, well your guess is as good as mine. St. Louis has always been a hotbed for soccer development in the US, but to my knowledge doesn't represent much of a professional/semi-professional history. Atlanta has a USL Team, but they don't really draw to well.
My guess?
Montreal Carolinas
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Post by Kyle Feller on Jul 28, 2009 7:58:11 GMT -5
Interesting article from the NY Times yesterday on MLS Merchandise Sales. goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/mls-merchandise-rankings-dont-reflect-performance/A few highlights if you don't want to read the article: “Our sales are multiples of what they’ve been in the past,” Crystal said, while declining to provide detailed numbers. “We’re trying now to connect with young kids playing sports, to plant the seed with them.” "The top teams in the league, in terms of merchandise sales, are, in order: the Seattle Sounders, Los Angeles Galaxy, Toronto F.C. , D.C. United, Chicago Fire , the Red Bulls, and Houston Dynamo." "But according to the league’s research, the top selling jerseys have been Beckham, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Landon Donovan, Freddie Ljungberg, and Juan Pablo Angel."
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Post by Kyle Feller on Aug 3, 2009 8:35:19 GMT -5
A crowd of just under 95,000 people filled the Rose Bowl to watch LA Galaxy and FC Barcelona this past saturday night.
Barcelona (European Champions) won the context 2-1 and gave the crowd a great show. This is yet another reminder that this game is taking off in the United States, it's been a massive summer.
In MLS Business News:
"DALLAS, July 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Soccer United Marketing, on behalf of Major League Soccer, L.L.C. (MLS), the U.S. Soccer Federation and AT&T* announced today that AT&T will be the official communications services sponsor of MLS and the U.S. Men's and Women's National Teams. As part of the multi-year agreement, AT&T is the title sponsor of the AT&T MLS All-Star Game, and in the future will enhance the soccer experience for fans by delivering exclusive content across the wireless device, TV, and PC."
That's right, another world brand has invested in a relationship with Major League Soccer. MLS Commissioner has sugested that this is the biggest sponsorship in MLS history.
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Post by huisrealgood on Aug 5, 2009 11:07:31 GMT -5
St. Louis really wants a team and the word is that the stadium would be in Collinsville, IL which is about 10 minutes from where I now live. I'd probably go to a lot of games were they to actually get a team, but I hear the prospects are dwindling. It's too bad because St. Louis would be a nice destination for a team. They'd have natural rivals in Kansas City and Chicago and would have a good following since St. Louis only holds 3 major sports franchises (Cardinals, Rams, and Blues) not 4 or more like some of the other teams on the list.
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Post by tamrik on Aug 5, 2009 14:43:27 GMT -5
In the meantime, one of my favorites, 'arena football' will be closing their doors
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Post by Kyle Feller on Aug 23, 2009 15:13:43 GMT -5
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