The death of my team, the Metrostars

[Metrostars]

Metros' sale to be completed today
Thursday, March 9, 2006

By IVES GALARCEP
HERALD NEWS

Goodbye MetroStars, hello Red Bull New York.

The anticipated sale of the MetroStars to soft drink giant Red Bull will become a reality today as the new owners officially announce their acquisition, which sources say could bear a $50 million price tag once all agreements are reached.

The MLS Board of Governors met on Wednesday and approved the sale by Anschutz Entertainment Group, making Red Bull the third owner in the MetroStars' 11-year history.

Austrian-based Red Bull, makers of the popular energy drink, will purchase the franchise, a stake in the MetroStars Stadium project and naming rights for the stadium project, whose completion is projected for 2008. AEG and the town of Harrison are expected to maintain majority control of the stadium project.

The team's new ownership will change the team name to Red Bull New York, making the team's primary colors red and white. The changes are expected to be in place for the team's season opener on April 2 against D.C. United.

According to sources, the change in ownership will not bring about the drastic changes in made by Red Bull when it purchased Austrian soccer club SV Wustenrot Salzburg.

The new owners do not intend to erase the first 10 years from the franchise's history books, and the club is not expected to undergo the heavy front office changes expected when rumors of the sale first began. This means current MetroStars president Alexi Lalas is expected to remain with the team, at least through the 2005 season.

Red Bull's decision to maintain the club's history makes it unlikely that the MetroStars will be reincarnated if and when a second franchise is created in the New York/New Jersey market. By selling the MetroStars, AEG will forfeit its rights to a second franchise in the area, meaning the company would have to pay a franchise fee (currently $15 million) in order to re-invest in the market.

One source suggested that the likelihood of adding a second franchise in the area appears unlikely but also pointed out that few expected a second team in the Los Angeles market when MLS added Chivas USA last season.

One potential suitor for the rights to a second club in the area is Spanish giant FC Barcelona, which expressed interest in MLS last year.

Red Bull has invested heavily in sports endeavors in recent years, acquiring racing teams in Formula One and NASCAR as well as sponsoring extreme sports events. The company purchased SV Wustenrot Salzburg on April 6, 2005 and renamed the club Red Bull Salzburg. The club is currently in second place in the Austrian First Division after finishing in ninth place last year.

One rumored aspect of the Red Bull's takeover that doesn't appear to be likely is the reported heavy involvement by several former members of the New York Cosmos. According to sources, former Cosmos star and German icon Franz Beckenbauer has consulted with Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz on the purchase but his ongoing involvement in the venture appears unlikely.
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So this is the end of the Metrostars. True, they were crap for the 10 seasons they existed but it's hard to find out the team name is changed, the red and black are gone and we are now the toy of a fizzy energy drink company. Sad day for the few Metrostars fans there are.

[Dodge]

At least you'll have wingers*















*sorry*

[Stuttgart88]

very good Dodge :)

[Poor Student]

Will you get behind Red Bull or are you throwing in the towel? Bald Student was just telling me last week how Budweiser offered to build a 10,000 seater stadium in Belfield to be called the Budweiser Bowl with red and white seats but we refused. It is essentially the same team right? I mean after all the Metrostars were only a very artifically invented franchise themselves.

[klein4]

and UCD isnt??????

[Poor Student]

and UCD isnt??????

The college was founded before the league even began and has been playing football for over a century.

[klein4]

i'm sure they have been playin football in new york for a long time as well...:rolleyes:
how long has the UCD football club been in operation???

[Poor Student]

UCD took part in the first FAI cup. There's been football before in New York, but it was not the Metrostars.

[Schumi]

how long has the UCD football club been in operation???Since 1895, long enough for you?

[klein4]

well now that you are asking...no.
was just making the point that followers of UCD are in no position to look down on this guys team. every team has to start some time.

[Poor Student]

I'm not looking down on his team. There's a bit of a difference between European clubs and American sports franchises. They don't seem to be built to last.

[ken foree]

sorry to hear that metrostars. that is a godawful turn of events and as a part-time plastic revolution fan, i'll miss them red and black stripes. yea so what will you do, still follow them?

[Metrostars]

Yeah I'll support them. What are my choices? Not support them or support the Revs or God forbid, DC? There are no USL teams in my area. I love the game too much not to support a local team.

It's not like the first 10 years of the Metrostars have been covered in glory. Perennial losers and going to an empty Giants Stadium is not exactly thrilling. But when you invest time and passion for a team and then have it turned on its head does kind of the the heart out of it. I'll be there on April 8th for the first home game but it will be strange to say the least.

It may turn out well, AEG the former owners did not put much money/marketing into the team as they also owned 4 other MLS teams. I want to be positive about it, maybe Red Bull might pay more attention than AEG did and the team might be more successful.

As for Poor Student's comments about US teams being artificial, it may look like that on the surface with MLS just going into it's 11th year. You've got to understand that prior to 1996 no such league(i.e. professional) existed. So yeah, when MLS came into being teams were "invented". But at the end of the day, people still support the teams with passion and that part of it is not artificial. It's a small following when compared to other sports in the US but that does not mean they are any less passionate than fans would be in France, Germany, Ireland etc. Also regarding European versus American teams, whats to stop Pepsi agreeing to buy Man Utd from Glazer and then renaming the team to Pepsi United? Milton Keynes Dons anyone? Red Bull Salzburg?

[NJTom]

I'll still go to the games at Giants stadium but it will be hard to cheer on a team that is just a vehicle to promote a foul tasting soft drink.

[Dodge]

Not that soft either.

I thought that the Metrostars were looking to move out of giants stadium, into something a lot smaller(and more suitable?)

[finlma]

Sorry to hear in Metrostars but maybe it will be the start of something great.

Klein4, do you go into every thread with the purpose of causing an argument?

[klein4]

and that comment was designed to have what possible outcome???
I think its fair comment to point out the irony of a UCD fan being patronising about someone elses team. I always like metrostars posts and its good to have a different point of view on the forum.

[Stuttgart88]

I love the game too much not to support a local team. Fair play to you.

[Macy]

Also regarding European versus American teams, whats to stop Pepsi agreeing to buy Man Utd from Glazer and then renaming the team to Pepsi United? Milton Keynes Dons anyone? Red Bull Salzburg?
Nothing, that's why fans of all those clubs launched campaigns to stop the take over's or broke away and formed new clubs.

It's unfortunate that all US sports seem to be on a Franchise basis, so I doubt there'd be much support for similar style campaigns. I mean, it obviously didn't raise issues there that one company owned several clubs - something that even European governing bodies don't let.

[Dodge]

Don't think they had a choice at the start Macy. They needed ANYBODY to start up the teams. i'm sure they'd love to have one owner one team (as is the case in all the other major sports there)

[Macy]

Don't think they had a choice at the start Macy. They needed ANYBODY to start up the teams. i'm sure they'd love to have one owner one team (as is the case in all the other major sports there)
Yeah, I know, just doesn't give much options for complaint. I mean, the authorities can just say it's increasing competition in the league.

[lopez]

It's started here in Britain already with rugby union (NEC Harlequins) and even FC Barcelona's basketball team is called Winterthur FCB. Won't be long before it is mainstream in football. Emirates Stadium?

BTW, have you seen the Budweiser ads that's been on British TV, Metrostars? Takes the p*ss out of the Americans and soccer - 'Machester United? Manchester City? Why not just Team Manchester?; And we'll have to change those team names. How about the Portsmouth Pirates? (Cue cartoon pirate saying 'Aaaaaargghh!!!') And there's too many teams in London. Let's move Arsenal to the Lake District!' It concludes 'OK! You do the football, we do the beer!' Yeah, if only!:rolleyes:

[Schumi]

BTW, have you seen the Budweiser ads that's been on British TV, Metrostars? Takes the p*ss out of the Americans and soccer - 'Machester United? Manchester City? Why not just Team Manchester?; And we'll have to change those team names. How about the Portsmouth Pirates? (Cue cartoon pirate saying 'Aaaaaargghh!!!') And there's too many teams in London. Let's move Arsenal to the Lake District!' It concludes 'OK! You do the football, we do the beer!' Yeah, if only!:rolleyes:
Replace 'Americans' with 'FAI'...

[lopez]

Replace 'Americans' with 'FAI'...No way! :eek: The expression 'couldn't organise a p*ss up in a brewery' was specifically written for them.

'Cork Hibs? Cork Celtic? Why not have no football team in the state's second largest city? And we'll have to change our badge, for the fifth time in twenty years, and call us the FAI-reland (aaaaaaaargghhhh!!!!:mad: :mad: ). Too many teams in Dublin! Let's bring over Wimbledon?...or f*cking Clydebank?' OK! You do the football, and we'll just get p*ssed!'

[Metrostars]

Also dont forget Bayer Leverkusen and PSV Eindhoven. So it's not exactly new ground. I'm sure over time it will be fine. When I was a kid, a team I supported also changed their name. Galway Rovers -> Galway United.

As for Brits making fun of US team names, well what does it matter? They are just team names. People like "Colorado Rapids" in the US and people like "Tottenham Hotspur" in England.

In any case I think having another invester in MLS can only help the league as a whole. MLS has done wonders for the sport in the US and this has translated into success with the international side. Only a few of the older international players did not at one point play in MLS e.g. Reyna, Keller.

[NY Hoop]

Thats a crying shame. Been to see the Metrostars a few times and always enjoyed meeting their knowledgeable fans. Whether they were a great success or not is irrelevant.

The name change is horrible. Why not leave the name and have the jersies sponsored by Red Bull?

Love going to the Meadowlands but it will be just for the Jets in future.


KOH

[Student Mullet]

its good to have a different point of view on the forum.Except for if it comes from a UCD fan in which case it's patronisingly ironic.

I don't think it's fair to criticise MLS for being a franchise league, that's the way most leagues are set up in their country. One question I would have though is what, apart from the title, to the teams compete for in the league? If there's no relegation and no european places like we have here, do mid and bottom of the table games get very boring?

[Dodge]

Well its based on the tried and tested Conference style that US sports use so there's not too much difference between first in the group/conference and last...

[Student Mullet]

Well its based on the tried and tested Conference style that US sports use so there's not too much difference between first in the group/conference and last...Could you explain that to me a bit more? It's divided regionally isn't it? I presume the winners of each region go on to some type of national playoff? What happens everyone else, is there a benefit to finishing second in a region?

[Metrostars]

There isnt that much of a difference between the top and bottom teams in MLS. Therefore every team has a decent shot at winning. Better parity compared to say the Premiership in England.

NY Hoop, the Red Bull wont be in Giants Stadium for long, a new stadium will be built in Harrison in the next year or two.

[Student Mullet]

There isnt that much of a difference between the top and bottom teams in MLS. Therefore every team has a decent shot at winning. Better parity compared to say the Premiership in England.I can understand that and it seems an improvement on what we have here but my question is that if a team looses it's opening few games and it becomes obvious that they're not going to win the title, have they anything left to play for? Here you have to keep playing well to try to avoid relegation or if you're a bit higher up in the league, to try to qualify for europe, i.e. does the team finishing second get any advantage or prize over the team finishing last?

I ask because that's one of the problems with the first division here. It's all or nothing at the top and boring everywhere else.

[ken foree]

i *think* (could be totally wrong) that geography/size of the u.s. determines the leagues setups. you generally have an eastern (sometimes central) and western conference in the major sports. you play teams in your own neck of the woods (league) much more frequently but also play outsider teams occasionally. i think it's to do with the sheer size of the place/travel reduction. olden days travel was much harder of course, so this likely predicated this situation. baseball teams for example go on road trips where they tour a certain region of the country playing a slew of teams on that trek (rather than playing one at a time and having to criss-cross the country more often for a series of games)

[ken foree]

I can understand that and it seems an improvement on what we have here but my question is that if a team looses it's opening few games and it becomes obvious that they're not going to win the title, have they anything left to play for? Here you have to keep playing well to try to avoid relegation or if you're a bit higher up in the league, to try to qualify for europe, i.e. does the team finishing second get any advantage or prize over the team finishing last?

I ask because that's one of the problems with the first division here. It's all or nothing at the top and boring everywhere else.

MLS top two (i.e. the finalists of the championship game) qualify for the concacaf champion's cup (like the old pure knockout european cup) - that's about it for now i think

[Metrostars]

MLS is currently made up of 12 teams, 6 in each of two conferences, East and West. Each club play teams from their conference 4 times and teams from the other conference twice in the regular season. 2 more teams will probably be added next year (Cleveland and St Louis/Oklahoma I heard).

4 of the 6 teams in each conference make the playoffs. The first round of the playoffs are home and away and the conference finals are played at home of the highest seed in the finals. The MLS Cup final pits the two Conference Champions at a neutral site. So unless you're team really sucks, usually all teams are still fighting for a place in the playoffs until the last few of weeks of the season. Last year the West playoff teams were decided with a month to go but the East was decided on just the last day of the regular season.

Ken is correct about the Concacaf Champions Cup, but actually starting this year, it will be the MLS Cup winners and the team with the most points in the regular season who will qualify next year. Of course it is possible that the team who wins the MLS Cup also has the most points and I think in that case the second team will be the MLS Cup losers. The Concacaf Champions cup has only been won once by an MLS team(DC in 98 I think), MLS teams have fared poorly over the years including this year probably due to the competition being played in Feb-March when the MLS season hasnt started yet.

[hamish]

Sorry to hear about your club Metrostars. I tell ya, if Athlone Town changed their name to Athlone Budweisers or something like that, I'd find it very hard to continue supporting them.:(

[Metrostars]

Sorry to hear about your club Metrostars. I tell ya, if Athlone Town changed their name to Athlone Budweisers or something like that, I'd find it very hard to continue supporting them.:(

Newton Heath didnt do too badly after they were bought by a brewery and had their colours and team name changed.

[hamish]

Newton Heath didnt do too badly after they were bought by a brewery and had their colours and team name changed.

Good point but isn't/wasn't Newton Heath also a place? Wasn't slagging your club or anything but I'm a bit of a luddite when it comes to adverts on shirts, grounds being named after a company and club name changes:D - reminds me of what happened in Basketball here a few years ago when you didn't even know where a club came from.

[Metrostars]

But it's the way sports especially soccer has gone over the last 20-30 years. Club teams have big sponsorship deals with shirt suppliers e.g. Nike, Addidas, coporerate sponsers e.g. O2, Vodaphone, stadiums e.g. Emerites Stadium, billboards around grounds etc. There is a lot of money in the professional game nowadays. Thats just the way it is. Not much we can do about it. Ironically US sports teams in Baseball, AM Football, Hockey, Basketball and MLS do not permit sponsors name on shirts as in European soccer. I think however the New York Red Bulls will be the first major US sports team to do so.

[hamish]

But it's the way sports especially soccer has gone over the last 20-30 years. Club teams have big sponsorship deals with shirt suppliers e.g. Nike, Addidas, coporerate sponsers e.g. O2, Vodaphone, stadiums e.g. Emerites Stadium, billboards around grounds etc. There is a lot of money in the professional game nowadays. Thats just the way it is. Not much we can do about it. Ironically US sports teams in Baseball, AM Football, Hockey, Basketball and MLS do not permit sponsors name on shirts as in European soccer. I think however the New York Red Bulls will be the first major US sports team to do so.

Yeah, I have noticed that about US sports. I guess we're stuck with advertising everywhere - I notice that some clubs have two or three adverts of various sizes on their shirts and shorts and so on. At least, you have New York in the new name.

[Closed Account 2]

It's sad, the MLS has come a long way, and I know a lot people from the US who know a fair amount about the game. But with the largest city on the East Coast (and probably the most important city in the country) struggling to sustain a team it doesnt look too good. Tho by all accounts its a bit bigger on the West Coast, with some teams having their own purpose built stadiums (don't Galaxy play in their own Depot Stadium ?).

I'll try and watch a match next time I'm over there... is there a good website will all the games (inc pre-season ones etc) for the MLS teams ?

[CollegeTillIDie]

Guys
American Professional sports clubs lost their souls completely the day the Dodgers left Brooklyn for Los Angeles. New Yorker MLS fans got off light at least their team didn't leave town !

[lim abroad]

at least red bull new york are still gonna be playing in new york,the san jose earthquakes were sold and relocated to houston texas where they'll be given a new name.so there's no team in sanjose now but there's talks of giving them a new team next season

[Metrostars]

at least red bull new york are still gonna be playing in new york,the san jose earthquakes were sold and relocated to houston texas where they'll be given a new name.so there's no team in sanjose now but there's talks of giving them a new team next season

Actually the New York Red Bulls will play this year and probably next at Giants Stadium. Which is in New Jersey. As do the New York Giants and New York Jets. Also I dont think there will be an MLS team in San Jose for quite some time.

[ken foree]

Yeah, I have noticed that about US sports. I guess we're stuck with advertising everywhere - I notice that some clubs have two or three adverts of various sizes on their shirts and shorts and so on. At least, you have New York in the new name.

well hamish i think that's the price for having an advert-free game, particularly over here - two uninterrupted 45 minute chunks of television would not fly in the states no way no how. the tv/ad money u.s. sports gets i'd say allows the teams more leeway with advertising rules?

[hamish]

Actually the New York Red Bulls will play this year and probably next at Giants Stadium. Which is in New Jersey. As do the New York Giants and New York Jets. Also I dont think there will be an MLS team in San Jose for quite some time.

Metrostars, what would be the REAL soccer towns/cities in the US - if you follow me????

[hamish]

well hamish i think that's the price for having an advert-free game, particularly over here - two uninterrupted 45 minute chunks of television would not fly in the states no way no how. the tv/ad money u.s. sports gets i'd say allows the teams more leeway with advertising rules?

True KF, I just can't get used to players running around looking like a moving billboard but that's just me I guess.

[ken foree]

True KF, I just can't get used to players running around looking like a moving billboard but that's just me I guess.

hear ya, one thing i can't f*ckin STAND is those animated hoardings they have at o. trafford and bernabeu, so disgusting

[hamish]

hear ya, one thing i can't f*ckin STAND is those animated hoardings they have at o. trafford and bernabeu, so disgusting

Too right - drive me nuts (oops already there:D ) they do - it's kinda like trying to read a book with a fly buzzing in front of the page.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Actually the New York Red Bulls will play this year and probably next at Giants Stadium. Which is in New Jersey. As do the New York Giants and New York Jets. Also I dont think there will be an MLS team in San Jose for quite some time.

San Jose? Sure that's the back of beyond!:D

[lopez]

San Jose? Sure that's the back of beyond!:DEven Dionne Warwick had to ask someone how to get there...I'll get my coat.:o