Diamondback Jay

This snipet popped up in the paper today...

A prominent Latino businessman is talking to MLS representatives about bringing a team here, according to a source, who also said that a former Phoenix Suns executive not named Colangelo is collaborating with the businessman.
-- Arizona Republic

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Rest in Peace Jim, Tim and Danny.

FArting

the guy you are referring to is petar draksin who is the men's and women's soccer coach for my alma mater

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10/18/2012 Bold Prediction

ASU beats Oregon

azsouthendzone

Its seperate groups trying to get MLS.

The push to bring a permanent Major League Soccer team to the Valley is gaining momentum.

A prominent Latino businessman is talking to MLS representatives about bringing a team here, according to a source, who also said that a former Phoenix Suns executive not named Colangelo is collaborating with the businessman.

Grand Canyon University coach Petar Draksin and the school's CEO Brent Richardson have also expressed interest for an MLS team, but would like to attract more investors before they can move forward with any plans.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/azet...cernb0206.html

The Commish

This has been discussed before. The MLS would be more than willing to put a team here, but they ultimately want an all-soccer venue to be constructed. That is the biggest obstacle because there aren't many private investors willing to throw that kind of money in to the ring for a sport that historically struggles to gain market share in the US. A publically subsidized facility is a possibility, but it would require a city to step up to the plate and put it to a vote. My guess is that you'll see an investment group come forward willing to put up a good chunk of money for a new facility but needing a city to help finance the rest of it. No doubt the groups that are being formed are talking with cities to gauge interest. Should be interesting to see how it all plays out. It would be good for Arizona if an MLS team was formed because of the large Latin community that resides here. It would also be great for youth soccer on many levels.

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Nasser22

I posted this in the other section....

HooverDam

I doubt they'd be able to get public financing for a soccer stadium, with all the stadiums the Valley has built in recent years, I think the public is sick of it. Perhaps if Mesa was a bit more progressive, it could be something they'd try to land to turn their dump- er city, around.

Seems like a team could play in Chase Field temporarily until a stadium was constructed. I'm not really interested in it either way, soccer's not my thing, and the Valley sports scene is already spread incredibly thin. The MLS would probably be wiser to go to places like Oklahoma City, Columbus, Tucson, etc- be a big fish in a small pond.

azsouthendzone

They shoyuld go to Columbus? Great idea. Oh wait, they already have. Tucson? Come on now. As far as stadium financing is concerned, soccer stadiums cost less, but if there was someone who truly wanted a team, like Artie Moreno, he could probably finance it with change in his couch cushion. PLus cities all over the valley live for this stuff. Only Mesa is the type of city to botch such projects. You wouldn't even need a vote for something like this. It would be like building a spring training home. As for the fact you don't care, that's great, but many people do.

Dback Jon

How much more would a 20K soccer stadium be than one of the Spring Training complexes being built every 3-5 years here in the Valley?

My guess is not a heck of a lot more.

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R.I.P Tim Minnick

The KING of Cards

The Commish

The valley may be oversaturated with teams, but soccer is definitely a sport that would succeed here because of the demographics. Sports like hockey and lacrosse are great, but the reason why they don't do well here is simply because very few people in Arizona played it growing up. We don't have many Canucks living here who are died hard hockey fans. Soccer on the other hand is very different and I think it would do well here because of the latin community and the fact that many kids in Arizona grew up playing it. I'm all in favor of having an MLS team and I think it would actually do well. Chandler would be smart to make a play for it they have the land, good freeway access, growing population and the right demographics.

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HooverDam

Jesus Christ, what a prickish response. I'm sorry I'm not up to date on which cities have a soccer team, like I said- I don't follow soccer. I don't think anything in my post warranted such hostility. If they did want to bring the MLS to the Valley, it would probably have to be to a suburb w/ available land, like Mesa or Chandler in the EV or Surprise, Glendale or Peoria (or heck even Buckeye) out west.

"Tucson? Come on now" I don't see whats so preposterous about Tucson getting a team. The Tucson metro area is right around a million people and is growing like gangbusters. Furthermore, they'd have no pro sports to compete with, its very close to Mexico, and has a huge latino population. But I mean, with a well thought out response like "Tucson? Come on now", who could argue? I mean with strong arguments backed up by facts, and careful reasoning like that, I might as well just kill myself for being such an idiot. That one sentence alone was more convincing than any PowerPoint presentation I've ever seen!

EDIT: Futhermore, the population in Phoenix in 1970 was 581,562 (couldn't find info on the metro area), thats 2 years after the Suns came to town. Thats about the same size of the city of Tucson today. If a smaller city like Phoenix could support the Suns and ASU, I don't see why Tucson couldn't support UA and MLS.

Nasser22

I'd love for it to be in Chandler! I'll get season tickets for sure!

The Commish

Major League Soccer wise to expand here

John Gambadoro
azcentral.com
Feb. 12, 2007 12:26 PM

If last week's international soccer match between the United States and Mexico at the University of Phoenix Stadium was any indication, the MLS (Major League Soccer) may want to seriously consider expansion in Arizona.

Before a record sell-out crowd of 62,462, the United States defeated its rival, 2-0, in a well-played, exciting and intense match. But more importantly, fans made a statement that soccer can work in Arizona. Granted, a vast majority of the population was Hispanic and rooting for Mexico. Nonetheless the game couldn't have played out any more perfectly for those who want to bring a professional team to the Valley. And from a television standpoint, the 0.7 rating (1.1 million viewers) that ESPN2 pulled for the game was the most watched U.S. game outside of the World Cup.

While this market may be flooded with sports already, soccer could find a successful niche if it is done right. Now there are plenty of fringe sports in this state that will never have the success necessary to warrant keeping them here. The WNBA, Arena Football League, National Lacrosse League and the East Coast Hockey League are all struggling to draw fans to games and get media coverage in a market that already boasts the four major sports, plus a major university.

But with the arrival of David Beckham to the Los Angeles Galaxy, the timing may never be better for Arizona to attempt to bring soccer to the state. There are currently 13 teams in the MLS, with Toronto making its debut this season. Each team plays 30 games between April 7and Oct. 21. This year every MLS game will be televised, many of them nationally on ESPN2, HDNet and the Fox Soccer Channel. Because of the excitement surrounding Beckham, 26 of the Galaxy's games will be on national television.

Arizona is a hotbed for soccer. With a climate that allows the game to be played year-round and several excellent clubs in the state, the level of soccer being played at the high school and club level has never been better. One problem may be the summer months and whether fans will attend games when it is 110 degrees outside. Night games would have to dominate the schedule in July, August and September.

As a parent of a club soccer player, I like thousands of other parents took my daughter to the USA-Mexico match. The atmosphere at the game rivaled anything you would find at a Super Bowl, World Series or NBA Finals. Again, much of that was due to the passionate Mexican fans who brought their horns, beach balls and love of the game. For people like me who were experiencing an international match for the first time, you had to come away impressed with how the whole thing came off. And to be able to share that experience with your child created a memory that will last a lifetime.

Now no one should expect that same atmosphere if a MLS team comes to town. That will not happen. Not even close. And an MLS team will not fill the University of Phoenix Stadium. If an MLS team comes to Arizona, it would first need to build a stadium to seat around 25,000 people. The Galaxy plays at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, a 27,000-seat, state-of-the-art multipurpose stadium that cost $150 million to build. The facility also has a tennis stadium and track-and-field facility.

So anyone wanting to purchase a team for Arizona better come in with the mindset that a new facility is essential - maybe the site of the old Coliseum around 19th Avenue and McDowell Road in Phoenix. As for the team, it would be wise to cash in on the Hispanic population here and lure a few good Mexican players to the team. That could be a major selling point to the Hispanic community. Also find a way to get Pablo Mastroeni of the USA team to play in his hometown, so there is a local flavor. Another way to sell the team is to market it to parents like me. . Soccer is an extremely popular sport at the youth sports level. Both boys and girls play the game.

A youth basketball player can idolize Steve Nash, a football player Anquan Boldin, a hockey player Jeremy Roenick and a baseball player Connor Jackson. Parents can take their kids to see those sports here, and those kids can have role models in the sports they play. The soccer players in Arizona may know Landon Donovan or Abby Wambach, but they don't get to see them play. An MLS team in Arizona would lure thousands of parents to the stadium so their children can watch soccer at a high level and so there kids can have role models in the sport.

Soccer is truly a major sport, played all over the world. It is an exciting, physical sport and when played at its highest level is quite amazing to watch. The talent level in the MLS is not comparable to the European leagues, where the best players in the world suit up. But if other players follow Beckham's lead and come to America the sport would benefit.

The MLS has grown slowly not wanting to make the mistakes that the North American Soccer League made when it had one dominant team in the New York Cosmos and flamed out due to expansion and high salaries.

The league will be very careful not to overkill the Beckham signing. But if want to expand -- and will, Arizona is worthy of a team. If nothing else the USA-Mexico match should be played every year in Glendale, Arizona to bring exciting soccer to the Valley. But the timing may be right for Arizona to have a team of their own in a sport that just might be ready to hit the mainstream.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/colu.../0212rant.html

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