2013 MLS Thread

[Tom Servo]

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/...tadium-funding

Orlando likely to get an MLS team.

[BuckeyeRed27]

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/...tadium-funding

Orlando likely to get an MLS team.

I'm 1 for 1!

I think that is a good addition. They have pretty solid support already and seem to have a pretty good ownership group.

[Yachtzee]

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/...tadium-funding

Orlando likely to get an MLS team.

Looks good for them. Hopefully they can avoid too much involvement with Disney. Disney doesn't have the best track record in running sports teams. I also think they would butt heads with organized supporters groups, as soccer supporters tend to have an independent streak and Disney doesn't like things they can't control.

[Caveat Emperor]

ISO an ownership group to front an NASL team for Cincinnati.

I feel like Queen City FC would be a hit on the Banks.

[reds1869]

ISO an ownership group to front an NASL team for Cincinnati.

I feel like Queen City FC would be a hit on the Banks.

I hope so, but the Kings did not do so well. Selling Cincinnati on minor league teams has always been tough. The Cyclones are successful because they found a demographic fit that works and milked it. A lower tier soccer club would have the dual problem of perception to contend with: they aren't big league enough for the casual fan and they aren't euro enough for the snobs.

[Yachtzee]

I hope so, but the Kings did not do so well. Selling Cincinnati on minor league teams has always been tough. The Cyclones are successful because they found a demographic fit that works and milked it. A lower tier soccer club would have the dual problem of perception to contend with: they aren't big league enough for the casual fan and they aren't euro enough for the snobs.

Cleveland had a USL team that did well when they played their games on the Cleveland State campus. But then after winning the USL 2nd Division championship, they promoted themselves to USL 1 and moved to a high school football stadium in the 'burbs. They alienated their core supporters, college students and young professionals, and couldn't draw the families from the suburbs. Plus they played on the east side, which made it difficult for soccer mad folks on the west side to get to games.

I don't know where the Kings played, but they were playing in the USL PDL, which is the lowest level. I suspect the owners didn't have the wherewithal to do a lot of marketing. If Cincinnati had a team in the NASL, was able to find a place to play near UC or Xavier, and could put enough marketing out there to let people know about the team, they might do well. The NASL works well for college students since they play a split spring/fall season. If they did that, there's no reason why the team couldn't do as well as the Cyclones.

[reds1869]

Cleveland had a USL team that did well when they played their games on the Cleveland State campus. But then after winning the USL 2nd Division championship, they promoted themselves to USL 1 and moved to a high school football stadium in the 'burbs. They alienated their core supporters, college students and young professionals, and couldn't draw the families from the suburbs. Plus they played on the east side, which made it difficult for soccer mad folks on the west side to get to games.

I don't know where the Kings played, but they were playing in the USL PDL, which is the lowest level. I suspect the owners didn't have the wherewithal to do a lot of marketing. If Cincinnati had a team in the NASL, was able to find a place to play near UC or Xavier, and could put enough marketing out there to let people know about the team, they might do well. The NASL works well for college students since they play a split spring/fall season. If they did that, there's no reason why the team couldn't do as well as the Cyclones.

I think a NASL team could work for the reasons you mention but everything would have to fall into place perfectly. The club would need to win and win big early on and generate enthusiasm. When I went to Kings games at Xavier it was like joining a secret society that no one knew about.

[reds1869]

This morning it was confirmed that Cincinnati is getting a new NPSL club that will play at Withrow HS, just down the road from Xavier. Perhaps this will lay the groundwork for something bigger.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...-Soccer-League

[Caveat Emperor]

Queen City FC > Cincinnati Saints.

I'll support, but its a gigantic naming fail.

[dabvu2498]

Queen City FC > Cincinnati Saints.

I'll support, but its a gigantic naming fail.

Already taken: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_City_FC

[Yachtzee]

Already taken: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_City_FC

Could go with a German theme, like SV (Sport-Verein) Zinzinnati or Bayern Cincy. Build a soccer specific stadium in a certain neighborhood and call it FC Over-the-Rhine. Or just go with a historical theme like Porkopolis FC.

[Caveat Emperor]

Queen City FC is defunct -- I can't imagine procuring the name would be a complex process for a 4th tier team that hasn't played in 5 years.

Otherwise, I like going with either the German theme (SV Zinzinnati would be fun, I think).

[IslandRed]

Definitely not "Bayern" since that's just German for "Bavaria," which is the German state where Munich is located. That always struck me as an odd name for a sports team, like calling a team "Cincinnati Ohio." Wait... Hmmm.

[Caveat Emperor]

Good interview piece on Dempsey's return to MLS: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soc.../?sct=sc_t2_a1

[Caveat Emperor]

Definitely not "Bayern" since that's just German for "Bavaria," which is the German state where Munich is located. That always struck me as an odd name for a sports team, like calling a team "Cincinnati Ohio." Wait... Hmmm.

I mean, it wouldn't be without precedent -- "Real" is Spanish for Royal, which makes no sense for a team in Salt Lake City that (as best I can tell) has never been ruled by a monarch.

For the record, I think Real Salt Lake is a really dumb name for a team.