MLS in the South East.

[fumbler]

Ever since Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion ceased in 2001, there has been a hole in the MLS US map the South East. Expansion over the past few seasons have seen the West get Portland and Vavcouver while the East have collected Philly and Montreal.

Where do you think that a MLS team should be situated in the South and South East? When? Also do you have any names and ideas about what the general make up of the team should be.

[BigMac12]

Miami sounds like the logical choice, being close to the Caribeean, but the city need a better stadium. Lockhart Stadium was just underwhelming.

[WJMorris3]

I'd say either Raleigh or Atlanta, not sure which should get it first though.

[TBGKon]

Miami sounds like the logical choice, being close to the Caribeean, but the city need a better stadium. Lockhart Stadium was just underwhelming.

You'd think that would make sense, but Im not sure. Right now both Tampa Bay and Fort Lauderdale have NASL minor league teams, so I'd say go with that for some time to creat a fanbase again and seen how it goes.

[pmoehrin]

As it is pro teams in the south do not draw. Look at any pro team in the south. Unless they are in first place they draw for spit, and sometimes even teams in first place draw for crap. (I'm looking at you Tampa Bay Rays)

So to try and copy the approach that a team like the Miami Dolphins would take in drawing fans I think would be very foolish for an MLS team to do. The only way I could see a team working out in the southeast is if the MLS took a hardcore latin marketing approach, similar to what they have with Chivas.

You do have a huge latin market in the south that I don't think any of the major sports teams pay alot of attention to or not nearly as much as they should. That's the only way I see the MLS doing well in a place like Miami. Your just not going to get much widespread appeal when you have to compete with places like South Beach and your a niche sport.

[Mac the Knife]

As it is pro teams in the south do not draw. Look at any pro team in the south. Unless they are in first place they draw for spit, and sometimes even teams in first place draw for crap. (I'm looking at you Tampa Bay Rays)

So to try and copy the approach that a team like the Miami Dolphins would take in drawing fans I think would be very foolish for an MLS team to do. The only way I could see a team working out in the southeast is if the MLS took a hardcore latin marketing approach, similar to what they have with Chivas.

You do have a huge latin market in the south that I don't think any of the major sports teams pay alot of attention to or not nearly as much as they should. That's the only way I see the MLS doing well in a place like Miami. Your just not going to get much widespread appeal when you have to compete with places like South Beach and your a niche sport. All I would do is find one or two demographics that are willing to come and market the team solely to them.

You don't know about the southeast.

[pmoehrin]

As it is pro teams in the south do not draw. Look at any pro team in the south. Unless they are in first place they draw for spit, and sometimes even teams in first place draw for crap. (I'm looking at you Tampa Bay Rays)

So to try and copy the approach that a team like the Miami Dolphins would take in drawing fans I think would be very foolish for an MLS team to do. The only way I could see a team working out in the southeast is if the MLS took a hardcore latin marketing approach, similar to what they have with Chivas.

You do have a huge latin market in the south that I don't think any of the major sports teams pay alot of attention to or not nearly as much as they should. That's the only way I see the MLS doing well in a place like Miami. Your just not going to get much widespread appeal when you have to compete with places like South Beach and your a niche sport. All I would do is find one or two demographics that are willing to come and market the team solely to them.

You don't know about the southeast.

Name me one pro team that's drawn consistently in the south. The Dolphins are the best and even they have had attendance issues.

[Gothamite]

Exactly. The Southeast hasn't exactly been a boon for established pro leagues, never mind something like MLS.

The one thing that league has done consistently well in recent years is place teams. They don't ignore excellent if geographically similar markets to chase after holes in their network coverage map. Unlike some other leagues I could name...

[RedSox44]

Exactly. The Southeast hasn't exactly been a boon for established pro leagues, never mind something like MLS.

The one thing that league has done consistently well in recent years is place teams. They don't ignore excellent if geographically similar markets to chase after holes in their network coverage map. Unlike some other leagues I could name...

The MLB?

[pmoehrin]

The one thing that league has done consistently well in recent years is place teams. They don't ignore excellent if geographically similar markets to chase after holes in their network coverage map. Unlike some other leagues I could name...

I'll give them alot of credit for that as well. Going after latin markets like Houston and LA as well as going after markets underutilized by the other major pro sports leagues such as Portland, Salt Lake City and Montreal.

If I was the MLS the next market I would look at going into would be San Diego. I think meet both qualifiers. Huge latin market, and a market that I don't think is fully utilized by the four major sports leagues.

[RedSox44]

The one thing that league has done consistently well in recent years is place teams. They don't ignore excellent if geographically similar markets to chase after holes in their network coverage map. Unlike some other leagues I could name...

I'll give them alot of credit for that as well. Going after latin markets like Houston and LA as well as going after markets underutilized by the other major pro sports leagues such as Portland, Salt Lake City and Montreal.

If I was the MLS the next market I would look at going into would be San Diego. I think meet both qualifiers. Huge latin market, and a market that I don't think is fully utilized by the four major sports leagues.

San Diego is right on the border and only has an MLB team, so it fits the mold perfectly.

[The_Admiral]

I say go with "Internacional Miami," or as we'd call them, the Internats.

lol at Raleigh, Soccer Town

[pmoehrin]

The one thing that league has done consistently well in recent years is place teams. They don't ignore excellent if geographically similar markets to chase after holes in their network coverage map. Unlike some other leagues I could name...

I'll give them alot of credit for that as well. Going after latin markets like Houston and LA as well as going after markets underutilized by the other major pro sports leagues such as Portland, Salt Lake City and Montreal.

If I was the MLS the next market I would look at going into would be San Diego. I think meet both qualifiers. Huge latin market, and a market that I don't think is fully utilized by the four major sports leagues.

San Diego is right on the border and only has an MLB team, so it fits the mold perfectly.

Also just look at the current US roster. How many guys are from SoCal?

You could just take the US players from SoCal and face them off against the players from everywhere else in the country and you would get a very competitive game. I would say its the most talent rich area in the country for soccer by far.

[Gothamite]

San Diego is right on the border and only has an MLB team, so it fits the mold perfectly.

you know something we don't know?

[fumbler]

So far Miami - Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and San Diego(not South East), have been suggested what about Atlanta they could hook up with Atalanta BC Atlanta Silverbacks old blue logo is really good use something along those lines. Orlando, Birmingham or an area in Virginia for those who do not follow DC United?

[pmoehrin]

So far Miami - Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and San Diego(not South East), have been suggested what about Atlanta they could hook up with Atalanta BC Atlanta Silverbacks old blue logo is really good use something along those lines. Orlando, Birmingham or an area in Virginia for those who do not follow DC United?

I would not be a huge fan of going into Atlanta. Not much of a latin population there and I think they're pretty much maxed out with the number of sports teams they can support. Braves and Falcons are both doing well, Hawks were when there was an NBA. Just don't see where an MLS team would fit in.

The United are having alot of problems getting a new stadium, so I don't see how Virginia/DC/Baltimore could get another franchise with that going on, although ten years from now may not be a bad idea to look into it again.

Birmingham I would call the Detroit of the south. You would not want to a put a team in a dying city. 1/3 of the population since 1960 has fled and the city has the 10th highest crime rate in the country.

[JH42XCC]

Ever since Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion ceased in 2001, there has been a hole in the MLS US map the South East. Expansion over the past few seasons have seen the West get Portland and Vavcouver while the East have collected Philly and Montreal.

Where do you think that a MLS team should be situated in the South and South East? When? Also do you have any names and ideas about what the general make up of the team should be.

Fixed it.

[fumbler]

Ever since Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion ceased in 2001, there has been a hole in the MLS US map the South East. Expansion over the past few seasons have seen the West get Portland and Vavcouver while the East have collected Philly and Montreal.

Where do you think that a MLS team should be situated in the South and South East? When? Also do you have any names and ideas about what the general make up of the team should be.

Fixed it.

Cheers, what's your ideas?

[Gothamite]

New York Cosmos.

MLS has never had a New York team, and this market is dying to be tapped.

In their short existence, the Cosmos have done more to promote the sport in New York than the MetroStars/Red Bulls ever have. They've always been a New Jersey team with no real interest in the city, leaving a very large hole for the Cosmos to fill.

[mattwswfc]

It's just swings and roundabouts again isn't it.... a few people arguing that professional sport is working in the southeast, and asking questions like, can we get another team?

No doubt the region as a whole should get at least 1 team, they test it out, see how it goes, then take it from their. They did it in Canada with Toronto, and now they have added 2 more Canadian teams in the space of 4 years! This has got to be the most sensible idea for any major sports league... if you prove you can sustain a professional sports team, then that region may get another one! As my dad always says, the proof is in the pudding!