Comments on: As Minnesota Vikings New Stadium Inches Closer to Reality, So Does a MLS Team – Maybe?

By: Yuri Nator

Yuri Nator — Wed, 09 May 2012 01:00:48 +0000

I always thought a good option would be to forgo the idea of letting the soccer team play in the new stadium and play in a SSS in the East Metro. If they played in MPLS, they’d just be another sports team in the city, behind the Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves and the U’s D1 sports. If they played in Saint Paul, they’d be followed religiously. It’s doable too, if it’s done in time. A new SSS costs around 60 million dollars, which is pocket change to Zyggi and would be buildable via using only user fees. It could even attract a coveted Winter Classic.

By: Darren

Darren — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:31:53 +0000

Wonderful coverage, Brian. Thanks.

Unless there’s some closed door deal we don’t know about, it seems the legislature just let Wilf kill our Stars. I doubt NASL will continue to own the team for the next 5 years, and I also doubt anyone will step forward now to buy the team knowing that a billionaire is about to drop MLS on their heads.

Would love to see my Champion Stars continue their play against MLS teams like Montreal, Portland and Vancouver.

By: smatthew

smatthew — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:38:29 +0000

“Also, somebody can correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe the big-money backers came into Seattle, Vancouver or Portland until they were MLS-bound.”

Seattle yes but Vancouver and Portland no both those clubs had the big investors while in D2.

By: Chrös

Chrös — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:07:44 +0000

While it would be great to have the Wilfs invest into the Stars, I think it’s unfair to expect them to. Ultimately a soccer team would be a business deal for them, and outside of goodwill within a small community it’s hard to see where they would get a tangible return on their investment in buying the Stars.

In the big picture, I don’t see how the Wilf family owning the Stars would change much anyway. The Stars are still a Div. 2 team that will always rely on grassroots marketing (which the team has been doing great at), and even in the best-case scenario the Stars’ average attendance will pale in comparison to any MLS team. Just the nature of MLS vs NASL means that the majority of fans who would support an MLS team don’t have any interest in supporting an NASL team. It would be great if more people here wanted to treat NASL like a major league, but I hardly think you can blame people — or the Wilf family — for not.

Also, somebody can correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe the big-money backers came into Seattle, Vancouver or Portland until they were MLS-bound.

By: Yankiboy

Yankiboy — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:01:18 +0000

@Mike: Thanks for carefully reading all of my insightful posts in this thread that touched on the two wonderful soccer specific stadiums found in Seattle and Vancouver, Playah…

By: Fotbalist

Fotbalist — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:41:44 +0000

Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, Montreal…have all had great success in D2 before they joined MLS. I like the suggestion above that if the Wilf group are interested in MLS, they have a great opportunity to buy MN Stars FC and invest in growing an already successful club/culture.

By: Chrös

Chrös — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:34:08 +0000

I have to side with Mike and others firmly on the side of skepticism. It’s one thing for a new Vikings stadium to “pass the test,” but the important distinction is that the league no longer has to settle for a situation that simply passes the test.

Of course that’s not to say I’m anti-MLS, and at the very least this would hopefully mean a new Vikings stadium would be built to accommodate the USMNT or friendlies in the future. But given the success of forward-thinking franchises like Portland or the new Sporting Kansas City, it seems naive to think that an NFL stadium run by old school NFL owners in a saturated sports market is going to be MLS’s best option. I think we’ll have to show the league much more than an NFL stadium and lip service to seriously be considered.

By: Pony

Pony — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 03:22:50 +0000

I’ve said it before, and I’ll said it again. If Wilf is truely serious about soccer, he would buy the Stars.

By: Neal

Neal — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:18:32 +0000

thanks for keeping us up on the goings on at the State Capital.

and thanks to all of the comments here, at least they all (even if I disagree) are readable … more than I can say about the main stream media – it is impossible for me to click down into any comments from our local newspapers.

Peace and futbol.

By: Brian Quarstad

Brian Quarstad — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 23:19:46 +0000

@Mike: Sorry my man, but that is just not true.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/141093003.html

“Dan Courtemanche said the new stadium — though not ideal — would pass the test.”