Don Garber spoke a bit today with ESPN's Soccer Today podcast and the topic of expansion and the Cosmos came up. Below are the quotes from Garber which you can listen to here. (27:40 it starts)
The hosts asked about the tactic of going after a stadium before an ownership group:
Garber
"There is no risk because we don’t have to expand whether it’s in new York or another market"
"We believe here in the league office that the league needs to have more energy in the New York market"
"We made the decision that the opportunity is important enough that we didn’t want to depend on an owner to drive the stadium independent of the leagues role to ensure that the stadium is in the right spot."
"It is very clear to us that we have to get it right in new York city and we have to invest significant financial and people resources to ensure that that happens."
Garber clearly is not in a rush to get the 20th team done but states that the league is really focused on NYC for that spot.
The hosts then asked about the status of the Cosmos group
Garber:
"They are not ready to go because there isn’t a stadium opportunity for them or anyone else to get excited about."
"We remain in contact with the Cosmos, the new ownership group, I have a lot of faith in their new approach and their desire to focus much more on an MLS team, than just selling product and perhaps doing exhibitions. "
"I will say that more and more I am beginning to get caught up a bit in the Cosmos fever. While I don’t regret we didn’t purchase that logo when it was made available to us in 1996, I do believe now that there just seems to be a lot of momentum behind the relaunch of that brand and bringing back some of the excitement and appeal that the Cosmos were able to generate not just here in NY but around the world."
"I think if we are able to find an opportunity on the facility then we will be able to have a very fruitful conversation with them about coming into the league"
This is the first time in a long time that Garber admits to being taken by the power of the Cosmos brand. A more powerful sign that the Cosmos are a player in this whole thing is when Garber says that he recently had a meeting with a MAJOR sponsor and the first question they asked was "When are you bringing the Cosmos back?"
So Garber is for sure seeing the power of the Cosmos brand globally but also seems to be getting a bit of pressure from sponsors.
So Garber is for sure seeing the power of the Cosmos brand globally but also seems to be getting a bit of pressure from sponsors.
It could be safe to say "If you build it, they will come".
2 comments:
Here's why I don't get.
1. MLS wants the New York Cosmos, because of the brand, the history, etc. I completely understand.
2. MLS may or may not want the Cosmos group. There may be other NYC ownership groups that are better. At one time the other possibilities included the Wilpons, now it includes Chuck Blazer and friends. I completely understand.
Why didn't MLS BUY the rights to the New York Cosmos name for themselves? That way, they could sell it to whichever ownership group THEY choose?
New York is a soccer state ,if anything big is going to happen in soccer it has to be in New York.
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