HL2VCTRS

November 2nd, 2017 at 4:06 PM ^

It sounds like they did their homework, but I dislike the idea of an MLS team in Ford Field. It will always be 2/3rds empty, and I’d rather see an MLS team playing outdoors in a soccer specific stadium. This makes me less excited about the possibility of MLS in Detroit.

stephenrjking

November 2nd, 2017 at 5:25 PM ^

Depends upon what is meant by covering the second level. Just putting a tarp over the seats is cheesy and unimpressive, of course. But Vancouver pioneered what I consider to be a rather brilliant solution by actually extending fabric awnings over the lower bowl to cut off the view of the upper level and concentrate noise.

It's not perfect, but it's much better than other solutions I've seen. 

Which is not to say that I think this is the way to go. I don't necessarily trust the potential ownership to get this right, and in general I think it would be far preferable for Detroit to have a dedicated outdoor soccer venue. It's not like space is hard to come by. Funding, on the other hand, is a challenge.

My preferred option is lamentably long off the table; I think Tiger Stadium should have been refurbished and rehabilitated as a soccer stadium. Alas.

TrueBlue2003

November 2nd, 2017 at 5:25 PM ^

further from the field than a soccer specific stadium?  Honest question.  I actually assume they would be since football sidelines have hundreds of people standing on both sides and soccer sidelines require far fewer people and only one one side.

Other than getting fans a little closer to the field, I don't see what the big difference would be.  Air doesn't make noise in a soccer specific stadium so you still have 20-30k people making noise and one might argue that being indoors the sound would be kept in.

Still I agree that since it's a summer league, it seems criminal to have the games indoors.

ijohnb

November 2nd, 2017 at 5:09 PM ^

don’t know man. I don’t know anybody who watches the NFL. Truth. I know a lot of college football fans and none of them watch the NFL. And a 5% drop across the board is a huge dip. And ratings are down close to 15% since 2013.

In reply to by ijohnb

MI Expat NY

November 2nd, 2017 at 5:16 PM ^

That ratings drop is very small compared to almost anything else on TV.  

There are a lot of reasons for the NFL ratings drop, but the biggest one seems to be the expansion of NFL windows resulting in the same number of people watching less NFL on an hours/viewer basis.  The NFL still blows away every other sport in terms of fan interest.  

robpollard

November 2nd, 2017 at 4:35 PM ^

The jail site is now focused for "mixed-use" (retail and office).



Which I support 100% -- I know everyone would like a custom-built stadium for each particular sport; that's the ideal. But downtown Detroit doesn't need another large piece of land that sits dormant 330+ days a year while Ford Field is right there. It is a modern facility (they just spent $100 mil on it) with plenty of parking. I wish it were outside, but the renderings look good.



Plus, I guarantee if there was a new stadium, they would want public funding for at least part of it. I am done with that, also.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

November 2nd, 2017 at 7:53 PM ^

I'd love a soccer-specific stadium myself.  But I think what this comes down to is this: Chances are really bad of having the land-swap deal done in time for the first announcement, which would take Detroit right out of the running immediately.  Wayne County dragged its feet too long. 

The next round looks bad too; even if that deal gets all wrapped up, city and county governance will pitch a huge fit about public funding and a few months is nowhere near enough time to get it figured out.  I mean, how long did it take the county to finally agree to take what is actually a really good offer?

Ford Field is a concession to reality, plain and simple.  If the chips are all in on the jail site, we're totally out of the first round and not looking good for the second.  I would guess that Gilbert/Gores are having private conversations with the MLS powers that be about a soccer stadium in the long term, but the way this has gone with the county so far, we're not getting an MLS team with that kind of uncertainty surrounding the stadium.  In the end, Ford Field is the only path forward.

Ramblin

November 3rd, 2017 at 1:52 PM ^

I live in Denver and the smaller soccer stadium is absolutely crucial.  Detroit would be an absolutely awesome place for MLS, just not ford field.

I'm wondering where we could fit yet another stadium though.  Downtown is also crucial IMO.  

That said, I heard the game in Atlanta's new dome was actually pretty epic?

Inman

November 2nd, 2017 at 4:26 PM ^

MLS is not very popular and I can't imagine a Detroit MLS team would be a good idea in any way, shape or form. For the most part Old people don't like soccer, middle aged people don't have time for the most part and young people who like soccer are not much into MLS, they like FIFA/World Cup. I've heard Columbus crew is moving and I don't think many people care and they have less local sports as it is.

In reply to by Inman

bsand2053

November 2nd, 2017 at 4:26 PM ^

I think you are underestimating the soccer market in Michigan.  Are they going to fill up the stadium to the rafters?  Probably not, but there is a sizeable contingent of soccer fans in this state.  

Rufus X

November 2nd, 2017 at 5:02 PM ^

Right. Because people are beating down the doors to come see the Detroit Shock games, even though they didn't give a crap about womens professional basketball before the franchise existed.

The "you just don't know what you're missing" argument is a failure.  People don't just becaome fans for soccer because they were unaware of it and then discover how great it is...  They watch it every 4 years in the world cup and realize every time that they don't understand it and dont' care.

TrueBlue2003

November 2nd, 2017 at 5:36 PM ^

There is measurable demand for soccer in SE Michigan.  People do watch FIFA/European soccer, they go to DCFC games, etc. There is demand for soccer that will translate to MLS (to some extent).

There was no demand for women's basketball before the WNBA arrived.  It's not like people were watching European women play.  That was truly a build-it-and-hope-they-buy-it strategy that was probably never going to work.  Besides, I think there was some sort of requirement/tie-in with the NBA for that.

Big difference.

blueturtle

November 2nd, 2017 at 5:22 PM ^

that there is little interest in MLS because we don’t have a team to root for. Asking someone from Michigan to root for a team from Chicago much less a team from frickin’ Columbus, Ohio is asking too much.

buddha

November 2nd, 2017 at 7:05 PM ^

While this may be true regarding Columbus, the people of Austin have a STRONG interest in the Columbus team. Austin is actively courting the Crew and is considering a stadium downtown.

Similarly, San Francisco has formed a committee with the purpose of bringing a dedicated MLS team to the city. A "minor league" team plays at the old Niners stadium in Golden Gate Park, and some land is being considered for a dedicated MLS stadium near the new Warriors arena.

While it's the chagrin of many MGoBloggers, soccer is spreading and its popularity is growing in the US.

In reply to by Inman

James Burrill Angell

November 2nd, 2017 at 4:51 PM ^

5,000 to 7,500 people show up in a crappy neighborhood for fourth division NPSL soccer at Detroit City FC for every game. The players are basically all college kids or recent grads. I think that the quality of play will be able to drive significantly more. There is a big soccer culture among the millenials and among parents with young kids. It will do fine if they find a way to embrace those constituent communities properly. Conversely, the atmosphere of the game seems like it would take a hit being both indoors and in a large NFL stadium. 



They also have to keep ticket prices reasonable.

sharklover

November 2nd, 2017 at 6:47 PM ^

And if it was an MLS team, it would still be a bunch of full grown has beens or never will bes instead of college kids. Until MLS starts attracting real talent, or US soccer does a better job of fostering quality players through our youth programs, the product is going to only be marginally better than 4th division soccer.

In reply to by Inman

BigPuppy4

November 2nd, 2017 at 5:05 PM ^

Don't forget that the Big House drew a crowd of over 100 thousand for a soccer game. I know it was two of the biggest teams in the world, but there is a soccer market in SE Michigan.

For the 2015 MLS Cup, metro Detroiters were picking up Portland Timbers fans from DTW and giving them a place to stay and then driving them to Columbus for the game.

Their success as a franchise will hinge on hiring a good GM and making the right signings (like Atlanta this year). A competitive team will keep people coming back once the shine of a new team wears off.

And as a sidenote, the Columbus Crew are moving because their jackass owner from California bought the team and thinks Texas will support a third team. Not because of a lack of fan support.

NittanyFan

November 2nd, 2017 at 7:34 PM ^

however, it was also just that - an EVENT.  Events draw folk who wouldn't necessarily be interested otherwise.  I know many people who flew in/drove in for the game.

There's a soccer market in SE Michigan but I don't think I'd extrapolate overly much from that one game.

 

 

 

BigPuppy4

November 2nd, 2017 at 8:57 PM ^

60k show up weekly to watch the Lions let them down. Detroit has some of the most loyal fans in the country. If the Detroit MLS investors took the time to see what makes DCFC fans show up in droves (community, love of club, organically grown) they could work to grow their team much the same way. The Timbers are successful because they don't need the MLS for the fans to feel connected to the team. As long as they treat this like an investment, it will be hard for them to maintain a following that will come year after year. But if there's any city that will support their team through it all, it's Detroit.

In reply to by Inman

BigPuppy4

November 2nd, 2017 at 5:06 PM ^

Don't forget that the Big House drew a crowd of over 100 thousand for a soccer game. I know it was two of the biggest teams in the world, but there is a soccer market in SE Michigan.

For the 2015 MLS Cup, metro Detroiters were picking up Portland Timbers fans from DTW and giving them a place to stay and then driving them to Columbus for the game.

Their success as a franchise will hinge on hiring a good GM and making the right signings (like Atlanta this year). A competitive team will keep people coming back once the shine of a new team wears off.

And as a sidenote, the Columbus Crew are moving because their jackass owner from California bought the team and thinks Texas will support a third team. Not because of a lack of fan support.

sharklover

November 2nd, 2017 at 6:51 PM ^

The Timbers have a rabid following because it is Portland, not because soccer in general draws well. The Portland women's team, the Thorns, sells out playoff games. No one in North America is as crazy about soccer as Portland.

The big house drew 100,000 fans to see two of the best, most star studded teams in the world. That's a lot different than drawing fans to watch mediocre teams wallowing in a bankrupt league week in and week out.

In reply to by Inman

LSAClassOf2000

November 2nd, 2017 at 5:21 PM ^

I don't know....Detroit City FC gets a decent turnout (I've gone myself a few times) even though it isn't really the big time as soccer goes by any stretch. It's a pretty loyal following all the same, and I would think that the Detroit area isn't a bad landing spot for a team. That being said, I don't imagine that you can fill Ford Field, which makes me wonder why they wouldn't hold out for a smaller venue like they had proposed on Gratiot.