Beckham to Buy Cosmos

[boban]

Looks like a second MLS team is coming to New York with none other than David Becks at the helm ....
and at 2007 prices no less.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3353/mls/2011/01/05/2289913/david-beckham-in-secret-talks-to-buy-new-york-cosmos-for

[billyfly]

This was talked about before maybe a year ago? Hmm....

[CretanBull]

If this happens and he puts the team in NYC (both seem likely) then RBNY just became...what's that other team in LA, it starts with a C or something, something about goats? Anyway, it doesn't matter because no one cares about them!

[TFCRegina]

If this happens and he puts the team in NYC (both seem likely) then RBNY just became...what's that other team in LA, it starts with a C or something, something about goats? Anyway, it doesn't matter because no one cares about them!

Or you end up with a situation where you have two giants competing in the same city...ala Man City/Man U (very new I know) or Chelsea/Arsenal.

[MartinUtd]

If this happens and he puts the team in NYC (both seem likely) then RBNY just became...what's that other team in LA, it starts with a C or something, something about goats? Anyway, it doesn't matter because no one cares about them!

lol.. no kidding. They might as well embrace the full jersey shore motif

[CretanBull]

Or you end up with a situation where you have two giants competing in the same city...ala Man City/Man U (very new I know) or Chelsea/Arsenal.

No doubt that's he plan, but realistically if you put a ny team that's actually in ny, call them the cosmos and head them up by David beckham it's all over for the team in jersey. It won't be Arsenal/Chelsea, it will be more like Arsenal/Chrystal Palace.

[Beach_Red]

No doubt that's he plan, but realistically if you put a ny team that's actually in ny, call them the cosmos and head them up by David beckham it's all over for the team in jersey. It won't be Arsenal/Chelsea, it will be more like Arsenal/Chrystal Palace.

Doesn't that depend on how ambitious the ownership is? If the team is good, it'll be fine. If Jersey is good enough for two NFL teams it'll be fine for a good MLS team.

Not every market is like Toronto that will fight tooth and nail to keep other teams out ;)

[Yohan]

No doubt that's he plan, but realistically if you put a ny team that's actually in ny, call them the cosmos and head them up by David beckham it's all over for the team in jersey. It won't be Arsenal/Chelsea, it will be more like Arsenal/Chrystal Palace.
i wonder why Red Bulls haven't made such a stink about this yet.

the Cosmos would be poaching on their territory no? unless they decided to just skip the NY moniker and go with NJ instead. lol

[ag futbol]

New York is an absolutely Giant area (same with Los Angeles) they can easily support two teams down there if done right.

People have been making noise about Chivas moving to east L.A. for a long time now. I expect something will get done eventually because they know they are nothing but 2nd class playing out of he HDC.

[Roogsy]

If this happens and he puts the team in NYC (both seem likely) then RBNY just became...what's that other team in LA, it starts with a C or something, something about goats? Anyway, it doesn't matter because no one cares about them!


The Clippers? :D



Close enough!

[Roogsy]

New York is an absolutely Giant area (same with Los Angeles) they can easily support two teams down there if done right.

People have been making noise about Chivas moving to east L.A. for a long time now. I expect something will get done eventually because they know they are nothing but 2nd class playing out of he HDC.


Chivas have to drop the Chivas brand. It's too polarizing.

And I'd move them to San Diego.

I don't see them moving to East LA.

[trane]

Or you end up with a situation where you have two giants competing in the same city...ala Man City/Man U (very new I know) or Chelsea/Arsenal.

OR AC MILAN and INTER MILAN.

[Yohan]

NYRB isn't an established team in NY area yet. once it can fill out RB Arena consistently, then maybe yes. anyone know what was avg attendance at RBA this year?

[J .]

From what I understand the NY market is pretty cold to the energy drinks.

[boban]

OR AC MILAN and INTER MILAN.
:thumbsup:

[Roogsy]

NYRB isn't an established team in NY area yet. once it can fill out RB Arena consistently, then maybe yes. anyone know what was avg attendance at RBA this year?

I absolutely agree.

NY is not celeb-obsessed and starstruck like LA is. You can't regularly fill out a stadium with promises of Beckham.

NY is obsessed with winning, being the best. They're all about using their superior marketing ability and population advantage to produce winners. They throw money even at losers (Knicks) in the hopes of producing dominant winners (Yankees). NYRB is in a league considered 2nd rate by most Americans and thus is failing to generate interest for 1 team, I can't imagine how they would justify 2 unless of course the second team shares the stadium with the first a-la Chivas. Not too crazy about that idea.

[ginkster88]

In my view, expecting New Yorkers to support MLS en masse is like expecting Torontonians to support CFL/AHL/NLL/OHL. We don't like Minor Leagues.

[CretanBull]

Doesn't that depend on how ambitious the ownership is? If the team is good, it'll be fine. If Jersey is good enough for two NFL teams it'll be fine for a good MLS team.

Not every market is like Toronto that will fight tooth and nail to keep other teams out ;)

The NFL does well in New Jersey, but if the league put a team in New York it would do extremely well, even if it only won a few games a year...and RBNY aren't supported like the Jets and Giants are.

A big problem has been New Yorkers not willing to go all the way to New Jersey to go support a team/league/sport that isn't quite big time. If the team is close by and you feel like it actually represents your city you're going to be far more likely to give it a try...add in the Beckham factor and the nostalgia of the Cosmos (who played in front of 65,000 people in their prime) and I can see them exploding onto the scene - regardless of results.

[CretanBull]

In my view, expecting New Yorkers to support MLS en masse is like expecting Torontonians to support CFL/AHL/NLL/OHL. We don't like Minor Leagues.

They played - and sold out - Giants stadium in the NASL days...it can happen again.

[Roogsy]

Didn't the Giants play out of the Polo Grounds initially until they demolished the stadium? I don't think they were originally from New Jersey, they just moved there afterwards.

[ag futbol]

If you're in certain borrows of NY, NJ is so far off the map to you it isn't even funny. The chances of going to see a soccer game there are nil. Again, you're effectively putting it on the opposite side of town you're drawing different people.

That's not to say the effect on RBNY would be nil, but let's keep in mind NJ might never get their shit together enough to fill that place.

[CretanBull]

Didn't the Giants play out of the Polo Grounds initially until they demolished the stadium? I don't think they were originally from New Jersey, they just moved there afterwards.

No idea, I've never been interested in the NFL but Giants stadium was around when I was a kid - and that's around when the NFL really took off.

[ginkster88]

They played - and sold out - Giants stadium in the NASL days...it can happen again.

In the 70s, people cared about things. We're much more apathetic now.

[bones]

I was wondering if building such an amazing building made more sense if there was prior knowledge of a second coming of Bec....I mean a second team in NY to share the facility???

Kinda makes ya go hmmmmm

Bones...

[Beach_Red]

The NFL does well in New Jersey, but if the league put a team in New York it would do extremely well, even if it only won a few games a year...and RBNY aren't supported like the Jets and Giants are.

A big problem has been New Yorkers not willing to go all the way to New Jersey to go support a team/league/sport that isn't quite big time. If the team is close by and you feel like it actually represents your city you're going to be far more likely to give it a try...add in the Beckham factor and the nostalgia of the Cosmos (who played in front of 65,000 people in their prime) and I can see them exploding onto the scene - regardless of results.


Well it would do just as well because it can't really do better than selling out every game.

What happened to that USL team that was going to play out of Hofstra University?

And what stadium did the Cosmos play in?

And, the Giants and Jets play in the same stadium but have very different fan bases with different attitudes. You can't really compare New York to other cities.

[CretanBull]

Well it would do just as well because it can't really do better than selling out every game.

What happened to that USL team that was going to play out of Hofstra University?

And what stadium did the Cosmos play in?

And, the Giants and Jets play in the same stadium but have very different fan bases with different attitudes. You can't really compare New York to other cities.

Early on the Cosmos bounced around playing a year or two in a few different stadiums (including Hodstra) but when the league took off they played in Giants stadium...off the top of my head, I think Pele went to New York in '75 and they moved to Giants stadium the next year, and stayed there until the team folded (mid 80's?). Their average attendence was somwhere around 68,000 during the peak years (Pele, Beckenbauer, Chinaglia etc. era).

There's a GREAT documentary called "Once in a Life Time" that covers the history of the Cosmos and the NASL of that time....

DWjPvzOZSiQ

[Beach_Red]

Early on the Cosmos bounced around playing a year or two in a few different stadiums (including Hodstra) but when the league took off they played in Giants stadium...off the top of my head, I think Pele went to New York in '75 and they moved to Giants stadium the next year, and stayed there until the team folded (mid 80's?). Their average attendence was somwhere around 68,000 during the peak years (Pele, Beckenbauer, Chinaglia etc. era).

There's a GREAT documentary called "Once in a Life Time" that covers the history of the Cosmos and the NASL of that time....




Thanks, I'll check it out. I checked the Wiki page and it says the Cosmos played at Yankee Stadium, Hofstra and Giants so they moved around a couple of burroughs and ended up in New Jersey.

FC New York are now apparently a PDL team playing out of Hofstra (it's not in Manhattan, is it?) but that likely wouldn't get in the way of an MLS team owned by Beckham.

Are there any rumours about where this version of the Cosmos will play?

[CretanBull]

Hofstra is in Long Island, on the campus of the university. They changed the name of it so its not called Hofstra Stadium any more but I forget what it was changed to.

No rumours of where they might play, none that I'm aware of anyway. I can't remember who bought it, but just recently (within the last few months) someone bought the "Cosmos" name from the former owners...I wonder if Beckham has connections to that person, or if that person just saw an opportunity to grab the name now with the intention to re-sell it later.

[69Chevy396]

In 10 years, MLS will be gone, or bigger than the EPL. It is all about money, who has it, and who spends it. No reason to think the guys who are buying up the epl won't do the same in the US. All could go bust if these same people pull out of soccer all together, but for now at least, it looks promising for the future of mls....Man U, Man City...why not NYC? A world champions league, only the top teams, this is the future of upper flight soccer. If Barca was visiting the 'cosmos' in a meaningful game 100k would show up in New York, Beckham knows this, that is why he wants in. It may be wishful thinking like a real subway system in Toronto, but I see it happening. TFC can be part of this, but not in the rickety stadium on the lake....one day perhaps...now, back to 2011, who does TFC sign to score a goal this year?

[Alixir]

it will be more like Sheff Wed/Chrystal Palace.fixed.
If people in NY actually gave a shit then yeah...but they can't even fill a brand new stadium with a couple big name pulls for the 1 team they already have.

[Keystone FC]

In the 70s, people cared about things. We're much more apathetic now.
Plus, you had to actually GO to games to see them. There wasn't this 24 hour sports bevy of channels to choose from like there is today. No internet streaming or I Phone updates either.

[CretanBull]

fixed.
If people in NY actually gave a shit then yeah...but they can't even fill a brand new stadium with a couple big name pulls for the 1 team they already have.

If TFC played in Barrie and games didn't sell out, would you say that Toronto is a failed market?

[Redcoe15]

Of course, if you ever listened to the Borough Boys, the supporters group trying to bring a second MLS team to New York, they say a second team there, one that would actually play in New York and not in New Jersey would be the greatest thing to happen to MLS and for soccer in America, and that anyone who doesn't agree with them is a jealous hater, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Of course, Don Garber has this ginormous hard on for seeing a second MLSNY team, so it's only a matter of when. But don't give me this shit about how instantly successful it will be. It will be only as good as the people that put it together.

[kodiakTFC]

If TFC played in Barrie and games didn't sell out, would you say that Toronto is a failed market?

Yes. But saying that, I am also quite ignorant.

[Sullivan]

FWIW...

From ESPN Soccer - November 29, 2010

"The Beckham Factor
No matter how natural the fit would seem and no matter how poetic a Galactico leaving the Galaxy to take over the Cosmos would be, David Beckham is one person the Cosmos will not be adding to its ranks. Byrne might be his best friend, Kemsley a fellow Londoner, and Beckham himself the owner of a contractual option allowing him to take control of an MLS franchise when his playing career ends, but the Cosmos won't be the one.

"Although David does have certain rights for a team in the future, those rights do not include a team in the New York market," Abbott said. (According to Byrne, Beckham's option also excludes the Los Angeles area.)

"Everybody says, 'Are you just doing this for David?'" Byrne said. "David's been my friend for 20 years. I'm godfather to his kids. He's godfather to my son. We're best of friends. But that doesn't mean that what I'm doing is for David."

Full article here: http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/5703157/rebirth-new-york-cosmos

[Keystone FC]

FWIW...

From ESPN Soccer - November 29, 2010

"The Beckham Factor
No matter how natural the fit would seem and no matter how poetic a Galactico leaving the Galaxy to take over the Cosmos would be, David Beckham is one person the Cosmos will not be adding to its ranks. Byrne might be his best friend, Kemsley a fellow Londoner, and Beckham himself the owner of a contractual option allowing him to take control of an MLS franchise when his playing career ends, but the Cosmos won't be the one.

"Although David does have certain rights for a team in the future, those rights do not include a team in the New York market," Abbott said. (According to Byrne, Beckham's option also excludes the Los Angeles area.)

"Everybody says, 'Are you just doing this for David?'" Byrne said. "David's been my friend for 20 years. I'm godfather to his kids. He's godfather to my son. We're best of friends. But that doesn't mean that what I'm doing is for David."

Full article here: http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/5703157/rebirth-new-york-cosmos
Miami FC anyone?
http://www.miamifc2.com/miami_fc_official_logo2007.jpg

[Roogsy]

Miami FC anyone?
http://www.miamifc2.com/miami_fc_official_logo2007.jpg

Make it happen Goldenballs!

ROAD TRIP! Nicki Beach here I come!

[Oldtimer]

Maybe Becks is negotiating so that he can get a bit of the Cosmos instead.

[TOBOR !]

If TFC played in Barrie and games didn't sell out, would you say that Toronto is a failed market?

Red Bull Arena is in Harrison (Newark), NJ. It's situated right across the river (about 10 miles from New York City). Probably easier for some to get to than others, but it's not exactly a trip up the 400 away.

Also suggested was the comparison of two NY-based teams to Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace. These two teams play in cities that are roughly 165 miles apart. Not quite the same either.

I second the excellent documentary 'Once in a Lifetime', the story of the NY Cosmos and the NASL. Check it out.

If you think about it, maybe what NY needs is a second team in the market in order for the first team to gain more support. Nothing gets you behind something you can't be bothered about quite like something you can really hate.

[CretanBull]

Red Bull Arena is in Harrison (Newark), NJ. It's situated right across the river (about 10 miles from New York City).

The problem is that most of the people that they (likely) draw from don't live in Manhattan, but in the areas East of Manhattan, which means having to drive through Manhattan to get to Jersey. It might be geographically close, but its still a long commute.

[Beach_Red]

The problem is that most of the people that they (likely) draw from don't live in Manhattan, but in the areas East of Manhattan, which means having to drive through Manhattan to get to Jersey. It might be geographically close, but its still a long commute.


How different is it to get to Red Bull Areana than to Giants Stadium in New Jersey? The Cosmos sold out there. If soccer is going to succeed in the USA and be more than minor league they've got to be able to get two teams in New York (and one can be in New Jersey - soccer can't be forever that far behind the NFL and stay in business).

[Brooker]

Beckham would be fucking UNBEARABLE as an owner in this league.

[Technorgasm]

the cosmos!!! great idea, qwelcome back!

now. . just changed teh name of NYRB to NJRB and I will be happy.

[Oldtimer]

Beckham would be fucking UNBEARABLE as an owner in this league.

He's already insufferable. :D

[Keystone FC]

Beckham would be fucking UNBEARABLE as an owner in this league.
Only if he buys a MLS franchise in NY and works out a partnership with Crystal Palace and West Ham United and calls his club Beck(ing)Ham Palace.

[Brooker]

He's already insufferable. :D

Touche!


Only if he buys a MLS franchise in NY and works out a partnership with Crystal Palace and West Ham United and calls his club Beck(ing)Ham Palace.

lmfao.

[james]

Red Bull Arena is in Harrison (Newark), NJ. It's situated right across the river (about 10 miles from New York City). Probably easier for some to get to than others, but it's not exactly a trip up the 400 away.

Also suggested was the comparison of two NY-based teams to Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace. These two teams play in cities that are roughly 165 miles apart. Not quite the same either.

I second the excellent documentary 'Once in a Lifetime', the story of the NY Cosmos and the NASL. Check it out.

If you think about it, maybe what NY needs is a second team in the market in order for the first team to gain more support. Nothing gets you behind something you can't be bothered about quite like something you can really hate.

Red Bulls play closer to the heart of Manhatten then NY Jets and Giants do.

[james]

New York is an absolutely Giant area (same with Los Angeles) they can easily support two teams down there if done right.

People have been making noise about Chivas moving to east L.A. for a long time now. I expect something will get done eventually because they know they are nothing but 2nd class playing out of he HDC.


Your right New York and LA are big cities. But New York is built like a mega dense populated city in half the area LA is. while LA is built more like a massive suburb.

One problem LA does with Chivas and LA Galaxy is they play in the same stadium, where half of the city are to far away from. I think it be key point to make New York Cosmos play on one side of the city (like Queens or Brooklyn) while others New Jersey. Covers 2 opposide sides of the city. However only problem Brooklyn and Queens are very populated and available land is hard to find.

[Detroit_TFC]

How different is it to get to Red Bull Areana than to Giants Stadium in New Jersey? Péle sold out there. If soccer is going to succeed in the USA and be more than minor league they've got to be able to get two teams in New York (and one can be in New Jersey - soccer can't be forever that far behind the NFL and stay in business).

FYP

sorry, just watched the documentary recently.

[Batman]

This story is starting to sound like it's getting legs, with Cobi Jones announcing he's leaving the Galaxy to join NY Cosmos.

http://online.wsj.com/article/APbe169a19e0924d5a8c489be9549d20ae.html

[Red CB Toronto]

Yeh, when I was at the USA Brazil game in New York last summer there was a street marketing team rolling around the parking lot handing out Cosmos t-shirts and stickers, asking people then what the deal was no one was really quite sure what the new Cosmos were completely up to, guess with Cobi Jones making the move something behind the scenes and to some extent in the public view is going on with the team.

[Chewy Unikronik]

This story is starting to sound like it's getting legs, with Cobi Jones announcing he's leaving the Galaxy to join NY Cosmos.

http://online.wsj.com/article/APbe169a19e0924d5a8c489be9549d20ae.html

I sense a battle brewing more between these two teams than with the Cosmos and Red Bulls.

[rocker]

apparently Victoria is popping out another baby this year for Becks... if it's a boy he already will have 4 academy kids. haha.

[ginkster88]

I'll be happy when they change the name back to "Red Bull New York". One of the greatest names in NA sport, and they had to go and ruin it by Americanizing it.