Comments on: The Austin Aztex and Foreign Ownership in American Soccer http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/ Exploring football culture around the world Sun, 21 Mar 2010 02:30:45 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Tyrone Shoelaces http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/comment-page-1/#comment-6142 Tyrone Shoelaces Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:42:55 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/#comment-6142 The name Real Salt Lake is stupid beyond belief. Its like saying that people wont go for a product but if you change the name to somehting recognizalbe its somehow better. That might work in Canada where they rename political parties and hope that no one notices (it works!) but its idiotic and is condescending. Its like when your kids play sports and the kids name themselves after the name of popular franchises. Its cute when you are 7 because you are identifying with your heroes. When its a pro team, it reeks of bush league. The play on words in not genial but I like the aztec/texas combination... it at least represents the region well. The name Real Salt Lake is stupid beyond belief.
Its like saying that people wont go for a product but if you change the name to somehting recognizalbe its somehow better.
That might work in Canada where they rename political parties and hope that no one notices (it works!) but its idiotic and is condescending.

Its like when your kids play sports and the kids name themselves after the name of popular franchises.
Its cute when you are 7 because you are identifying with your heroes.

When its a pro team, it reeks of bush league.

The play on words in not genial but I like the aztec/texas combination… it at least represents the region well.

]]> By: Sports 40 » Blog Archive » Sayonara, Silverbacks http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/comment-page-1/#comment-6124 Sports 40 » Blog Archive » Sayonara, Silverbacks Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:25:00 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/#comment-6124 [...] end result is that USL-1 will remain an 11-team league next season, as Stoke City is about to open its shiny new Rory Delap clone factory in Austin, Texas. Meanwhile, the Southern Derby Cup becomes a two-team competition between my Carolina Railhawks and [...] [...] end result is that USL-1 will remain an 11-team league next season, as Stoke City is about to open its shiny new Rory Delap clone factory in Austin, Texas. Meanwhile, the Southern Derby Cup becomes a two-team competition between my Carolina Railhawks and [...]

]]> By: Objectivo Staging | Club America Looks To Enter MLS http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/comment-page-1/#comment-5264 Objectivo Staging | Club America Looks To Enter MLS Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:31:48 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/#comment-5264 [...] club, Crystal Palace Baltimore has been successful in USL-2, A co-owner of Stoke City purchased the Austin Aztecs of USL-1 and even Ajax had been interested in purchasing a stake in an MLS [...] [...] club, Crystal Palace Baltimore has been successful in USL-2, A co-owner of Stoke City purchased the Austin Aztecs of USL-1 and even Ajax had been interested in purchasing a stake in an MLS [...]

]]> By: Timoteo http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/comment-page-1/#comment-2476 Timoteo Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:00:05 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/#comment-2476 Francisco Marcos (the USL president) has it 180 degrees backasswards. Instead of foreign ownership, or private ownership at all, which does not take the either the long term interest of its fans or the game as a priority, but rather making money (see your article on Wimbledon FC, or look at Liverpool), the USL should only have teams that are owned by fans as non-profits (in that all profits are reinvested in the community to further soccer development). Barcelona and the Green Bay Packers of the NFL have demonstrated that this is possible, and can form the base for an incredibly strong league, with great fan interest and loyalty, as well as increasing the level of soccer in the U.S. (which the MLS is currently doing little or nothing to help develop). Francisco Marcos (the USL president) has it 180 degrees backasswards. Instead of foreign ownership, or private ownership at all, which does not take the either the long term interest of its fans or the game as a priority, but rather making money (see your article on Wimbledon FC, or look at Liverpool), the USL should only have teams that are owned by fans as non-profits (in that all profits are reinvested in the community to further soccer development). Barcelona and the Green Bay Packers of the NFL have demonstrated that this is possible, and can form the base for an incredibly strong league, with great fan interest and loyalty, as well as increasing the level of soccer in the U.S. (which the MLS is currently doing little or nothing to help develop).

]]> By: The Metrologist http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/comment-page-1/#comment-2446 The Metrologist Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:11:47 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/#comment-2446 It's good to see the return of gratuitous "x"s and "z"s to American pro soccer. Perhaps soon we can dream of a return to the glory days when you had team names like the Xoggz (http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2325) My thoughts and concerns pretty much parallel yours. In connection with this, somewhere in one of yesterday's "More Yanks Buy Premiership Club" stories on Derby County, there was a line from the prospective owners to the effect that it was going to "extend the Derby County brand in North America and around the world." Excuse me? All apologies to Rams fans, but "the Derby County brand"? This can't be right. How much brand-space do they really think there is anywhere - much less in the US - for the biggest clubs in the world, much less provincial clubs rattling around the nether reaches of the Premier League? How do so many very rich people have so little clue? It’s good to see the return of gratuitous “x”s and “z”s to American pro soccer. Perhaps soon we can dream of a return to the glory days when you had team names like the Xoggz (http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2325)

My thoughts and concerns pretty much parallel yours. In connection with this, somewhere in one of yesterday’s “More Yanks Buy Premiership Club” stories on Derby County, there was a line from the prospective owners to the effect that it was going to “extend the Derby County brand in North America and around the world.” Excuse me? All apologies to Rams fans, but “the Derby County brand”? This can’t be right. How much brand-space do they really think there is anywhere – much less in the US – for the biggest clubs in the world, much less provincial clubs rattling around the nether reaches of the Premier League?
How do so many very rich people have so little clue?

]]> By: Josh Crockett http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/comment-page-1/#comment-2445 Josh Crockett Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:31:34 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/01/26/the-austin-aztex-and-foreign-ownership-in-american-soccer/#comment-2445 As with everything, if it looks fake, it's in trouble. Setting down a team that's obviously designed as nothing more than a local appendage to a foreign club, i.e. Crystal Palace Baltimore, West Ham USA or, yes, Chivas USA (not to mention the abortive Arsenal Colorado rebranding), is doomed. Quite simply, fans everywhere know when they're being played. Austin appears to be avoiding this, at least; whether they actually do cater to local supporters and potential supporters on an operational basis will determine their success, as is true for all North American minor league professional sports franchises (not just soccer). As with everything, if it looks fake, it’s in trouble.

Setting down a team that’s obviously designed as nothing more than a local appendage to a foreign club, i.e. Crystal Palace Baltimore, West Ham USA or, yes, Chivas USA (not to mention the abortive Arsenal Colorado rebranding), is doomed. Quite simply, fans everywhere know when they’re being played. Austin appears to be avoiding this, at least; whether they actually do cater to local supporters and potential supporters on an operational basis will determine their success, as is true for all North American minor league professional sports franchises (not just soccer).

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