News from San Diego MLS Project http://sandiegomlsproject.com March 15th 2006.

 

A full update on the MLS expansion and San Diego's standing follows, but first here are notes on the latest team names for Major League Soccer's new season, which begins two weeks from this coming Saturday, April 1st (ABC, ESPN-2, FSW, FSC).

 

HOUSTON DYNAMO - Only weeks after the Houston franchise was officially dubbed "Houston 1836" (after year of city's founding), chosen by fans' online votes, team management made an internal decision to change the moniker to DYNAMO. 

 

This was due to the local Houston controversy, which never subsided, over the dual historical significance of that year among Latinos and Mexican nationals.  1836 was also the year of the Alamo and other battles which resulted in independence FROM Mexico (further resulting in founding of cities like Houston).  SO MANY locals of Mexican descent in Houston complained that the team finally relented and renamed.

 

RED BULL NEW YORK - With the players themselves affectionately dubbed "the

New York Red Bulls", the official team name comes from last week's purchase of the MetroStars by the Austrian beverage makers.  This is the team who has selected Poway HS alum and 2006 Number One pick (in the MLS SuperDraft) Marvell Wynne.

 

New York is included in the name for the first time officially since the 2000 season (they had been called NY/NJ MetroStars), though the team will continue to play in New Jersey for the time being at the MetroStars former home, Giants Stadium.  The team's new stadium, which will be co-financed by partners including Red Bull, with AEG  (who co-built STAPLES Center and HOME DEPOT Center), will also stand

in New Jersey, but the team's official name will remain RED BULL NEW YORK.

 

Expansion News Update:

 

The city of Toronto, Ontario, with NHL Maple Leafs owners as business partners, will build a new soccer-specific stadium complex there, and will host the first-ever MLS franchise in Canada.  They were already named as the league's 13th team back in November 2005.  A 14th team will join them for the 12th MLS season in 2007.

 

San Jose CA will have stadium issues to work out, but assuming they can do that soon, they could field a new branded Earthquakes team in 2007 or 2008.  Other cities on the fast track to MLS franchises are Philadelphia PA  (the only metro area larger than San Diego still without a team), Atlanta GA, Tulsa OK, and the two current frontrunners to be included in teams 14-16, Milwaukee WI and Cleveland OH.  Milwaukee has the most popular MISL team this season, and a successful outdoor version of the Wave, too.  Cleveland would like to have the third MLS in-state rivalry, competing with Columbus Crew (club team of USMNT defender, Cardiff's Frankie Hejduk).  Both of those city governments are likely to share in their MLS plans.

 

San Diego will need to concentrate on vying for the 17th or 18th spots, and this is why our public Project Phase, as well as our website (which debuted on MLS Cup Championship day 16 weeks ago), was dubbed Target:2010.  While this IS realistic, it is by no means assured that we'd have a team in place by then, even in the best of circumstances.  We are in the process of setting up our first official public meetings and workshops, and expect to meet with several local city and tribal councils through this spring, summer, and beyond.  We are happy to see that so many numerous localities have expressed initial interest in hosting our region's MLS team, so we have full confidence that San Diego WILL have their own MLS franchise.. and soon.

 

We invite all of you to get involved and support our common cause in any way.

Thank you for all of you interest and support shown during the first 15 weeks of our website's existence:  Numbers of visitors have far surpassed our expectations.

We DO aim high:  Now we know there are SO MANY MORE of you out there with

the same desire, so we know the community together WILL reach OUR GOAL !

 

written exclusively for the San Diego MLS Project http://sandiegomlsproject.com