Comments on: Open letter to Roger Goodell

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:34:29 +0000

Dumbest thing ever written.

By: 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League

2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:14:45 +0000

This is an awful article, written by someone with the sports knowledge of perhaps a 14-year old girl. Absolute rubbish.

If I wanted to read such nonsense, I’d go to Yahoo Answers. Who is the editor of this site, and why does he allow these wastes of time to get posted?

By: Charles

Charles — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:39:38 +0000

I do understand scarcity, but you have to agree that there is a huge risk that 20k max stadiums don’t sustain a league ?
The league needs to get to a point to be able to pay double the salaries they paying now, which keeps talent here, which in turn draws more fans ( except in a stadium that has 20k max ).
Otherwise I see NASL 1983 all over, when my Sounders started drawing 10k and the league was done.
Glad you like your stadium by the way, enjoy, Connor Kasey ( sp ? ) is one of my favorites.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:11:56 +0000

One huge problem is this excludes the non-NFL markets- Salt Lake, Columbus, Toronto, Vancover, Portland, L.A., and San Jose. Another problem is that most NFL stadiums suck for MLS soccer, and many NFL stadiums are mainly useless for their communitties, while MLS stadiums do well for High School football playoffs, concerts, club sporting events, etc…

If that model works in one city, good for them. But that is and should be the exception rather than the rule. Variety, in stadium size, market size, business structure, style of play, player development, etc… makes for a fun league.

And Charles, you don’t understand how scarcity sells tickets. If the stadium is small, and people believe it could sell out for a premium game (Beckhem, or the next star), then they buy tickets and ticket packages in advance. Thus feeds itself, because ticktets actually do get scarce. Plus the event is not done in by weather, etc… I’m glad attendences are huge in Seattle, but most markets need the smaller stadiums to create scarcity and a better atmosphere. The Rapids are a much better night out in the new stadium.

By: Ivan

Ivan — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:44:21 +0000

Am I the only one who thinks that playing soccer on an artificial turf is a travesty? Com’on, this sport is meant to be played on grass, and it is beyond me why Toronto FC uses artificial turf. At least they don’t have to share their staidum w/ anyone: it is a soccer-specific stadium.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:41:49 +0000

I have to agree with most of the comments on here. This is a dumb idea and a dumb article.

By: Charles

Charles — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:44:22 +0000

20k “Soccer Specific” = We can’t draw more than that, so let’ call it “Intimate”

I fully realize there are reasons for teams owning their own stadium to increase revenue, but call a spade a spade. IF the MLS ( or another league for soccer ) is going to succeed they need Seattle sized QWest like stadiums drawing crowds so they can pay salaries to compete.
Do England teams have small stadiums ? Sure, but the league has a LOT of money coming in from the teams that actually can win. Many probably want to follow that model, I probably should too, as the Sounders would win every year like ManU, but for a parity league, all boats have to rise. And all boats rising means they need bigger stadiums for all if/when the league grows.

By: Lars

Lars — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:38:40 +0000

NFL Commish.

By: Charles

Charles — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:35:15 +0000

“soccer is not meant to be played football stadiums. The reason it works in Seattle…..”
Not to be a jerk, but let me finish:

The reason it works in Seattle is because QWest was built for soccer and it a great stadium to watch a game.

By: Charles

Charles — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:28:22 +0000

QWest was build for soccer and football, it was voted on by the public as such, it was built as such. They even said the stadium would have real grass originally, I believe.

I agree with the idea that partnering up is a good idea, but it is not a partnership when the lines for football are a mile wide and the soccer lines are a thin yellow line.

I disagree with the readers that are the Euroway is the only way lovers, or the soccer only lovers. It just doesn’t work in the US, Seattle is the perfect example of this. Sitting at a bar next to the stadium Thursday, everyone was watching the World Series and the UEFA game that was on.
Asking the fan to quit loving the Mariners/Seahawks/Supersonics and ONLY love the Sounders is just stupid.
Giving that choice and putting on the rule that you have to act like a British guy while doing it will result in 10-15k Sam’s Army guys showing up.
Gotta go, Seahawks are in in 33 mins, followed by LA-Chivas.