DISQUS

I think those fickle numbers is part of what scares people about Miami as an expansion prospect. I get that attendances will go up when a team is more successful, that makes total sense. But even Barcelona can't get it all right immediately. That team is going to struggle at first and if you're right, then attendances will be correspondingly poor. Why not go to markets that will support their teams in droves from the get go?

If it was a private businessman and not Barcelona behind this bid no one would be nearly as excited about it. But look at Chivas de Guadalajara: Chivas USA doesn't exactly light it up attendance-wise in LA, why do we assume Barca will in Miami?

I still like Portland and St. Louis best. They make sense regionally: St. Louis has KC and Chicago right away, while Portland would have Seattle and San Jose for rivals. The closest teams to Miami would be DC, NY, Philly, and Columbus. Hard to get the blood boiling for those drives. It might, perversely, be a shorter drive to get to non-conference FCD and Houston for Miami fans.

Now, were there a closer relationship to the USL this might make more sense. The soccer map would get filled in more as Miami would be able to play (perhaps) meaningful games with Atlanta (if they come back) and Charleston. Add in much hoped for promotion and relegation and a better supported team in Miami makes sense, but wait... what about Miami FC?

I just don't like playing for short term money gains that could dry up when the novelty wears off, and I'm just not sold that this bid in Miami has stronger fan support than Portland and St. Louis.

Does this blog do anything but kvetch?