[daneblazer]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer...224900196.html

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank has officially been awarded an MLS team that will begin play in 2017. This will push the size of the league to 22 teams, with four scheduled enter the league over the next few years — New York City FC and Orlando City in 2015, Atlanta in 2017 and David Beckham's Miami team yet to be determined.
Though this burst of expansion is an exciting show of the league's growth, the stadium situations for each new club are less than ideal. After making an odd attempt at a grand entrance by landing in a helicopter, MLS commissioner Don Garber announced that the Atlanta team will share the Falcons' new stadium, using a new "downsizing technology" to shrink the 70,000-seat, $1.2 billion stadium to a more intimate 29,000 seats for soccer once it is completed. It will have artificial turf, but Blank vowed that the American football lines would not be visible on the field, which drew the biggest cheer of the announcement.

[Vegas39]

Hope their attendance better than hockey team drew

[High3rEl3m3nt]

MLS is expanding too fast, especially as they feature a profit sharing model (Chivas already failed and the league had to take over the team). That's 3 more teams--Orlando, another in NY, and now another in Atlanta. Not sure MLS is going to take off in Orlando or Atlanta, and is the market really that big for soccer that NY can support two teams? I don't think so.

[daneblazer]

I think Orlando will support the team before Atlanta will

[Bill Dozer]

This is a good move for MLS. The clubs are taking root where the top youth clubs have been flourishing. Soccer is big in those areas which all have money. Girls soccer is good indicator because it shows where the most interest is. Not only are they boys power teams but girls ball there. Its not an exact science but if So Cal is the biggest market. New York can definitely support two teams considering Jersey is where Red bulls are. NJ could support their own team. I don't like the New England Revs deal. Those states would latch on to their own club but I guess too risky to make it a Boston team.

You can see there is big interest around Atlanta and Orlando. Miami wants to be So Cal but I dont see it. Thats the biggest IF on the list IMO.

[daneblazer]

Atlanta needs to turn their stadium into a giant front porch with old recliners, pitchers of sweet tea, and a few oscillating fans. Blacks would purchase tickets for that in droves and there wouldn't even need to be a game playing.

[thetrinity]

too many teams now 20 was enough

the team in miami will probably need a dome stadium.

[James Marques]

And here in Atlanta.... no one cares.

[greenhippo]

Hahahah, James I clicked on this thread to say the exact same thing. Haven't heard a word from people here.

[TwoWays]

There's a soccer league in the USA??

[b1slickguy]

MLS won't become a real league without promotion and relegation.

[High3rEl3m3nt]

Bill, it's not good for MLS. The league needs to slowly grow and this is way too fast and the handful of teams that are making profit, are going to have to try and float these teams in markets that are already saturated with professional sports.

[High3rEl3m3nt]

Again, So Cal is not big enough to support two teams. Ever watch a Chivas game? MLS is trying to save this team and at the expense of the other teams.

[Bill Dozer]

MLS won't become a real league without promotion and relegation.

I personally like relegation for all sports. It has that ncaa tourney feel to it. Small schools win by just making it to that second season. But I think the biggest obstacle is the salary cap. It's going to keep the league from bringing in top players and therefore be seen as inferior. They already made a mess with Beckham rules. Just open it up. As it fills in from the top relegation can be looked at but thats gotta be years away right? I mean, who would watch 2nd tier MLS??

Bill, it's not good for MLS. The league needs to slowly grow and this is way too fast and the handful of teams that are making profit, are going to have to try and float these teams in markets that are already saturated with professional sports.

I didn't follow the league early on so correct me but did any of these owners come in to make a little bit of money this early? They are in for the next 20 years when soccer is 10 fold and the value is off the charts. They are betting on the sport. NBA and NFL owners made a mint by buying in before popularity took off.

Again, So Cal is not big enough to support two teams. Ever watch a Chivas game? MLS is trying to save this team and at the expense of the other teams.

Quick search says Chivas attendance is up second highest 20% over last year behind Toronto. You think it's a size thing or mgt? Seems like a Lakers/Clippers situation. At least in NY the teams wont be on top of each other. They wont share a stadium (so Im told).

[High3rEl3m3nt]

I don't think you can compare the actions of previous nba and nfl owners with the current situation of MLS owners wanting to buy in early, as the current sports markets have been carved out and they are more competitive than ever.

The single worst thing that MLS could do is grow the league too fast and risk taking several steps backwards in terms of the overall product and fans' ability to keep up pace. As it stands, MLS faces some significant challenges in its season overlapping at both ends with significant sporting events. The NBA season winds down and the playoffs begin, the NHL playoffs begin, and the MLB season begins all in the early stages of the MLS season. During the heart of the season, MLS only has to compete with MLB, but then it consistently shoots itself in the foot, because players are off on international duty and there's conacaaf play. Then, when the season nears and enters into the playoffs, football starts, half of the league has no chance to make the playoffs--talent disparity is huge, the MLB enters it playoffs, NHL season starts soon, and the NBA is not far off.

Last MLS playoffs were terrible with the insane break in between play. Two weeks before the second leg of a playoff in the late fall is momentum killer. I enjoy MLS and have followed the league closely for 3 years--gambling certainly helped to further my interest in the league.

I suppose if sports gambling become legal in the states, it could be the single best thing to happen to MLS, the WNBA, and other, smaller leagues.

[High3rEl3m3nt]

Also, it is important to contextualize Chivas's current attendance levels with where they have been in seasons past. Let's see what the attendance looks like come July.

[pavyracer]

Silverbacks average more than 10,000 fans and I see no problem filling the 29,000 seats. Also the Braves will be in Cobb in 2007 so they won't compete with them. There are thousands of soccer leagues for players in the suburbs and there is huge interest. Atlanta will have a home team advantage in the summer because all north teams will die in the humidity here.

[Bill Dozer]

Also, it is important to contextualize Chivas's current attendance levels with where they have been in seasons past. Let's see what the attendance looks like come July.

I think I was wrong about the attendance #s. That was just year over year week. http://mlsattendance.blogspot.com/ The year before they were terrible.

[Bill Dozer]

I don't think you can compare the actions of previous nba and nfl owners with the current situation of MLS owners wanting to buy in early, as the current sports markets have been carved out and they are more competitive than ever.

The single worst thing that MLS could do is grow the league too fast and risk taking several steps backwards in terms of the overall product and fans' ability to keep up pace...

Eh, Id counter point that fans want more. ESPN is 24-7 and wasnt during the Magic-Bird era. NBA has done great with expansion. This is the age where story lines are made online. It's the age of the armchair fan who has every game on a 70 incher and he rather not go to the stadium. Now shows like Breaking Bad that wouldn't have a shot in hell are considered the best ever because people catch up on the internet.

Last MLS playoffs were terrible with the insane break in between play. Two weeks before the second leg of a playoff in the late fall is momentum killer. I enjoy MLS and have followed the league closely for 3 years--gambling certainly helped to further my interest in the league.

Agree. People can barely tolerate that break for the Super Bowl nevermind a startup league.

During the heart of the season, MLS only has to compete with MLB, but then it consistently shoots itself in the foot, because players are off on international duty and there's conacaaf play.

A lot of teams deal with international play. What sucks about MLS situation is if we had the best global players most of them would not be American and they'd leave to go play in another country where USA fans don't even follow them. In theory, as USA soccer grows some of our best players eventually are playing for the USA teams. That means fans can still follow, still care, and most important still buy their club jerseys.

I think if we grow and keep our own offensive power player like Messi, Ronaldo, or Zidane it could be the trigger. It puts the MLS on the NBA path after Magic-Bird. Thats what these owners are waiting on IMO. They see the youth clubs in the USA have increased by 30x in the past 10 years and they see that US Academy clubs are now going to a 10 month season with no high school soccer allowed. They know their guy is coming eventually.