11/05/24
December 15, 2005
Houston Scores Major League Soccer Franchise: The San Jose Earthquakes are moving to Houston but leaving the name and team records behind. Despite winning the MLS Cup in 2001 and 2003, the Quakes had a flaky ownership history and couldn't get a soccer stadium built. They may return as an expansion team.
AEG and MLS can eat me. The quote I saw from Garber about how "Houston's ethnically diverse population, size and support of the sport point to a city that has great potential to be a very successful soccer market" is stupid since the exact same thing is true of San Jose. Not to mention that Quakes attendance was up and the supporters group has turned out (relatively speaking) big numbers for rallies and city council meetings.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:47 AM on December 16, 2005
Looking at this census report, San Jose has a larger Hispanic population than I thought (30 percent), but Houston is a larger city with 37 percent, so the net is around 500,000 more Hispanics. It's also a larger TV market. I don't blame you for being bitter about losing your team, one of the original MLS franchises. If the league really is committed to San Jose, why couldn't Houston be the expansion team in 2007?
posted by rcade at 06:59 AM on December 16, 2005
Uh, exactly...why couldn't Houston just be an expansion team?!?! This pisses me off too...
posted by StarFucker at 08:22 AM on December 16, 2005
It sucks that San Jose lost their team. It's a real shame that good fan support doesn't equate to keeping your team, just ask Cleveland Browns fans. Obviously I'm glad Houston is finally getting a team and I know they'll be well supported there, but I wish it didn't happen this way. What I don't understand is the thinking behind MLS and AEG regarding the stadium issue. There are no plans to build a soccer-specific stadium in Houston either, so why move? They'll play their games at Robertson Stadium on the U of H campus but I'm not sure they won't have the same problems as in San Jose with the narrow pitch. I don't know...maybe it's not all coming out in the press and the powers that be believe the Houston taxpayers will get behind a stadium once the team is established, who knows. Actually though, it's not the Houston taxpayers that have paid for most the 2 new stadiums that are there now. They've been paid for partly by the team owners and the rodeo in the case of Reliant, but the majority of the funds have been generated from people coming into Houston from out of town, renting cars and staying in hotels and getting hit with a 17% tax rate. 17%! Anyway...I feel bad for the fans in the San Jose area because they certainly did their part to keep the team. Just know this: in this case, losing your team is like having to give up a beloved pet - it will be going to a good home.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 12:39 PM on December 16, 2005
Isn't kind of fucked up to have called the Earthquakes in San Jose? What is the name of the New Orleans team? The Floods?
posted by HATER 187 at 12:46 PM on December 16, 2005
Miami (and Carolina) Hurricanes, Iowa State Cyclones, etc.
posted by mbd1 at 12:56 PM on December 16, 2005
yeah, man that is pretty lame. all san jose has now is the sharks (as far as i know). so, i dont really see how "kicking" the quakes out is good for the local economy. but thats getting into politics n' it aint my dept. for one thing though, the city screwed all the fans, loyal fans i might add. i cant recall another club with a more devoted following storming into the HDC to face off against the galaxy, which made the football atmosphere a lot better. and there goes the original "california classico," prob. the best rivalry in the MLS if ya ask me. but one thing i dont understand, does that mean as soon as or dare i say "if" (damn politics) san jose gets the quakes back, will they be returning as the san jose earthquakes as they originally were (including colors n' everything other than players, etc.)? the comish wasnt clear enough for me or maybe its just me. oh, well. anyway, heres to sj getting the quakes back --cheers
posted by LA man at 09:55 PM on December 16, 2005
I can't believe this crap. I was at the Clash's first game, the inaugural game of this league. I've bought their jerseys, spent I don't know how much on tickets, suffered through the miserable confines of Saprtan Stadium, seen them win a championship at the Home Depot Center, and this is the return I get. The return for believing in soccer in this country, as poor as the quality of play was at times. I mean, the Bay Area is a freaking hotbed of soccer fans. If they would have wised up and moved the team up the peninsula, or to the city itself, and play in Kezar or something, they would have gotten droves of supporters. The league is run by a bunch of tossers, and I am fucking done with them.