Soccer: NASL and USL professional leagues fighting over OKC

[traxx]

Anyone else getting the feeling that soccer is going to be immensely popular here in OKC?

Nope

[OKCisOK4me]

Anyone else getting the feeling that soccer is going to be immensely popular here in OKC?

Considering that indoor soccer has already been extremely popular for years, and a story that I think News9 ran the other day that said there are 36,000 kids in the metro that play soccer, that it should be popular, I can believe so. Not really my thing, but nice to see.

[Kokopelli]

Considering that indoor soccer has already been extremely popular for years, and a story that I think News9 ran the other day that said there are 36,000 kids in the metro that play soccer, that it should be popular, I can believe so. Not really my thing, but nice to see.

Surprisingly, considering my statement, it is not my thing either.

I was basing my comment on the growing popularity of the sport nationwide and the number of kids (both boys and girls) that play. The majority of their games will be during the summer months. And additionally I was impressed by both the number of posters and their knowledge of the various leagues when the newspaper ran their articles. Just seems like there is some pent-up demand for the sport. I hope it does well here.

[OKCisOK4me]

Surprisingly, considering my statement, it is not my thing either.

I was basing my comment on the growing popularity of the sport nationwide and the number of kids (both boys and girls) that play. The majority of their games will be during the summer months. And additionally I was impressed by both the number of posters and their knowledge of the various leagues when the newspaper ran their articles. Just seems like there is some pent-up demand for the sport. I hope it does well here.

Not surprisingly, I was agreeing with your statement...not arguing it ;-)

[Kokopelli]

Not surprisingly, I was agreeing with your statement...not arguing it ;-)

My apologies, I should have added another sentence to my post that said, good to see another non-fan supporting the OKC soccer movement.

[HOT ROD]

why doesn't USL just put a team in one of the metro area suburbs, like Edmond or Norman. Surely those suburbs have the population to support a team and could draw from the rest of the metro (particularly if there could be local talent on the team). The team could still be called Oklahoma City whatever, but games are played in the suburbs.

I don't think EVERY minor league team needs to be located in Oklahoma City for the OKC Metro area to support it. Major league team, sure - they belong in OKC. But minor league teams (and especially those below AAA), let's give them to the suburbs.

[jedicurt]

why doesn't USL just put a team in one of the metro area suburbs, like Edmond or Norman. Surely those suburbs have the population to support a team and could draw from the rest of the metro (particularly if there could be local talent on the team). The team could still be called Oklahoma City whatever, but games are played in the suburbs.

I don't think EVERY minor league team needs to be located in Oklahoma City for the OKC Metro area to support it. Major league team, sure - they belong in OKC. But minor league teams (and especially those below AAA), let's give them to the suburbs.

Why does a Major league team have to be in OKC rather than just the metro?

The Redskins are in Landover
Jets and Giants in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Cowboys in Arlington
Bills in Orchard Park
49ers are about to move to Santa Clara
Patriots are in Foxborough
And the Cardinals are in Glendale.

And that's just one Pro Sports league. Now i'm not saying that a Major League Team shouldn't be in OKC Proper, but what reasoning do you have that it needs to be?

[Laramie]

Why does a Major league team have to be in OKC rather than just the metro?

The Redskins are in Landover
Jets and Giants in East Rutherford, New Jersey (much bigger metro area)
Cowboys in Arlington
Bills in Orchard Park
49ers are about to move to Santa Clara
Patriots are in Foxborough
And the Cardinals are in Glendale.

And that's just one Pro Sports league. Now i'm not saying that a Major League Team shouldn't be in OKC Proper, but what reasoning do you have that it needs to be?

Let me address that Hot Rod!

We still have room to build up the Oklahoma City land area which encompasses 640 sq. miles (that comparable to the land area of both Dallas & Fort Worth.)

Our top sports franchises should be in the city proper where the bulk of the population now resides. Our population density is not 3,000-10,000 per square mile; we're more like 1,000 per square mile with room to grow within the inner-city.

If the surburbs are willing to build a facility then let's consider going there. Edmond already has a collegiate facility which could support a mid-major soccer franchise. The USL will have a better chance of survival moving to Edmond-Guthrie area. Should we later get an MLS franchise; Edmond has a stadium which a feasibility study has already been done to expand Wantland Stadium from 10,000 to 22,000-25,000 seats.

Brad Lund knows the OKC market. He knows how to get butts in the seats. He did it with the Blazers and some of the tickets were give-aways (paid); however, we till managed to put 9,000-10,000 hockey fans into the old Myriad. Currently, we don't have that kind of sports dollars to support two soccer franhises in the city proper.

I've been in this city since the All Sports Association helped build All (one) Sports Stadium (dugout stadium) and the Bricktown Ballpark. We don't need two mid-level soccer franchises in the same city competing for limited sports dollars.

Should we get an opportunity to bring in the MLS to OKC; Edmond already has a facility which could be easily expanded.

Salt Lake City has about the same demographics as OKC; we are slightly larger in population. They have both NBA and MLS; their MLS team (Real Salt Lake) plays in suburban Sandy, Utah in a 21,000-seat soccer-specific facility.

Lund won the contract on Taft Stadium leasing and it would be in our best interest to support the NASL. The forums in Tulsa are just buzzing with the fact that OKC is getting an NASL franchise and they had super support (19,000 average) when they were in the NASL back in the late 70s and early 80s. Tulsa will eventually get an NASL franchise. They have more sports dollar spending power in this area than does OKC.

[jedicurt]

Lund won the contract on Taft Stadium leasing and it would be in our best interest to support the NASL. The forums in Tulsa are just buzzing with the fact that OKC is getting an NASL franchise and they had super support (19,000 average) when they were in the NASL back in the late 70s and early 80s. Tulsa will eventually get an NASL franchise. They have more sports dollar spending power in this area than does OKC.

With the success of the Tulsa Roughnecks, i have always been surprised that Tulsa does not have a Soccer team. and just to point out, it is a completely new NASL... the old league went defunt in 1984, and thats why Tulsa lost their team.

[HangryHippo]

Which league is higher quality?

[Laramie]

With the success of the Tulsa Roughnecks, i have always been surprised that Tulsa does not have a Soccer team. and just to point out, it is a completely new NASL... the old league went defunt in 1984, and thats why Tulsa lost their team.

The Roughnecks won the soccer bowl in 1983; none of the teams in the NASL were profitable--no salary cap.

You did point out that this is not the same NASL as when the league folded in 1984. Let's hope it is better organized and well suited for successful management (espcially player salaries).

[Laramie]

Which league is higher quality?

Sources put the NASL behind the MLS. As to the quality of the two leaues (NASL/USL), I don't know how they determined which one was better than the other. It may be surprising that there may not be that big of a disparity.

[bradh]

"Sources" put NASL behind MLS?

USL has a close relationship with MLS and will act as their feeder league. NASL is trying to compete with MLS. The latter sounds like a recipe for failure. I'd rather have USL, play in the US Open Cup, and eventually turn that franchise into an MLS franchise.

[Laramie]

"Sources" put NASL behind MLS?

USL has a close relationship with MLS and will act as their feeder league. NASL is trying to compete with MLS. The latter sounds like a recipe for failure. I'd rather have USL, play in the US Open Cup, and eventually turn that franchise into an MLS franchise.

Would NASL teams qualify for the US Open Cup?

The ABA competed with the NBA and some of those teams became a part of the NBA. I'm not that familiar with soccer's hierarchy; I don't recall a case where a development affiliation team (not city) moved up the ladder to the parent league.

[Kokopelli]

First, let me say that I agree 100% with these two statements.

If the surburbs are willing to build a facility then let's consider going there.

We don't need two mid-level soccer franchises in the same city competing for limited sports dollars.

However it would appear that current actions by the parties involved conflict with this statement.

The USL will have a better chance of survival moving to Edmond-Guthrie area.

If memory serves me correctly, Brad Lunt with the Funk group, when they were proposing to bring soccer to Edmond and Wantland stadium. Beside the fact that Lunt and the Funks are now foes. It is interesting that both groups, that originally wanted to play in Edmond, are now wanting to play at Taft Stadium.

Any thoughts as to what has changed in the marketplace?

[bradh]

Would NASL teams qualify for the US Open Cup?

The ABA competed with the NBA and some of those teams became a part of the NBA. I'm not that familiar with soccer's hierarchy; I don't recall a case where a development affiliation team (not city) moved up the ladder to the parent league.

I don't think NASL would compete in the US Open Cup, but I'm not positive.

There isn't regulation/promotion in US soccer like in England, but I believe the Portland Timbers were a USL team who was converted to MLS when they were awarded an expansion spot.

[Laramie]

I don't think NASL would compete in the US Open Cup, but I'm not positive.

There isn't regulation/promotion in US soccer like in England, but I believe the Portland Timbers were a USL team who was converted to MLS when they were awarded an expansion spot.

The Portland Timbers have kept the same name through a number of leagues with the same ownership group. The MLS Timbers were an expansion franchise.

[boitoirich]

Would NASL teams qualify for the US Open Cup?

Yes. Both Tier 2 (NASL) and Tier 3 (USL Pro) teams qualify for the US Open Cup. Even this year's Tier 4 OKC FC has a shot if they finish in the top two in the PDL's Mid South Division; they are currently in a close race for second with the Laredo Heat.

As for which league would be better for OKC, I would personally prefer the NASL. They have much better fan support, and if the goal is to build a culture that leads to support for an MLS team in the metro, it would be better to do it with a league that brings up 4-5,000 fans per game rather than the one that brings in 1-2,000.

Furthermore, the highly successful San Antonio Scorpions would be a natural rival for OKC FC (they even played a friendly last night, with the Scorpions winning 4-3 in a back-and-forth affair). Their NASL fans are already excited about the possibility of a rivalry with a new OKC franchise. They currently bring 9,000 fans a night to games and have MLS squarely in target. Just as the Spurs are the model for the Thunder, the Scorpions cut an ideal model for the OKC franchise. My .02

[warreng88]

Prodigal, ADG to build soccer stadium in Oklahoma City
BY RHIANNON WALKER, Staff Writer, rwalker@opubco.com • Published: July 16, 2013

Prodigal LLC announced today that it has formed a partnership with locally owned ADG, Inc. to design and build a soccer specific stadium in Oklahoma City to be the home of Prodigal's USL PRO franchise.

Beginning in Spring 2014, Prodigal will operate a USL PRO franchise in Oklahoma City. Several stadiums for game play for the first season are currently under consideration.

Prodigal and ADG are exploring multiple building sites for the stadium and are engaged in discussions about long-term strategy, location and design. Initial plans for the stadium call for it to seat 7,000, with the expansion capability of 20,000, which is the minimum size for a franchise to be considered to earn an expansion team in Major League Soccer (MLS).

Read the rest of the article at: Prodigal, ADG to build soccer stadium in Oklahoma City | News OK

[Anonymous.]

7000 person stadium? Not too shabby!

[warreng88]

7000 person stadium? Not too shabby!

I agree. It could also host smaller high school football games if necessary and outdoor concerts. I think the farigrounds would be a good area for this, but I am not sure what the master plan is for that area.

[BoulderSooner]

hopefully the stadium will be built close to downtown .. maybe somewhere close to the river

[boitoirich]

Game changer. If it gets done.

[Lord Helmet]

Which league is higher quality?

NASL is the 2nd tier of American soccer with USL Pro taking the #3 slot.


Edit....already answered!

[bradh]

The Portland Timbers have kept the same name through a number of leagues with the same ownership group. The MLS Timbers were an expansion franchise.

but there is no longer a Timbers in a lower league, right? Were just confirming what I posted?