Pro soccer coming to Detroit?

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Oops! Do Brooklynites think of themselves as Long Islanders?

My heavens, no! I had an old coworker from suburban Nassau County- a lifelong resident- with whom I worked in Manhattan. He REFUSED to believe that Brooklyn was part of Long Island, until I showed him a map. He was astounded, as if he had believed in a false God his whole life.

[Bham1982]

Oops! Do Brooklynites think of themselves as Long Islanders?

No, never.

Long Island = Nassau and Suffolk Counties [[Nassau, the inner, more affluent, more Jewish urban county, and Suffolk the more sprawly, middle class outer county, excepting Hamptons, which is in Suffolk).

[emu steve]

https://twitter.com/Bill_Shea19/status/943956074427764738

[EGrant]

So either this is good for Detroit, as Sacremento drops out.

OR this is not good for Detroit, because the MLS might be delaying the bid announcement to let the Sacremento group find another investor, because they prefer them over Detroit/Cincy.

[Atticus]

So either this is good for Detroit, as Sacremento drops out.

OR this is not good for Detroit, because the MLS might be delaying the bid announcement to let the Sacremento group find another investor, because they prefer them over Detroit/Cincy.

I am part of another subscription site [[hence no links, so take this for what it is worth) that has inside “sources” claiming MLS is working out some issues/details with the Cincinnati people. There were still a few unknowns apparently in the Cincinnati stadium proposal, and there were a few other financial issues with the ownership that MLS wanted to get before going forward with that bid.

These same sources did have the inside scoop on Nashville. Given what has just happened in Sacramento, I would imagine Detroit would have be the fallback should the Cincinnati stadium deal not meet MLS’s wants and needs. However, assuming these sources are right, it is most likey that Cincinnati is getting the other bid this round.

[emu steve]

I am part of another subscription site [[hence no links, so take this for what it is worth) that has inside “sources” claiming MLS is working out some issues/details with the Cincinnati people. There were still a few unknowns apparently in the Cincinnati stadium proposal, and there were a few other financial issues with the ownership that MLS wanted to get before going forward with that bid.

These same sources did have the inside scoop on Nashville. Given what has just happened in Sacramento, I would imagine Detroit would have be the fallback should the Cincinnati stadium deal not meet MLS’s wants and needs. However, assuming these sources are right, it is most likey that Cincinnati is getting the other bid this round.

Very interesting.

This is a case where 'behavior has consequences.'

Gilbert, et. al. made a decision and now they are reaping the consequences.

I still assume Gilbert, et. al., must be working OT trying to find an alternative site which is feasible, to them and MLS.

They should be able to read the handwriting on the wall... MLS has spoken.

[masterblaster]

So either this is good for Detroit, as Sacremento drops out.

OR this is not good for Detroit, because the MLS might be delaying the bid announcement to let the Sacremento group find another investor, because they prefer them over Detroit/Cincy.

Good, now this gives DETROIT an opportunity to develop another stadium plan. I propose the likely Ford-owned land in the NEW CENTER bounded by the Lodge to Second Ave, the Train Tracks to I-94. The only thing in that square is the Pistons new facility, a mid-rise Henry Ford Health system office building, and University Prep.

If it must be downtown, then the far west side of Downtown/east end of Corktown [[called the West Side Industrial, should also be considered)

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Good, now this gives DETROIT an opportunity to develop another stadium plan.

I don't think there is much chance of them getting a new stadium proposal, for two reasons:

1) They would have stood up with the original plan if they were still willing to do that. Granted, if a site with essentially "free" land were available, it would "only" cost about $200M to build the stadium. But no such site exists. Any site in or near downtown [[both MLS and Gilbert-Gores have expressed that to be a key reason a Detroit bid is in play) would be costly to obtain and cleared of whatever is there now.

2) Putting together a new stadium deal [[as opposed to the Fail Jail or Ford Field options) would add both very much time and a lot of uncertainty to Detroit's bid, I think making both a winning chance for 2020 or a 2022 slot highly unlikely.

Our best bet for a team is to stress how strong our bid is overall, if MLS can get over playing at Ford Field. Which I think it can and will. Sacramento has money [[and thus confidence) issues; Cincy has stadium and local governent issues. Nashville didn't.

[SammyS]

So I heard that NFL attendance is down sharply from previous years. If this is part of a long term trend, then it was wise of Ford to offer up the Field. Who knows, could be a dedicated MLS stadium in future

[EGrant]

So I heard that NFL attendance is down sharply from previous years. If this is part of a long term trend, then it was wise of Ford to offer up the Field. Who knows, could be a dedicated MLS stadium in future

I am almost certain that within 50 years, football, as we know it, will either be gone or unrecognizable; new data on the severity of brain injuries, declining youth participation, increasing popularity of other sports [[like soccer), poor leadership from the NFL and declining attendance numbers all lead me to think this.

This puts soccer in a good position, from a long-term perspective, despite many short-term problems.

[emu steve]

I am almost certain that within 50 years, football, as we know it, will either be gone or unrecognizable; new data on the severity of brain injuries, declining youth participation, increasing popularity of other sports [[like soccer), poor leadership from the NFL and declining attendance numbers all lead me to think this.

This puts soccer in a good position, from a long-term perspective, despite many short-term problems.

Couple of points:

1). Agree about the NFL. Lot of things wrong: Concussions, violence of the game, over exposure, etc. No one really talks about over exposure but having 3 or even 4 games on Sunday [[including a game from London), then Monday night and Thursday night is TOO much. NFL greed is killing the game.

College FB has less of those problems. CFB is a hard hitting game, but less violent. They seem to be getting a free pass on brain injuries.

2). I would agree about soccer. It seems to be where American football was say 50 or 60 years ago [[maybe a little more).

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I agree NFL seems to be in decline, but I would also keep in mind that it will continue to be a huge draw for years to come. Also, some of the other issues will fade with time. While soccer is currently a growth sport, I don't think it is a direct competitor to football, except as a sport for kids to play.

[ABetterDetroit]

I would need to see real evidence of this “decline”. The reality is Fantasy Football has made NFL explode in popularity over the last decade or so drawing in even more people who wouldn’t have cared before.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List..._United_States

[emu steve]

Not a good day for [[MLS) soccer in Detroit, today.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...hise/33900041/

[Zads07]

No surprise. It's going to be quite awhile before MLS comes to Detroit.

[SammyS]

Things are looking good but man, we need a big win that makes national news.

[emu steve]

No surprise. It's going to be quite awhile before MLS comes to Detroit.

Wonder if that changes the 'calculus' of things in Detroit?

Do the MLS team investors start to re-think their strategy?

[313rd]

I'm ok with this decision. This allows for the fail jail site to be developed into something bigger and better. Now the Detroit team does not have to rush and play indoors at Ford Field. They can put together a new plan, time to think outside the box. Maybe collaborate with Wayne State for a new facility? Think to outside the 7.2 sq mile and put a stadium just outside Eastern Market, North Corktown?

In the meanwhile, let DCFC continue drawing over 5,000 people per game in the neighborhood. They have a great thing going and wish them continued success.

[emu steve]

I'm ok with this decision. This allows for the fail jail site to be developed into something bigger and better. Now the Detroit team does not have to rush and play indoors at Ford Field. They can put together a new plan, time to think outside the box. Maybe collaborate with Wayne State for a new facility? Think to outside the 7.2 sq mile and put a stadium just outside Eastern Market, North Corktown?

In the meanwhile, let DCFC continue drawing over 5,000 people per game in the neighborhood. They have a great thing going and wish them continued success.

I dare say, no one, short of the Almighty knows how this one will play out.

So many players and 'moving parts' that it is impossible to predict.

That said, I could see something along North Corktown in conjunction with other development we are assuming will happen.

Someone would need to explain how the site assembly would work [[and who pays for it. The city???) and if the owners pay for the stadium, itself.

The one thing about a stadium, at least my experience with the D.C. soccer stadium, is that the stadium project is more than one or two city blocks.

D.C. is now [[as I type) working on the plaza, roads, sidewalks, etc. from the site of the in progress soccer stadium to S. Capitol, which is the edge of Nationals Park site. Literally trying to join two separate sports facilities with sidewalks, new roads [[the old ones were poor, the site was things like concrete making, etc.), etc.

It isn't like put up a small hotel on half a city block which is mostly just one building without a lot of effect on the neighboring blocks [[plural).

[emu steve]

I'm ok with this decision. This allows for the fail jail site to be developed into something bigger and better. Now the Detroit team does not have to rush and play indoors at Ford Field. They can put together a new plan, time to think outside the box. Maybe collaborate with Wayne State for a new facility? Think to outside the 7.2 sq mile and put a stadium just outside Eastern Market, North Corktown?

In the meanwhile, let DCFC continue drawing over 5,000 people per game in the neighborhood. They have a great thing going and wish them continued success.

I don't see how a 20 - 25k stadium would work with Wayne State. WSU FB plays in what a 6K seat stadium [[haven't been there in recent years but did attend a few games say 7 or 8 years ago when WSU was good).

If would ONLY work if WSU wanted to go D-I football but that won't happen. [[They don't want to spend the big bucks and wouldn't have a conference to play).

Now, if someone had said "Wayne State's football field and DCFC" then I would say, yeah.

Jointly spend a few million on nice east side stands, maybe a new scoreboard [[the current one has technology which is very, very old), concession stands, etc.

Have the stadium seat say 7 - 8K and it could have been a win-win for both WSU FB and DCFC.

[emu steve]

Bill Shea's latest Tweet on the subject:

https://twitter.com/Bill_Shea19/status/986295721392590848

And here is a Cincy paper with their detailed write-up:

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2018/04/17/after-stadium-progress-whats-next-fc-cincinnatis-mls-expansion-push/523731002/

[bust]

I'd like to see MLS in Detroit.
But not at the cost of another stadium [[and related) occupying prime centrally-located real estate.
There are too many already.
Let there remain bricks in bricktown,
Markets in Eastern Market.
There are so many other locations.
Somewhere else, please!

[emu steve]

I'd like to see MLS in Detroit.
But not at the cost of another stadium [[and related) occupying prime centrally-located real estate.
There are too many already.
Let there remain bricks in bricktown,
Markets in Eastern Market.
There are so many other locations.
Somewhere else, please!

Detroit has about as much under-utilized real estate [[translate: not used) as virtually any big city in America.

I could drive along Michigan Ave. west of the lodge and find city block after city block of cleared land or with maybe a shuttered building.

How about the block that the White Castle occupies? That area is ripe for big things. Or blocks adjacent to it?

Anywhere near MCS, the Ford Motor Corktown buildings, etc.

[bust]

Stadia / arenas belong where Philly put them: at the distant periphery. Not in the center of town.

The real estate near MCS is too prime in my opinion. That area has the potential to develop into so much more.

Maybe one, no more than two, like in Baltimore. Detroit already has three. Plus four casinos, which are almost as bad.

More than a half century later, haven't we learned?

[emu steve]

Stadia / arenas belong where Philly put them: at the distant periphery. Not in the center of town.

Disagree 100 or 1,000%.