Saturday, March 11, 2006

Red Bull welcome addition; also welcoming controversy



If it wasn't for the name, then this deal would be universally considered one of the greatest things ever to happen to MLS. A $100 million investment in a league that has never made money is an amazing thing. Here's the breakdown of the deal:

$25 million - Metrostars value
$30 million - Stadium naming rights (10 years only?)
$45 million - 50% stake in Harrison stadium

The only people who should really be upset are Metrostars fans. As far as the name, you'll get over the name in time, just like everyone's used to Real Salt Lake and Columbus Crew. Because it's still your team, it's just has a different name. Plus, it looks like the team will benefit in the long run. They can't possibly be worse.

Now we have another issue with Zoffinger and company upset over calling the team New York, despite playing in New Jersey. Seems like MLS can't go anywhere without upsetting somebody. But Zoffinger has a history of treating the team like crap, so this isn't surprising. The good news is that it shouldn't have an impact on the new stadium, so in 2008 this will be water under the bridge.

You also have Senator Frank Lautenberg and Governor Jon Corzine lining up to oppose this, from an AP article. Seems like this is an easy target for politicos to make themselves look good (and Frank needs it). You literally cannot look bad to the general public taking a stand like this. Of course, if you actually understand the situation, then you might disagree. This reminds me of how certain politicians bring up child porn and terrorism when talking about online file sharing.

At least the article gets the facts straight:

In fact, however, the MetroStars have not officially had New Jersey as part of their team name for several years.

Also, just take a look at this:

Frisco to Dallas = 26.5 miles
Sandy to Salt Lake City = 17.0 miles
Bridgeview to Chicago = 13.9 miles

East Rutherford to New York = 13.5 miles
Harrison to New York = 9.5 miles

Stupid state line.

They really shouldn't have to bow to the pressure, but for two years they just might have to. Looks like the New Jersey domain names have been registered already.

Comments on "Red Bull welcome addition; also welcoming controversy"

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:23 PM, March 12, 2006) : 

Not a lot of people around Kansas City have been pointing out that all their new stadium proposals there aren't in Kansas City, hell they're not even in Missouri - they're all in Kansas (don't even start thinking about the incongruity of Kansas City being in Missouri, it just wears one out). If any state has a reason to complain about name poaching it should be Kansas. Look, if one mentions New York, everybody knows it's in New York, and Jersey is, well, west of New York. Simple. But bring up Kansas City and most people can't find it on a map because they're all looking in the wrong place - KANSAS - and what really puts the sand in the shorts there IS a Kansas City, Kansas, it's just across the border from the one in Missouri. (Missouri is guilty of instigating a lot of this type of confusion, they also have issues with East St. Louis really being in Illinois.) The people who should really be uptight aren't the ones in New Jersey but the ones forced to share borders with the miscreants in Missouri and having their names shuffled around like a pea under a shell, not merely dealt with like a German silent P (it's there, right on the front of the word, capitalized even, one has to pretend it's not there, like the neighborhood character and his brown paper sack of "medicine"). So in the interest of real Fair Play, and an old MLS tradition of akward and overly lengthy names, let the Wizards be known as the Kansas City Kansas Wizards Near, But Not In, Kansas City Missouri FC. That ought to just fit on the front of the jersey (the shirt on the state.) Write your senator...

 

Blogger scaryice said ... (7:50 PM, March 12, 2006) : 

NJ has a major inferiority complex. Sure is funny to make fun of them, though:

http://www.gotfuturama.com/Multimedia/EpisodeSounds/1ACV03/19.mp3

 

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