New Orleans investors want MLS team

[Puck]

The Atlanta Krunk Brownies of New Orleans in Biloxi?

[ASU]

How about NO New Orleans!!!! NO as in zip, zero, zilch. Why would New Orleans be viable to MLS? Im sorry but thats the last place that MLS should EVER think about putting a team. Heres the next few expansion teams: (from my ass of course)

St Louis

San Jose/Fremont/SJSU...?

New York

Chicago (not my idea)

San Diego

Seattle

Portland

OKC

Miami..........why not

Tampa Bay....it wasnt that bad, was it? Not that I recall

Milwuakee

Cleveland

Phoenix

Maybe even another Canada team

New Orleans isnt a sports town, never will be. Even the Saints will be gone soon, enjoy it while you can.

I agree, New Orleans would be a horrible place. Another city that would be good is Rochester, NY. It is a great soccer town that would support the team (as they do for the Rhinos).

[geha714]

NOLA CRESCENT. Simple and effective.

[Puck]

How about NO New Orleans!!!! NO as in zip, zero, zilch. Why would New Orleans be viable to MLS? Im sorry but thats the last place that MLS should EVER think about putting a team. Heres the next few expansion teams: (from my ass of course)

St Louis

San Jose/Fremont/SJSU...?

New York

Chicago (not my idea)

San Diego

Seattle

Portland

OKC

Miami..........why not

Tampa Bay....it wasnt that bad, was it? Not that I recall

Milwuakee

Cleveland

Phoenix

Maybe even another Canada team

New Orleans isnt a sports town, never will be. Even the Saints will be gone soon, enjoy it while you can.

I agree, New Orleans would be a horrible place. Another city that would be good is Rochester, NY. It is a great soccer town that would support the team (as they do for the Rhinos).

Hell, I'm all for promoting the Rhinos and another top A-league team up. In fact, why doesn't the MLS indoctrinate American fans into the idea of league relegation once Beckham's here? You'd have all eyes, die hard and curious, on your league. Give it a go?

[TTaylor44]

I really like BiB's Delta Demons idea

There is some sweet logo and uniform potential with that one.

[Brian in Boston]

In fact, why doesn't the MLS indoctrinate American fans into the idea of league relegation once Beckham's here?

Because the owners of sports franchises in the United States and Canada aren't going to be willing to plunk down millions of dollars for a major professional sports team, only to have said club become a minor professional sports team via relegation. And that's precisely how a team sent down via relegation would be viewed by mainstream fans in the American and Canadian sports marketplaces: minor league.

[JH42XCC]

I think what happened and what continues to happen in New Orleans is tragic. I think there are a lot of people who are suffering and a lot of national attention is needed in that region, extending beyond just New Orleans. I think that the people that have either stayed or returned to their homes in the devastated Gulf Coast region have shown a lot of courage and I admire their perseverance.

That said, can we please declare a moratorium on viability-of-New-Orleans-vis-a-vis-Hurricane-Katrina discussions every time a New Orleans topic comes up? Far be it from me to cut off any back-and-forth at the throat, but these discussions are so predictable and always come to the same end: someone not from New Orleans disagreeing with someone from New Orleans and some big talk from either side.

So, moving on, put a team in Rochester, NY. It's a market that has a stadium and will attract 10,000 per game. If the NFL can have Green Bay, MLS can have Rochester.

EDIT: Oh, also on topic, I like the Crescent City United.

THANK YOU, dsgitlin!

[eqtmgr]

Ok, well since I was the last Equipment Manager for the New Orleans Storm (1998) and was the Assistant Director of Media and Public Relations for the New Orleans Gamblers (1997), I feel that I am the only person here who can shed some light on the subject.

When the Gamblers began in 1993, they were a thrid division team within the USISL. They play at Pan American Stadium in City Park. Now in the seasons that they played at PanAm, they drew fairly well. For the majority of games, they sold out. Then when the owner of the team secided to make the jump to the A-League in 1997, we had some major financial problems. We made the move to Tad Gormley Stadium. We went from seating 2,000 at PanAm to averaging just over 1,000 in a stadium that sat over 24,000. Now did we expect 24,000 a game? Hell no. However, we thought that we'd average about 5,000. That would get us to the break-even point and we would be able to make payroll for the players.

In that same 1997 season, we had the best team in the league. With Stern John and Mickey Trotman running up front, we were virtually unstopable. Before Sternie came to us in a trade, we were six matches under .500, losers of 4 in a row with an average of under a goal a match. Upon Stern's arrival, we went on a seventeen match winning streak. We played well in the U.S. Open Cup which allowed us to advance to the quarterfinals against the Dallas Burn. That match, becuase of the demand of tickets and the desire to play on grass as opposed to turf, was moved to Zephyr Field in Metairie.

When we stepped out onto the pitch for the match, the stadium was sold out. The promotion for the match was ran by the Zephyrs and U.S. Soccer. And eventhough we lost, we won. Won in the sense that we proved that soccer could work in the New Orleans area. We finished that season as the number two seeded team in the conference. We won our opening round series and lost to Milwaukee in the next round. Then at the end of the 1997 season, we were sold to Rob Couhig, the owner of the Z's, for $2 million. That's when things really got cooking.

In the '98 season, we had a really good side. We struggled at times, but still made it to the U.S. Open Cup and the A-League playoffs, loosing in the second round to San Diego. Also that season, we hosted the semi-finals of the U.S. Open Cup. I assisted the folks from U.S. Soccer with the set-up of the stadium, practice pitch, amd match pitch. The four teams that played were Chicago, D.C., Dallas, and Columbus. We sold the place out. So hopes were high. What the public did not know was that we were hemoraging money badly. Couhig lost interest, so did the employees of the stadium and the team, and the fans for that matter. The Storm went on to play another season before shutting it down in 1999. The Gamblers/Storm did something that I do not think has never been done in professional sports, that is make the playoffs in every season of it's existance. From 1993 to 1999, the Storm won more matches than any team in pro soccer in the U.S. And I am proud to say to say that I was a part of it.

The point of this whole thing is that I do feel that soccer could surrvive in NOLA, if it is done the right way. There has never been an oversaturation of professional sports in New Orleans, and more than likely never will. The "high school stadium" that was referred to hosted the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials in 1996. And since the storm, has been redone thanks in large part to Reggie Bush and Addidas. That stadium, although maybe to big for soccer, is still the perfect place for it. Personally, if there wuold be a team placed there, I'd like to see it called New Orleans United SC. That's my two cents. Aloha!

[cubbies06]

I like Olympique Orleans or Olympique New Orleans.

Best idea for name(s) so far......for a team that will never play , unfortunately....

Great post , eqtmgr .By the way , this Sunday the New England Revolution will be playing a friendly against Olimpia of Honduras at the newly redone Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans. The tickets are 20.00 and hopefully a good crowd will show up. Unfortunately , it hasnt been well advertised and I only found out today because my co-workers son will be a linesman for the match.

[Brian in Boston]

So, moving on, put a team in Rochester, NY. It's a market that has a stadium and will attract 10,000 per game. If the NFL can have Green Bay, MLS can have Rochester.

Frank DuRoss - President and principal owner of the USL First Division's Rochester Raging Rhinos and the National Lacrosse League's Rochester Rattlers - has shown little inclination to pay the multi-million-dollar expansion fee that Major League Soccer is charging for new franchises. Given the Rhinos' popularity in the city, along with the role DuRoss played in getting PAETEC Park built, such reticence on Mr. DuRoss' part effectively blocks MLS establishing a presence in Rochester for the forseeable future.

[Roger Clemente]

The only clear option here, and it would work best, IMO, is to give the team the full name of...

NEW ORLEANS!

It's incredibly simple, like most Soccer/European Football team names. It draws attention to itself and it has the name of the city.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[leopard88]

The only clear option here, and it would work best, IMO, is to give the team the full name of...

NEW ORLEANS!

It's incredibly simple, like most Soccer/European Football team names. It draws attention to itself and it has the name of the city.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

Does it have to include the exclamation point or is that just something you added for emphasis?

In all seriousness, I like the multiple variations on Crescent City. I also like Gulf Coast United, as someone suggested. As for my own creations, allow me to throw "Kingfish FC" into the ring (or is that a sensitive subject for Louisianans?).

[The Swamp Yankee]

A system of relegation just wouldn't work in the US. We are just too big of a country. A team such as the Rhinos or the Vancouver White Caps would have a hard time affording travel while paying players.

[Fred T. Jane]

Does it have to include the exclamation point or is that just something you added for emphasis?

In all seriousness, I like the multiple variations on Crescent City. I also like Gulf Coast United, as someone suggested. As for my own creations, allow me to throw "Kingfish FC" into the ring (or is that a sensitive subject for Louisianans?).

Long was a "Yankee" (Born in north Louisiana), and fought New Orleans machine politics when he was in power.

[DEAD!]

NEW ORLEANS!

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

Does it have to include the exclamation point or is that just something you added for emphasis?

If it works for me, it can work for NEW ORLEANS!

[ninersdd]

If you want to be in keeping with the bizarre trend in MLS of using the names of horrible, deadly disasters, then Brywhit's suggestion of "New Orleans Storm" or even "New Orleans Hurricanes" would fit right in with the Chicago Fire and the (eventually returning) San Jose Earthquakes!

(Of course I am aware that MLS did not orginate those two absurd names: Chicago Fire - WFL; SJ Earthquakes - NASL. Still, I find them absolutely nutty -- just as nutty as I'd find "New Orleans Hurricanes"!)

We have one MLS name which refers to a man-made disaster, and one which refers to a natural disaster. Seen this way, "New Orleans Hurricanes" would split the difference, since that disaster was both natural AND man-made!

Please understand that I am not waging some effete campaign against violent imagery in names! Teams called "Predators", "Marauders", or even "Killers" would be fine by me, since these are all clearly metaphorical names; these names jibe well with the metaphorical battle that forms the essence of team sports.

But when a name conjures up a real-world disaster, as do those two existing MLS names, then I am reallly uncomfortable with it.

How was it man made?

[cubbies06]

If you want to be in keeping with the bizarre trend in MLS of using the names of horrible, deadly disasters, then Brywhit's suggestion of "New Orleans Storm" or even "New Orleans Hurricanes" would fit right in with the Chicago Fire and the (eventually returning) San Jose Earthquakes!

(Of course I am aware that MLS did not orginate those two absurd names: Chicago Fire - WFL; SJ Earthquakes - NASL. Still, I find them absolutely nutty -- just as nutty as I'd find "New Orleans Hurricanes"!)

We have one MLS name which refers to a man-made disaster, and one which refers to a natural disaster. Seen this way, "New Orleans Hurricanes" would split the difference, since that disaster was both natural AND man-made!

Please understand that I am not waging some effete campaign against violent imagery in names! Teams called "Predators", "Marauders", or even "Killers" would be fine by me, since these are all clearly metaphorical names; these names jibe well with the metaphorical battle that forms the essence of team sports.

But when a name conjures up a real-world disaster, as do those two existing MLS names, then I am reallly uncomfortable with it.

How was it man made?

The crappily-built Corp of Engineers levees that broke and flooded the city...

[DEAD!]

If you want to be in keeping with the bizarre trend in MLS of using the names of horrible, deadly disasters, then Brywhit's suggestion of "New Orleans Storm" or even "New Orleans Hurricanes" would fit right in with the Chicago Fire and the (eventually returning) San Jose Earthquakes!

(Of course I am aware that MLS did not orginate those two absurd names: Chicago Fire - WFL; SJ Earthquakes - NASL. Still, I find them absolutely nutty -- just as nutty as I'd find "New Orleans Hurricanes"!)

We have one MLS name which refers to a man-made disaster, and one which refers to a natural disaster. Seen this way, "New Orleans Hurricanes" would split the difference, since that disaster was both natural AND man-made!

Please understand that I am not waging some effete campaign against violent imagery in names! Teams called "Predators", "Marauders", or even "Killers" would be fine by me, since these are all clearly metaphorical names; these names jibe well with the metaphorical battle that forms the essence of team sports.

But when a name conjures up a real-world disaster, as do those two existing MLS names, then I am reallly uncomfortable with it.

How was it man made?

The crappily-built Corp of Engineers levees that broke and flooded the city...

... or maybe he thought Mother Nature was actually human...

[Fred T. Jane]

The crappily-built Corp of Engineers levees that broke and flooded the city...

*slaps himself*

Bad me! Bad me!

[cubbies06]

The crappily-built Corp of Engineers levees that broke and flooded the city...

*slaps himself*

Bad me! Bad me!

city

In fairness to the Corp, however, no one ever dreamed that amount of water that would be pushed into the city. While the construction plan was flawed, the amount of money necessary to build a levee to prevent a Katrina surge would be unimaginable. Okay , enough about Katrina,politics,how much everyone thinks New Orleans sucks......to quote Montgomery Burns "Hey you...how about that local sports team?"