Would you want/support an MLS team in Milwaukee?

[paul253]

This was an issue awhile ago when there was some talk about Milwaukee getting an expansion MLS team. I actually don't know if they are looking to expand anymore or there are any teams looking to move, but I was wondering what the general opinion of the people was on this topic. I for one do not like soccer. I think it's boring. If we got a team and a new, soccer only stadium to go with it I'd probably go to one game to see the stadium. But Milwaukee does seem to have a nice soccer tradition. The indoor Wave have been playing for years, and they had some minor league outdoor teams in the Rampage and Wave United awhile ago. They also have some pretty good amateur teams (The Bavarians) and Wisconsin High School Soccer produces some very good teams every year who are nationally respected. I actually wouldn't mind an MLS team in Milwaukee if they got a new, privately funded stadium in downtown Milwaukee. It would be a boon to the economy and liven up downtown a little bit. I think it would be great local businesses. I'd be a little worried about the affect it'd have on the Brewers' attendance, but the Brewers seem to have a pretty solid fan base. A new stadium though, assuming it's big enough, could possibly bring international games to Milwaukee too which would be something new and exciting. And you could hold some pretty good high school tournaments there if you could find someone to sponsor them.

 

Anyway, I'm sorry if nobody is interested in this topic but I was bored and was just curious what people thought.

[trwi7]

The only interesting soccer is the indoor variety. Would not even waste my time with an outdoor team.

[Invader3K]

My layman's opinion is that the Milwaukee sports scene is pretty well saturated and would probably have a difficult time supporting another professional sports team.

 

That said, I'm not a big soccer fan but would probably go to a game or two to check out such a stadium.

[razzzorsharp]

Nope. Nor would I support hockey. My money is reserved for the Brewers, Bucks, and Badgers.

[paul253]

My layman's opinion is that the Milwaukee sports scene is pretty well

saturated and would probably have a difficult time supporting another

professional sports team.

 

See I agree with that too, but most of that is in the fall/winter season. Outdoor soccer I believe is a spring/summer league? If you look at Milwaukee's sporting teams, in the winter you have the Packers, Bucks, Admirals, Marquette Bball, UWM Bball, the Wave, and you could even include Wisconsin Badger Football/Bball./Hockey. But the spring/summer season only has the Brewers and an indoor football league team. I think Milwaukee could support a team if they got one, though I wouldn't imagine them winning any attendance records any time soon. And I do think it would be great for the city itself if there were a stadium downtown. Downtown Milwaukee needs something to breathe some life into it (and apparently whatever it is is not allowed to be a strip club : )

[Raw Biz]

My layman's opinion is that the Milwaukee sports scene is pretty well saturated and would probably have a difficult time supporting another professional sports team.

I still think we could support an NHL team. The Admirals draw pretty well for a minor-league team and the Badgers have a long history of success. It just makes more sense to me to have teams in hockey cities, not west-coast or southern cities. That may be why Phoenix and Atlanta have both had their problems. I still don't understand the need for 2 teams in Florida and all the teams on the west coast, in addition to PHX and ATL.

[Invader3K]

Hockey might be the exception. Milwaukee probably could support an NHL team at least reasonably well. The Bradley Center was built to attract an NHL team, after all. I suppose that would mean the Admirals would relocate.

[dadofandrew]

Soccer is only about 15-16 games, and about 20K per, so 300K...10% of the Brewers, and about 40% of the Bucks attendance. I don't see MIL being neat the top of the list, so it's probably several years away, if ever. I like soccer in that you do not have to be big and strong to be a solid player, and that in order to play, it takes...a ball. I think the MLS is growing and doing it right. Until someone builds a new stadium, the question is moot, as there is nowhere to play even for a year.

[bacon06]

MLS is adding two teams this year and a 19th next year with the plans to add a 20th shortly thereafter. There was a group put together by Peter Wilt a few years back aimed at trying to bring a franchise to Milwaukee. The main hitch in the project was not having an owner with deep pockets lined up because the league rewards franchises to groups who are already financially stable and either have a solid stadium to play in or will be building one in the near future.

 

As for a team in Milwaukee, I think Wisconsin has a good soccer fan base which would come out and support the team. I know in the previous attempt to get a team, there would have been an agreement that the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association would have bought a large number of season tickets for use by its members. But, as with all sports, it comes down to the non-hardcore fans' interest in showing up and supporting. I know I would definitely come out. The closest MLS team to Wisconsin is the Chicago Fire, but I just can't bring myself to root for a team from Illinois.

[GAME05]

what does a typical MLS ticket cost?

[berniebrewer4life]

what does a typical MLS ticket cost?

a quick search came up with around $12-$40. Pretty reasonable, especially for a family.

[danzig6767]

My layman's opinion is that the Milwaukee sports scene is pretty well saturated and would probably have a difficult time supporting another professional sports team.

I still think we could support an NHL team. The Admirals draw pretty well for a minor-league team and the Badgers have a long history of success. It just makes more sense to me to have teams in hockey cities, not west-coast or southern cities. That may be why Phoenix and Atlanta have both had their problems. I still don't understand the need for 2 teams in Florida and all the teams on the west coast, in addition to PHX and ATL.

I really like hockey, especially the Badgers college hockey. I used to attend a few Admirals games a year, but haven't attended any this season. Generally in the past though when i've attended Admirals games, the crowds were pretty tiny, even for a few playoff games i've attended and with the cheap ticket prices.

 

While i'd love to see the NHL come to Milwaukee, i have real doubts that the city would draw enough attendance to support a team over an extended length of time. There just aren't aren't enough hockey fans in Milwaukee/Milwaukee County that i've sensed to consistently draw suitable attendance numbers. Mix in that NHL tickets aren't cheap, i think that would be a deterrent to drawing sizable numbers of curious people to give hockey a try or attend multiple games a year.

[trwi7]

Generally in the past though when i've attended Admirals games, the crowds were pretty tiny, even for a few playoff games i've attended and with the cheap ticket prices.

As far back as I can find their attendance and they've always been in the top half of attendance and the only teams to consistently outdraw them are Hershey (most historic franchise in the AHL), Manitoba (play in Winnipeg who are desperate for an NHL team), Chicago (huge city with a big fan base), Providence (Bruins affiliate right down the road from Boston so they can see prospects easily), Grand Rapids (Red Wings affiliate, same as Boston) and Wilkes Barre/Scranton (Penguins affiliate, same as Bruins and Red Wings).

 

[JimH5]

I have no interest in soccer played at any level, on any surface.

 

If my daughter was interested in playing or attending, I would go. . .but other than that, I live a very happy, soccer-free life.

[patrickgpe]

milwaukee has too many sports teams to support as it is. I'd rather keep what we have instead of expanding. I made this point on the tread about the Milwaukee Blast, which will only take (all be it very few) people from going to bucks, uwm, and marquette games. An MLS team will take people who would go to a brewers game away. Its nice to have a diverse sports, arts, and entertainment scene, but for a city with a metropolitan population of 1 million its hard.

[Invader3K]

I suppose a lot depends on whether or not Milwaukee can keep the Bucks here in the next few years.

[patrickgpe]

they don't play the same time of year, so thats not the issue. I don't think people are not going to bucks game to save money to see soccer in the spring / summer (i think thats when there season is?) I think mls will effect the mustangs and brewers for the entertainment dollar.

[owbc]

No. I wouldn't want it and it wouldn't succeed. I do enjoy watching MLS occasionally, especially Seattle because they have such awesome crowds. That kind of atmosphere would never be duplicated in Milwaukee.

 

The MLS has a ridiculously long season: March 15-October 23. Out of those 7 months, 3 have predominately bad weather. 6 out of the 7 months compete with the Brewers for both attendance and TV time. After August 1st, all the attention is on the Packers unless the Brewers happen to still be in the race. Most of the games are on Saturdays--the Brewers average about 40,000 in attendance on Saturdays and everyone else is out doing something if the weather is nice.

 

Likewise, there are plenty of other sports entertainment options in Milwaukee. There's only so much entertainment money to go around, so every MLS ticket is one less Bucks or Brewers ticket or movie ticket or trip to the golf course/bowling alley/etc.

 

If the Bucks leave, then I'm all for it. The odds of an NHL team coming will still be next to nothing (why occupy a 25 year old arena when KC has a new one and about 3 Canadian cities are begging for a team to come back). People will also be more receptive toward a new team due to the heartbreak of losing the Bucks (see Seattle again). The Bucks do not have a large fanbase and would probably leave without too much ado, but the symbolic loss of the Bucks would help a new team that shows up a few years later to fill the void. The problem is that MLS is expanding now and the situation may be different in 2015-2020 when the Bucks would hypothetically leave.

[Robideaux]

Absolutely. I would rather have an MLS team than the Bucks. I have my doubts whether Milwaukee could support a team though, even if there were a potential ownership group.

[dadofandrew]

The 20th MLS team is expected to be the New York Cosmos, as the prospective owner has already bought the team name, and it's what the commish wants.

[DHonks]

I can't see an MLS or NHL team in Milwaukee. Southeastern Wisconsin has virtually no hockey tradition compared with the rest of the midwest. The Admirals have probably maxed out the market's capability's for hockey, especially since decent NHL tickets run well north of $100.

 

MLS would at least have Wisconsin's very strong soccer tradition interested.

[Mr QL]

Doubt it. I find soccer boring at it's highest level so I don't think I'd care to see 10th rate players. Even if, knock on wood, the Bucks were to leave I wouldn't want a team in this city. Would much rather work to getting an NHL team or getting an NBA team back, either that or nothing.

 

First time I heard about Milwaukee having a soccer tradition btw

[jhart05]

Sorry but no.

 

And I don't think soccer would do very well here.

 

Wisconsin is a football state.

 

If UWM ever got a football team, I think you would see more support for them, than a MLS team.

[yoshii8]

I would be very excited and definitely get season tickets if it happened, but I don't think it ever will. I think it would do ok in Milwaukee, but I'm not sure it would thrive like it did in Seattle.

[chrisisoutrunning]

I think it'd be cool, and I'd probably go to a couple of games a year (in Madison). That being said, I follow soccer/football a decent amount and I enjoy the game, which I'd say isn't true for the majority of Wisconsinites. If MLS ever went ahead with changing their schedule to match most of the other leagues Fall-Spring instead of Spring-Fall, it'd be nearly impossible to draw a crowd.