MLS?

by PurpleGeezer on Wed Sep 03, 2008 5:44 pm

Well, it looks like it might actually happen. I've been skeptical the last couple of years, but if these guys can pull it off, we might actually get a team.
If it happens, I'm in for season tickets.

MLS in PDX

by **SciFi** on Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:31 pm

Do you have season tickets to the current Timbers?

-SciFi

by FANatic on Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:18 am

I think the MLS would be great for the Portland and Oregon sports scene.

I didn't think Merritt Paulson was here to run two minor league teaams. And, oh yes, you can bet he's talking to the NHL and MLB.

by **DaTruRochin** on Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:18 pm

This could provide a serious problem in competition for a team:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aHVNjsHmJShU&refer=home

Sure NY already has a team, but Major League owners with Major League money are hard to argue with.....

by **DaTruRochin** on Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:49 pm

Hmmmm, looks like some pretty stiff competition for 2 slots... FC Barcelona, Gillet/Hicks, Steve Nash.... Lots of competition with big name sports ownership. Could be an uphill battle for the Paulson family and getting one of the slots.

Seven cities bid for two MLS expansion teams
Associated Press

October 15, 2008
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NEW YORK -- A group that includes two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash submitted a bid Wednesday for a Major League Soccer franchise in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the family of Liverpool co-owner George Gillett applied for a team in Montreal.

Seven cities bid for two expansion teams, which the MLS said will be selected by the end of March. Also applying were Atlanta; Miami; Ottawa; Portland, Ore.; and St. Louis.

Nash, a Phoenix Suns guard was joined by Greg Kerfoot, owner of the United Soccer League's Vancouver Whitecaps, and Jeff Mallett, a former president and chief operating officer at Yahoo Inc. Nash and Jeff Mallett have previously invested in the Women's Professional Soccer league, which starts play next year.

NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre said the league doesn't prohibit players from owning franchises in other sports.

The family of Gillett, who owns the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and co-owns Liverpool with Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks, was joined in the Montreal bid by the Saputo family, which controls the dairy processor Saputo Inc.

Arthur Blank, who controls the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and the Arena Football League's Georgia Force, submitted Atlanta's bid. Miami's application was put it by the Spanish club Barcelona and BrightStar Corp. chairman Marcelo Claure, a Miami resident who owns the Bolivian club Bolivar.

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk submitted the bid for his city, and Portland's was put in by the Paulson family, which controls the USL's Portland Timbers and Portland Beavers of baseball's Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

Jeff Cooper, a lawyer who also heads the St. Louis WPS franchise, submitted the St. Louis bid. He also is on the board of Brentford, a League Two team in England.

The Wilpon family, the controlling owner of baseball's New York Mets, had considered bidding for a team in Queens or Long Island but did not apply.

by PurplePrideTrumpet on Thu Oct 16, 2008 4:22 pm

FWIW, the writers at my favorite soccer blog, Unprofessional Foul, each made their picks for who should get the franchises. The most popular pick, chosen by five out of the eight...was Portland! They had some nice things to say about our city.

http://unprofessionalfoul.blogspot.com/2008/10/mls-expansion.html

Then again, they are just bloggers, so what do they know? Wink

(No really, I think they're pretty smart over there.)

by **Stonehouse** on Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:10 pm

Interesting with all those cities. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Vancouver and Montreal got them. Vancouver is a big, big city with only one pro sport (NHL) and Montreal doesn't have anything but the Canadiens now that the Expos are gone. I think Montreal is a shoe-in, especially given the radical success of Toronto's team and the Liverpool connection.

Miami could be interesting, but that stupid city has proved again and again that it's not a great sports town. Maybe the large Hispanic population could be a natural fit for soccer, but correct me if I'm wrong... most of the Latinos in Miami are Cuban, and soccer isn't nearly as popular in Cuba as it is in Mexico or South America. Baseball is the national sport of Cuba, and look how well the Marlins draw.

Atlanta, St. Louis, Ottawa... they just don't seem right.

Portland definitely has a chance, but I think Vancouver likely has a leg up at this point.

by **DaTruRochin** on Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:59 pm

St. Louis already has an extremely well planned proposal to the MLS and has for some time, I've heard they are front runners in addition to one of the Canadian cities. But the FC Barca connetion in Miami is concerning to Portlands chances. The MLS is looking for not only rich owners but also a deditaction of said owners to the communities themselves. Academy systems for the franchises are also an important part of the formula.

by FANatic on Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:35 pm

PurplePrideTrumpet - interesting read on your fav soccer blog.

Boy, not only the bloggers, but also the comments had a whole lot of Portland mentions. They talked mostly of rivalry with Seattle and great fanbase.

Was a little blown away, to be honest. I didn't know that many people in this country knew about Portland except NBA fans. Wink

by **SciFi** on Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:04 am

You'd be suprised how well the current Timbers are supported. Despite a dismal year, The Timbers drew an average of over 8,000 fans per game this year, I believe. 2nd in the league. My guess on which two cities the MLS will pick is Portland and Vancouver. I'll be happy either way. . .

-SciFi

by FANatic on Sun Oct 19, 2008 9:39 am

Portland Tribune/Kerry Eggers/10-19-2008

A MUST READ FOR MLS TO PORTLAND FANS!!!

Very intriguing stuff. Maybe it's okay to get our hopes up a bit, eh?

by **SciFi** on Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:24 pm

Despite the fact that I believe that Portland and Vancouver are the likely recipients, I don't take much stock in this article. A lot of things have to (and probably will) happen for us to get a franchise. . .

-SciFi

by onetouchfutbol on Sun Oct 19, 2008 6:53 pm

I really hope it happens. I think that the 16,000+ tickets that have been sold for Sounders FC as well as having the league's first local TV contract in Seattle bodes well for Portland. I'd love to see a Seattle vs. Portland rivalry with some UP alumni playing in PDX. That would be sweet.

by **Stonehouse** on Sun Oct 19, 2008 9:33 pm

You know, you make a good point with the local TV contract... I bet Comcast Sports NW would snap it right up if the MLS did come here. Actually, wouldn't surprise me if Paulson got that lined up and is using it as part of his proposal.

by **DaTruRochin** on Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:17 pm

Just an FYI, the Montreal contingent withdrew their bid for an MLS team!!! They were previously cited as one of the leaders due to their soccer infrastructure right now. Listed as main beneficiaries to land teams now are Portland, St. Louis and Miami. Ottawa is considered a longshot for their lack of soccer infrastructure, and from several places I've read, Vancouver is considered a less favorable bid due to their lack of plans for a new soccer specific stadium... All in all this definitely helps the chances for a PDX franchise in the future!!

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