Comments on: Arrivederci, Athletica http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264 Thu, 23 May 2013 20:13:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Perspectives on the Demise of St. Louis Athletica | Pitch Invasion http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5361 Perspectives on the Demise of St. Louis Athletica | Pitch Invasion Fri, 28 May 2010 18:35:21 +0000 http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5361 [...] then we have the it’s-just-plain-old-economics theory, from Kenn Tomasch: As for those who would ask, “Why would you get rid of the women’s team [...] [...] then we have the it’s-just-plain-old-economics theory, from Kenn Tomasch: As for those who would ask, “Why would you get rid of the women’s team [...]

]]> By: Pete http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5343 Pete Fri, 28 May 2010 01:02:49 +0000 http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5343 Obviously Cooper's primary goal was always to have an MLS team playing in the Collinsville stadium. My feeling was that all along, he only founded Athletica as a means to help get that stadium/team. By having a WPS team, he could claim to fill more stadium dates, while also proving that he was serious about the market and the sport. Unfortunately, when he couldn't get an MLS team, he was stuck with Athletica. The fact that he kept the NASL team afloat shows that he, or the other NASL owners desperately want to keep their seat at the USSF table. Obviously Cooper’s primary goal was always to have an MLS team playing in the Collinsville stadium. My feeling was that all along, he only founded Athletica as a means to help get that stadium/team.

By having a WPS team, he could claim to fill more stadium dates, while also proving that he was serious about the market and the sport. Unfortunately, when he couldn’t get an MLS team, he was stuck with Athletica.

The fact that he kept the NASL team afloat shows that he, or the other NASL owners desperately want to keep their seat at the USSF table.

]]> By: Roger http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5342 Roger Thu, 27 May 2010 23:55:48 +0000 http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5342 It sounds like Pete isn't saying that Athletica was an afterthought compared to AC St. Louis, but rather that it was an afterthought compared to Cooper's MLS hopes. Could it be that WPS is going without a dispersal draft because it knows that there are teams who would prefer to be as quiet was possible about the fact that they can barely meet their current payrolls? It sounds like Pete isn’t saying that Athletica was an afterthought compared to AC St. Louis, but rather that it was an afterthought compared to Cooper’s MLS hopes.

Could it be that WPS is going without a dispersal draft because it knows that there are teams who would prefer to be as quiet was possible about the fact that they can barely meet their current payrolls?

]]> By: admin http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5341 admin Thu, 27 May 2010 22:53:11 +0000 http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5341 Pete, how can an afterthought come first? Sequentially, I mean. :) Those who are holding their breaths until they turn blue and kvetching about the unfairness of it all and saying that Athletica merited saving rather than AC are just ranting to rant. We don't know, for instance, how much Steve Ralston's (supposedly prodigious) contract plays into this. If it's guaranteed or not, any of that. And we don't know if AC St. Louis won't be next, in which case it really doesn't matter which happened first, does it? Pete, how can an afterthought come first? Sequentially, I mean. :)

Those who are holding their breaths until they turn blue and kvetching about the unfairness of it all and saying that Athletica merited saving rather than AC are just ranting to rant.

We don’t know, for instance, how much Steve Ralston’s (supposedly prodigious) contract plays into this. If it’s guaranteed or not, any of that. And we don’t know if AC St. Louis won’t be next, in which case it really doesn’t matter which happened first, does it?

]]> By: St. Louis Athletica folds, WPS back to 7 teams | Atlanta Soccer News http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5339 St. Louis Athletica folds, WPS back to 7 teams | Atlanta Soccer News Thu, 27 May 2010 22:48:00 +0000 http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5339 [...] involvement in the always-unsteady world of North American minor league soccer thinks it’s more about economics than sexism, especially given the stormy split between the USL and the NASL that is far from being [...] [...] involvement in the always-unsteady world of North American minor league soccer thinks it’s more about economics than sexism, especially given the stormy split between the USL and the NASL that is far from being [...]

]]> By: Pete http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5338 Pete Thu, 27 May 2010 22:43:49 +0000 http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5338 It always seemed like Athletica was an afterthought to Cooper, a political cog in the proposal for the theoretical Collinsville stadium (and MLS). An excuse to show the utility of the stadium, and his commitment to soccer. I guess this decision confirms it. It always seemed like Athletica was an afterthought to Cooper, a political cog in the proposal for the theoretical Collinsville stadium (and MLS). An excuse to show the utility of the stadium, and his commitment to soccer. I guess this decision confirms it.

]]> By: admin http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5337 admin Thu, 27 May 2010 22:18:50 +0000 http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5337 Wouldn't we be stunned about almost any soccer team in WPS or USSF D2 that DIDN'T have financial issues? Wouldn’t we be stunned about almost any soccer team in WPS or USSF D2 that DIDN’T have financial issues?

]]> By: ERic http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5336 ERic Thu, 27 May 2010 22:14:45 +0000 http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5336 Sorry, "are rumored to have..." Sorry, “are rumored to have…”

]]> By: ERic http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5335 ERic Thu, 27 May 2010 22:14:25 +0000 http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3264#comment-5335 According to Brian over at Inside MN Soccer, two more WPS teams have financial issues. http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2010/05/27/cooper-tells-wps-athletica-players-team-has-folded-players-are-free-agents-ac-st-louis-safe-for-now/ According to Brian over at Inside MN Soccer, two more WPS teams have financial issues.

http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2010/05/27/cooper-tells-wps-athletica-players-team-has-folded-players-are-free-agents-ac-st-louis-safe-for-now/

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