Soccer Stadium in Minneapolis (cancelled)

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Didier
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Soccer Stadium in Minneapolis (cancelled)

Postby Didier » November 2nd, 2012, 2:01 pm

This isn't directly related to MLS, but it is related to the pro soccer team we actually have right now.

As a little bit of background, the Minnesota Thunder existed as a Div. 2 team for 19 years before the owner went bankrupt and fled the country. In the years that followed, the second division of U.S. soccer re-organized into a league called the North American Soccer League, and a new Minnesota team called the Stars organized. The National Sports Center ran the Stars at first, and last season the NASL operated the Stars. However, without a local owner, the Stars were likely to be contracted from the league this winter.

The news today is that an owner has emerged. The NASL has confirmed this and confirmed that the Stars will play the 2012-13 season. Inside Minnesota Soccer, a great local blog that covers all of this stuff, reports that the owner is Bill McGuire of United Health fame.

http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2012/11/0 ... l-mcguire/

If this is true, it's potentially huge news for local professional soccer. You can't find many people in the Twin Cities with more money, and there appears to be a genuine interest in the team, which is important since it will most likely lose money.

If this gains any momentum, we are going to rue the day when we gave the Wilf family exclusive rights to MLS for five years.

Tyler
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby Tyler » November 2nd, 2012, 10:21 pm

The five years only applies to the new stadium. We've already seen MLS teams leasing NFL stadiums is unworkable so it's kind of irrelevant IMO. But this is good news regardless.
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mplsjaromir
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby mplsjaromir » November 3rd, 2012, 6:52 am

Maybe they can change their nickname to "The Golden Parachutes" :D

MNdible
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby MNdible » November 3rd, 2012, 11:06 pm

Also, there's nothing to say that the McGuire's couldn't be part of the Wilf's ownership structure for an MLS team.

Didier
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby Didier » April 24th, 2013, 11:22 am

For those interested, here is a pretty balanced look at the new Minnesota United team owned by Bill McGuire. It is pretty sobering in the reality of where soccer stands in the Twin Cities right now, but it also explores MLS opportunities.

http://tcbmag.com/News/In-Depth/Pro-Soc ... 3k.twitter

The McGuire's obviously have pretty high expectations for the team (at least publicly), but it doesn't seem like there is really any momentum to the team jumping to MLS any time soon (at least publicly).

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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby RailBaronYarr » April 25th, 2013, 1:18 pm

Somewhat related... why is it that we're pretty much the only state in the union where every darn team and thing needs to be about the whole state. The MN Vikings, Twins, T-Wolves, and Wild (and Northstars before them). For Minnesota United, the article states "The name is meant to reach out to, and unite, the diverse communities in this state and these two cities."

I know I read an article a while back that said this was a concerted effort back in the 50s and early 60s.. the tension between Mpls and StP needed to be stopped to become a more productive metro, and leaders felt the city alienized themselves from the state. As a result, how many people here say they're from the Twin Cities, Minneapolis, or St Paul when telling people where they're from? More than most other places, I hear my co-workers, family, etc say "I'm from Minnesota." People from Chicago, New York, DC, even Seattle or Portland don't do this.

I'm sure people here will say this is a good thing, it ties us together with other parts of the state, etc.. I say whatever. I don't really share a lot in common with people who grew up in Marshall or Duluth, and milquetoast-ing our 2 major cities as just part of a mostly rural state changes the image of us as a metro area.

Minneapolis United FC FTW!

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mister.shoes
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby mister.shoes » April 25th, 2013, 1:38 pm

[good stuff]
Translation: St. Paul's inferiority complex :twisted:
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby NickP » April 25th, 2013, 8:31 pm

Somewhat related... why is it that we're pretty much the only state in the union where every darn team and thing needs to be about the whole state. The MN Vikings, Twins, T-Wolves, and Wild (and Northstars before them). For Minnesota United, the article states "The name is meant to reach out to, and unite, the diverse communities in this state and these two cities."

I know I read an article a while back that said this was a concerted effort back in the 50s and early 60s.. the tension between Mpls and StP needed to be stopped to become a more productive metro, and leaders felt the city alienized themselves from the state. As a result, how many people here say they're from the Twin Cities, Minneapolis, or St Paul when telling people where they're from? More than most other places, I hear my co-workers, family, etc say "I'm from Minnesota." People from Chicago, New York, DC, even Seattle or Portland don't do this.

I'm sure people here will say this is a good thing, it ties us together with other parts of the state, etc.. I say whatever. I don't really share a lot in common with people who grew up in Marshall or Duluth, and milquetoast-ing our 2 major cities as just part of a mostly rural state changes the image of us as a metro area.

Minneapolis United FC FTW!



Haha I pretty much like the Minnesota naming scheme for all the reasons you stated. :D While I agree, people from various parts of the state don't always have a lot in common, it is a lot of fun to have a Minnesota connection with others when you go anywhere else in the country/world. That aside, I do think it would be fun intrastate/intrametro-area competitions among minor league sports or college sports.

Didier
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby Didier » April 26th, 2013, 11:27 am

I think Twin Cities United would have worked on a number of levels — both "uniting" the previous pro soccer teams (the Thunder and the Stars) and also uniting the Twin Cities.

That said, I don't think Twin Cities really resonates with most people. I remember being at a Cardinals-Twins game in St. Louis and overhearing somebody asking why the Twins had "TC" on their hat, for example.

(Not that this is any reason not to use Twin Cities — I like having TC on the hat — but maybe an explanation for why teams don't do it?)

beykite
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby beykite » May 4th, 2013, 12:24 am

Time to bring pro sports back to Bloomington?

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sanchopanza
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby sanchopanza » May 4th, 2013, 11:56 am

I would rather see it in downtown StP or Mpls, but I guess the LRT and 494 are good for transport. Probably woudl still need to make 5000 space parking ramp. It seems that this location would not be very pedestrian friendly and not provide much opportunity for pub crawls prior to matches. Let's just add another $50M to the states budget for this. ;)

beykite
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby beykite » May 4th, 2013, 1:51 pm

Downtown would be ideal. I was having a hard time finding large plots of land. If the South Loop master plan plays out to its full potential this could be a much bettef location then it currently is.

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Nathan
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby Nathan » May 4th, 2013, 3:12 pm

Somewhere near 280 and University could be good... near the U lots of large industrial plots near the LRT

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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby fehler » May 6th, 2013, 1:42 pm

I couldn't stand watching the game being constantly buzzed from low-flying aircraft.

Parade Stadium has rumored to be updated for soccer, but I don't know if that would be an MLS-compatable site size. But it could fit, if they can lease parking from the Dunwoody lot.

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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby Rich » May 6th, 2013, 3:03 pm

A few months back MPR documented the fight over baseball field dimensions at the new stadium. In the documents, both the MSFA and the Vikings reference MLS-readiness multiple times. It definitely seems as though the stadium is being designed to satisfy MLS criteria, and so at this point I'd have to consider it the most likely location for an MLS team.

http://blogs.mprnews.org/stadium-watch/ ... w-stadium/

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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby nasa35 » May 6th, 2013, 3:39 pm

I don't see market for this. Who would the owner be?

MNdible
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby MNdible » May 6th, 2013, 4:11 pm

Who would the owner be?
Your friend and mine, Zygmunt apparently saw enough market to negotiate into the stadium legislation exclusive rights for him to own an MLS franchise for 5 years after the stadium opens.

mattaudio
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby mattaudio » May 6th, 2013, 4:33 pm

Although sometimes it can be more profitable to own exclusive rights to something and *not* exercise those rights.

Didier
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby Didier » May 6th, 2013, 7:08 pm

Let's not forget that we do currently have a team, and its games are a lot of fun.

That said, if we're dreaming, Zygi should just put down a cool $100 mil and put a field over in one Farmers Market or Linden Avenue sites.

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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota

Postby FISHMANPET » May 6th, 2013, 8:23 pm

MN United FC is an NASL team, not MLS.

I'm guessing soccer now is at the same point basketball and football (nfl, afl) were 40-50 years ago, and soon all these leagues will merge together.

Or it'll be like baseball where you've got the major leagues and then second tier farm leagues.


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