Patriots are not moving to El Paso. They came here and looked around. Midland has superior football/ soccer/ baseball complex. It is a brand new $35,000,000.00

http://www.visitmidlandtx.com/sections/recreation/sportsattractions.asp

There is no way that a PDL team would bring in 200 spectators per game. Lots of kids play but no one goes to watch. Higschool soccer gets 50 to 100 spectators while football games gets 18,000+

Can we get a proofreader?

I presume you mean the Patriots aren't moving to Midland, correct?

I know better than to judge that complex (which looks good) based on conceptual drawings, but that drawing does beg the question of how wide the pitch is in the stadium.

In a market like the good old Permian Basin, I'd imagine that TV advertising is actually rather affordable. Therefore, I wouldn't compare this to the average HS or even PDL operation. That doesn't mean you aren't right about what A-League soccer would draw in Midland, I'm just saying that the reasons you provide bear no relationship to the true issues.

I'll say that Midland makes no sense to me given the problems El Paso had, and the idea is silly. Now, if the Patriots could have stuck around, and Albuquerque and one or two of Tucson, Phoenix, Colorado Springs, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Austin were in the mix, then Midland might have something. I'm not counting the eggs and building the chicken coop, of course.

Sra. Johny,

Si este tu vete, entonces Adios, tienes suenos buenos. Los hombres otros y yo queremos lo mejor pa El Paso. Patriotas en el PDL -- no es, pero este "board" es mas mejor sin ti. Su informacion es como su moda de hablando -- todo es mierda...

...Or something like that.

Paul, maybe as the economy improves other cities (and maybe El Paso, too, again) might take a close look at A-League. But again, if you can pay the nut to get into the league and make money, too, why not?

IF the ownership group for the Midland Rockhounds baseball team and Odessa Jackalopes hockey team has anything to do with this future franchise, it can do well. I've worked around this bunch and they're pros, with all the right connections and advertising buttons to push to make it work. If not, it might be a struggle with the Rockhounds on the diamond next door gobbling up all the ad and ticket revenue.

I also don't doubt PDL might do well here because there won't be that big a roster switch -- most of the players are already local and young and would enjoy playing for a summer regardless of pay. Patriots have a loyal enough fan base to probably draw similar crowds, too. Even so, I hope someday to be hearing some smack from Portland on those diving dogs from El Paso. (We'll make opera fans of you yet!)

Thing is, Midland does well in the TEXAS League, and Odessa's rivals are San Angelo, Lubbock, Amarillo, Austin, and Corpus among others, right? It's the scope that concerns me here.

Put it another way... many corporations are showing more profits right now, but not from an improvement in sales, but a reduction in costs. El Paso had some rather serious cost problems, which is very much why they're supposedly going with PDL.

Obviously, I want to see someone have a go and do well. As things stand now, though, if I were an investor, I'd ask the Rockhound and Jackalope folks to help me in Boise rather than in Midland. Well, if I were an investor, I'd ask about Spokane or Victoria first.

Pitch is 120 X 70, artificial grass, but permanently lined for both football and soccer. Soccer is not a sport that sells to spectators in Midland. Numerous attempts have been made to bring in semi-pro and professional teams to play with dismal results. The Patriots participated in a "charity tournament" last year vs. a team from Chihuahua and the event drew a dismal 300+ spectators. BTW: they had agreed to show up again this year but canceled at the last minute.

I was privy to the meeting when El Paso came to check out the Midland possibility and the Rockhound/Jackalope organization was not involved. I have even broached the idea with a lower management type at the Rockhounds who says not interested in promoting soccer at this time.

MIdland is not getting the Patriots in the forseeable future. BTW: How did that rumor get started.

For me, via this website; but I had heard discussions prior to this past season from former GM Mitch Doblado about somebody in Midland offering an invitation.

I wondered if the Rockhounds/Jacks would be involved since they have a number of irons in the fire already. With them, I don't doubt they'd make a serious go, but expenses are a pain and they would be legion. Come to think of it, that, on top of managing a successful minor league baseball franchise would be a little much to ask.

I didn't need to hear that the old team will probably still be seen on the pitch playing for no pay, even though I thought it might be a possibility. Exactly what does that say about the old team? Exactly.

It doesn't say much except restructure. Look, being a franchise owner is not easy. First of all, you are to back your team up no matter what. El Sr. Cervantez is searching for everyones benefit as a whole... he knows how to deal with situations like this one... he's a veteran. Besides, we saw how you all turned on him after the 4th round of the U.S. Open Cup... why keep A-league Fran. with that kind of support? Trust me, the man means well. He's looking out for the sport of soccer. God Bless everyone involved in this sport. It's our purpose to make it work.

You've got to be kiddin' me when you say that going to PDL from A-league with same players is nothing more than "restructuring". :rolleyes:

It does say a lot about the team in the last couple of years or at least this past year.
If the team had been a viable team, there would be very few players hanging around to play for free. They'd either be snatched up by other franchises or they'd take their soccer balls and go try out for other A-league teams or heading south into Mexico to the pro leagues instead of staying home and living with mom and dad, working at WalMart and playing soccer on weekends...we call that the Adult Men's Sunday League here.

Oh, yeah, sorry, that's what the past two FAILED A-league teams here in San Anonio were.

I give credit in many ways to the EP owner and I believe most everyone does here, sometimes too much loyalty, but loyalty does not mean that fans may not have "problems" with what's going on in certain areas. For one thing, it shows they have a concern for the welfare of the team.

Most of those on the board did support the team by attending games week in and week out, win or lose..for years. Chuwy is one of them and he's on a tight budget.

Plenty of team owners spend big bucks; some even buy championships. Look at the Yanks. However, throwing money at something is not always the answer. Look at the Yanks who are now behind 3-2 with a payroll something like $170 million MORE than the Marlins.

The Marlins are low paid players who are over achievers but I bet they wouldn't play for nothing next year if the Marlin management said we're going to restructure and become the baseball equivelant of the PDL. And I bet virtually every player on this current team would be picked up by another.