United FC will pay U at least $1M to use TCF Bank Stadium

Donate To GopherHole
bottlebass said:
I cannot argue with your revenue figures you linked, there is no question there is not as much money in the MLS as there is in the NHL yet. All you have to do is look at the salary cap of the NHL vs the team salaries in the MLS (the top MLS team is probably 1/4 of the NHL salary cap). I thought we were talking about popularity of the two, and I think people from MN and the surrounding area inflate the popularity of the NHL in this country. And the popularity of the NHL is obviously greater in Canada and the Northern states, but in areas where kids don't grow up playing hockey it just isn't as popular. I think that's something Minnesotans forget. I doubt the popularity will ever pass the Wild in MN, but we are a small state in a big country where the MLS is growing rapidly.

As far as world wide, soccer and hockey aren't even in the same conversation. But we don't need to get into that.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how you want to compare popularity of leagues, you pick the metric, I'll tell you it's very subjective and I can twist it 1000 ways to support either arguement.

The traditional ways to measure popularity all show current status, MLS is not close to NHL.

I think the most rational way to compare popularity is how much money is being spent on each, revenue. NHL absolutely DWARFS MLS, and it will take their current growth rate over the course MANY years to get there.

NHL has 12x revenue
NHL average team valuation is $517,000,000 (Vegas went for $500,000,000) I think MLS is like $185,000,000 (new franchises went for like 200,000,000 I THINK?)

TOTAL attendance is much higher for NHL, we can twist this one really in all sorts of different places, but I don't think average attendence is fair to NHL given the number of games, but you can't argue that MLS average attendance is higher than NHL. Lots of things go into this one, not a good measure IMO.

Full disclosure. I watch A LOT OF SOCCER, EPL, Bundesliga, National teams, a little bit of MLS. I watch 0 NHL. I'm from Wisconsin. No Minnesota Hockey fan bias here. It's simply rose colored glasses if you think MLS is chasing down NHL in the NEAR future. They've had great recent growth, but for anyone that has grown something (anything really) it's easy to get growth in the beginning. As I said in my other posts, the competition with all the leagues in Soccer will make it very difficult for them to become as big of a deal in the US and Canada (where both are competeing) as the NHL.
 

Why do people play soccer?



So they don't have to watch it.
 

I don't watch soccer, but I think it's fair to consider it the 5th major league sport. The team valuations are way more than those of any minor league team. The most valuable minor league baseball team is the Sacramento River Cats, estimated at $49 million. The least valuable MLS team is Colorado Rapids, estimated at $110 million. MLS certainly hasn't passed the NHL, at least not yet, but it's much more comparable to major league teams than it is to minor league teams.
 

I personally don't care what is or isn't popular. If I did, I wouldn't go to Gopher Football games.

I like soccer and am glad the uncertainty of whether or not our team is going to fold every other year is over with, and I'm happy the U is making a bundle of money off of it.

I still don't know where the money goes though. Are these funds that get to be used by the athletic department?
 

Soccer will only become more popular in time.

The only people worried about soccer not being popular enough are the people who don't like it.
 


mnsportsgeek said:
I personally don't care what is or isn't popular. If I did, I wouldn't go to Gopher Football games.

I like soccer and am glad the uncertainty of whether or not our team is going to fold every other year is over with, and I'm happy the U is making a bundle of money off of it.

I still don't know where the money goes though. Are these funds that get to be used by the athletic department?
Click to expand...

I would think it goes into the AD budget, especially if they are still getting any general fund $$. I know they have in the past.
 

Winasota Gopher said:
I'm not sure how you want to compare popularity of leagues, you pick the metric, I'll tell you it's very subjective and I can twist it 1000 ways to support either arguement.

The traditional ways to measure popularity all show current status, MLS is not close to NHL.

I think the most rational way to compare popularity is how much money is being spent on each, revenue. NHL absolutely DWARFS MLS, and it will take their current growth rate over the course MANY years to get there.

NHL has 12x revenue
NHL average team valuation is $517,000,000 (Vegas went for $500,000,000) I think MLS is like $185,000,000 (new franchises went for like 200,000,000 I THINK?)

TOTAL attendance is much higher for NHL, we can twist this one really in all sorts of different places, but I don't think average attendence is fair to NHL given the number of games, but you can't argue that MLS average attendance is higher than NHL. Lots of things go into this one, not a good measure IMO.

Full disclosure. I watch A LOT OF SOCCER, EPL, Bundesliga, National teams, a little bit of MLS. I watch 0 NHL. I'm from Wisconsin. No Minnesota Hockey fan bias here. It's simply rose colored glasses if you think MLS is chasing down NHL in the NEAR future. They've had great recent growth, but for anyone that has grown something (anything really) it's easy to get growth in the beginning. As I said in my other posts, the competition with all the leagues in Soccer will make it very difficult for them to become as big of a deal in the US and Canada (where both are competeing) as the NHL.
Click to expand...

Yeah not sure how I can prove my claim that in a lot of states the MLS is more popular than the NHL. But I absolutely can argue that average attendance is higher in MLS than the NHL. Last year MLS 21,692 and NHL was 17,480. That's a fairly large difference. I know some of the MLS teams play in larger stadiums so that accounts for some of the difference. Total attendance can't be used because they play 2.5 x the games.

In any event you need to travel outside of the northern states and see how little people care about hockey. Hell, people down south much prefer watching cars drive in circles for hours than to watch a hockey game....
 

You misread/interpreted what you bolded. I agreed, you can't argue That fact. I see my wording was goofy.

You keep saying that the NHL is only relevant in northern states.

You're wrong. 12x revenue difference wrong. That doesn't happen because Minnesota really really loves hockey. Hell 12+ franchises are south of Colombus Ohio. Those same people in the south that you think hate NHL, prefer to watch cars drive in circles at an even greater rate over MLS.

Again, I care very little about NHL, I've physically never Ice skated on a single blade skate. Despite what you are trying to prove though average attendance, by almost every relevant metric, the NHL is much bigger and more popular than MLS. PERIOD.
 

The MLS and EPL are hardly the same sport. The MLS will never be "major" in this Country - because it is essentially a minor league. I watch EPL games every weekend - up at 6:30 to see City play if need be, but I have little to no interest in even attending MLS games. I suspect I'm not alone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 




You are all missing the point, in the article they talk about a specific turf they installed for MN United to play on, which, I speculate is why the field is so generic. MN United is going to pay the U $750,000 to replace the field when they move into their stadium. AND that means we get another full year of #fieldwatch here on Gopherhole! Let the debate begin again!
 

MKE_Gopher said:
You are all missing the point, in the article they talk about a specific turf they installed for MN United to play on, which, I speculate is why the field is so generic. MN United is going to pay the U $750,000 to replace the field when they move into their stadium. AND that means we get another full year of #fieldwatch here on Gopherhole! Let the debate begin again!
Click to expand...

Maroon field confirmed.
 

MKE_Gopher said:
You are all missing the point, in the article they talk about a specific turf they installed for MN United to play on, which, I speculate is why the field is so generic. MN United is going to pay the U $750,000 to replace the field when they move into their stadium. AND that means we get another full year of #fieldwatch here on Gopherhole! Let the debate begin again!
Click to expand...

What do you mean, the field is so generic?
 



PMWinSTP said:
What do you mean, the field is so generic?
Click to expand...

The amount of field that is permanently stitched into the turf. Only the Block M and a thin border are permanent. Everything else is painted onto the turf each game.
 


MKE_Gopher said:
The amount of field that is permanently stitched into the turf. Only the Block M and a thin border are permanent. Everything else is painted onto the turf each game.
Click to expand...

Got it...thought you meant the game day look. The end-zones aren't permanent as well? Anyway, I think it was smart for the U to keep it clean...makes it much more versatile for attracting other events and additional revenues.
 

Spoofin said:
The MLS and EPL are hardly the same sport. The MLS will never be "major" in this Country - because it is essentially a minor league. I watch EPL games every weekend - up at 6:30 to see City play if need be, but I have little to no interest in even attending MLS games. I suspect I'm not alone.
Click to expand...


This! The Premier League is, and will be the "major league" of soccer in America and much of the world. I think without promotion-relegation, MLS will never begin to engender the devotion and excitement that the Premier League does.

COYS!
 

Tlsbhansen said:
This! The Premier League is, and will be the "major league" of soccer in America and much of the world. I think without promotion-relegation, MLS will never begin to engender the devotion and excitement that the Premier League does.

COYS!
Click to expand...

Respectfully submitted, that's pretty shortsighted. Didn't the NFL Europe surpass the NFL years ago? ;)
 

Tlsbhansen said:
This! The Premier League is, and will be the "major league" of soccer in America and much of the world. I think without promotion-relegation, MLS will never begin to engender the devotion and excitement that the Premier League does.

COYS!
Click to expand...

I'm a huge fan of the EPL, Bundesliga, and European football in general. Have been to (3) EPL games, (3) Bundesliga games, and (1) Championship game. I agree that the quality of play in the MLS will likely never come close to measuring up to that in Europe, and it's unlikely to become a real threat.

Having said that, I'm pretty excited about MN getting an MLS team. I've never followed MLS at all but am going to give the league a real chance now and will go to a few games this season for sure. At the very least, it'll be nice to be able to go to Brit's and/or the Local in the evenings and watch live action over a few pints.
 

It's not the top league in the world, but I wouldn't call it minor league either. Maybe more like the equivelent of the Mountain West Converence. I expect that as soccer gets more popular in the US, more of the best players will be enticed to come here. The MLS could wind up dominating soccer just like the NFL, MLB and NHL dominate their sports.
 

RodentRampage said:
It's not the top league in the world, but I wouldn't call it minor league either. Maybe more like the equivelent of the Mountain West Converence. I expect that as soccer gets more popular in the US, more of the best players will be enticed to come here. The MLS could wind up dominating soccer just like the NFL, MLB and NHL dominate their sports.
Click to expand...

I don’t think it ever will and personally hope it doesn’t. There is something special about the Premier League and the loyalty it engenders in fans as their teams fight for relegation and promotion. Teams that have been representing their geographical locations for 120+ years. China is trying to tear that apart a bit by offering obscene amounts for players to come play there, but so far it has been unsuccessful.

I do hope that soccer and the MLS continue to grow here, but never to the point that they diminish the EPL, Bundesliga, la Liga or others.
 

I think we can all agree we want the Loons to average 25,000+ per match at the Bank. Every butt in seat is a drop of cool cash for our Gophers to dip their oars in.
 

MLS won't be truly viewed as a major sport equal until the best in the world are playing here - MLS has improved quality of play, becoming a destination for a lot of South American players.
 

GoldenGopherTilTheEnd said:
I think we can all agree we want the Loons to average 25,000+ per match at the Bank. Every butt in seat is a drop of cool cash for our Gophers to dip their oars in.
Click to expand...

I belive based on the another story the Gophers get a big chunk of the food and parking money too.
 

After watching part of the Loons game vs Portland I was really impressed with Portland's fans. They were loco for their Timbers. Can Gopher football get to that level of intensity?

Will MlS soccer ever be able to afford the premier talent? I think for a lot of casual crappy fans like me it will take having some of best talent for me to really get excited. I love watching World Cup soccer and even events like Cope America.
 

westcoastgopher11 said:
MLS won't be truly viewed as a major sport equal until the best in the world are playing here - MLS has improved quality of play, becoming a destination for a lot of South American players.
Click to expand...

It really comes down to MLS developing world class players and being able to pay them, once that happens then the Eurosnobs will view MLS as one of the best leagues in the world.
 

WorkingMyTailOff said:
After watching part of the Loons game vs Portland I was really impressed with Portland's fans. They were loco for their Timbers. Can Gopher football get to that level of intensity?

Will MlS soccer ever be able to afford the premier talent? I think for a lot of casual crappy fans like me it will take having some of best talent for me to really get excited. I love watching World Cup soccer and even events like Cope America.
Click to expand...

MLS is a young league who has come a long way fast as time goes on second and third generations will identify with the Loons as their team. Right now MLS is on it's second generation and the sport maybe is on the beginning of a third generation who follow game of soccer. IMO, the next MLS tv broadcast deal will be big and then we will start to see more development of the game soccer. It's a slow process that other sports have already gone through.
 

Tlsbhansen said:
I don’t think it ever will and personally hope it doesn’t. There is something special about the Premier League and the loyalty it engenders in fans as their teams fight for relegation and promotion. Teams that have been representing their geographical locations for 120+ years. China is trying to tear that apart a bit by offering obscene amounts for players to come play there, but so far it has been unsuccessful.

I do hope that soccer and the MLS continue to grow here, but never to the point that they diminish the EPL, Bundesliga, la Liga or others.
Click to expand...

First MLS needs to catch up with Liga Mexico before worrying about EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga Serie A.
 

4four4 said:
MLS is a young league who has come a long way fast as time goes on second and third generations will identify with the Loons as their team. Right now MLS is on it's second generation and the sport maybe is on the beginning of a third generation who follow game of soccer. IMO, the next MLS tv broadcast deal will be big and then we will start to see more development of the game soccer. It's a slow process that other sports have already gone through.
Click to expand...

That's like saying eventually the JV football played in Fargo will catch on. MLS is
like NDSU - cute, but Minor league.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

4four4 said:
MLS is a young league who has come a long way fast as time goes on second and third generations will identify with the Loons as their team. Right now MLS is on it's second generation and the sport maybe is on the beginning of a third generation who follow game of soccer. IMO, the next MLS tv broadcast deal will be big and then we will start to see more development of the game soccer. It's a slow process that other sports have already gone through.
Click to expand...

Thanks and that makes sense.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom