Pro soccer coming to Detroit?

[DetroitPlanner]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but a stadium built for FB might be too small for a soccer field unless there is extra room between the field and stands.

Adams Field does have a track inside the stadium.

You can build dual purpose stadiums. It is done all the time. WSU's current stadium is not ideal for college football. By partnering there is less risk for both parties. D.C., Seattle and Boston are all shared facilities with the NFL. Orlando plays in the Citrus Bowl.

[emu steve]

You can build dual purpose stadiums. It is done all the time. WSU's current stadium is not ideal for college football. By partnering there is less risk for both parties. D.C., Seattle and Boston are all shared facilities with the NFL. Orlando plays in the Citrus Bowl.

I understand your point. I think. Build a new FB/soccer stadium where WSU has their athletic facilities?

I'm curious if an owner would want that? Everyone wants to be near downtown, I think.

My point was that one can't get a soccer field into Adams Field, as configured, because of the track inside the stadium.

[DetroitPlanner]

I understand your point. I think. Build a new FB/soccer stadium where WSU has their athletic facilities?

I'm curious if an owner would want that? Everyone wants to be near downtown, I think.

My point was that one can't get a soccer field into Adams Field, as configured, because of the track inside the stadium.

The land is too valuable to build a one sport small stadium like that. It would never generate that kind of revenue it would take to justify that much of an investment. There are plenty of places near the WSU site that would benefit and it is not that far of a walk from most of Cass Corridor redevelopments.

[Danny]

MLS is not that televised popular back then and its not popular now. David Beckham tried to make MLS popular to everyone. But only a handful of Americans have seen Beckham played like Micheal Jordan in the field. After he left MLS is back to square one. In Detroit [[which is majority black). soccer or [[futbol) is not in city's interest unless we have a Hispanic-Arab-East Indian-or East Asian majority. Getting a pro-soccer team in Detroit is going a very difficult challenge:

1. Will this MLS pro soccer team sell.

2. Will this MLS pro soccer team get television rights.

2 Will this MLS pro soccer team get commercial rights and sponsorships.


Surely a MLS pro soccer team can fill up a 5,000 seat stadium, but won't be enough to reach the eyes of Detroiters. Look what happen to former WNBA team Detroit Shock. Nobody [[not even me) isn't interested.

By the way soccer [[futbol) is very popular in most Hispanic, Middle East, European Indian, Australian and Far East Nations. and its televised. In America soccer is popular in most kids sports just for fun and its not a guarantee career.

[Spartan]

MLS is not that televised popular back then and its not popular now. David Beckham tried to make MLS popular to everyone. But only a handful of Americans have seen Beckham played like Micheal Jordan in the field. After he left MLS is back to square one. In Detroit [[which is majority black). soccer or [[futbol) is not in city's interest unless we have a Hispanic-Arab-East Indian-or East Asian majority. Getting a pro-soccer team in Detroit is going a very difficult challenge:

1. Will this MLS pro soccer team sell.

2. Will this MLS pro soccer team get television rights.

2 Will this MLS pro soccer team get commercial rights and sponsorships.


Surely a MLS pro soccer team can fill up a 5,000 seat stadium, but won't be enough to reach the eyes of Detroiters. Look what happen to former WNBA team Detroit Shock. Nobody [[not even me) isn't interested.

By the way soccer [[futbol) is very popular in most Hispanic, Middle East, European Indian, Australian and Far East Nations. and its televised. In America soccer is popular in most kids sports just for fun and its not a guarantee career.

Uh, no one goes to WNBA games in any city. MLS draws about the same size crowds as NHL and NBA and soccer has been slowly gaining popularity for quite a few years. The biggest problem MLS has is that there are so many other leagues to compete with. It's hard to convince Americans to watch because they're all too busy watching EPL, La Liga, etc. MLS isn't "back to square one" because Beckham left, it's been showing steady attendance growth. This year should be good for popularity as well, with the World Cup coming up.

[emu steve]

The land is too valuable to build a one sport small stadium like that. It would never generate that kind of revenue it would take to justify that much of an investment. There are plenty of places near the WSU site that would benefit and it is not that far of a walk from most of Cass Corridor redevelopments.

I understand your point, BUT, if the 'grand idea' is ultimately a MLS franchise the stadium can't be near WSU, etc.

It would have to be within the 'entertainment district'.

Shall we build a 5k stadium now and then have to buy land within the entertainment district in say 5 years for a 20k+ stadium [[and at inflated prices to boot)?

I believe, now, that the Gratiot area land is too valuable for a soccer stadium, but some of the unused land Ilitch controls isn't that valuable - will probably be undeveloped for the next 5 - 10 years. "Rome wasn't built in a day..."