Information Could Come This Week on New Professional Soccer Team in Minnesota
Recently I’ve had numerous questions in comments and emails regarding the status of professional soccer in the state of Minnesota as well as the status of the Thunder.
IMS readers seemed to be confused on the status of the Thunder and not aware that there are plans in place to launch a new soccer franchise. This is somewhat understandable with the conflicting buzz of information and at other times not enough information. Let’s review the status of both the Thunder and the new organization, the National Sports Center (NSC) and their desire to field a pro soccer team in 2010.
The Thunder front office sat empty on December 4th with no signs of tire tracks after a light snowfall.
The Thunder were one of the original parties lined up with the TOA, but after IMS broke the news on their continuing financial trouble and that they had released their players from their contracts, the TOA seemed to distance themselves from the organization. Yet some of the TOA/NASL press releases mentioned the Thunder name specifically which was confusing to IMS as well. At one point Selby Wellman from the Carolina RailHawks, who was also part of the original 3 to go on record as being part of a breakaway league, was paraphrased in an article that the Thunder’s financial problems were cleared up. However, this was never true, although for a brief period of time the Thunder were looking for investors in the club to keep the Thunder name alive. The investors were never found and today you will find the Minnesota Thunder web site is shut down. It was also reported several weeks ago that the Thunder front office had little to no activity.
Last week, an email went out to those who had made a deposit on a MN Thunder training session that those same sessions would no longer be offered and refunds would be made. The letter blamed an “unexpected situation”.
It has now been reported to IMS that Thunder President Manny Lagos sent an email to the players of the Thunder this past week that he is no longer with the organization. IMS was in contact with Lagos several times last week but he never mentioned that he had left. IMS hopes to clarify the situation with Lagos this week. Dean Johnson, owner of the Thunder, has also been contacted for a statement concerning the status of the Thunder. The organization boasted a 20-year history and was started by legendary Buzz Lagos now seems to be part of Minnesota sports history.
New Soccer Team in Minnesota
Even though IMS reported back in mid-November that the National Sports Center in Blaine, MN, who own the stadium the Thunder played at, are planing on fielding a NEW Minnesota soccer team for the 2010 season, many people still seem to be unaware of this fact. Because of the confusion, I will refer back to 3 articles IMS posted in explaining the situation. First, the original article stating that a new franchise could replace the Thunder. Second, an interview with Paul Erickson, Executive Director of the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission, who explained the plans NSC have to start a new pro soccer team. The last article explained how this new Minnesota team was becoming a hub in the TOA/NASL v USL debate, as both organizations were contacting the NSC to become part of their league.
IMS learned on Friday from a source who requested to remain anonymous, that there have been ongoing communications between the MN Thunder and the NSC in regard to their contractual obligations. According to that source, there has been no resolution as of yet but some progress has been made for “the good of Minnesota Soccer”.
This ongoing communications could mean the door has been opened for the NSC to move forward without fear of retribution from the Thunder. To recap the Minnesota situation, the Thunder owed the NSC over 100-thousand dollars in unpaid lease fees for the stadium. Even though the NSC had continually notified the Thunder of those late payments going back to the spring of 2009, legally the NSC has to give the Thunder a 30 day notice of termination before they could move forward with an official announcement of fielding a pro soccer team. Those 30 days are up as of this Wednesday, December 16th. IMS believes that Minnesota soccer fans could be hearing from the NSC as early as the end of the week concerning the NSC’s ongoing and often frenetic work to field a new soccer team for Minnesota.
The big question that everyone wants to know is which group, the NASL or the USL, will this new team be associated with. The NSC is holding that trump card and they are currently poker faced as to their direction.
Comments are closed.
Again, thanks for the update.
Wait a second, allow me to get this straight. There will be a team next year for me to watch and cheer for? Awesome. Thank you NSC!
Boy, I sure hope they choose a cool name and not something mid-90s like; Mutiny, Fusion, Burn, Clash and any A-league name (geckos, rhinos or blast).
P.S. Will there be an auction for old Thunder stuff? I am saving every penny for the highly anticipated mascot bidding war!
thesuperrookie is 100% correct about needing a good name.
How about an unsolicited IMS naming contest for this hoped-for phoenix rising from the ashes?
A few ideas:
- First Minnesota Volunteers
- Minnesota Norse
- Minnesota Norsemen
- Minnesota Ice
- Minnesota Anarchists United
Just some ideas that dribbled out while drinking my coffee.
“Last week, an email went out to those who had made a deposit on a MN Thunder training session that those same sessions would no longer be offered and refunds would be made.”
Anybody giving odds on whether season ticket deposits will be refunded?
Just an FYI-the NSC has submitted trademark claims for “Minnesota Strikers” and “FC Minnesota”.
Might not mean anything, but it is worth noting.
Yup, found that and posted it on December 2nd. Seems there’s been so much going on people have sort of missed the Minnesota NSC pro soccer team news.
http://is.gd/5nfSx
“…and today you will find the Minnesota Thunder web site is shut down.”
FYI – But the MTA site is still available. Already aware they are a separate entity…
http://www.mnthunder.com/academy/
DMZ, not meaning to be rude, but not understanding your point? Just to say that the MTA is still up and doing fine? As pointed out here countless times, yes, they are separate organizations and if needed they will just change names. I haven’t talked to the MTA people in about a week or so. I’ll get back in touch with them soon to see what their plan is.
Just pointing it out. Fully aware of the separate entity stuff – thanks to you. Not an MTA hater. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out. Thanks for all the great coverage.
It’s a very touchy subject with MTA. My guess is they won’t make a decision until the season is over in July.
Minnesota Voyageurs is hands down the best name.
SC Minnesota 09 or NSC Minnesota
nickname: Voyageurs
My two cents worth to all you SC or FC people: What soccer club will they belong to? The term FC (as SC) has been associated with clubs that eventually moved to the pro ranks and have youth teams associated with it. Why are we trying to call ourselves something we are not?. Just because they have done it around the world, with purpose, does not mean we have to do the same thing, without purpose.
Brian,
Did you notice there is no access to the Rhinos site– just the Pat is Back Intro Page… not sure if it is relevant but you never know.
Bq, it’s common practice even in the states to call a sports organization a club. That coupled with the fact that it’s common practice throughout the world in soccer (even when teams don’t have the history that SC or FC once alluded to) seem to make SC and FC perfectly acceptable names.
I’d really like a new name like SC Minnesota or Minnesota FC. Recycling just doesn’t do it for me. The Voyageurs nickname sounds very good but I wouldn’t something else. I understand most Minnesota sports teams are named after the state but part of me wants them to be name after the Twin Cities. So some other things that popped into my head:
-Twin City Stars
-Twin City Geminis
-Minnesota Geminis
Onamia FC!
Seriously though, I don’t think we need much as fans marketing wise. I think it’s pretty obvious that we all really WANT to like any footy that comes to our town. If a club/team/franchise
-Is a good member of the community (i.e. does stuff around town, has a youth system, etc)
-Has a place to play… *cough* and tailgate *cough* *cough*.
-Is an organization that wants and TRIES to win games
-Attemps to make itself known (posters around town, website, local newspaper)
Then I don’t think it will be pretty hard to get a few thousand people to a match. Regardless of the name. I’m a generic FC fan myself. Just because I don’t like the fact that teams feel the need to create this whole marketable identity from the get go. Let the team on the field and crowd in the stands determine that. Give it time. Then you won’t end up with a name like the Quad City Swing.
I think NSC should use the name “Minnesota Thunder”–they could swing some debt forgiveness to keep a great name going. Just a thought.
Thanks for all the clarifications, Brian. The MTA info is very valuable especially for families that put register kids in it.
I really appreciate the comment made by CoconutMonkey, teams put too much emphasis on marketability – though it has its worthy place in sports – and insufficient effort in the quality of the product – good soccer.
I’m for any name that’s not silly, but I especially appreciate names that represent the local culture.
I agree with Soccer Boy that it would be nice to see the Minnesota Thunder name live on if possible. If they can’t do that, then I say use one of the old names such as Strikers or Kicks. But then add SC or FC to the end and make it a legitimate club with a youth system, fan interaction/involvement, etc.
Zach, the NSC DOES NOT want a youth club affiliated with the team for now. There are too many residuals left over from the Thunder and MTA and the reaction many community clubs had to it, to try to push a youth club as well.
I would say I have to agree with NSC at this point and time. Focus on the team first. This new team will need a new name.
With all the Thunder issues I think that name is dead in the water as it now brings a ton of baggage… despite its history.
There is no way that it will be “Thunder”.
Nor, should it.
Start fresh.
Brian, isn’t saying MTA and MN Thunder are “seperate” just a legal fiction? Both entities have e-mail addresses that state “@mnthunder.com.” The MTA WWW site has MN Thunder/Lightning logos all over the place, and appear to have or current operate out of the same corporate address.
Yes, anyone can create “seperate” entities, but it seems to me that when it comes right down to it, it would be rather easy to pierce the corporate veil. Just a thought….
It is such a bummer that the Thunder name will die. Probably the first true Minnesota club to be founded by Sotans and made up of Sotans. Also I believe it was Djorn who pointed out that the Thunder had been in exsistence longer than the Kicks and Strikers combined. Major love to Buzz and all the players, families, personal, fans who worked to keep that club alive.
Shoot Should have wrote pro-club and not just club. Sorry.
SB, while you and I agree on most things I will disagree on this one without spending too much time on the MTA thing as it will be fine and continue but most likely under a different name. But I would say no, it was very separate in that it was Bangu and Wings and most likely will go back to something similar. Just the fact that they are unaffected by this for the most part tells me they were separate. I would use the word alliance more than anything. They shared resources in many instances to save money and that was not all bad.
One of the knocks on MTA as of recently that I have heard folks talk about was the lack of Thunder players really working with many of the MTA teams. There were some but not as many as I think a lot of people were hoping for. I can’t back that up because I know of a number of Thunder players who were actually working with MTA. But they would receive separate checks from MTA for their services. It was not part of the player contract.
If MTA rented dome time the Thunder may have used that facility as well but they paid the MTA for it. Or should I say they were supposed to have paid the MTA for it. I believe that MTA also ended up short money from the Thunder, or at least they were at one time.
Brian with all due respect, what good is a first team without a youth academy to support it and back it up? A youth academy provides the foundation and future for a first team. I hope that NSC (while perhaps not immediately) realizes that and sets one up sooner than later. Whether that means they align themselves with MTA, I don’t know. But regardless youth development needs to be a priority in my opinion.
@ Zach
Part of the problem with a pro club having a youth club affiliation is that local clubs will not want their players attending camps for fears of poaching by affiliated youth club, so they will nor advertise or help promote those camps that help fund the pro team.