Possibilities for MLS soccer-specific stadium in the future?

[Theo Walcott]

With the moving of I-40 and the opened up development space thereby, what are the thoughts of the board on an MLS team moving into town? Yes, I understand many of you have reservations about soccer, but I think if done right, it could be a positive development in the Bricktown area, particularly if accompanied with an outdoor shopping area rooted in providing retail and grocery options for the ever-growing Bricktown/downtown residents/community.

The support shown the Hornets has been grand, and there is no doubt that the Ford Center will have a permanent tenant within the next 3-4 years. Bringing in an MLS team would perfectly compliment the NBA schedule, and the target audience will be perhaps smaller, but I believe there are plenty of OKCers who would support a soccer team. If done right, a stadium, "cool" team name and logo, and creative marketing would lead to a successful franchise in OKC. Ticket prices are incredibly family-oriented and reasonable for the MLS, and it would be a great summertime family activity. If the stadium was built with around 15,000 capacity with an ability to be expanded in the future, I believe that the summer games would sell out. Season tickets can be had for as little as $200, and that's for 20 or so matches.

Salt Lake City is in the process of building their own stadium (see pics below), and a similar set up would definitely enhance downtown. If it works in Salt Lake, it can definitely work here.

[Midtowner]

UCO has a lot of contacts with MLS right now. They've been trying to lure a franchise there for several years. In fact, the football stadium is set up as a dual use facility. They have a press box and luxury suite setup already. UCO's stadium plans should they gain an MLS team include upgrading the stadium to about a 20K capacity with two decks leaving plenty of room to spare.

I covered this for UCO's TV station back when there was a very real sense that we might have an Edmond based MLS team.

[Theo Walcott]

well the problem there (as i see it anyway), is that the stadium has a turf field with football lines. Such a setup would make it much harder for a team to stick here, and if the lines cannot be altered for soccer play, it would just feel kind of bush league. what is the status with the MLS now in Edmond?

[Midtowner]

Actually Walcott, the stadium at UCO has an artificial surface which can be very easily redone to accommodate soccer. The UCO stadium upgrades were actually done with MLS in mind.

[Theo Walcott]

if that's the case, then is all that is lacking is an ownership group? the league is getting more popular, and may continue to do so if marquee Euro players are brought in.

[Midtowner]

Edmond was a finalist location for an MLS franchise just a few years back. It fell through due to the lack of an ownership group. I think it was Express who pulled out at the last minute.

I would almost guarantee though -- with the upgrades UCO has made to Wantland field, it would far and away be the easiest and quickest to upgrade to MLS-specs. They have a jumbotron, a luxury suite section, etc. I can't recall whether the immediate plans called for 18,000 seats or 24,000 seats, but it was between those numbers (I think both were kicked around).

They've already had a few MLS exhibitions there, and there has been real league interest.

If MLS comes to the metro, it'll be at UCO.

-- and that subsequently might be all UCO needs to take its football program to I-AA instead of D-II.

[TStheThird]

The biggest problem with the MLS is the way the organized the league. I wish they would have a table and declare a league winner that way. It would make the season more exciting. They could have an MLS Super Cup or something like that.

I also wish they would let teams develop talent at a young age... let them start their own academies. I think the MLS would grow more popular if they organized in a way that the rest of the soccer world would understand.

I guess they are trying to attract the US sports fan, but they need to worry about pleasing the soccer fans that live in the US (both US citizen and people from across the world).

That said, I hope the OKC has an MLS team someday.

[Theo Walcott]

they are working on the youth academies. Salt Lake's team, for example, is establishing a youth academy affiliated with Real Madrid. there is no reason why we couldn't get that done here by affiliating with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Barca, and the like.

[Theo Walcott]

Soccer could be U.S. game -- with help from Germany, Brazil and England - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports

[Theo Walcott]

TIME.com: U.S. Soccer Reboots -- May 22, 2006 -- Page 1

[TStheThird]

Having a table would make the season more exciting. It allows for there to be big games all season long. After living in Italy, I follow Serie A religiously. It is more exciting to follow a league where the season games mean more.

Having a playoff where 70% of the teams make it in puts a damper on the regular season. The MLS is set up bass ackwards. I also find it frustrating that we don't follow the same general season as the rest of the world.

The MLS is not going to convert NFL fans. They need to model the league so that soccer, footbal, futbol, calcio fans will watch it. The soccer fans are here, I just don't think they are satisfied.

Why do I pay to have Fox Soccer Channel? I want to follow Serie A, La Liga, the EPL. Luckily, ESPN shows Champions League when they get to the knockout stage.

I look forward to watching the MLS grow, I just don't think it will reach its full potential under the current format.

[metro]

I agree, if done right OKC could support MLS already. As someone mentioned Edmond was very close. I'd love to see it come to fruition, especially if Salt Lake City can pull it off. I support it. FYI, the Ford Center already does have permanent tenants, they are called Blazers and Yard Dawgz, you meant however major league, not minor league.

[Kerry]

The MLS would be a great fit in OKC but the stadium has to be downtown if the team is going to be successful. Few peopleare going to drive from South OKC or Norman all the way to Edmond 20 times a season. With future planned transportation options it only makes sense to build downtown. With downtown housing on the way there will be similar fan demographics living right next to the stadium. You can't count on families with kids to fill the stadium every game.

[Midtowner]

OU has no problem putting 85,000 butts in seats every weekend in Norman. Why do you think Edmond would be unable to fill 20,000 seats?

I'm pretty sure the feasibility studies have been done Kerry. I would guess that the main reason Edmond has no team is because the potential owners doubted the viability of the league.

[Centerback]

I agree with Kerry. It has to be a centrally located facility to pull from each major highway artery. It would be great for me personally if it were at UCO. But I want it to be successful and therefore I want it to be downtown. Great thought Theo, you young lad!

Bob Funk is still very much involved in trying to get a MLS team. The problem is that if you expand the league too rapidly the talent pool is very "watered down" and thus not interesting to watch.

[Kerry]

I know Midtowner isn't comparing MLS to OU football. And OU does have a problem putting 85,000 in the seats. Let the Sooners have 2 losing season and see how many show up. I remember during the Gibbs era not having sell-outs and those weren't even losing teams, and the stadium held 10,000 less than today. For long term viablity the team needs to be where it can access the most fans - downtown.

[Spartan]

Tulsa had a deal with the MLS on the table for a while.

[TStheThird]

Edmond and Norman are both big soccer towns. I think placing a stadium downtown would better draw from both communities.

[Spartan]

Well Moore is where they play their OKC-area exhibition games, which are well-attended, I might add.

[metro]

I'm sure Edmond could make it feasible if the terms were right. Yes, a centrally located stadium would be more beneficial to all parts of the metro and state although probably along the river, not downtown. For most major league stadiums you need a sea of parking unfortunately and they'll demand it. Look at major league franchises in other cities, Dallas' team isn't downtown and neither are teams from other pro-leagues, there are tons of MLB teams in the burbs in larger cities than ours (meaning an even more stressful drive). It can happen if the right things fall in place, just like the Hornets only we need a stadium.

[Luke]

I'd love to see an MLS team in the metro.

[Easy180]

If we can only get one major league team here in OKC then soccer is dead last after NFL, MLB,NBA and NHL...Not really any prestige for the city either with just a soccer team...Any team from the bigger sports will have a much bigger impact on OKC

[Midtowner]

Easy, it's not about prestige -- it's about making $$. If a franchise would make someone money here, it'll be here. Someone just has to put their money where their mouth is. Currently, there has been a lot of market analysis, a lot of feasibility studies, and based upon what we know now, MLS will work in Edmond. About 18,000 people showed up to just exhibition games. More than half were willing to sit on the grass (the stadium only holds 10,000 right now).

[Theo Walcott]

what Easy is failing to consider is that MLS is first and foremost a summertime event. we have NO shot at getting MLB, at least for another 10-15 years. I think MLS would work right now, and with proper marketing and a great fan experience, it would go off without a hitch.

while playing in the UCO stadium would suffice at first, it would be great if somebody could negotiate with either Edmond or Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County about getting a soccer-specific stadium and youth academy rolling along. I truly believe that the MLS will continue to grow and will become a formidable "major league" sport in the United States within the next 10 years.

[Midtowner]

Theo, as I said before, the UCO stadium was 'rebuilt' essentially with MLS in mind. It's more of a soccer specific facility which can accommodate football than it is a football specific facility which can accommodate soccer. It would need a little adding on, but is already very far along insofar as being able to support MLS.

UCO was in direct negotiations with the league and was recruiting an interest group. They *really* want that business there.