[Kent76]

From New York Times

By JACK BELL
Published: June 17, 2007
Mr. Met, the mascot of New York’s National League baseball team, may not speak fluent Spanish yet, but the club has recast itself with a strong Hispanic flavor and may soon expand beyond America’s pastime and embrace the world’s game: soccer.
The Mets and several groups of investors have held discussions about obtaining the rights to operate a Major League Soccer team, which could not begin play until 2010 at the earliest, an industry executive said.

“We have been approached at various times with ideas, but right now we’re focused on our new stadium, Citi Field, and we don’t want to address this matter,” Dave Howard, the Mets’ executive vice president for business opportunities, said Thursday in a telephone interview. M.L.S., a single-entity operation that owns all player contracts and grants owner/investors the right to operate teams, is a 13-team circuit. The league plans to return next season to San Jose, Calif., (the Earthquakes were moved to Houston before the 2006 season) and expand to 16 teams by 2010 or 2011.

Lew Wolff, the owner of the Oakland Athletics, and his partner, John Fisher, purchased an exclusive option to resurrect the Earthquakes, and they will pay about $20 million for the rights to operate the club for the 2008 season. Future investors are more likely to pay about $30 million to run a team, M.L.S. Commissioner Don Garber said, a figure that could increase.

“I can’t confirm or deny any discussions with the Mets,” Garber said Friday in a telephone interview. He did say that a number of cities — Philadelphia; Atlanta; St. Louis; Seattle; San Diego; Las Vegas; Portland, Ore.; and Vancouver, British Columbia — are aggressively seeking teams but that the league’s preference was for a second team in the New York area.

“We have spoken to lots of different people,” Garber added, “and as a general statement I have to say that we have great respect for Fred Wilpon, who has a stellar reputation in the sports business.” Wilpon is the principal owner of the Mets.

Putting a team in New York, particularly in Queens, which has a large number of immigrants, would give M.L.S. a crosstown rivalry similar to the one it has near Los Angeles, where the Galaxy and Chivas USA share the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The Red Bulls play their home games at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., but have plans to build a 25,000-seat soccer stadium in Harrison, N.J., in time for the start of the 2009 season.

When M.L.S. began operations in 1996, Metromedia, which operated the MetroStars, was assigned the option to run a second team in the New York area. Those rights were transferred to the Anschutz Entertainment Group when it bought the MetroStars.

But M.L.S., as part of last year’s sale of the team to Red Bull, the Austrian maker of a popular energy drink, reclaimed the rights to the second team. The league would pay the Red Bulls an unspecified fee to put a new team in the area.

“The league’s original plan always was to have two teams in New York,” Garber said. “Our goal is to have 16 teams by 2010 or ’11.”

The Mets are building the 45,000-seat, $600 million Citi Field next to their current home, Shea Stadium. Last month, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced plans to redevelop the tumbledown auto salvage yards adjacent to Shea. That plan would liberate acres of land for retail and residential development and could include a modest stadium for the soccer team, should the Mets or another group buy into M.L.S.

Bringing the Mets on board would be considered a coup for M.L.S., which only a few years ago was dominated by AEG and the Hunt Sports Group, which operated the majority of the league’s teams. Since then, Garber has succeeded in attracting new investors who include Stan Kroenke (Colorado), Jorge Vergara (Chivas USA), Dave Checketts (Real Salt Lake), Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (Toronto FC) and Red Bull. “We’ve had many meetings with various people over the years,” the Mets’ Howard said. “We’ve had many ideas presented to us and this could have been one of them, but that’s my general fallback statement.”

[ginsan2]

On a completely off-topic note... Does anyone else find that the NYTimes is painful to read? I love WJ and The Economist, but NYT actually hurts my brain, or at least the part of it that wishes their writers would get to the damn point. Or at the very least, cohesively string together a sentence and manage to convey the point of the article in a timely fashion. :slob:

On an on-topic note, I find it odd that soccer is only just now catching on in America. I'm very much a baseball/basketball person myself, and no amount of soccer-marketing is ever going to make the sport interesting to me. I think the majority of Americans (especially those in the South and southwest) are going to feel far more strongly than my simple disinterest for the sport.

... Or maybe not. Is the latino population really changing things 'out there' or 'down there'?

[brian_b]

On an on-topic note, I find it odd that soccer is only just now catching on in America. I'm very much a baseball/basketball person myself, and no amount of soccer-marketing is ever going to make the sport interesting to me. I think the majority of Americans (especially those in the South and southwest) are going to feel far more strongly than my simple disinterest for the sport.

... Or maybe not. Is the latino population really changing things 'out there' or 'down there'?

I'm surprised it's taken this long for soccer to get a professional league run well-enough to stay afloat.

Soccer has been popular enough in the US for a long time. Latinos are not the only market.

[EtherealMist]

Interesting article...

I could easily picture a soccer stadium going up in Flushing beside the Mets' new ballpark.

[hoosier]

With the Harrison redevelopment that includes a soccer specific stadium for the Red Bull team, I don't know if NY should have another MLS franchise. Let's see how the Red Bulls do in their new stadium before going after another team. At least that is what I would do. The Mets can do whatever they want.

[shappy]

Toronto FC till I die, bitches!!111!!!eleven!!1

[pj3000]

Bring back the Cosmos!!! Check out Pele... words cannot describe how badass he was.

http://home.interlink.or.jp/~tomikosi/Pele1.jpg

[sprtsluvr8]

On an on-topic note, I find it odd that soccer is only just now catching on in America. I'm very much a baseball/basketball person myself, and no amount of soccer-marketing is ever going to make the sport interesting to me. I think the majority of Americans (especially those in the South and southwest) are going to feel far more strongly than my simple disinterest for the sport.

... Or maybe not. Is the latino population really changing things 'out there' or 'down there'?

Soccer isn't just now catching on in the U.S. It started years ago with youth soccer leagues and tournaments, which secured many future adult fans and generations following them. About 25-30 years ago many high schools began forming teams as well. So the "catching on" has been happening for decades now, and it seems that there is a large American fan base of spectators and players.

People (like me) who grew up with basketball and football will probably never be "real" soccer fans, but I find it interesting enough to watch World Cup, Olympics, and college national championships. I'm not sure how to interpret the comment about soccer in the South/Southwest, but incidentally 2/4 of the Final 4 teams in the 2007 college championships were from the South - UCLA, UC-Santa Barbara, University of Virginia, and Wake Forest University. In women's NCAA soccer, North Carolina has won 18 championships out of a total of 25.

I'm sure that the rise of American interest in soccer has been just as dramatic in the South and Southwest U.S. as anywhere else...I can't imagine why it wouldn't be. College football and basketball are huge in the South, but they are popular all over the U.S. (Michigan, Ohio State, Penn St, Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc). It has still been a struggle to attract interest in professional soccer, but it will materialize with the maturing fan base. I'm not sure we will ever see the fanatical and sometimes violent following like in Europe (Thank God!), but I think that is because the U.S. has several popular college and pro sports to choose from. The problem between U.S. and Europe is that we disrespectfully call it "soccer"....that issue needs to be resolved. Maybe the rest of the world can change to please us? :notacrook:

[hoosier]

Soccer isn't just now catching on in the U.S. It started years ago with youth soccer leagues and tournaments, which secured many future adult fans and generations following them. About 25-30 years ago many high schools began forming teams as well. So the "catching on" has been happening for decades now, and it seems that there is a large American fan base of spectators and players.

People (like me) who grew up with basketball and football will probably never be "real" soccer fans, but I find it interesting enough to watch World Cup, Olympics, and college national championships. I'm not sure how to interpret the comment about soccer in the South/Southwest, but incidentally 2/4 of the Final 4 teams in the 2007 college championships were from the South - UCLA, UC-Santa Barbara, University of Virginia, and Wake Forest University. In women's NCAA soccer, North Carolina has won 18 championships out of a total of 25.

I'm sure that the rise of American interest in soccer has been just as dramatic in the South and Southwest U.S. as anywhere else...I can't imagine why it wouldn't be. College football and basketball are huge in the South, but they are popular all over the U.S. (Michigan, Ohio State, Penn St, Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc). It has still been a struggle to attract interest in professional soccer, but it will materialize with the maturing fan base. I'm not sure we will ever see the fanatical and sometimes violent following like in Europe (Thank God!), but I think that is because the U.S. has several popular college and pro sports to choose from. The problem between U.S. and Europe is that we disrespectfully call it "soccer"....that issue needs to be resolved. Maybe the rest of the world can change to please us? :notacrook:

If you want to talk about dominating collegiate men's soccer programs, you HAVE to include Indiana University. SEVEN national champions and even more Big Ten titles and College Cup appearances. Jerry Yeagley, the long-time IU head coach, is the winningest college soccer coach in NCAA history.

[fleonzo]

As someone who is in an industry that sells to the Hispanic market:

Top Five Metro Regions for U.S. Hispanics

1. Los Angeles..........est. 7,500,000
2. New York.............est. 4,700,000
3. Miami..................est. 2,900,000
4. Houston...............est. 2,700,000
5. Chicago...............est. 2,200,000

The NY metro region is big enough for two teams just like all its other sports franchises!

[StethJeff]

Bring back the Cosmos!!! Check out Pele... words cannot describe how badass he was.

http://home.interlink.or.jp/~tomikosi/Pele1.jpg

That would actually be a pretty good idea, marketing-wise. But we can't have the Cosmos and the Galaxy in the same league! :D

[J. Will]

As someone who is in an industry that sells to the Hispanic market:

Top Five Metro Regions for U.S. Hispanics

1. Los Angeles..........est. 7,500,000
2. New York.............est. 4,700,000
3. Miami..................est. 2,900,000
4. Houston...............est. 2,700,000
5. Chicago...............est. 2,200,000

The NY metro region is big enough for two teams just like all its other sports franchises!

In evaluating the potential for number of soccer teams I think number of immigrants is far more useful than number of hispanics.

[StethJeff]

Bring back the Cosmos!!! Check out Pele... words cannot describe how badass he was.

http://home.interlink.or.jp/~tomikosi/Pele1.jpg

That would actually be a pretty good idea, marketing-wise. But we can't have the Cosmos and the Galaxy in the same league! :D

[StethJeff]

In evaluating the potential for number of soccer teams I think number of immigrants is far more useful than number of hispanics.

Those same five metro areas would still probably be among the 10 anyway.

[NewYorkYankee]

Those same five metro areas would still probably be among the 10 anyway.

People forget that NY has a lot of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans and they're pretty Americanized. they may like soccer, but baseball is their first passion. So Chi and Houston might beat out NY.

[Crawford]

People forget that NY has a lot of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans and they're pretty Americanized. they may like soccer, but baseball is their first passion. So Chi and Houston might beat out NY.

Heck, no. Puerto Ricans aren't even immigrants. No city has as many immigrants as NY. For metro totals, no city comes close to NYC or LA.

I'm not sure why people are only bringing up Latino immigrants. The Turks, Albanians, Poles, Ukranians, Russians and Arabs in my neighborhood are probably more passionate than Mexicans for soccer (though not as passionate as Brazilians or Argentines).

You really have to go beyond immigrant numbers to assess soccer popularity. One has to look at overall demographics. The Italians and Irish, for instance, usually are native-born, but they remain passionate about soccer (at least relative to someone with deep roots in this country) because they are just a generation or two separated from the old country and are more likely to gather in distinct enclaves (no, they are no longer really in Little Italy-type communities, but they still cluster in places like Staten Island and Northeast PA).

[fleonzo]

In evaluating the potential for number of soccer teams I think number of immigrants is far more useful than number of hispanics.

I'm only using it as a reference to the fact that U.S. Hispanic population is the fastest growing segment of the total U.S. population.

[fleonzo]

People forget that NY has a lot of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans and they're pretty Americanized. they may like soccer, but baseball is their first passion. So Chi and Houston might beat out NY.

Although it's true that most Carribean Hispanics (Cubans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans) are not as fanatics, for soccer, as other Latin American Hispanics- Mexicans are now the third largest Hispanic group in the NY Metro region. Along with the #1 Market for South Americans in the U.S. (Colombians, Ecuadorians, Peruvians, etc...) and #3 for Central Americans (Salvadorians, Guatemalans, Hondurans, etc...) makes it a significant market growth for the sport of soccer in the NY Metro region....

[JManc]

soccer is popular with other groups besides hispanics too.

[NewYorkYankee]

Heck, no. Puerto Ricans aren't even immigrants. No city has as many immigrants as NY. For metro totals, no city comes close to NYC or LA.

I'm not sure why people are only bringing up Latino immigrants. The Turks, Albanians, Poles, Ukranians, Russians and Arabs in my neighborhood are probably more passionate than Mexicans for soccer (though not as passionate as Brazilians or Argentines).

You really have to go beyond immigrant numbers to assess soccer popularity. One has to look at overall demographics. The Italians and Irish, for instance, usually are native-born, but they remain passionate about soccer (at least relative to someone with deep roots in this country) because they are just a generation or two separated from the old country and are more likely to gather in distinct enclaves (no, they are no longer really in Little Italy-type communities, but they still cluster in places like Staten Island and Northeast PA).


Ummm, I know that. But the converstaion is about Latinos, and 50% of NYs Latino inflow is from DR. And that number reflects all hispanics, which would include NYC incredible Puerto Rican popualtion.

[NewYorkYankee]

Although it's true that most Carribean Hispanics (Cubans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans) are not as fanatics, for soccer, as other Latin American Hispanics- Mexicans are now the third largest Hispanic group in the NY Metro region. Along with the #1 Market for South Americans in the U.S. (Colombians, Ecuadorians, Peruvians, etc...) and #3 for Central Americans (Salvadorians, Guatemalans, Hondurans, etc...) makes it a significant market growth for the sport of soccer in the NY Metro region....

To an extent. But I saw far more Italian flags in my uncles nabe during the world cup (I was staying with him in Astoria) than any latin flag. The Brazilians are mostly in Newark and yes, they're pretty loyal. But not a huge factor. Of course, Bensonhurst/Bay Ridge/Sheepshead Bay exploded when the Italians won. You might be able to draw them in.

still thou, I always felt that Los Angeles had a far greater Latino dispora than NYC. To be honest, I'm quite jealous in that regard. Yeah, in sheer numbers NY rocks, but out of that 4 mil there are 2 million PRs and another 1 million DR/Cubans. The rest is what you said. Not too diverse.

[the Misanthropist]

Africans are another strong market.

[fleonzo]

To an extent. But I saw far more Italian flags in my uncles nabe during the world cup (I was staying with him in Astoria) than any latin flag. The Brazilians are mostly in Newark and yes, they're pretty loyal. But not a huge factor. Of course, Bensonhurst/Bay Ridge/Sheepshead Bay exploded when the Italians won. You might be able to draw them in.

still thou, I always felt that Los Angeles had a far greater Latino dispora than NYC. To be honest, I'm quite jealous in that regard. Yeah, in sheer numbers NY rocks, but out of that 4 mil there are 2 million PRs and another 1 million DR/Cubans. The rest is what you said. Not too diverse.

As a matter of fact NYC Metro has the most diverse Hispanic population in the U.S. (est. 25% PR/ 25% DR, 15% Mexican, and 35% from over 20 other Latin American countries) Miami comes a close second (55% Cuban 45% 25+ other Latin Amer countries).
Compare to LA (75% Mexican 20% Central 5% other), Houston (80% Mexican 15% Central American, 5% other), Chicago (70% Mexican, 20% PR, 10% other). And if you look at the other major metropolitan areas for Hispanic-in particular the South West it's 90% plus Mexican. I've done the research for the past two years and I have the facts to back it up!

[Matty]

On a completely off-topic note... Does anyone else find that the NYTimes is painful to read? I love WJ and The Economist, but NYT actually hurts my brain, or at least the part of it that wishes their writers would get to the damn point. Or at the very least, cohesively string together a sentence and manage to convey the point of the article in a timely fashion. :slob:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_Defecit_Disorder

[ginsan2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_Defecit_Disorder

I've read books on cost accounting techniques that were more interesting than the New York Times (:slob: ).

[EtherealMist]

That would actually be a pretty good idea, marketing-wise. But we can't have the Cosmos and the Galaxy in the same league! :D

The Cosmos extended name was actually the Cosmopolitans. Inspired from the NY Metropolitans (Mets)

[Serenade]

I would think the average immigrant soccer fan could care less about MLS. They follow their home country's league and the European leagues and play recreationally. They are passionate no doubt, but MLS is nothing more than a bunch of slow WASPs.

[Serenade]

Also if you notice, most new MLS stadiums are located in the suburbs, far from the city center. But that's a discussion for another day.

[DaleAvella]

Why is MLS attendance in New York so low?

[mczamalek]

^I'd say because the lone team plays out in the Meadowlands in NJ, which is virtually inaccessible via public transport (not to mention expensive tolls and delays by car). The new Harrison stadium should draw far more.

If the Mets were to procure a new franchise and build a stadium in Queens, it might be a perfect storm for MLS attendance in the region.

[ocman]

^I'd say because the lone team plays out in the Meadowlands in NJ, which is virtually inaccessible via public transport (not to mention expensive tolls and delays by car). The new Harrison stadium should draw far more.

If the Mets were to procure a new franchise and build a stadium in Queens, it might be a perfect storm for MLS attendance in the region.

Another thing is that they're named after an energy drink, which has got to embarrass many people.

[mczamalek]

^which happened recently as the Austrians bought the naming rights:hyper:

[Kent76]

I am Italian and I, my nation and my city ( Naples ) are absolutely crazy about soccer 24 hours and 7 days. New York is my favourite city in the world and it is absurd that the most important city in the world hasn't a team ( NYRB are only a NJ team ) about the most important sport in the world(soccer of course ). I hope that in 2010 there will be a New York City team ( New York City Football Club for example ) in MLS with a specific soccer stadium in the Queens ( 30.000/35.000 seats ).
MLS is a good league and from 1st July there will be also DAVID BECKHAM !!!
Soccer in USA is also good level and tommorrow there will be the final of the CONCACAF GOLD CUP USA-MEXICO at Soldier Field in Chicago on Fox Soccer Channel and also in Italy on Eurosport TV and Sport Italia TV and I will watch it of course.
By 26th June Usa national soccer will play also the Copa America in Venezuela together Mexico and all the south american nations ( GOL TV ) and in July the youth Usa national will play at World Cup under 20 in CANADA ( ESPN TV ) and will there be also FREDDY ADU !!!!
I think and I hope that USA national soccer can arrive in the final against Italy in the next World Cup ( South Africa 2010 ).

[sprtsluvr8]

If you want to talk about dominating collegiate men's soccer programs, you HAVE to include Indiana University. SEVEN national champions and even more Big Ten titles and College Cup appearances. Jerry Yeagley, the long-time IU head coach, is the winningest college soccer coach in NCAA history.

Sorry about that, I didn't mean to ignore Indiana's soccer championships. But I was concentrating on the popularity of soccer in the Southern U.S...

Jerry Yeagley must be the winningest MEN'S college soccer coach in NCAA history, much as Bobby Knight is the winningest MEN'S college basketball coach...but he doesn't come near Pat Summit. :) You know we can't discuss Indiana without the name Bobby Knight coming up...

Anson Dorrance, coach of UNC, has 602 wins, 9 straight national championships, and 18 total national championships at North Carolina. Dean Smith said, "This is a women's soccer school. We're just trying to keep up with them." You know we can't discuss North Caroline without the name Dean Smith coming up...

[Kent76]

Usa - Mexico 2-1
Usa wins the GOLD CUP and will play the CONFEDERATION CUP in 2009 in South Africa !!!!
Great Usa and great Donovan.

[Kent76]

Is it true that is much strong the interest of Fred Wilpon about a new New York City soccer team and a new stadium in Queens for 2010 ?

[donybrx]

I've read books on cost accounting techniques that were more interesting than the New York Times (:slob: ).

Then don't read the Times; end of difficulty.

[Kent76]

Are there news about the interest of Fred Wilpon about a new soccer team in New York City in 2010 ?
Thank you for the reply.