Soccer Thread

[homer]

New 8,000 seat stadium to be built near the Marquette campus. Apparently they are going to announce a pro league affiliation soon. Anyone know which league they might be referring to?

 

https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2022/05/20/concert-venue-hotel-soccer-stadium-planned-downtown-milwaukee/9854505002/

[ReverendBrewmeister]

That would be a nice development. 
 

I would imagine that the planned team would be an expansion franchise into the USL Championship, the level below Major League Soccer in our American soccer pseudo-pyramid. That level is in process of expansion, adding a team in Des Moines, IA in 2024.

You can see the list of current USL Championship teams in the following link, which are hosted by cities of similar size to Milwaukee:  

https://www.uslchampionship.com/league-teams

A couple other online articles suggest the same:

https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2022/05/20/eyes-on-milwaukee-soccer-stadium-concert-venue-planned-for-downtown/

https://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2022/05/new-milwaukee-soccer-stadium-pitched-as-part-of-entertainment-complex/

 

[Jimbo]

I find it perplexing that Milwaukee has gone almost twenty years now without a professional outdoor soccer team.

 

[CdrbrgMark]

Not a soccer fan. So who pays for the stadium? Better not be a rerun of the Miller Park experience.

[patrickgpe]

On 5/21/2022 at 4:46 PM, Jimbo said:

I find it perplexing that Milwaukee has gone almost twenty years now without a professional outdoor soccer team.

 

isn't the torrent considered professional? I'm not a fan so I am not certain but I do know they are (were?) playing games at hart park. 

[patrickgpe]

23 hours ago, CdrbrgMark said:

Not a soccer fan. So who pays for the stadium? Better not be a rerun of the Miller Park experience.

its being privately funded. Marquette sold the land, and is leasing it back. no tax money will be used. 

[patrickgpe]

I'm not a fan either, but I think its nice that the Marquette soccer and lacrosse teams will have a legit D1 facility.

[Jimbo]

On 5/23/2022 at 8:02 AM, patrickgpe said:

isn't the torrent considered professional? I'm not a fan so I am not certain but I do know they are (were?) playing games at hart park. 

Maybe they are professional, but not at the level the Rampage were.

 

[NBBrewFan]

I did a google Maps Street View "tour" of the area while referencing the artistic rendering of the drawing and it looks like they will be taking the area from 6th street to 10th street, Michigan to the freeway as the footprint for the stadium and entertainment area with the stadium closest to 6th street (just north of the freeway/train station). Not much in that area at the moment, but that is a nice draw to increase people in the area.  Also really easy access off the freeway and IIRC there is a streetcar stop nearby.

[homer]

19 hours ago, NBBrewFan said:

I did a google Maps Street View "tour" of the area while referencing the artistic rendering of the drawing and it looks like they will be taking the area from 6th street to 10th street, Michigan to the freeway as the footprint for the stadium and entertainment area with the stadium closest to 6th street (just north of the freeway/train station). Not much in that area at the moment, but that is a nice draw to increase people in the area.  Also really easy access off the freeway and IIRC there is a streetcar stop nearby.

Yeah that's been a dead zone for a while. Thankfully they're taking that trashy Ramada out. Milwaukee Tool's new HQ is opening right across the street. I'm sure a few bars and restaurants will pop up. Third Space and Sobleman's aren't all that far away.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

An MLS franchise may not be far off if USL play goes well. That was Minnesota United's route, and I think FC Nashville's too?

[paul253]

I wonder if they are making this stadium in a way that is capable of expansion.  The smallest MLS stadium holds 18,000 so this stadium would have to more than double in capacity. I can’t imagine if we get an MLS franchise they would play at the same stadium. 

[patrickgpe]

24 minutes ago, paul253 said:

I wonder if they are making this stadium in a way that is capable of expansion.  The smallest MLS stadium holds 18,000 so this stadium would have to more than double in capacity. I can’t imagine if we get an MLS franchise they would play at the same stadium. 

American Family Field? It has hosted soccer matches already. I can't see taxpayers being too happy to build a 20,000 seat stadium to host a MLS franchise. 

[homer]

Anyone headed up to Green Bay for the Bayern/Man City match?

 

[worm81]

I wanted to go but didn't  due tothe cost and weather. I'm surprised how full the stadium was.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Two matches in to the EPL and my question is whether anyone can challenge City. I have a good feeling about Arsenal for some reason. 

Leeds has been a fun story. Looking forward to watching the US in the World Cup with what will have to be its most talented roster ever.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Mark A official at Norwich as of last week. Probably a favorite to be a Premier League owner next year.

[Jimbo]

On 9/20/2022 at 4:22 PM, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Mark A official at Norwich as of last week. Probably a favorite to be a Premier League owner next year.

If they avoid relegation.

[WV Brew]

Norwich was relegated last year.  They are currently second in the Championship league.  That would get them promoted back to the Premier League next year.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

On 7/8/2022 at 9:07 AM, patrickgpe said:

American Family Field? It has hosted soccer matches already. I can't see taxpayers being too happy to build a 20,000 seat stadium to host a MLS franchise. 

I've honestly always wondered why leagues like the MLS and NWSL don't try to put pro teams in smaller cities. I can't imagine a pro women's or men's soccer team doing poorly, even in a place that doesn't scream soccer culture. Tons of small, pro-sports-less cities (Omaha, Des Moines, Louisville, etc.) seem like great opportunities for the newer domestic leagues. I suppose the NWSL tried this once with that team from Western New York (and they did pretty well in attendance drawing from an even smaller town before moving to NC). I just think, if I were I pioneering millionaire with enough money to buy a pro sports franchise, I might move an NWSL team to the Quad Cities or something on the idea that, in a really fractured market, lower levels of intense, local support are what's going to carry a team.

[owbc]

4 hours ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

I've honestly always wondered why leagues like the MLS and NWSL don't try to put pro teams in smaller cities. I can't imagine a pro women's or men's soccer team doing poorly, even in a place that doesn't scream soccer culture. Tons of small, pro-sports-less cities (Omaha, Des Moines, Louisville, etc.) seem like great opportunities for the newer domestic leagues. I suppose the NWSL tried this once with that team from Western New York (and they did pretty well in attendance drawing from an even smaller town before moving to NC). I just think, if I were I pioneering millionaire with enough money to buy a pro sports franchise, I might move an NWSL team to the Quad Cities or something on the idea that, in a really fractured market, lower levels of intense, local support are what's going to carry a team.

MLS is largely a pyramid scheme. Existing owners are mostly making more money from expansion fees than gate or TV revenue. Only a couple of the MLS franchises are profitable -- Seattle, Atlanta, and maybe a couple of the new teams that are still drawing well. The franchises also have to pay money TO the league in order to fund operations. 

The league has enough momentum and rich owners to carry on, but if they really wanted to be successful in the long term, I agree they should be more innovate (at least from an American sports perspective). Unfortunately, nobody is going to pay a $100 million franchise fee that comes with the risk of being relegated to the NWSL, but one can dream...

As for stadiums, again, this is America, part of owning a pro sports team is that you have to get the local taxpayers to build you a stadium. You don't want to be a tenant at some other billionaire's publicly-funded stadium. 

 

[Samurai Bucky]

On 9/29/2022 at 5:54 PM, owbc said:

As for stadiums, again, this is America, part of owning a pro sports team is that you have to get the local taxpayers to build you a stadium. You don't want to be a tenant at some other billionaire's publicly-funded stadium. 

Perhaps some movie or TV stars would invest in a team?

[homer]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/soccer/2022/10/19/milwaukee-pro-soccer-get-usl-championship-team-for-2025-season/10535786002/

 

Update on the team/stadium

Name the team contest!

https://www.milwaukeeprosoccer.com/news/name-the-team

 

 

[patrickgpe]

Since they are in the iron district, seems like they are going to do something like Iron, Ironmen, etc.

Call me a pessissmist, but I just don't know how well this will work. Its great that MU is getting rid of Valley Fields for their program, but I think its going to be hard to get decent attendance once everyone has seen the stadium. The Rampage, Wave, MU / UWM soccer all struggle / struggled for fans. I know this is higher level soccer and there is a niche of soccer fans around that will love this, but if they play during the summer there is so much to do. It will only take away from festivals, brewers, etc. 

[jerichoholicninja]

On 10/3/2022 at 3:54 PM, Samurai Bucky said:

Perhaps some movie or TV stars would invest in a team?

Drew Carey is part owner of the Seattle Sounders. I'm not sure how much he contributes/contributed to their financial success. If anything I think it's more of a PR. Although he really does love the sport and the team.