I Can See The Caravan Of Cars On I-94 Now
This is still all in the rumor and innuendo stage, but since we're still technically in the silly season, I thought I'd spread it as fate's honest truth and run with it...
Milwaukee is now the top candidate for MLS expansion in 2007.
Today at noon there's a conference call scheduled between the MLS brass and a group of Milwaukee investors, led by former Chicago Fire front office icon Peter Wilt (the main reason for the "fan boycott" this season is that he was fired earlier this year), is going to announce the purchase the rights for a team in Milwaukee and try to secure the rights for a soccer specific stadium as part of a redevelopment project downtown in the other city on this side of Lake Michigan.
I for one couldn't be happier. I'm so happy I could get drunk on borrowed beer right now! Goose Island, pshaw! ;)
I figure it's an even trade, Peter Wilt for Milwaukee's finest export. After all, Chicago's been drinking Milwaukee beer for a lot longer than MLS has been around.
Anyhow, this is great news all around for Chicago as we'll finally have a real derby partner in MLS. Certainly FC Dallas has been a fierce rival and I hope the fans keep the Brimstone Cup alive but we're talking 75 minutes here (well a little more starting from Bridgeview). You can't even get to Dallas from Chicago by plane in 75 minutes (I know this first hand because I'm going there on a business trip down to Texas tomorrow) - you'll be sitting on the runway at DFW or O'Hare for at least 75 minutes to begin the trip for goodness sakes.
And if the other worst kept secret in MLS, that is San Jose moving to Houston, is true, Chicago will be looking for a new fiercest rival anyhow as the FC Dallas side might lose a lot of interest.
If and when Milwaukee gets a team, this will be only the second real derby in MLS history with Galaxy/Chivas USA being the first. Fans will actually be able to travel between the stadiums in large numbers (as is evidenced by the amount of Cubs fans at Brewer games) and that can only be good for attendance at these four matches a year. It may be the first MLS rivalry to really require a designated visitor's section!
Waiting with baited breath for the official announcement...
Hope it doesn't fall through like the last rumor I got truly excited about, Figo to Liverpool. Yeah, that was a bad call on my part. I admit freely to jumping the gun on that one. :)
Milwaukee is now the top candidate for MLS expansion in 2007.
Today at noon there's a conference call scheduled between the MLS brass and a group of Milwaukee investors, led by former Chicago Fire front office icon Peter Wilt (the main reason for the "fan boycott" this season is that he was fired earlier this year), is going to announce the purchase the rights for a team in Milwaukee and try to secure the rights for a soccer specific stadium as part of a redevelopment project downtown in the other city on this side of Lake Michigan.
I for one couldn't be happier. I'm so happy I could get drunk on borrowed beer right now! Goose Island, pshaw! ;)
I figure it's an even trade, Peter Wilt for Milwaukee's finest export. After all, Chicago's been drinking Milwaukee beer for a lot longer than MLS has been around.
Anyhow, this is great news all around for Chicago as we'll finally have a real derby partner in MLS. Certainly FC Dallas has been a fierce rival and I hope the fans keep the Brimstone Cup alive but we're talking 75 minutes here (well a little more starting from Bridgeview). You can't even get to Dallas from Chicago by plane in 75 minutes (I know this first hand because I'm going there on a business trip down to Texas tomorrow) - you'll be sitting on the runway at DFW or O'Hare for at least 75 minutes to begin the trip for goodness sakes.
And if the other worst kept secret in MLS, that is San Jose moving to Houston, is true, Chicago will be looking for a new fiercest rival anyhow as the FC Dallas side might lose a lot of interest.
If and when Milwaukee gets a team, this will be only the second real derby in MLS history with Galaxy/Chivas USA being the first. Fans will actually be able to travel between the stadiums in large numbers (as is evidenced by the amount of Cubs fans at Brewer games) and that can only be good for attendance at these four matches a year. It may be the first MLS rivalry to really require a designated visitor's section!
Waiting with baited breath for the official announcement...
Hope it doesn't fall through like the last rumor I got truly excited about, Figo to Liverpool. Yeah, that was a bad call on my part. I admit freely to jumping the gun on that one. :)
posted by incendiarymind at 6:39 AM
2 Comments:
That is a big worry for certain. The last two Milwaukee outdoor franchises have tanked.
I think that Milwaukee has the same kind of thing going for it at the MLS level that Salt Lake City does. They only have teams in two other major sports (though Utah has one). They really do long for a winning team in anything up there (the Brewers and Bucks are both terrible). If the anonymous Milwaukee team wins, they'll be able to draw 12-16k.
The thing about the Packers is that it's nearly impossible to get tickets. While they love them in Milwaukee, a lot of people will still love just getting to see live sports live.
The Badgers may actually help. If their college team does well (at least in soccer), the fans could carry over during the summer when they're not playing. I'm not sure how UW is right now though (back in my days at MSU, they dominated the Big Ten).
I think Wilt had a great point during the press conference. He reminded the crowd that Utah drew crap in the lower leagues but RSL is drawing huge crowds.
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