Houston Name and Jersey?

Deuce · 01-27-2006, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SokkerNut

I couldn't have said it better myself. The more I learn about this whole deal the more it really stinks. I continue to wish that Houston had gotten an expansion team where the organization would have started from grown zero. It is very apparent by the attitudes of several of the San Jose players here that they aren't thrilled about this at all. It's a shame as it is flowing over towards their attitudes towards the fans.

Yeah it stinks.
With the move to Houston, AEG now have a team in the 4 largest markets in America.
If Houston would have been awarded an expansion team then AEG would have effectively, been locked out of that market because a NEW owner is required for an expansion team.
AEG would not be permitted to buy another team.
So a new owner group would have had control of soccer in the 4th largest market in America.
AEG wanted the market... They got it... regardless of the damage to the San Jose market and the damage to the credibility of Major League Soccer.

JasonMa · 01-27-2006, 12:27 PM

AEG doesn't want the market, though the probably want part of any eventual stadium that may be built there. AEG doesn't want the Earthquakes/1836, but if they are going to be stuck with them, they're going to put them in a location where they can make money and find an owner to buy them.

It was talked about at MLS Cup that the league as a whole is leaning on AEG and Hunt to reduce their holdings and get down, eventually, to one team each. It's not going to be Houston that AEG keeps (My bet is LA, with an outside chance at the Metrostars).

Deuce · 01-27-2006, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonMa

AEG doesn't want the market, though the probably want part of any eventual stadium that may be built there. AEG doesn't want the Earthquakes/1836, but if they are going to be stuck with them, they're going to put them in a location where they can make money and find an owner to buy them.

It was talked about at MLS Cup that the league as a whole is leaning on AEG and Hunt to reduce their holdings and get down, eventually, to one team each. It's not going to be Houston that AEG keeps (My bet is LA, with an outside chance at the Metrostars).

I would tend to agree with this but after talking to tons of ex-quake fans they all told the same story of AEG alienating the fans, san jose and potential new owners from jump street.
They believe that AEG never intended to keep the quakes in San Jose and that as soon as they took over as owners they started looking for a place to move them.
Had AEG stated that the quakes would stay in San Jose and not waited til mere weeks before each new season to start selling season tix and basically undermning any illusion of security and stability that fans could invest in.
AEG sent a clear message that they had no wish to see san jose succeed.

AreliusIII · 01-27-2006, 03:17 PM

http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562136878

JasonMa · 01-27-2006, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deuce

I would tend to agree with this but after talking to tons of ex-quake fans they all told the same story of AEG alienating the fans, san jose and potential new owners from jump street.
They believe that AEG never intended to keep the quakes in San Jose and that as soon as they took over as owners they started looking for a place to move them.
Had AEG stated that the quakes would stay in San Jose and not waited til mere weeks before each new season to start selling season tix and basically undermning any illusion of security and stability that fans could invest in.
AEG sent a clear message that they had no wish to see san jose succeed.

I think this is more because AEG never wanted the Quakes in the first place. Don Garber revealed at the Supporters Summit that he had to beg Phil A. to buy them and keep them operating after SVS&E pulled out. I honestly think this is more uncaring than a plan to move them.

prk166 · 01-28-2006, 07:49 AM

Well, this is about as safe a place to say it as I'll get.

San Jose fans are a bunch of whining mo's that can't face up to reality. They played in an expensive, crappy stadium. MOre often than not they did not get a decent number of butts into the seats, even in years when they did well and had big names like Donovan. They are in a poor geographical location for the population in the area.

And as proof of all proof, look at them now. They yap about consipriacies, nobody loves them, their team was stolen from then, yadda, yadda, yadda. They don't want to face up to that the franchise had a decade to find a way to make it work and it didn't. And despite all these things even after a team is gone the league looks sincerely interested in getting a team back to the Bay area. They got to have an MLS team for 10 years, a couple championships, have a couple of great coaches and all that stuff. And all during a time places like MPLS, Seattle, Houston, Philly, Atlanta, St. Louis, Detroit, Rochester all have yet to get to have a team. Or worse, look at what happened in Miami and Tampa. But Of course why should they take all that into consideration when they can run around whining about the whole thing? Seriously, kids these days...... *grumble* *grumble*

Now I don't hate them and I didn't want to see them loose their team. I even feel bad for them. But sometimes their lack of perspective wears on my nerves.

SoccerPrime · 01-28-2006, 08:56 AM

Well actually, the awesome Quakes team last year proved that if the game ment something and the team was good, SJ could pile on the attendance. Lets face it AEG did noting to promote the team. Why do you think that SJ was seen as such a blue collar team? All they had were fairly inexpensive super-journeyman on that team. AEG didn't let them use the allocations, they had no real int'l players (DeRo, Onstad, Moreno live here you know).
And when it came down to it, AEG and MLS admitted that Spartan Stadium offered a reduced price for paying for the stadium, and they didn't even reply, ever. Thats lame.

No Quakes could have worked in SJ. But AEG didn't want to deal with it and when the chance came up to put their stepchild team in much bigger and friendly market they jumped at it.

And lets not blame AEG entirely, the MLS board of directors made this decision. Who else is on that board? Hmmmm?

prk166 · 01-28-2006, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoccerPrime

Well actually, the awesome Quakes team last year proved that if the game ment something and the team was good, SJ could pile on the attendance. Lets face it AEG did noting to promote the team. Why do you think that SJ was seen as such a blue collar team? All they had were fairly inexpensive super-journeyman on that team. AEG didn't let them use the allocations, they had no real int'l players (DeRo, Onstad, Moreno live here you know).

They've got ching and they did bring Barrett back in.

And if AEG didn't promote the team last year and it was working, why didn't it work before when other owners were promoting it? Personally, when I hear the claim of AEG not promoting the team, I'm skepitcal. Espeically considering they did get butts in the seats. But even at that, look at the numbers. They poured on as the season wound fown. They had a few saturday games where they didn't break 10k that were offset by some games late in the season where they got 22k-24k.

Add to that the stadium situation and really, why would AEG want to stay?

AreliusIII · 01-30-2006, 08:13 AM

http://www.robbooth.net/2006/01/rumbo-no-le-gusta.shtml
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/27/business/media/27soccer.html?_r=3&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1138633612-cFUI3E1lulpxTELbpW2nqw&pagewanted=print

SoccerPrime · 01-30-2006, 08:17 AM

Whats funny is that the Houston's new GM is Oliver Luck who has lived in Houston for awhile now and helped Houston build almost all of their major parks (NFL, NBA, MLB).
Although I think that 1836 is a good name, I can see how you would want to satisfy all groups, you know, to make the maximum amount of money.