MLS in New Orleans, the logistics of it

Tad Gormely could but it would need a multimillion dollar facelift. City park would be a great location for an MLS franchise Problem would be parking.

I think people would be surprised with the support for the team if we got one. Soccer is growing very fast down here, this coming from someone who has spent his whole life in NOLA.

Wouldn't need to worry about rain/sun protection. It doesn't usually rain at night in the summers and we can push the start times back to 7 like Houston does.

Let's face it though. It's not gonna happen unless some multi millionaire wants to fund it. Revitalization and rebuilding the infrastructure is/will be the city's main cash flow for the coming decades. And rightly so

It would probably have to start up in Tulane's new stadium for the first couple of years, sort of what the Dynamo did at UH.

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Soccer-specific stadium

I think the best bet would for a NASL team to start up, then play somewhere like Yulman stadium and build a following, sponsors, the whole bit. Then transition up from NASL to MLS, I don't think think MLS would go for a flat out expansion in Nola, too many other places that they'd want to go first, it'd need to be organic.

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That being said it seems as though NO East might be the only easily accessible (although pain in the arse) place to build one. If they could squeeze room on the other side of US-90 (by the CCC) from the Warehouse District (around Mardi Gras World) you would have a cool atmosphere before/after games along the river/riverwalk.

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NO east? Don't even bother.

Warehouse district? I'd be at every game.

I don't think its a rule so much as they just won't seriously consider putting a club somewhere that doesn't have serious financial backing.

Garber has consistently said that an expansion team's potential for MLS is determined by three factors: 1) real viable ownership; 2) stadium plan; 3) support potential. The Montreal Impact paid $40M expansion fee; NYC paid $100M. It is safe to say that a potential ownership group in New Orleans will have to pony up north of $50M for the expansion fee. I do not think New Orleans will be home to an MLS team. That being said, it is fun to dream:

Stadium? The obvious choice would be to utilize Tulane's new stadium. It will be a good size and offer a cozy atmosphere in a good location. However, MLS will not entertain approaches for a new club without a permanent stadium plan.

The permanent solution will be to construct a new, soccer specific stadium. It will need to be fully financed by wealthy investors or the only alternative will be to seek public funds from the state and/or local governments. I do not believe such plans for public financing will be accepted or supported by the public majority. Therefore, a solid ownership group with deep pockets will be necessary. Unless they have Beckham type money, they will have to find a parcel of ill-used land that has potential to develop into a growth area. Garber's statement on stadiums is pretty clear:

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"The urban formula has been working for us and it’s hard to imagine that we would go into a market where we don’t have that scenario. … It’s not an absolute, but whether it’s Minneapolis, or St. Louis, or Austin or San Antonio. All the potential stadium sites and I say potential because we haven’t even begun to look deeply in any of those markets, all of them would be within the urban core."

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The stadium will need to be covered over the stands for protection from the elements but not closed in so ventilation and air flow may help dissipate the Louisiana heat. Perhaps raise the roof high above the stands on pillars or sheath it in a mesh like covering such as the Dynamo stadium.

Fanbase? I don't think the market is there to support an MLS club. It must be fun to go to the games and the area around the stadium. Location will be key. Perhaps try and draw some of the tourists (foreign and domestic) to the game. A solid academy that is tied closely to the community is a necessity so that grass roots attachments are formed.

Corporate sponsorship? I don't think New Orleans has an edge but I think a good corporate sponsorship will be easy to find.

Name? I like two: 1) the Dukes (New Orleans was named in honor of the Duke of Orleans); it sounds regal, pimpish, and is unique. 2) the Creoles; also borne from the area's heritage and is unique to the area.

Colors? Most will probably suggest purple, gold, green but instead I would prefer the colors of the city's flag: red, blue, white, and gold



Crest? Re-shape the city flag into a crest someway; stylize it yet keep it classy. Perhaps somehow incorporate the crescent bend of the river into part of the crest. Maybe include the three fleurs-de-lis.

NOLA FC
Name: I like the Revellers or Storm
Site: By the river
Roof: Cantilever
Colors: white/black or purple/green/gold
Logo: AC DC style with a lightning bolt between th O and the L in NOLA for the storm...or an open Mardi Gras style umbrella sticking up between the l's in Revellers.
Academies set up in Nola/Houma/ BR/ and Abita (academy league play?...prior/after matches. ).
Dream on :)

I agree with you LuckyTiger on Dukes. I think purple, green, and gold should be the colors due to the reasons below..

It’s one of the few names that meets all the criteria: class, uniqueness and cultural significance.

La Nouvelle-Orleans was named in 1718 for Philippe II, who was the Duke of Orleans and the Regent of France at the time.

Another duke, Alexis Romanov, the Grand Duke of Russia, is believed to be responsible for the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold. During his visit to New Orleans in 1872, the men of Rex adopted the Romanov family colors of purple, green and gold, which represented justice, faith and power.

And most Carnival krewes feature dukes in their courts.

Moreover, like the Saints and Pelicans, no other professional club owns the Dukes nickname. The Albuquerque Dukes were a minor league baseball team from 1972 to 2000. Since 2003, they’ve been called the Isotopes.

Dukes is a great name!