Soccer Silicon Valley Blog

Greetings, unfortunately I'll be unable to attend tomorrows Q & A so I'm writing you all here instead. All I wanted to do is thank everyone at SSV for everything you did. Although we didn't achieve our ultimate goal, we did make quite an end didn't we? The Quakes meant so much to my family and their move is a bitter pill to swallow. It will take some time for these wounds to heal, but I'll forever proudly carry these memories with me. To Quakes fans DON'T EVER FORGET!!! THE QUAKES LIVE!!!

Dear SSV -

Thanks from the bottom of my heart for all you have done, and all you will continue to do. You folks are the best.

I can't make the meeting as I don't live in California any more.

I want to know what I can do as a fan to help restore the Quakes to the South Bay. I'll be happy to write letters, make phone calls, and give money. What I won't do is give another nickel to MLS or AEG. I'll be happy to write to MLS or call them, but they don't get another dime from me until the Quakes are back where they belong.

QUAKES FOREVER!!

- Mark

I can't make it to the meeting tomorrow so here goes.

Reading the paper today I am concerned that the offer from the city for support of an expansion team looks like it will never pass a public vote if it even gets that far. Isn't this just a distraction?

Since I am unable to attend the meeting tomorrow, I just wanted to thank all the members of SSV for all of their efforts. I am still quite confused as to what is going on now, though. Is the league trying to bring the Quakes back to the bay area in 2007, or an expansion team? I also agree with Mark... MLS or AEG are not getting ANY more of my money! If there is any way that I can help with ANYTHING, please let me know. Thanks again and remember: "This is a loss for all of us but we shouldn't let that cloud our memory of what has been a wonderful experience." (Jay Hipps 12-15-05)

QUAKES LIVE ON FOREVER!!!!!!!!

-Ari

I'm not 100% sure if I can make it tomorrow. Could you please answer the following questions? I understand you may not be able to answer all of this due to NDAs, but please try answering whatever you can. Also, will you answer these questions here in this blog, or at tomorrow's meeting? If it's in the meeting, it doesn't help us much. ;-) Anyway, here goes:

1. When did Greg Jamison/SVS&E first make contact with SSV about buying Earthquakes?

2. Are Mark Purdy's assertions that Spartan Shops sent a letter to AEG for better financial terms, 5 months ago true? Or is he making things up? If they are true, did SVS&E ever get in contact with Spartan Shops, and were the "better" terms presented to them?

3. Was SVS&E's preference to work with San Jose ahead of Santa Clara? Do you know why Greg Jamison never contacted Santa Clara during the last fateful 3 days? Patricia Mahan and Kevin Moore both said that they were motiviated to help Earthquakes move to Santa Clara.

I just want to know whether AEG was ever truly, and honestly trying to obtain a stadium in San Jose for the Earthquakes. Or were they just doing the league a favor, biding time, hoping someone would buy the Quakes, while they salivated over the prospects of brand new concert venue - I mean soccer specific stadium - in Houston?

I am a 4 year Quakes season ticket holder and 25 year soccer fan. I also lived in Houston for a year in 1980. Where is the fan base that AEG plans to draw on when the Quakes hit Houston? Has there been a big demographic shift in Houston over the past 25 years? When I was there there was no soccer, period. Has there been a big increase in Hispanic residents? The place was totally into football and was the sterotypical southern American city full of Bubba's when I was there.
One more thing; if AEG is planning on Hispanics to fill their seats then they'll need a Hispanic team ala Chivas in LA. So my prediction is that: No 1. They won't draw well in Houston. No 2. The Quakes we love and are sending down there won't have one current starting player on the field for their home opener within 2 years. I feel bad for the team members and hope they start looking to move on while their skills are still high. Dom too. His style won't sit well with Hispanic players, (too much work ethic), and he'll be out in 2 years as well. What a waste.

Can you comment on if any other cities (Milpitas, Fremont) were ever brought into any discussions with SVSE?

Is SSV in contact with Lewis Wolffe?

Thanks,
Andy

SSV rocks! My father-in-law, myself, and my brother-in-law have attended the majority of home games since day 1. We purchase 10 gold section season tickets every year. My father-in-law was so upset after hearing the news of the Quakes leaving that he actually threw away all of his jerseys he purchased over the years. He will regret that but it shows his disapointment.

We can not attend the meeting but we are very interested in why NOW there seems to be details emerging of a deal with the city and another investor interested in buying the Quakes (A's). This all a day after we lost one of the best MLS teams ever and the Coach of the year? I also hope that San Jose sites are given the priority as the SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES sounds much better then the Bay Area, Milpitas, Palo Alto, etc Quakes.

SSV we put our teams fate for the future in your hands. I feel very confident that the right deal will come are way. Let's get the Quakes back in the league in 2007 and not miss out on the post World Cup highs.

Thank you for all you have and will do,

Dave

Thank you SSV for your hard work and efforts. We have loved the hours that we have spent cheering on the Quakes over the years and will miss the good times. I never wanted to believe that the Quakes would ever really leave - but it does seem that MLS and AEG intended this all along - no matter what happened here.

My questions:
1. Please lay out what really transpired over the last 2 years.
2. Did SJSU try to renegotiate a more favorable lease?
3. Why was the city of Santa Clara not contacted in the last week - they publicly said they were waiting for a phone call?
4. Are the former Quake players and coaching staff really moving to Houston? Is anyone refusing to go?
5. If they do move to Houston, will they have any increased leverage in returning to SJ if a new Quake team is formed
6. Does MLS receive any money from local ticket sales? (If the answer to that is yes, I will not be renewing my 4 season tickets if the Quakes return.)
7. How is it that San Jose could offer an acceptable deal for a mythical future team, but the deal was unacceptable for keeping a real team here?

Is there really a true "local" investor/owner available in this area? I would hope that, should a future team ever materialize (something that I think is unlikely in San Jose), that the ownership is not an out of town entertainment company seeking to exploit the local area.

I am sorry, but I live out of the San Jose area now (although I would still have attended many games), so I will not be at any local Q and A.

Thanks for your efforts.

Thank you SSV for your efforts in trying to keep the Quakes in San Jose. I agree with the earlier posts from Ari Carrillo and David McKenzie. We need to know if SJSU/Spartan Shops is willing to renegotiate for a more favorable lease. If you have not already read it, go to mlsnet.com and read the article "Houston Welcomes MLS Franchise". In it, University of Houston Athletic Director Dave Maggard basically states they will make AEG so happy with the university's Robertson Stadium that they won't want or need a new stadium. In light of Mr Maggard's comments, maybe a new stadium is not the deal breaker we all thought it was. With AEG out of the picture, maybe all we really need to do is get Greg Jamison from Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment, Oakland A's owner Lew Wolff or any other potential investor to sit down and talk with SJSU/Spartan Shops. Anyone, please let me know what you think about this.

Hello SSV,

I just want to thank you for all of your support in trying to keep the Quakes in San Jose.

Can you please tell us more about this possible expansion team in 2007 and if there will be a chance to bring back our original players?

What are the best steps fans can take towards achieving this goal and bringing soccer back to the Bay Area?

As we are all shocked, upset and angry about the loss of the Quakes, I'd like to know how to turn that negative energy into something positive.

Thank you, SSV, for all the work you did to try and keep the Earthquakes in San Jose. Can you please tell us more about the possible expansion team in 2007 and if there would be a chance to bring back our original players?

In the wake of this devastating loss, most of us are shocked, confused and angry. What are the best steps for us to take to move forward and turn this negative energy into something positive? Please let us know where to go from here in continuing our quest to bring soccer back to the Silicon Valley.

Hello Everyone --

Thanks for the questions and, as always, for your support throughout this ordeal. If it had just been the seven founders trying to accomplish all this, we never would have been able to even attempt what we have accomplished. Because 1,500 of us showed up for our first rally in August, 2004, and nearly 200 came out to the SJ City Council meeting on December 6 -- not to mention all the letters, e-mails, phone calls, and the rest you all did -- we have been able to establish a much more visible identity for soccer in the Bay Area.

I'll start by saying that we were very, very close to keeping the Quakes here. You might all remember that our first e-mail about the SJ City Council meeting made it sound like a siege, but then we backed off to a more polite tone. The reason we did that is that we believed that SVS&E had negotiated an agreeable deal with the City and that it would be placed on the City Council agenda on 12/13. Unfortunately, the garbage scandal broke the same night we packed the City Council meeting. With the City Council fractured over that issue, it pretty much ended any chance at a stadium deal. SVS&E--who first contacted SSV in August, 2004, after the first rally, to answer one of your questions--continued exploring other options right up until the end but couldn't make it work.

Now, for the rest of the questions:

- Could this ever pass a public vote?

Well, the short answer is that we won't know until it happens; everything else is speculation. We've shown that we can get the soccer community out in numbers to support its best interests. There's also the possibility of pairing the stadium with other redevelopment projects so that there are a number of interests represented in one ballot measure. A stadium in Santa Clara would not require a public vote.

- Did Spartan Shops offer for a better lease to AEG? What were terms?

It's true that Spartan Shops offered a better lease to AEG although I am not aware of the terms. I don't think it really mattered to AEG because they had made their minds up that either someone was going to buy the Quakes or they were moving them to Houston. Negotiating the new lease would have been the job of the new buyers, not AEG. (By the way, I don't see anything particularly unusual about this. If you're selling your business and your lease is running out, you would let the new owners negotiate the lease. In fact, the new owners would want to negotiate their lease.)

- Was it SVS&E's preference to work with San Jose? Why not Santa Clara?

We don't know the whole answer to this. SVS&E had meetings with Santa Clara that we attended and they were interested in what that city had to offer. Our guess is that SVS&E is focused on San Jose because their existing business interests are there, but we don't really know for certain.

- Was AEG ever really interested in a stadium for the Quakes?

We know that they paid for plans to be drawn up for a significant remodel of Spartan Stadium, so I wold have to say yes.

- Where is AEG's fan base going to come from in Houston?

There have been a number of games held in Houston--international friendlies and club exhibitions--that have been well attended. We'll see if that translates to solid club attendance. (Personally, from AEG's perspective I think Houston is like "the other woman." She's been charming at parties but there's no telling what she will be like to live with. AEG hasn't even seen Houston without her makeup yet.)

- Were other cities ever brought into discussions with SVS&E? (Milpitas, Fremont)

SVS&E had not made the decision to pursue an investment in the team while the Milpitas situation was unfolding so that was mainly SSV, a large retail developer (the Mills Corp.), David Ficklin from HOK Architects, and an outside PR consultant. When the city's consultant recommended a soccer stadium over baseball, we were quite pleased. Everything went awry shortly thereafter when the city manager and assistant city manager were both fired (for reasons having nothing to do with this study, in case you're wondering). After that, some housing developers approached the city about the redevelopment land and that pretty much ended it, although we got one more meeting with Milpitas after SSV members wrote the mayor and city council there. (It may have been different if SVS&E had made the decision to pursue the team's purchase a bit sooner. They really didn't decide to give it their full attention until June 4.)

- Are we in touch with Lew Wolff?

Not yet but we will be.

- Please lay out what really transpired over the last 2 years.

I'm sorry but I can't possibly even attempt this. The loss is too fresh to go back and give a play-by-play of everything that has happened. I will give you some measure of our activities, though:

The e-mail folder that I have set up for SSV e-mails currently has over 6,000 messages in it, with at least 90 percent of those being from other members of the SSV board.

We met personally with representatives from the cities of San Jose, Santa Clara, Milpitas, San Francisco, and Fremont, as well as the County of Santa Clara. Tony Huston spoke with people from more or less every youth and adult league in the Bay Area. We contacted or worked to contact all the Silicon Valley billionaires (Jobs, Ellison, the Google guys, Yahoo, etc.). We met with members of the board of directors of Ajax Amsterdam. We represented you, our members, in meetings where we had a seat at the table alongside SVS&E and various elected officials.

- Are the former Quake players and coaching staff really moving to Houston? Is anyone refusing to go?

Everyone who is under contract has three choices: go to Houston, retire from soccer, or buy out their own contract from MLS. We don't know of anyone taking the last two routes. (Yes, as bad as it is for us, it is worse for many of them.)

- If they do move to Houston, will they have any increased leverage in returning to SJ if a new Quake team is formed?

I think that's doubtful. A player's agent can request a trade, though, and we all know that these are sometimes honored. Richard Mulrooney to Dallas is a prime example.

- Does MLS receive any money from local ticket sales?

According to the San Jose Sports Facility Task Force Preliminary Market Analysis And Facility Review (PDF file) available on the SSV web site, gate receipts are split 70/30 between investor/operator and MLS.

- Why is San Jose interested in a Memorandum of Understanding with MLS for a future team when they wouldn't extend the same offer for keeping the Quakes?

The offer that's detailed in the Memorandum is the same offer that SVS&E negotiated. SVS&E didn't think it would work in the current political climate; Lew Wolff apparently does.

- Is there a truly local owner/investor available?

Almost all of the individual investors who we are in touch with are local. Ajax America is not local but Mark Dillon, their president, has local ties.

- Can you please tell us more about this possible expansion team in 2007 and if there will be a chance to bring back our original players?

If we can get an owner and a stadium deal put together in the next few months, we get a team for 2007. It's not as impossible as it sounds. MLS has already promised to keep the history of the new Houston team separate from that of the Quakes, so if the team takes the field in 2007, it will be as the two-time MLS champion Earthquakes.

- What are the best steps fans can take towards achieving this goal and bringing soccer back to the Bay Area?

The best question has been saved for last. Good timing!

We've put a lot of thought into this and come to a few conclusions. We hope you'll agree with our thinking here.

When we first found out we were losing the team, we were angry, frustrated, and sad. I think we're all still experiencing those emotions now, in different degrees. Losing the team sucks completely, whatever the reasons are that it happened.

One of the first ideas that came to mind was pursuing a USL-1 team instead of an MLS team. Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver have them and we could go to games knowing that we were having nothing whatsoever to do with MLS. Once this idea was discussed, though, it started to lose its appeal. We know how little media support we get now -- imagine how bad it would be with a USL team. Corporate sponsorships will be a much more difficult sell. No local municipality will ever help build a stadium for a USL team. If you're a fan of international soccer, forget ever seeing one of our guys on the U.S. National Team or in the World Cup. We think those are significant disadvantages.

Now then, consider a new incarnation of the Quakes. We've done a great deal of work on this and we are confident that we will be able to forge a partnership with the new owners, whomever they turn out to be. We think we can show them the economic benefits of respecting soccer and the Earthquakes community and also demonstrate how those things translate to a better team on the field as well. Essentially, we're still in a position to get much of what we want: a new stadium and committed local ownership that sees the fans as partners. That's still our goal.

Thanks very much for the detailed writeup. There is some slumber to get over between now and January 2nd, but hopefully the fanbase will get re-charged up. The biggest danger we need to avoid is to let ourselves fall off the radar screen. Now that the team is not here, we need to have some activities to keep Earthquakes in public consiousness. (As an analogy, Glenn Davis was arranging all sorts of MLS awareness activities in Houston even before Earthquakes moved there.)

Few more questions. Sorry, should have remembered to ask first, and hopefully you won't get tired of answering.

Is Don Garber only giving a lip service when he talks about expansion in 2007, or has he arranged any concrete communication channels with you guys? If we promise to hold off on rotten eggs, tomatoes or stale pies, is he willing to address the fanbase in San Jose in person? Do you know if he is coming to San Jose to speak with any investors, public officials, appear at any city council meetings etc.?

Chandu, all that is on hold until after the first of the year. We're continuing to work with the City of SJ on a couple issues, including obtaining the rights to the Quakes' logos and legacy, but we aren't going to be working with MLS until after 1/1/06.

I wish you guys would reconsider your stance on a USL team. It would keep the soccer viewing community together without wasting the years that it will take to bring an MLS team here.

The reasons given for the failure of the SVS&E/San Jose deal are confusing.

On the one hand, it's because the garbage scandal pushed the issue off of the angenda. On the other hand, it's because SVS&E "didn't think it would work in the current political environment."

If the only problem is the delay caused by the garbage scandal, then there shouldn't be any problem with them still going forward with the deal next month. The deal in January could be the same as the deal in December, with the only difference being expansion instead of the original franchise.

If the problem is that SVS&E don't think it will work in the current political environment, what do you mean by the current political environment? If you mean they don't think that the voters would approve, then it doesn't really matter that it was never discussed on 12/13, right? If you mean that they don't think the council is too screwed up to get this done, due to the scandal, or the election year, or whatever, then should we expect any further attempt by SVS&E to work with the city of SJ on this issue?

Jay -

Thanks for the answers.

Good luck getting MLS back in San Jose. That's going to be tough, but I think that we have to try for it now. If in 2008 we still don't have a team, then it's time to start thinking USL.

In the meantime, we shouldn't be supporting MLS. They need to feel the hurt of losing a bunch of paying fans. They need to know that this move cost them. If we continue to support MLS by going to games, paying for DirectKick, buying MLS merchandise and so on, they will have no incentive to come back to San Jose. They will feel that they can do this to other teams as well, I refer to KC here.

QUAKES FOREVER!!

- Mark

This is John. See my earlier post made on 12-17-05 at 6:32 p.m. Per Jay Hipps post made on 12-20, Spartan Shops offered a better lease to AEG but AEG was not interested. Well, AEG is now gone. If we can find an investor who is able to come to terms with Spartan Shops, wouldn't that be the quickest and easiest way to get our team back?

If we are going under the assumption that MLS will settle for nothing less than a new stadium before giving us back our team, then once again, I'd like everyone to read the article "Houston welcomes MLS franchise" which can be found at www.mlsnet.com. In this article, the University of Houston Athletic Director is saying that the University is going to take such good care of their new team that a new stadium won't be needed. Since this article came out, I have looked high and low but have not found any statement from Don Garber correcting the University and saying that a new stadium will be necessary.

Here is my feeling. The odds of getting voter approval for a taxpayer funded new stadium are stacked heavily against us. We must not let our love for the game and our team blind us to the fact that most of the voters who would have to approve such a measure do not share our passion. Am I saying we shouldn't even try? Absolutely not! What I am saying is lets not put all our eggs in one basket. Sure, even if the odds are remote, lets explore all the possibilities of getting a new stadium built but not to the exclusion of other workable solutions like getting our team back into Spartan Stadium under new ownership with a lease agreement that everyone can live with.

Spartan Stadium is intimate. It is hallowed soccer ground where the greatest to have ever hit the pitch (Pele, Best, etc.) played. Our boys loved it too as evidenced by their undefeated home record. There is neither the time, nor the necessity to reinvent the wheel here. We already have a stadium in which to play. Let's get Spartan Shops together with some quality potential investors and make this work in time for 2007. Even if you feel I'm way off the mark here, I'd really like some feedback on this. Thanks. John Mathews.

How important is the January 10 SJ council meeting? Should we show up in droves? (Will Lew be watching?)

Thanks!

To answer a few follow-ups:

- Why waste years trying to get MLS back here? Why not just get a USL team?

We don't share the assumption that we're going to be spending years on getting an MLS team here. In fact, we should have a pretty good idea about what's going to happen in the next six or so months.

-(Noah's question about SVS&E and the political climate)

Sorry, you're right—I didn't make that very clear. I believe that SVS&E wanted more than what they were offered and when the scandal broke, that pretty much ended their chance of getting it. (They had a concern about stadium parking.) They had already negotiated a lot, though, which is what you see in the memorandum of understanding that MLS signed with the City of San Jose.

- If Spartan offered to renegotiate, why doesn't a new investor come in an play there?

John, you raise a lot of good points here. It's something that we can explore. However, I think it's unlikely that an MLS team playing at Spartan will be able to make enough money to survive. As for the possibility of a stadium agreement passing a public vote in San Jose, we don't know if it will work either. They're not the only city that's interested in a stadium, though.

- How important is the January 10 San Jose City Council meeting? Should we show up in droves?

City Council agendas change a lot. We'll have about a week's notice if anything related to the memorandum of understanding is going to be on their schedule that day. If it is, we will let everyone know and encourage them to show up.

While I have no problem with the fact that SSV has had to develop as a small closed circle during the "crisis", I think it is outliving its current structure. If you want to represent all of the pro soccer fans in the South Bay, you need to have a more transparent structure. Such a structure would include: a defined organizational structure, a real membership roster instead of a generalized email list, more openness in communications with your supporters instead of this trust us or no we can't comment on that, a financial structure that is transparent and regular open meetings and newsletters (not just a website).

Without these things, you are just a collection of a few self-appointed individuals with a mailing list that can attract a small crowd to a council meeting that includes a handful of residents of the city you trying to influence. If you're not careful, the council members of San Jose will see it that way. I really respect what you folks have done but if this is a movement for the long haul, I don't think you can continue the way you've been going.

Steve thanks for your comments. I agree that we need to now have more transparency and open up the discussion to the whole base. We'll shortly be having a general meeting at which we will open up for more involvement from others.

As for our numbers, they are real. But as you say, the key to making them more influential is involving them to a greater degree and we must do that now.

Colin

I think that it is great that the name and records are staying in San Jose.But the EarthQuakes are more than just a name.They are Mark Chung and Ronald Cerritos.They are Dwayne DeRosario's wicked free kick.They are passion and fire and pizzazz.I think that Soccer Silicon Valley should talk to the new San Jose owners about purchasing half of the Houston roster from the owners of the Houston franchise.In my plan,both Houston and San Jose would then participate in an expansion draft.This was done when the San Jose Sharks were brought to the Bay Area.Believe it or not,half of their inaugural season roster came the old Minnesota North Stars roster.The North Stars and Sharks then both participated in an expansion draft.-----If nothing else then try to bring some of the Houston players back to San Jose.

My mistake.Half of their roster came FROM the North Stars.