@londonbrown said:

The Jags owner is in the process of (much to the country’s disgust) buying Wembley, our national soccer  teams stadium, from the football association. 

There has to be a real possibility that it’s a pre cursor to moving the Jaguars over here full time

Possible, but sort of crazy from a scheduling standpoint. Getting eight different teams to London is bad enough, but a London team to the US West coast? I believe that's an eight hour time difference, talk about jet lag. 

@mark-o said:

I think those are really the only options left and I wouldn't trust one of these owners as far as I could throw them to not pick up the team and move it out of the country if it meant more money in their pockets. 

The Jags owner is in the process of (much to the country’s disgust) buying Wembley, our national soccer  teams stadium, from the football association. 

There has to be a real possibility that it’s a pre cursor to moving the Jaguars over here full time

@mark-o said:

I think those are really the only options left and I wouldn't trust one of these owners as far as I could throw them to not pick up the team and move it out of the country if it meant more money in their pockets. 

Precisely.

@hoorta said:

Well, we will just disagree. MHO is the "WELL" for an owner to play the "build me a new stadium or I'm going to move" card has run dry. Unless the league views cities like Toronto, London, and Mexico City as expansion possibilities.

Well.....there you go.  If it comes to it they will use Toronto, London, Mexico City.   In fact, they have already used them.  Threats to move the Bills to Toronto had been made. Threats to move the Jags to London have been made.  Not sure about Mex. City.   

So, you have just disagreed with yourself!!  

@hoorta said:

Well, we will just disagree. MHO is the "WELL" for an owner to play the "build me a new stadium or I'm going to move" card has run dry. Unless the league views cities like Toronto, London, and Mexico City as expansion possibilities.

I think those are really the only options left and I wouldn't trust one of these owners as far as I could throw them to not pick up the team and move it out of the country if it meant more money in their pockets. 

@the-gipper said:

Well, if you think that the NFL and the owners of these teams will discontinue attempting to pit one city against another, and will discontinue using blackmail threats on current cities, I believe you are wrong.  And if you think that there won't be cities out there that may at least make some kind of effort to raise the funds to build stadiums to lure an existing NFL team to move there, I think that is wrong as well.  

We were all talking about how Jacksonville could be a candidate to move, before they began to get good again.  And Buffalo seemed to be on the chopping block as well.   And both of those and maybe more could be the subject of nefarious moves by owners to increase their bottom lines by threatening to move....or actually moving.

Well, we will just disagree. MHO is the "WELL" for an owner to play the "build me a new stadium or I'm going to move" card has run dry. Unless the league views cities like Toronto, London, and Mexico City as expansion possibilities.

@dutch-oven said:

That's surprising to read from you Nero, most soccer purists (and seeing that you come from a country where soccer is king, I'd consider you a purist) seem to despise indoor soccer and consider it as bastard stepchild of "real" soccer. 

It may in fact be that...a bastard stepchile.....but nevertheless, it was still more exciting and entertaining than "real" soccer.

@nero said:

Indoor soccer is a lot of fun. Both for playing and for watching.

It's the only team sport I've played lately and it is fun when you get used to the nuances of the game. 

And not half as boring as regular soccer.

Cleveland had a couple of popular professional indoor soccer teams.  You can read about them:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Force_(1978–88)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Crunch

The "Crunch" had actually brought Cleveland its only professional sports franchise championship between the Browns 1964 title and the Cavs title of 2016.  (But it didn't really count as a major league sports championship, because indoor soccer was/is considered a minor league sport).  But, for some reason the indoor soccer leagues which were quite popular around the country from the 70s to the 90s kind of faded away.

@hoorta said:

RE: the Raiders move: It wasn't just Las Vegas Gipper. It was the whole freaking state of Nevada kicking in cash on top of it. Shades of the Ratbirds and Maryland. You suggested other possible cities, and unless they get state funding (and no interference from owners who consider those cities their territory) it's not happening anytime soon. The NFL will make sure any new stadium isn't a budget special- billion dollar minimum to join the club. 

You're forgetting as Mark pointed out- San Diego wasn't giving in to Spanos extortion, and St. Louis (a far bigger market than anything you mentioned) couldn't pony up a sweet enough deal to make Kroenke want to stay. 

Well, if you think that the NFL and the owners of these teams will discontinue attempting to pit one city against another, and will discontinue using blackmail threats on current cities, I believe you are wrong.  And if you think that there won't be cities out there that may at least make some kind of effort to raise the funds to build stadiums to lure an existing NFL team to move there, I think that is wrong as well.  

We were all talking about how Jacksonville could be a candidate to move, before they began to get good again.  And Buffalo seemed to be on the chopping block as well.   And both of those and maybe more could be the subject of nefarious moves by owners to increase their bottom lines by threatening to move....or actually moving.

@dutch-oven said:

That's surprising to read from you Nero, most soccer purists (and seeing that you come from a country where soccer is king, I'd consider you a purist) seem to despise indoor soccer and consider it as bastard stepchild of "real" soccer. 

Well, allow me to doubt it. I mean, Spain has even more world and european championships in indoor soccer than in field soccer. We are more of a "powerhouse" than in field soccer (portuguese are in the top, too). 

Is field soccer way more followed? Yes. But that doesn't make me think purists despise indoor soccer. It has another tempo and requires more technique than field soccer due to shorter distances, so it could be closer to basketball and I see why it can have more success in America.

Anyway, I watch even less soccer lately as I prefer to dedicate my leisure time to NFL, and I don't watch indoor soccer, though it's been fun the times I've watched it. 

Some perks that make indoor soccer more suitable for friendly matches is that we don't suffer the weather (and in Pamplona it rains a lot and it's cold in winter) and that you only need 10 players, opposite to the 22 friends (or 14 friends in F7) that you need for other soccer matches. 

I'm not good at soccer and I don't have a very good technique, so field soccer would be better for me, but once you get used to indoor soccer and its tactics and movements it is very enjoyable. I'm going to play in a league this season with my friends and I'm enthusiastic.

@nero said:

Indoor soccer is a lot of fun. Both for playing and for watching.

It's the only team sport I've played lately and it is fun when you get used to the nuances of the game. 

That's surprising to read from you Nero, most soccer purists (and seeing that you come from a country where soccer is king, I'd consider you a purist) seem to despise indoor soccer and consider it as bastard stepchild of "real" soccer. 

@the-gipper said:

We always preferred indoor soccer around here anyway. 

Indoor soccer is a lot of fun. Both for playing and for watching.

It's the only team sport I've played lately and it is fun when you get used to the nuances of the game. 

@londonbrown said:

I’m just glad Cleveland isn’t getting one.

The last thing I need is just to start off making cursory glances at their results before eventually getting a paid subscription for their live games and reading news articles, tweets and fan forums on them every day 

And we europeans are better off Cleveland based sports fan forums.

Nothing good comes from them.

@the-gipper said:

True,  but, if some NFL owner essentially declared himself open for business to move his team,  there would be cities that would be clamoring to try to set up those finances.   That is basically what Las Vegas did.

RE: the Raiders move: It wasn't just Las Vegas Gipper. It was the whole freaking state of Nevada kicking in cash on top of it. Shades of the Ratbirds and Maryland. You suggested other possible cities, and unless they get state funding (and no interference from owners who consider those cities their territory) it's not happening anytime soon. The NFL will make sure any new stadium isn't a budget special- billion dollar minimum to join the club. 

You're forgetting as Mark pointed out- San Diego wasn't giving in to Spanos extortion, and St. Louis (a far bigger market than anything you mentioned) couldn't pony up a sweet enough deal to make Kroenke want to stay. 

@londonbrown said:

I’m just glad Cleveland isn’t getting one.

The last thing I need is just to start off making cursory glances at their results before eventually getting a paid subscription for their live games and reading news articles, tweets and fan forums on them every day 

We always preferred indoor soccer around here anyway. 

@dutch-oven said:

I don't know exactly why I think this, or when it happens, but somehow I think the Chargers eventually return to San Diego. 

They had a good thing going for a long time. 

It would be nice if it was to happen but I don't think it will.   Would need the Spanos family to sell the team and that's just the first step since they also need a stadium. 

@mark-o said:

It's good for you to have many, many, many teams to follow. 

I’ve even got into the Cavs and Indians (albeit mainly during the playoffs) and been up far too late at night watching their matches. This City and it’s sports teams have a way of sucking you in. 

On that note this tweet I saw really made me laugh 

They had a good thing going for a long time. 

@londonbrown said:

I’m just glad Cleveland isn’t getting one.

The last thing I need is just to start off making cursory glances at their results before eventually getting a paid subscription for their live games and reading news articles, tweets and fan forums on them every day 

It's good for you to have many, many, many teams to follow. 

The last thing I need is just to start off making cursory glances at their results before eventually getting a paid subscription for their live games and reading news articles, tweets and fan forums on them every day 

@the-gipper said:

So is San Diego.

And, I am seeing that Cincifuyuckinnati has apparently been awarded an MLS team.   Why would they do that  when there is a team up the road in Columbus?

https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2018/05/30/ranking-the-cities-next-in-line-for-mls-expansion/

I am pretty sure the Columbus team is moving to Austin but even if that isn't happening.  Cincinatti has had a league below MLS team for a few years and draws quite a crowd for the games which is why they're getting an MLS team even if there's a team in Columbus.  

From all reports, San Diego is getting an MLS team as long as the vote to tear down Qualcomm (the old Chargers stadium) and build a soccer stadium on that site along with a park and all sorts of other stuff gets the necessary votes in November which based on my history with these things in San Diego has no chance of passing despite it not costing any public money. 

@londonbrown said:

Just read St Louis are going for a MLS franchise 

So is San Diego.

And, I am seeing that Cincifuyuckinnati has apparently been awarded an MLS team.   Why would they do that  when there is a team up the road in Columbus?

https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2018/05/30/ranking-the-cities-next-in-line-for-mls-expansion/

@mark-o said:

Want and be able to afford are two totally different things.  None of those cities have a billion dollar stadium built and ready for a team to move into and not many cities are going to be willing to spend that kind of cash that it would take to get an NFL team to move.

True,  but, if some NFL owner essentially declared himself open for business to move his team,  there would be cities that would be clamoring to try to set up those finances.   That is basically what Las Vegas did.