Season 2011-12
The Mail Bag
Red, White and Blues... Everton USA?
20 Comments: Everton could help solve many financial problems by arranging to play in the American MLS for a couple of seasons (as well as the Prem obviously). We have just enough players for two parallel, interchangeable squads if players out on loan were recalled.
We are paying most of them to do nothing right now. We could arrange to share a stadium and training facilities in the US and one or two selected matches could be at Goodison. The average seasonal revenue of an MLS club is about $13M. I was still working on this idea when I read that Moyes had contemplated a B-team in the lower leagues. I think this would work better.
If the MLS and Premier League agreed, there would be a number of benefits aside from the gate receipts and TV revenue.
- Young players would develop in a challenging league.
- It would help internationalize the Everton brand.
- It would attract additional sponsors.
- It would boost merchandise sales.
- It would help pre-season preparations.
- It could attract investors (buyers)
Peter Fearon, Posted 20/01/2012 at 18:36:19
Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
You were spending time on this?
Michael - You're on it. MLS owns the teams, so yes the players all contract directly with the league. Owners are investors in the league. This will go away in a few years but was a necessity for a long time since Anschutz and the Hunts bank-rolled almost every team. Now they each own 2 teams with the other 15 teams own by individual.
Nothing wrong with Peter's idea. Why not? Applying it to EFC is a problem though. They don't have money to invest in EFC. To buy an MLS franchise? How?
However, MLS' other Club in LA beside Galaxy is owned by the owners of a team in Mexico's top league. No reason someone else couldn't do it to.
2 NFL team owners own an EPL team, another a team in SERIE A. Baseball's Red Sox ownership just bought the Shite.
All I read from Peter's OP is him applying this going the other way across the Atlantic and good reasons to do it. He's not presenting some off-the-wall, brand new idea. It's just impossible to even consider under current ownership.
But an EPL owner buying an MLS franchise with an eye to the future of the game in the US. Why not? A pretty good idea actually.
Nothing wrong with Peter's idea. Why not? Applying it to EFC is a problem though. They don't have money to invest in EFC. To buy an MLS franchise? How?
However, MLS' other Club in LA beside Galaxy is owned by the owners of a team in Mexico's top league. No reason someone else couldn't do it to.
2 NFL team owners own an EPL team, another a team in SERIE A. Baseball's Red Sox ownership just bought the Shite.
All I read from Peter's OP is him applying this going the other way across the Atlantic and good reasons to do it. He's not presenting some off-the-wall, brand new idea. It's just impossible to even consider under current ownership.
But an EPL owner buying an MLS franchise with an eye to the future of the game in the US. Why not? A pretty good idea actually.
Somebody has been on Quora in the last. two months and taken it seriously......
We can't even field a team for the EPL these days Peter and you have the fanciful idea of taking us across the pond, I don't know whether to laugh or city fella.
Peter
Moyes is only 100 years too late with this idea as Mr Everton W C Cuff started the Central League system for the very reason we are discussing this issue.
Young players would be kept fit and the injured players from the first team would be given games to be ready again for first team action as the League was competitive, over the last decade it is the clubs who have downgraded this Central League.
We don't need to look anywhere as it's on our doorstep.
Moyes is only 100 years too late with this idea as Mr Everton W C Cuff started the Central League system for the very reason we are discussing this issue.
Young players would be kept fit and the injured players from the first team would be given games to be ready again for first team action as the League was competitive, over the last decade it is the clubs who have downgraded this Central League.
We don't need to look anywhere as it's on our doorstep.
Baseball's had the minor leagur feeder system since its inception. It's a good idea and works.
Could it happen over there against all the traditions? You'd have to get rid of relegation to make it work.
Could it happen over there against all the traditions? You'd have to get rid of relegation to make it work.
Being here in Boston, I'd love to see this. I imagine it'd have to be an East coast city, but the big cities on the East coast all have teams already: Boston (Revolution), NYC Red Bulls, Philly Union, DC United. There's no way those franchise owners would allow a new team anywhere near their regions.
I could see Montreal as an option. There are 1.6 million people there and it's pretty close to the US.
Fun to think about anyway.
I could see Montreal as an option. There are 1.6 million people there and it's pretty close to the US.
Fun to think about anyway.
You actually spent some time thinking about and wriitng this crap, Peter? My guess is that you are retired with too much time on your hands. 100 per cent rubbish with no legitimate reasoning at all.
Paul (361) - "You actually spent some time thinking about and wriitng this crap Peter? My guess is that you are retired with too much time on your hands. 100 per cent rubbish with no legitimate reasoning at all".
But I'm open. Explain why Peter's OP is rubbish. Clubs buying other clubs is already happening. Why is Peter's take on this rubbish?
But I'm open. Explain why Peter's OP is rubbish. Clubs buying other clubs is already happening. Why is Peter's take on this rubbish?
LA Rams have signed a deal to play NFL in the UK for 3 years.. that must have been the stimulus for this..
It's not the Rams people will come to see... its the Pats next year.
Everton are NOT a draw in the US ? Man Utd are...
Paul, I know you're in Chicago, and I'm in the UK, but I stand free to be corrected mate...
It's not the Rams people will come to see... its the Pats next year.
Everton are NOT a draw in the US ? Man Utd are...
Paul, I know you're in Chicago, and I'm in the UK, but I stand free to be corrected mate...
Sorry.. must eloborate on that.. as some may not know the set up.. It's one game a season in the UK for the NFL... and the Rams have taken it up on a 3-year deal... first game is the Pats.
It's sink or swim for the whole club. Everton FC as we know it are on the line... perched headlong on the brink of a possible decline regardless of who's to blame. No-one is going to come in and pay hundreds of millions of pounds to reinvigorate a 8th-10th place club unless they have a real deal stadium.
Each and every one of us had finally better sober right up to this fact right NOW.
So what's the antidote? ... I was in the gym today and this guy had a tee-shirt on that actually said USA-Liverpool FC. ... Seriously! America is like a sleeping giant in football terms, that if, or more succinctly, WHEN it is awoken, will embrace soccer with a real resolve!! (Fuelled of course by the AD MEN!)
So i simply say this: GO FOR IT NOW!! BEFORE THE STAMPEDE!!!!
Each and every one of us had finally better sober right up to this fact right NOW.
So what's the antidote? ... I was in the gym today and this guy had a tee-shirt on that actually said USA-Liverpool FC. ... Seriously! America is like a sleeping giant in football terms, that if, or more succinctly, WHEN it is awoken, will embrace soccer with a real resolve!! (Fuelled of course by the AD MEN!)
So i simply say this: GO FOR IT NOW!! BEFORE THE STAMPEDE!!!!
This isn't a far fetched notion that some of you are suggesting. I've been out in the States for about 10 years now, and seen a huge shift in the interest in the sport over here. I've lived all over the country and people recognize my Everton shirt, and know Donovan and Howard play for them. This idea of starting a US based team isn't as stupid as some of you are saying. Yes James is right about the MLS central contracts for the franchises, but once you go down in the 'Soccer Pyramid' its not the case. There are some popular leagues just under the MLS system, which have had foreign teams owning clubs. Crystal Palace own a team in Baltimore (which is going through restructure due to the original Palaces administration).
Believe it or not we actually do have a big presence over here already, and not just due to our American players. The Everton Way training program is used all over the country . A couple of examples of our branding being used is this http://evertonamericact.com/ and http://www.evertonfl.org/
Believe it or not we actually do have a big presence over here already, and not just due to our American players. The Everton Way training program is used all over the country . A couple of examples of our branding being used is this http://evertonamericact.com/ and http://www.evertonfl.org/
Just a side note to confirm the sports popularity increasing, especially English footballs. On Sunday, the Man U vs. Arsenal game is being shown live for the first time on the main Fox TV station (not Fox Sports of Fox Soccer Channel). This is the equivalent of them being shown live on BBC 1 or ITV 1.
Michael: There's no reason to assume it would cost 14M to do. After all, we are already paying most of the players' wages. If a loss was projected obviously that would be a good reason not to do it. As for the contract ownership issue, the MLS would waive it for a club that was just guesting for a season or two. A Mexican club already has an MLS subsidiary and there are other international MLS links. This is doable and would have numerous side benefits. If we don't establish ourselves in the global football marketplace by some means and increase our revenue stream we will never get out of the difficulties we are in. Unfortunately, I am not surprised by some of the other blinkered, hostile and ill-informed responses, such as Paul Ferry's moronic, reflex dismissal of anything he cannot grasp. Kristian - Thank you. You got it.
Not a bad idea and certainly worthwhile exploring - assuming our board can be so innovative! As long as they don't name the team Everton US !
"Go ahead and laugh, scoff and scold but some Premier League club is going to do this someday."
I seem to remember reading something along the same lines somewhere on the web last week and it menioned United as one of the clubs looking into it.
I seem to remember reading something along the same lines somewhere on the web last week and it menioned United as one of the clubs looking into it.
"Go ahead and laugh, scoff and scold"
Laughs.
Scoffs.
Scolds.
Laughs.
Scoffs.
Scolds.
Even if it is a good idea, we just don't have the right leadership at Board level to even think of attempting this, let alone making it work.
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment to the MailBag, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.
© ToffeeWeb
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
308 Posted 20/01/2012 at 20:49:42
Report abuse
Is it not true that all MLS players are contracted to the MLS and franchised out to the individual clubs?
And the real deal has to be Profit, not just revenue.
$13M Revenue, $14M expenditure...
Where's Mr Micawber???