Economics_Nerd82 Posted March 29, 2007 Group: Member Topic Count: 502 Content Count: 5,903 Reputation: 10 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/09/2006 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Went to the US/Ecuador game last Sunday. Drew over 31,000 people. Any possibly plans to bring an MLS team back to Tampa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bull Dozer Posted March 29, 2007 Group: Member Topic Count: 343 Content Count: 13,697 Reputation: 2,041 Days Won: 45 Joined: 09/04/2006 Share Posted March 29, 2007 National Pride>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>A third rate league when it comes to attendance. The MLS wont appeal to enough people until it starts pulling marquee players from around the world that are in their prime, a washed up Beckham who is only effective on set pieces doesnt count. You have to remember as far as fan support the MLS is competing with the EPL, Italian Serie A, Spanish ,French and other leagues around the world that pull in fans, not to mention elite players. I dont think it would work here because a large number of the soccer fans in the area support foreign teams, especially fans who are from other countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted March 29, 2007 Group: Member Topic Count: 197 Content Count: 10,251 Reputation: 270 Days Won: 14 Joined: 08/16/2005 Share Posted March 29, 2007 No way. The Mutiny were lucky if they had 1000 fans at some games, I really doubt the MLS will ever be back for a long long time.Plus, they are currently exploring Orlando for expansion hard to see 2 teams that close to each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRQ Posted March 29, 2007 Group: Member Topic Count: 617 Content Count: 4,879 Reputation: 24 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/14/2006 Share Posted March 29, 2007 It would be nice to see them come in and offer DW $$$ to put a 6,000 seat expandable soccer stadium on campus for joint use. Seasons barely overlap and with limited ticket availability, MLS could do well here. Rowdies did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaBull Posted March 29, 2007 Group: Member Topic Count: 35 Content Count: 928 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/25/2006 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Went to the US/Ecuador game last Sunday. Drew over 31,000 people. Any possibly plans to bring an MLS team back to Tampa? I was at the game too. Landon Donovan had an amazing game. As far as fan support for MLS, I just can't see it. People always say that TB is a huge sports community but only AFTER a team wins a national championship. No one cares about the Devil Rays, no one cared about the Bolts at the beginning of the season. No one would care if there was an NBA team, so why would anyone care about soccer? Tampa is a football and hockey (if they're winning) town, not the "sports town" everyone makes it to be. My hometown, Seattle, is a sports town. When Real Madrid came to town to play DC United, they sold out seahawks stadium (65,000) even with ticket prices through the roof - and I doubt half the fans were legit Madrid fans, like those Ecuadorean losers. With that being said, if tampa were to ever get an MLS team, I would have season tickets. SUPPORT US SOCCER! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Economics_Nerd82 Posted March 30, 2007 Group: Member Topic Count: 502 Content Count: 5,903 Reputation: 10 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/09/2006 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 I hear conflicting things all the time about soccer in Tampa. I hear on the one hand that the Rowdies brought in a lot of people but then I hear that the Mutiny didn't. I don't know what kind of town Tampa is... Football is pretty much popular in any city it is in and hockey is fairly popular here too... baseball? Might be better if TBD were not in the same division as the Sox and the Yanks or if they spent more than $7.50 on it's players. IMO I think soccer could work here in Tampa, but, like everything else in the world, you have to find an owner who is really dedicated to seeing the team succeed (financially, not win championships). I believe the Mutiny were owned by MLS itself, I'm not too sure, and league owned teams are just pending train wrekcs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bull Dozer Posted March 30, 2007 Group: Member Topic Count: 343 Content Count: 13,697 Reputation: 2,041 Days Won: 45 Joined: 09/04/2006 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I hear conflicting things all the time about soccer in Tampa. I hear on the one hand that the Rowdies brought in a lot of people but then I hear that the Mutiny didn't. I don't know what kind of town Tampa is... Football is pretty much popular in any city it is in and hockey is fairly popular here too... baseball? Might be better if TBD were not in the same division as the Sox and the Yanks or if they spent more than $7.50 on it's players. IMO I think soccer could work here in Tampa, but, like everything else in the world, you have to find an owner who is really dedicated to seeing the team succeed (financially, not win championships). I believe the Mutiny were owned by MLS itself, I'm not too sure, and league owned teams are just pending train wrekcs.yes but when the marquee player in your league is a washed up player who is only effective in set pieces how will this draw real fans of the sport. The MLS is joke to fans who are really interested in futbol which are the same people who are willing to invest into season tickets to the game and make the franchise profitable which is what really matters in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaBull Posted March 30, 2007 Group: Member Topic Count: 35 Content Count: 928 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/25/2006 Share Posted March 30, 2007  The MLS is joke to fans who are really interested in futbol which are the same people who are willing to invest into season tickets to the game and make the franchise profitable which is what really matters in the end.  I refer to the MLS as the minor leagues for Europe. I'm just curious how Columbus, SC has a bigger soccer following than Tampa? How could that be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Economics_Nerd82 Posted March 30, 2007 Group: Member Topic Count: 502 Content Count: 5,903 Reputation: 10 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/09/2006 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 Went to the US/Ecuador game last Sunday. Drew over 31,000 people. Any possibly plans to bring an MLS team back to Tampa? I was at the game too. Landon Donovan had an amazing game. As far as fan support for MLS, I just can't see it. People always say that TB is a huge sports community but only AFTER a team wins a national championship. No one cares about the Devil Rays, no one cared about the Bolts at the beginning of the season. No one would care if there was an NBA team, so why would anyone care about soccer? Tampa is a football and hockey (if they're winning) town, not the "sports town" everyone makes it to be. My hometown, Seattle, is a sports town. When Real Madrid came to town to play DC United, they sold out seahawks stadium (65,000) even with ticket prices through the roof - and I doubt half the fans were legit Madrid fans, like those Ecuadorean losers. With that being said, if tampa were to ever get an MLS team, I would have season tickets. SUPPORT US SOCCER! If Real Madrid or Man U came to Tampa to play against.... well, anyone.... I'm pretty sure they would sell out too. I don't think it's a matter of location that the game sold out I think it's who is on the field. That being said, I have no idea if an MLS team in Seattle would have higher attendance than in Tampa. Also, according to this Sports Economics Blog I read (yep, the both of both worlds for me!) they say that soccer matches attain higher ratings on TV than the NHL. Of course, they don't mention MLS specifically. http://thesportseconomist.com/2007/03/step-aside-nhl.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USFan Posted March 31, 2007 Group: Member Topic Count: 226 Content Count: 3,574 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/26/2005 Share Posted March 31, 2007  The MLS is joke to fans who are really interested in futbol which are the same people who are willing to invest into season tickets to the game and make the franchise profitable which is what really matters in the end.  I refer to the MLS as the minor leagues for Europe. I'm just curious how Columbus, SC has a bigger soccer following than Tampa? How could that be? It's Columbus, Ohio.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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