MLS NYC-FC 2.0

So... The MLS has a new New York team that is co-owned by the Yankees and Manchester City.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/05/21/major-league-soccer-announces-new-york-expansion-team-new-york-city-football

Unless Man City finds 29 (34?) acres to trade for the Flushing Meadows site ( the old Worlds Fair site and now a park) they won't get approval. There is already a revolt against the US Tennis Center trying to get a measly additional 3 or so acres. It seems the $60 they charge a citizen to play there doesn't really make it public space.

So if they take acreage there, they will have to give the city a park elsewhere with equal or more acreage.

and the Cosmos are vying for the same site.

PurpleGeezer wrote:and the Cosmos are vying for the same site.

If there was ever a reason to take their bid seriously, it's been removed in the powder blue and pinstripes of City and NYY.

In fifty years, I want to see what the better buy was: the Steinbrenner family purchasing the Yankees in c. 1972 for roughly $3M or fronting some of the $100M expansion fee for NYCFC in 2013.

VillaGorilla wrote:

PurpleGeezer wrote:and the Cosmos are vying for the same site.

If there was ever a reason to take their bid seriously, it's been removed in the powder blue and pinstripes of City and NYY.

In fifty years, I want to see what the better buy was: the Steinbrenner family purchasing the Yankees in c. 1972 for roughly $3M or fronting some of the $100M expansion fee for NYCFC in 2013.

Your comment got me to looking. According to wiki, "After the 1964 season, CBS purchased 80% of the Yankees from Topping and Webb for $11.2 million." Then, "A group of investors, led by Cleveland-based shipbuilder George Steinbrenner (1930–2010), purchased the club from CBS on January 3, 1973 for $8.7 million."

How bad was CBS; under their ownership the team had it's worst seasons in their history, and they sold the team for a loss.

VillaGorilla wrote:

PurpleGeezer wrote:and the Cosmos are vying for the same site.

If there was ever a reason to take their bid seriously, it's been removed in the powder blue and pinstripes of City and NYY.

In fifty years, I want to see what the better buy was: the Steinbrenner family purchasing the Yankees in c. 1972 for roughly $3M or fronting some of the $100M expansion fee for NYCFC in 2013.

It doesn't have to make sense, and some consider the Cosmos a joke, but they also have backing, and if they fight over the World's Fair site ( not Yankee territory - more National league folks out there the Mets are sure to fight it) neither will get it. There was a site in the Rockaways that looks a whole lot less attractive after it went under water in the Hurricane, and one other site at the Brooklynn Navy Yard, but it's less than ideal.

There isn't any reason they couldn't share a venue, but with the egos involved, that seems remote.


And you though Seattle had problems with the Sonics....

I'm just wondering if anyone told the Yankees and City that MLS has a salary cap...

DaTruRochin wrote:I'm just wondering if anyone told the Yankees and City that MLS has a salary cap...

....like that stopped the Galaxy....

Here's the lead story in the NYT this morning on the stadium issue. Sheik Mansour looks to have $90 Million to buy parkland to replace what the Stadium will eat up, but it looks like the Mets and parks advocates aren't on board.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/22/sports/soccer/manchester-city-and-yankees-to-own-mls-franchise-in-new-york.html#http://json8.nytimes.com/pages/sports/soccer/index.jsonp

Can you even buy 30 Contiguous acres in Queens for $90 million?

A related story from last week:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/22/sports/soccer/soccer-stadium-in-queens-is-no-walk-in-the-park.html?ref=soccer

Here's a screenshot of Flushing meadows, with Citi Field at the top and the US Tennis center, which already took about a fifth of the park. Sheik Mansouer wants to build his stadium where the red pin is, right on the fountain of the Planets from the World's fair.

Why can't they build it in the Citi Field parking lot and replace the lost spaces with parking garages? Is it because it is a Yankee's owner vs. the Mets organization?

An_Undergrad wrote:Why can't they build it in the Citi Field parking lot and replace the lost spaces with parking garages? Is it because it is a Yankee's owner vs. the Mets organization?

That and the Mets want $40 Million for the soccer team to even use the parking. (The Mets keep parking fees - the land is city owned)

But yeah, Man City partnering with the Yankees in Queens home of the Mets is not going to help.

When you look at that map, the stuff between Roosevelt Avenue and Perimeter road is a commuter rail yard that is part of the transportation hub for all Long Island. So not all grey is available.

The land the Sheik wants to trade for is north of there at an old airport right in the final approach path for Laguardia. I'm talking planes 200 ft overhead. It would be a horrible stadium venue, which is why the Yankees want to trade.

It would make an even more horrid park. There is a reason nothing has been done with it for 70 years.