Chivas USA No More

[Panthers]

I have more than a strong feeling that if TW or Anschutz could be convinced to own a new New York team, and the Cosmos were reborn, more than a few former Cosmos would get involved. No one will touch Pinton. The name as he owns it is worthless.

And if RBNY thought anything much about this city, even the pickup games in Flushing (check out the new fields near the expressway) would have a few scouts there. By the way, the pickup games there are much more entertaining than RBNY soccer.

I've seen a Bring Back the Cosmos group on Facebook too. Oh yes. Yesterday I failed to mention that Corona has a small but vital Italian area as well. On any walk along Roosevelt Avenue from say 82nd to 69th Street, you'll see every bar tuned into a game and various jerseys being sold from store to store.

[Ben7]

I'd like them to remain in LA - just for the derby itslef. (even if it's hyped up to Honda SuperClassico etc)

Wouldn't mind Club Deportivo Los Angeles (CDLA) and the same colors (red/white stripes + blue).

[Lee.]

Okay, I'm confused. Is Chivas going back to the Music Note logo or not?

[EJ_Barlik]

Interesting....very interesting........but if an MLS tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound if no one is at the games?

[BrySmalls]

Interesting....very interesting........but if an MLS tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound if no one is at the games?

Well a Giant Sequoia fell earlier this afternoon as, on the eve of the start of the 15th Season, the League and Players Union agreed to a new 5 year CBA. That has to amount to more than just something.....

[CDG1906]

I think thath news are wrong

the present owner ( Jorge Vergara) it's still using the brand "Chivas" the team still use the badge the name an the unis

the whole thing it still in lawsuit (i think that word is wrong xD)(juicio)

[KCScout76]

I hate to see them have to change everything, so much work and so little time.

You know what caused all this? The release of the movie, "men who stare at goats", now the goats are dead. Damd it all! Why couldn't they stare at goldfish or pigeons?

[-kj]

Interesting....very interesting........but if an MLS tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound if no one is at the games?

Boy you're funny. Haven't noticed the rising attendance numbers? Haven't noticed places like Toronto and Seattle, where tickets are hard to come by? Oh, and did you see that new freaking-awesome-looking Red Bull Arena in suburban New York? Wow, I'd like to go to a game there some time.

[CDG1906]

I hate to see them have to change everything, so much work and so little time.

You know what caused all this? The release of the movie, "men who stare at goats", now the goats are dead. Damd it all! Why couldn't they stare at goldfish or pigeons?

well maybe he's only talkin about Chivas USA

[Krona]

Interesting....very interesting........but if an MLS tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound if no one is at the games?

Boy you're funny. Haven't noticed the rising attendance numbers? Haven't noticed places like Toronto and Seattle, where tickets are hard to come by? Oh, and did you see that new freaking-awesome-looking Red Bull Arena in suburban New York? Wow, I'd like to go to a game there some time.

Some people just love to hate soccer. Some people love to "not care". It's may never be the NFL, or the NHL for that matter, but as more teams are added, and people experience the live game they'll be hooked.

[Puck]

Interesting....very interesting........but if an MLS tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound if no one is at the games?

Boy you're funny. Haven't noticed the rising attendance numbers? Haven't noticed places like Toronto and Seattle, where tickets are hard to come by? Oh, and did you see that new freaking-awesome-looking Red Bull Arena in suburban New York? Wow, I'd like to go to a game there some time.

Some people just love to hate soccer. Some people love to "not care". It's may never be the NFL, or the NHL for that matter, but as more teams are added, and people experience the live game they'll be hooked.

Even that isn't the problem. The problem is to stop making soccer a passing phase and making it a worth wild experience that masses will miss. It's great the league is expanding and tickets are hard to come by, but we've heard that story before: the NASL. I'm more than thrilled the CBA was signed. More than thrilled to have the teams coming into the league, but I still have to see the league thrive more.

[curswine]

With the season fast approaching, has their been a resolution to this yet, or could this possible re-branding take place mid-season, I would have thought surely their were rules in place to stop this happening?

Just got me thinking of possible names, I was trying to stick with goat themed names like LA Billygoats or LA Kids, but I don't really think this would allow for the Hispanic community to want to embrace the team, but you can't really continue the goat theme in Spanish without being Chivas unless their are some synonyms for it.

I did like the suggestions of Club Deportivo LA or the Aztecs aswell even though a previous poster noted that the Aztec empire never reached LA area historically but with the Mexican heritage of the club it still works fine as a standalone name, plus I am all for NASL comebacks.

[Gothamite]

[Even that isn't the problem. The problem is to stop making soccer a passing phase and making it a worth wild experience that masses will miss. It's great the league is expanding and tickets are hard to come by, but we've heard that story before: the NASL. I'm more than thrilled the CBA was signed. More than thrilled to have the teams coming into the league, but I still have to see the league thrive more.

I think we're seeing a clear upward curve.

While it's important to learn the lessons of history, I'm not sure that we need to worry too much about MLS going the way of NASL, for two major reasons: (1) demographic shifts have increased the numbers of Americans for whom soccer is a cultural heritage; and (2) increased television presence has created a whole new generation of fans.

Ironically, the big challenge MLS faces isn't winning over people who aren't interested in soccer, but people who are. They bungled it in a big way out of the gate, but have made remarkable strides since then.

And every time I'm ready to write off the people who run the sport (has there ever been a less-competent showing than Beckham's first year in the league?), they hit one out of the park. I've said it before, but it bears repeating - no league has ever run an expansion series as well as MLS has in the last several rounds. Seattle is a natural, Philadelphia looks like a real winner, and pairing Vancouver and Portland into a three-way rivalry is nothing short of inspired.

I've been very hard on MLS. As a life-long soccer fan who's been following a team in England since before the Internet, I had nothing but disdain for the league in its early days. But I'm seeing some pretty blue skies ahead, if they keep this up.

[-kj]

Let's keep in mind also that they didn't build stadiums for NASL teams.

[Brian in Boston]

Boy you're funny. Haven't noticed the rising attendance numbers? Haven't noticed places like Toronto and Seattle, where tickets are hard to come by? Oh, and did you see that new freaking-awesome-looking Red Bull Arena in suburban New York? Wow, I'd like to go to a game there some time.

While I'm in agreement with your disdain for those who summarily dismiss the sport of soccer and Major League Soccer's place on the North American pro sports landscape, citing "rising attendance numbers" isn't really the route to go, Kev.

Last season, 10 of Major League Soccer's 14 returning teams - including Toronto - saw their average home attendance drop when compared to the 2008 season. The league's overall average attendance was also down. Eight of those 14 teams drew fewer fans in 2009 than they had in 2005. And of the nine 2009 markets that played host to MLS when the league launched back in 1996, attendance was down from the inaugural season in six of those cities, as well as down overall for the league. In the thirteen years following the inaugural 1996 season, Major League Soccer's overall average attendance has risen when compared to the previous season on just five occasions. The league has never managed to put together three consecutive seasons of rising attendance.

Sure, I'll take last season's 16,037 fans-per-game average attendance over the nadir that was 2000's 13,756 per-game. That said, it isn't as if MLS is packing them in to an extent that renders the continued existence of top-flight pro soccer in the U.S. a sure thing. Commissioner Garber and MLS owners have claimed that just two teams made a profit last season. Hell, if the MLS players had voted to go out on strike, the odds are that irreparable damage would have been done to MLS... shiny new soccer-specific stadia be damned. That shows how fragile the league's standing remains.

The next five years are going to be crucial. Something needs to be done to convince supporters in Colorado and Dallas that ownership in those markets has more in store for the fortunes of their franchises than opening soccer-specific stadia and expecting the fans to simply applaud the existence of a facility. Ownership in San Jose has to build more than the bare-bones stadium that has sometimes been hinted at it, while - like Colorado and Dallas - also concentrating on strengthening the on-field product. Kansas City has to successfully bring their new facility on-line. Stadium situations in Houston and Washington, DC have to be ironed-out once and for all. The direction of the New England Revolution - both on and off the field - has to be solidified, as the Krafts seem content to operate the team as little more than a means of filling in open summer dates between Patriots seasons. The launch of operations in Vancouver and Portland needs to be conducted as seamlessly and effectively as the kick-offs in Toronto and Seattle were handled.

Bottom line? There's a LOT that still has to to be accomplished in order for Major League Soccer's place in the North American pro sports marketplace to be firmly - and successfully - established long-term. Putting more asses in the seats of shiny, new stadia is part of that equation.

[-kj]

That's fair. But the "joke" was about no one going to games, so that's the path I took.