MLS expansion bid in Ottawa is getting confident
We’re a month or so away from MLS choosing its next two expansion teams. Here’s an interesting segment from a story in the Ottawa Sun about that city’s bid.
“It’s highly unlikely and almost inconceivable that with a stadium deal in place we would not grant an expansion team to Ottawa,” Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said yesterday.
Now, residents of this area can tell them that having a stadium deal in place doesn’t seem to be an assurance of getting an expansion franchise. In fact, of the cities currently in the running, St. Louis and Miami are the only ones with a stadium deal in place, though there are some votes still pending out there. (Including one in Ottawa.) Ottawa, while a fine and beautiful city (really), is the fourth largest city in Canada with a population a little over 1 million. The league would choose that over Vancouver? St. Louis? Portland? Miami?
Now, to be precise, Garber says nothing about a time frame, and it could well be that the team he’s referring to could be granted in 2013. Which could be the same time frame for St. Louis to get one.
Someone asked me today what my feelings were about St. Louis getting a team. Prior to the draft, I’d have said 60-40. After talking to people at the draft, it went down to 30-70, on some days even lower. Now, I’m thinking it’s about 50-50. With a month ago, I expect there to be major changes to the expansion landscape in the next few weeks. Portland and Ottawa still need to approve stadium deals and there’s still uncertainty about Miami’s proposal.
I kind of laughed when I saw that Ottawa article. It was so Garberish or should we say gibberish. “highly unlikely and almost inconceivable” are a typical positive sounding, vague comments that have become Garberisms. Not exactly “It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when”, but pretty close. As you stated, he left the time frame open-ended also. 2011 or 2013 or 2020, who knows.
I wish I had your 50/50 confidence, but I think it’s Miami and Portland if they get the stadium deal done, if not Vancouver in place of Portland. I hope your 50% positive side comes true. Thanks!
Ives Galarcep had a couple of expansion-related bits from Garber yesterday on his blog.
http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2009/02/usa-vs-mexico-matchday-commentary.html
“Garber poured some cold water on the buzz out of Ottawa that its bid is now a front-runner in the expansion race. He clarified that the Ottawa bid will have a “good chance” of being chosen if a good stadium project is approved.”
… and …
“Regarding expansion, Garber said that all five candidates are still in the running. He also revealed that the Miami/Barcelona bid will, in fact, start in 2010 if Miami is chosen as an expansion city.”
How can Miami not be the front-runner — or a lock — given a comment like that?
HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAA!!! Try zero percent, St. Loser b*tches! You’re an inferior city. You’re not worthy of being in MLS like we in Miami deserve to be. Miami kicks your lardy asses seven times to Sunday. That’s why we are getting in in 2010, as Don Garber said, and you will be stuck tipping over cows like you hillbillies normally do, b*tches! As a matter of fact, a puny little no nothing city like Ottawa can kick your St. Loser asses as well b*tches! Imagine that. They’ll get into MLS and you won’t, b*tches! Time to wear paper bags over your heads, b*tches! Of course you’d need to wear them over your heads anyways seeing as you’re all hideously ugly to begin with, b*tches! HA-HA-HAAAA!!! So watch in fat stomach churning agony as Miami Barca begin the MLS’s newest greatest dynasty in 2010 knowing that you inbreds in St. Loser have not and will not amount to anything, b*tches!
MIAMI IN 2010, WHERE THEY BELONG, B*TCH!!!
And be prepared to receive the b*tchslap from hell should any of you St. Loser hicks try and challenge me, b*tches. Understand, b*tches? Good!
ultratroll,
You are so classy. Point is you had a team and did not support them. You Don’t deserve another shot until after the cities who will actually support a team get one. In the mean time enjoy roller blading in your speedos buddy.
Scott
Hey Scotty b*tch, your inadequate St. Loser education is showing. WE SUPPORTED MLS IN MIAMI BUT WE GOT SHAFTED BY THE STUPID OWNER CUZ HE WANTED A QUICK BUCK TO GET OUT OF THE LEAGUE! It won’t happen this time cuz we got far better and richer owners who know how successful Miami will be, not like your pathetic crap pile St. Loser, b*tch! And Miami WILL be in MLS in 2010, just as Garber said they will, b*tch! We deserve MLS, b*tch! You don’t, b*tch! So go roll around you wet smelly town in your speedos… oh pardon me, I forgot, you wouldn’t look good in speedos with your fat obese body. HA-HA-HAAAA!!! B*tch!
MIAMI IN MLS, WHERE THEY BELONG, B*TCH!!!
If the MLS toys with St Louis again and tries to pat Cooper’s head and say “wait your turn” again…it will never happen here, which is very sad.
ultratroll,
I think the sun fried you brain down there. The fact of the matter is that Miami had the Fusion and during that time fluctuated from 12th (worst in the league) to 8th in attendance. If that is what you call support, then the marlins are supported too. You might want to get your facts straight before you go popping off.
Scott
I doubt Ottawa is going to get it and unfortunately I don’t think St Louis will either.
I’m confident Miami will have a team no matter what the haters say. Vancouver and Portland will battle it out for the remaining spot.
I love how this girl from florida is calling us hicks when people from your region have the worst accents i have ever heard. I do not know what you people say half the time you speak. St. Louis is one of the biggest if not the biggest soccer city in the country and we would support our team no matter what. Ya, you say you would support your team when I only see 500 people at the most at marlins games. I love when you say St. Loser i mean honestly it makes me chukkle. The only thing people from your state are good for is catching my dinner when I decide to go to red lobster. Good luck with life pal.
As a born-and-bred St. Louisian (living in New York), it’s more than obvious that the MLS powers-to-be don’t want anything to do w/ Jeff Cooper. The primary problem is lack of a diverse ownership group. Just look at Seattle by comparison: Paul Allen, Joe Roth and Adrian Hanauer being the prime movers. Cooper’s proposal just isn’t in the same league (no pun intended).
But, the second issue is geography.
While his planned stadium is beautiful, Cooper’s entire concept is based in souther Illinois, not St. Louis. It may be a generalization, but as someone who lived in St. Louis for 24 years, the divide between Missouri and Illinois is greater than a bridgespan. In my experience, many St. Louisians (not all) won’t travel to Illinois simply because it’s perceived as too distant and disconnected from life on this side (the Missouri) of the river.
Unlike New Yorkers, who’ve packed Giants stadium for Giants and Jets games since 1976, St. Louisians have no long-term experience in commuting to Illinois for sports. I can’t tell you how many times I drove to the St. Louis Soccer Park in the early-1990’s to watch SLU matches. Not once did I consider driving to Edwardsville for the Bronze Boot game or any other game for that matter. It just never entered my mind!
And, I think it’s here that the two issues are inextricably linked. Cooper’s focus on southern-Illinois plays to his expertise, but his approach is entirely insular. There’s clearly a desire on his part to bring in larger names in the community (esp. since Garber’s emphasis on him doing so). Yet, the interest on the other side of the equation just isn’t there. There’s no sense of city-boosterism (for lack of a better word) that might draw established names into the project. The entire proposal is diminished as a result.
And, if his WPS franchise is an indication, I think the league is prob. right.
First off, there was no attempt to open up the naming of the franchise to the community. How easy would that have been! Then, there’s the name itself. There’s just something positively disharmonious about the whole thing! Then, not only did he let Renata Costa slip thru his hands (what’s Daniela’s status btw), Korte field in Edwardsville comes off as positively small potatoes. I see he’s moved the LA game to SLU, but it’s almost as if he’s hedging his bets, keeping the franchise in Illinois at a considerably smaller stadium rather than promoting them to the city as a whole. His focus is entirely too confined, both geographically and psychologically.