Charlotte Bid at 'Front of the Line' for MLS's 30th Team

[1of10Charnatives]

5 minutes ago, Nesbro1 said:

Absolutely the orginizers in the early to mid seventies in and around Chapel Hill did. I heard it with my own ears.

And yes soccer has been here longer but the huge youth push started during that time period when there was an active campaign by adults to drive kids to Soccer. Before that there was no organized movement.

 

And how old are you? Your age is a basis for your experience. 

Again, if someone had this agenda in the seventies, it has quite obviously failed. NFL football has gone through the roof in popularity, while soccer has mostly muddled along and the MLS might finally be gaining a foothold. Maybe. I don't think you need to feel threatened on football's behalf by any such silly notion.

Exhibit A: an NFL owner actively looking to bring a franchise to his city. When the auto industry felt threatened by Tucker's innovative car designs, they squashed him, they didn't help him set up a new dealership. The NFL and football in general are not remotely threatened by increased popularty of soccer.

[onmyown]

58 minutes ago, Paintballr said:

Who?

if you are talking about the Charlotte Independence then you are some what right. They are professional, but they aren’t great. They were 13th in their division and won 9 matches last season. I’ve gone to a few of their games and they are fun, but they hardly go over 2,000 fans in the Matthews sports complex. Once memorial stadium is redone they will move there. 
 

But I wouldn’t compare them to what would be a Tepper MLS team in terms of support and marketing and players etc

Talking about Real Salt Lake (I’m in Utah)...I was under the impression Charlotte Independence was not a professional team?

[topher mcg]

If you find Soccer (or football as most of the world refer's to it) boring, I dare you to watch a cricket test match - potentially 5 days which can possibly turn out to be a draw!

Honestly, I think its a huge shame the vast majorities of Americans are missing out on the excitement of soccer. Do yourselves a favour and find youtube highlights of Lionel Messi or Ryan Giggs in his prime and then tell me their not great athletes.

btw there has just been a women's international match in Britain between England and Germany with a crowd of 77,000...granted the match was terrible but that's how crazy most of the world are about soccer.

[Car123]

 

 

[Happy Panther]

9 minutes ago, topher mcg said:

If you find Soccer (or football as most of the world refer's to it) boring, I dare you to watch a cricket test match - potentially 5 days which can possibly turn out to be a draw!

Honestly, I think its a huge shame the vast majorities of Americans are missing out on the excitement of soccer. Do yourselves a favour and find youtube highlights of Lionel Messi or Ryan Giggs in his prime and then tell me their not great athletes.

btw there has just been a women's international match in Britain between England and Germany with a crowd of 77,000...granted the match was terrible but that's how crazy most of the world are about soccer.

5 day matches are silly. But one day like they do in the world cup or 20-20 are fun. In 2007 I lived in a country that made the world cup and the whole country shut down. I even played once!

[TheMostInterestingMan]

1 hour ago, topher mcg said:

If you find Soccer (or football as most of the world refer's to it) boring, I dare you to watch a cricket test match - potentially 5 days which can possibly turn out to be a draw!

Honestly, I think its a huge shame the vast majorities of Americans are missing out on the excitement of soccer. Do yourselves a favour and find youtube highlights of Lionel Messi or Ryan Giggs in his prime and then tell me their not great athletes.

btw there has just been a women's international match in Britain between England and Germany with a crowd of 77,000...granted the match was terrible but that's how crazy most of the world are about soccer.

As an LFC supporter, some of the most beautiful finesse skill exhibited were during those prime Fernando Torres years <3

And I don’t care who you are or who you support, George Best reels are an absolute joy

[Paintballr]

1 hour ago, Nesbro1 said:

Absolutely the orginizers in the early to mid seventies in and around Chapel Hill did. I heard it with my own ears.

And yes soccer has been here longer but the huge youth push started during that time period when there was an active campaign by adults to drive kids to Soccer. Before that there was no organized movement.

 

And how old are you? Your age is a basis for your experience. 

The same question can be asked if you for the statements you have said in this thread. 
 

I’m 31, and was in the heart of the 90’s “uptick” in Soccer. I played from youth all the way to college, and still play in an adult league now. I actually played baseball, soccer, hockey, basketball, football growing up but soccer was the one I was the best at and stuck with. 
 

Not once did I hear playing all those sports, playing club level premier and ODP (Olympic development program) through the state and south east that soccer was trying to dry up the talent pool for other sports etc. 

You ask my age because you feel like it’s a bias and I don’t know any better, but the same can be asked of you and the growth mindset you might not have due to your age.

[Paintballr]

1 hour ago, onmyown said:

Talking about Real Salt Lake (I’m in Utah)...I was under the impression Charlotte Independence was not a professional team?

They are and aren’t. They are in the USL which has teams associated with MLS programs (Atlanta, Louisville etc). I view it as basically a minor league system or league for the MLS. Independence is in it, but aren’t tied to any other team and hasn’t been associated with Teppers bid. 
 

Independence ownership originally wanted to growth the team to make a bid for mls but it hasn’t happened yet 

[Happy Panther]

24 minutes ago, Paintballr said:

Not once did I hear playing all those sports, playing club level premier and ODP (Olympic development program) through the state and south east that soccer was trying to dry up the talent pool for other sports etc. 

 

Because it never happened!

[Paintballr]

20 minutes ago, Nesbro1 said:

I shouldn't let soccer talk ruin my birthday but you just sucked me back in.

It did happen. Just like they tried to get us to convert to the metric system(fortunately the only thing that really stuck was soda bottles and track meets)

For the other poster I'm 50.

Happy Birthday 

the metric system has me interested. I was it just the state or counties? I can’t imagine that personally in my head as I’ve grown up knowing nothing different 

[rayzor]

23 minutes ago, Nesbro1 said:

I shouldn't let soccer talk ruin my birthday but you just sucked me back in.

It did happen. Just like they tried to get us to convert to the metric system(fortunately the only thing that really stuck was soda bottles and track meets)

For the other poster I'm 50.

Metric would have been a good thing but we were to stubborn to change to a more logical and all around easier system just because we wanted to do our own thing.

Either that or we were just too lazy. Probably both. Kind of like being to stubborn to break away from that idiotic daylight savings crap. 

Just because America is doing it and no one else is doesn't make it better or add any virtue to it. It more just means we're being obstinate. 

[rayzor]

1 hour ago, Paintballr said:

Happy Birthday 

the metric system has me interested. I was it just the state or counties? I can’t imagine that personally in my head as I’ve grown up knowing nothing different 

They made a push in the early 80s. Unfortunately It didn't take. Gas stations were trying to make the change at the pump but we got confused and just quit instead of trying to get better/smarter.

[SBiii]

10 hours ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

It is still a fringe sport because things don't change with our cultural tastes overnight, but over time there is no real reason soccer can't make significant strides in popularity as it's pro league becomes more and more visible. 

The Chicago Fire were an early MLS entry (1996) and have lost money every year since -- lots of money. 

Who knows, maybe in 23 more year some MLS team might actually turn a profit.

The good news is for Tepper this is nothing more than a hobby, akin to owning a warehouse full of Ferraris....in no way a "business"....simply meant for fun.

That's the kind of owner you want!

 

[SBiii]

7 hours ago, NAS said:

(i)  I posted this because Tepper is going to bring us an MLS team.

 (ii)  I don’t know why people are so insecure about their love for american football.  

(iii)  I will definitely be first in line to buy season tickets and support another professional sports franchise in Charlotte. 

(i)  Clearly he seems intent on doing so and he certainly has the pocketbook to pull it off.

(ii)  LOL....what a massive load of bovine dung.

(iii)  Wait 10 minutes.....then you won't have to stand on line!