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May 30, 2006
Blogging the Cup
Just wanted to post a quick note here that I've started a blog about the World Cup and how it's experienced here in the U.S.
It's called Who Ate All the Fries and we're looking for contributors. Contact info—and an explanation of the site's name—are available here.
Posted by Jay at 06:58 AM | Comments (0)
MLS: Bigger than the NHL by 2010?
Could MLS replace the NHL as the nation's number four sport by 2010? That's the conclusion published recently by Richard K. Miller & Associates, a consumer-related market research firm based in Georgia.
In their new publication The 2006 Sports Business Market Research Handbook, available for purchase on their website, they state the following:
RKMA foresees that by 2010, Major League Soccer (MLS) will clearly have replaced the National Hockey League (NHL) as the fourth major professional sports league. With a 4% rise in attendance in 2004 to an average of 15,559 per game, MLS had nearly caught up with the NHL's average game attendance of 16,533. Despite its current modest following in the U.S., soccer is the number one spectator sport worldwide. The most recent World Cup attracted an estimated 40 billion global viewers.The growth in soccer among American youth has increased steadily throughout the last decade. According to the National Sporting Goods Association (www.nsga.org) 13.3 million people age 7 and over participated in soccer in 2004. For comparison, 15.9 million played baseball, 11.7 million in-line roller skated, and 10.3 million participated in skateboarding. The growth in soccer participation is not yet totally reflected in the MLS fan base, however. Children generally prefer to play sports rather than watch, then become spectators as adults after their playing days are over. It is only a matter of time until today's players become future fans of Major League Soccer.
So, when sportswriters make unfounded allegations that MLS is strictly about real estate, feel free to enlighten them.
Posted by Jay at 06:03 AM | Comments (1)
May 26, 2006
The Marin County Earthquakes?!!?
With the Earthquakes stadium sweepstakes officially underway, entries are coming in from the places one would expect—San Jose and Santa Clara, for example—and now, one that we never would have expected: Marin County.
So says Marin Independent Journal columnist Dave Albee. He has a site in mind and makes a good case for it, too. Check it out. (Just one tip, Dave—it's "Wolff," not "Wolfe.")
Posted by Jay at 08:05 AM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2006
The media reacts to Wolff's option
Permit us a bit of pride over this one: A Google News search for the words "Soccer Silicon Valley" at this moment produces links to two stories from the Chronicle, one in the Mercury News, the MLS press release discussing the acquisition of the option to buy the Quakes, and a final link to "All 129 related stories." Thanks to everyone involved in this effort, not the least of which are SSV's members, it's clear that not only is this news making big waves in the sports world but also that we are succeeding in our goal to provide a voice to the Bay Area's soccer fans.
Here's a quick rundown of some of the articles available covering this development:
The Quest for Soccer in San Jose: Location, Location, Location in the Merc
A's gain rights to revive Quakes/Deal contingent on building stadium for soccer team in the Chronicle
San Jose, East Bay possible sites for new Quakes soccer team in the San Mateo Daily Journal
Atheletics Turn Attention to Soccer, a Reuters story seen here on the ABC News site
Soccer may return to Bay Area by '09 from the Oakland Tribune
MLS a step closer to returning to San Jose from the Contra Costa Times
We do have some issues with the AP story on the event, though, which can be seen here in USA Today. There are a number of statements in it that are, to one degree or another, inaccurate, misleading, or just plain wrong. Here are a couple:
... attendance slid to an average of just 13,037 fans last season. Doesn't the word "slid" in this context imply that attendance fell in 2005? Actually, attendance increased last season, and as we reported here in October, the Quakes' median attendance was 10,604, up 6 percent from last year and, for the second straight season, the Quakes set a team record for season ticket sales. That's pretty darn good for a team that was under the threat of relocation all year.
(San Jose) City Council officials objected to using public funds to finance a new stadium but wanted to keep the team, even trying to persuade the owners of the Sharks' hockey team to buy the Earthquakes. Talks collapsed after the Sharks demanded money from the city to help finance the facility. Huh? The Sharks were interested in buying the Quakes long before the city started paying serious attention to the issue. In fact, it was largely the Sharks and SSV who persuaded city officials to get involved. When that finally happened, the city offered a generous package (since rescinded) that covered land, infrastructure improvements, and money.
Come on, AP. Your readers deserve better.
Posted by Jay at 11:20 PM | Comments (0)
May 18, 2006
SF Chronicle: "Soccer culture has arrived in Bay Area"
C.W. Nevius, a one-time sportswriter who is now a general interest columnist with the San Francisco Chronicle, published his take on soccer today. His opinion? Like the headline says here, "Soccer culture has arrived in the Bay Area."
Here's how he kicks off his essay:
Anyone walking past the Kezar Pub a little after noon Wednesday might have been startled by a sudden roar from the dark recesses within. A bar brawl? A political rally? A rise in the price of Bass ale?Nope, just a goal by Arsenal.
If you have to ask "Who's Arsenal?'' you are utterly and completely out of the loop.
The tide is turning, folks. It was not all that long ago that soccer was the bad dog of the American sports landscape, always good for a kick and a few cliched jokes. Today, Nevius notes the huge crowds at area sports bars watching yesterday's Champions League final and observes, "It's as good an indication as any of the growing, and rabid, soccer culture in the area."
Have a look at his column for yourself. You might even send him an e-mail and let him know you appreciate his thoughts on the subject.
Posted by Jay at 04:57 PM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2006
"Does your hospital carry ESPN and espn2?"
We at the blog (and yes, there really is a we—I was promised again today that our second contributor was going to orate for us all soon enough) wanted to give a shout out to one of SSV's Honorary Members. Brandi Chastain is known for a lot of things but around here she's known as a champion of the soccer cause, which includes being a supporter of this organization.
Why do it now? The San Francisco Chronicle reported this weekend that Brandi and her hubby, Santa Clara University soccer coach Jerry Smith, are expecting their first child soon. The doctors have apparently given their professional opinion that the baby will be arriving on June 10, but our money is on the 8th -- so the baby will have the opportunity to get a bit of rest before watching Germany kick off the 2006 World Cup against Costa Rica the next day.
In the meantime, hello to the future members of the 2022 scouting staff of the Earthquakes and Cyber Rays. There's a prospect on the way.
In all sincerity, congratulations to the happy family.
Posted by Jay at 10:06 PM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2006
Ignorance piled upon ignorance may doom Salt Lake stadium
It looked as though Real Salt Lake's stadium plans were sailing smoothly through the political process but oh my, how things have changed.
Here's a quick run-down of events, in chronological order:
- April 28: A Salt Lake County Councilman proposes a change to the stadium financing deal that would allow the city of Sandy to retain ownership of the land on which the stadium is built. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that "such a scheme would free up county leaders to spread the bulk of new hotel-tax revenue between recreation projects and downtown tourism initiatives," rather than spending it on the stadium.
- The same day, April 28, the Salt Lake Tribune runs a story on a growing legal tussle over public disclosure of Real Salt Lake's financial records. The paper reports that, "County officials are ready to release the papers, but RSL attorneys are blocking them. On Thursday, the team's lawyers vowed to appeal the county mayor's decision to honor an open-records request from reporters and community activist Stephen Pace. That appeal prevents disclosure of the data - for now." RSL's argument is that public disclosure of their financial records and future projections would allow competing sports and entertainment companies an unfair advantage. The paper quotes Mike Jerman, vice president of the Utah Taxpayers Association, in reply: "If Real is going to have their hand out for 40-plus million dollars, taxpayers deserve some proof that their financial plan is viable."
- April 29: The Salt Lake Tribune, which received the documents through an unnamed source, runs a story detailing Real Salt Lake's financial record and future projections, much to the consternation of team officials. The 1,000-word piece paints the team's projections as "rosy," and a councilman is quoted as saying that RSL's projected increases in attendance are "different than what I understand the league has experienced to date."
- May 2: In a story headlined, "RSL cheers its crowd, near tiniest in league," the Salt Lake Tribune rips the team for celebrating the sale of its 6,000th season ticket for 2006, a 1,000-seat increase from their 2005 debut season. You may be wondering how a paper could criticize a team for selling that many season tickets, which surely must be among the leaders in MLS. It's because "that milestone represents 2,000 fewer tickets than the franchise's own business plan projected for 2006." The paper goes on to criticize the team for being tenth in attendance—"out of a 12-team league," the paper adds dramatically—after their first two home games. (We will note that their analysis which determined that two home games was a statistically significant sample was not included in the article, but we will save the rest of our comments for after the timeline.)
- Also on May 2, the paper notes that Salt Lake County officials are upset that a rumored exhibition match featuring the real Real, Real Madrid, is being scheduled for BYU's stadium in Provo rather than at RSL's usual home field at the University of Utah. Get a load of these quotes from the article: "It's really shockingly stupid," Councilman Joe Hatch said. "The lack of sensitivity from the pooh-bahs of Real. . . . It's like saying, 'Please, don't fund us.' They're chowderheads."
"It's a joke," said Councilman Michael Jensen, noting the team frequently touts the $7 million in economic benefit generated by last summer's World Cup qualifier at the University of Utah... Councilwoman Jenny Wilson is disappointed RSL would even consider the move. "It shows a lack of judgment." If the game goes south, so too could a funding deal, according to Doug Willmore, the county's chief administrative officer. "If the World Cup exhibition is going to be in Provo," he said, "it's unlikely [RSL] is going to get funding from Salt Lake County for a stadium in Salt Lake County." - May 3: Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon announces that he is breaking off negotiations with RSL over the stadium.
In a remarkably short period of time, RSL's work to build a new stadium has turned into a complete fiasco.
What's really sad about this situation is that it is clearly one borne of ignorance, with additional layers of ignorance thrown on for good measure. The problem appears to have started with a member of the Salt Lake County Council, who looked at RSL's projections, MLS's history, and filtered them through a mind that knows too little about American soccer. The conclusion drawn, that RSL's projections are pie-in-the-sky numbers designed only to win public financing, is sadly incorrect.
To begin with, the league's finances are going to change dramatically as new stadiums are opened for Chicago, New York, Colorado, etc. Add to that the growing interest in the sport and the widely-held belief that professional soccer is reaching a tipping point, as we pointed out last fall and Business Week magazine echoed in a story published May 1.
It's unfortunate that the Salt Lake County Council could not make a proper analysis of the data before them but the Salt Lake Tribune's handling of this issue has been even worse. They are under the mistaken impression that they have uncovered a major story, that RSL and what the paper assumes to be their cooked numbers have set out to defraud Utah taxpayers. They now seem to be pursuing the story in full crusade mode, trying to create controversy so that they can pump up newspaper sales.
Sadly, what all of the accusers don't know about soccer could fill a book—a very large book, with many volumes. (One of the chapters in one of those volumes would also point out that world-class teams like Real Madrid never play exhibition games on plastic grass, like they have at Rice-Eccles.) It's clear that if this situation is to be righted, the Salt Lake soccer community is going to have to do their part to make their voices heard.
As for Councilman Joe Hatch, who refers to "the poo-bahs at RSL" as "chowderheads," we have one question: How unprofessional can you possibly be? The mind boggles. We can only guess that your constituents are profoundly embarrassed at your performance.
Posted by Jay at 11:13 AM | Comments (2)
May 01, 2006
Three cities vying for new Wizards stadium
Our friends at the Heart of America Soccer Foundation are undoubtedly excited about the latest news regarding a potential stadium deal that would save the Kansas City Wizards. The Kansas City Star is reporting that Olathe, De Soto and Gardner—three cities in Johnson County, Kansas—are interested in providing land and other items for a new stadium and soccer complex.
Olathe is the largest of the three cities and, the paper reports, could be the front-runner. There is one hitch, however&151;Olathe wants to use a particular type of bond to finance the deal and current state law rules out the deal they have in mind. A state legislator is quoted as saying, "Mechanically, we could make this happen, but it won't be easy."
In a companion piece, the paper lists what each city has to offer. Olathe is a community that is growing at a rapid rate, adding 3,000 to 4,000 residents each year, and has good freeway access. De Soto has 3,000 acres of the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant ready for development, alongside a planned University of Kansas bioscience research park. Gardner's population has grown 70%, to 17,000, since 2000 but is the most distant of the three cities from downtown Kansas City.
The news is also covered in this USA Today article.
Posted by Jay at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)