San Antonio nets pro soccer franchise
 

Well, looks like this part of the article came true.
Gordon Hartman/San Antonio got awarded a team by the NASL to play at the STAR Soccer Complex.

Monday, October 4, 2010, 4:56pm CDT

http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sa...04/daily9.html
San Antonio nets pro soccer franchise
San Antonio Business Journal - by W. Scott Bailey

is the NASL even as big a deal as the MLS? Or is SA getting the short end of the pro sports stick here

No, it it is not as big as the MLS. Remember, the city turned down the MLS in the past (Hardberger at least).

Short end. Minor league team playing in the suburbs. Worse for me than even no team...

It will likely be poorly attended, giving any opponents of MLS fuel to say "See, soccer just doesn't draw well" or "If they can't even support minor-leagues..."

Most annoying argument ever. Like saying San Antonio hates football because we didn't support UFL or CFL or WLAF...

Lose/lose. Still waiting on MLS to go urban.

NASL is a break off of USL. This is going to be their 1st season. Teams will be located in Atlanta, St. Louis, Baltimore, and Miami to name a few. There will also be teams in Canada and Puerto Rico.

I'm open to the idea. It has potential to bring in some money and much needed sports coverage to San Antonio. I think Hartman is a good guy we need to put some faith into his idea.

being optimistic is one thing. i am cynical but can allow for those who are hopeful that the NASL experiment will turn out well.

still, thinking san antonio will get any "much needed sports coverage" out of this is delusional. how much "sports coverage" does san antonio get on a national stage from the Rampage or Missions? zero.

minor league sports are placebos, satisfying the psychological need for acceptance in some imagined fraternity without delivering any actual substantial effect to the overall problem.

I'd have to agree with Kyle. Even if SA had landed an MLS team, it would still be a stretch to think it would suddenly gain any discernable national attention.

When you're the number 37 market in the US, nothing short of hosting the Olympics is gonna result in any real national attention as far as sports are concerned. Just ask Salt Lake City (which is a bigger TV market, btw).

Uh hello you would at least get coverage in other NASL cities (like I mentioned Miami, St. Louis, Peurto Rico, Canada, etc.)

I'm from Midland and we were very supportive of our minor league baseball, soccer, football (Odessa), and hockey (Odessa) teams. These teams get those cities a lot of news coverage they never would have received. They also increase the quality of life and help draw new options to the region.

San Antonio will never be Houston or Dallas. :tup: So stop trying already.

Not sure if anyone was caught off guard with this one.
Looks like we might be one step closer. SS&E seem pretty serious about soccer.

from mysa.com

But is it really going to be MLS their after or any other league they can get their hands on?

Considering that Gordon Hartman already got a team that way, it would seem that the Spurs (S&E) go after MLS. I doubt they go after a competing minor league club or spend millions for anything other than MLS. We might not see anything til 2015 or after; by that time the NASL will have been here for 3 years.

Yeah it's that NASL that everyone got excited about, but that isn't pro soccer is it? MLS is the only big one, am I right?

Well I hope it works out.

I've actually got sources here.

SS&E is SERIOUS about bringing soccer and serious about making MLS part of that plan.

The idea would be to start out in a "minor" league to build fanbase, optimize concepts, and then step into MLS at a pre-arranged time with the league.

Could be 2012 start date with a "step-up" in 2014 or 2015.

This is very much happening and the Spurs (again) are VERY serious.

And here is SS&E to make us look smart. All in...

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/edu...ers-942707.php

And here is my article on why this makes sense for San Antonio and for the prospects of an urban future....

MLS on the San Antonio Horizon? SS&E Makes Intentions Clear
http://www.crocketteers.com/2011/01/...entions-clear/

More "news"...

As part of the NASL v USL debate (read: suburban Hartman plan v urban Spurs plan), the city/county is studying the viability of both models (in addition to other ways to lure MLS/NFL/MLB.

Word is that the early returns strongly favor the more urban plan (the Spurs' Alamo Stadium plan).

If that holds, then the city/county would shift financial support to that plan and the other would (assumedly) go away.

Sculley (Cheryl's husband, leader of Sports/Convention office and study) has said that they are obviously ready to declare that two teams will not work. The rest of the study will be made known sooner than later.

So, for urbanity's sake, we're looking to be in a good position.

Good, I hope it goes downtown.

Vice President of the USL,Tim Holt, was being interviewed during the first half of the Spurs game tonight. He said he was in town today touring Alamo Stadium and meeting with civic leaders and he sounds pretty confident that SA will have a team soon.

Nice article. In addition, since SA is so close to Mexico and has a large Latino population which is historically into soccer, that's another qualifier for the demographics being right to support a MLS team.

My only question is since MLS's season is in the summer, and San Antonio's average high temperature in the summer months has been at or over 100 degrees in the past several years, would they schedule all the home games at night? Seems like it would be a good idea.

Spurs bring soccer hopes, official to Alamo Stadium

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/default/...#ixzz1BbnVrIn3