^ It is also important to note who was working for the Bengals in the early 2000s when the soccer discussion began. It is probably not a coincidence that Jeff Berding was playing a prominent role with the Bengals at that time.

 

As for the practice field. Part of the benefit of having the practice field where it is, is that it saves on infrastructure. You only need one locker room, you only need one weight room, one player parking lot. It is very efficient having the practice fields where they are.

The Browns still had minority shareholders until 2011.  Screwing around with soccer would have slowed down their long game, which was to buy out the last minority shareholder and therefore command complete control of the team, which is very rare in the NFL.  A few majority shareholders have fallen victim to plots hatched by their minority shareholders, the best-known being Art Modell.  Mike Brown shrewdly negotiated lease terms in 1996 that made the team very profitable and allowed them to pile up cash until they wrote a $150~ million check in 2011. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did we already rule out the Stargel Stadium site?  The area bounded by John St., Wade, Providence, and Taft HS has a similar footprint to MAPFRE.  Nothing immediately east along Central Pkwy is very high-value, so you could even have a "front lawn" facing the parkway.

 

Central Ave. could be curved east around the site a la the way Mehring curves around the Reds and Bengals stadiums.  You'd have highway access via Ezzard Charles and Liberty, and a short gameday loop of the streetcar could be built to connect to the core.  Some parking already exists at the Music Hall garage, lowering the amount that would need to be built.

 

If Stargel is still used for high school games, I can't see why it couldn't still on FC off-days - they're clearly used to sharing.  And the sale of the site could be seen as a nice boost for CPS.

 

I can imagine the fan groups congregating at Taft's and Taste of Belgium or wherever, marching around/through Washington Park, and then over to the stadium.

 

To me, it just fits.

Stargell is my favorite location for all the reasons you cite however, I don't think it is really going to be given serious consideration by the people in charge

CPS wouldn't even agree to sell beer at Saints games in Stargel. I would be shocked if they sell the land to FCC, even if they get perpetual rights to utilize the facility around FCC's schedule.

^Why don't you think it'll be given any serious consideration.

 

Also, @billshark - you've written a bit about reconnecting the West End to downtown/OTR. Do you think an FCC stadium at Stargell would help with that effort or hurt it?

^ Because I think it would have come out via leak at this point. People would rather throw around Spinney or IRS site, and there has been rather mellow reception to the idea from this board as a whole.

 

Personally, I think it is the best location for everything you mention, plus traffic wise, it provides easy access to the highway and ample parking in the area too without a sea of surface lots.

I can't imagine Spinney Field being consider. It literally stinks, like all the time, thanks to MSD. Bengals player routinely complained about the air quality.

I'm going by memory but I believe that one dude + a church owns the small collection of buildings (including the old theater) on the east side of Central Ave. opposite the high school stadium.  The police District 1 parking lot is owned by the city and the large grassy lot on the east of Central south of Wade is owned by the company that owns the large building north of Wade (between Central and Central).  The south side of Wade St. between John and Central is owned primarily by the Jehova's Witnesses (they own the church + the 120x120 empty lot at the SW corner of Wade & Central) and then some random dude from New Jersey owns one mid-block lot.  An REIT owns the 1-2 midblock row buildings as well as most of the north side of Wade between John and Central.   

 

Yeah, having Central Ave. bow eastward toward Central Parkway could work.  I went by that high school stadium on a Friday night maybe 3 years ago and it was sad to see how poorly attended the football game was.  CPS built a nice facility and nobody cares. 

 

The Enquirer's been lurking...

 

FC Cincinnati: No point in responding to stadium rumors, speculation

^Why don't you think it'll be given any serious consideration.

 

Also, @billshark - you've written a bit about reconnecting the West End to downtown/OTR. Do you think an FCC stadium at Stargell would help with that effort or hurt it?

 

The current stadium is only about 400 ft wide, to expand it to 500 ft would require disrupting the street grid to the east. I think it would hurt it and here's why.

 

First, Central Ave is long & straight and does a good job connecting the West End from top to bottom on into downtown.

 

Second, it would require demolition of some high quality historic buildings that could easily fit back into the neighborhood by filling in missing teeth.

 

Third, it would truncate 15th street as an east-west connection.

 

Fourth, the way you connect the neighborhoods is to add people along the border IMO. My vision is to add larger apartment blocks in the area west of Central Parkway to add raw numbers to our population. They could  be like the construction taking place Uptown (aka nothing fancy architecturally) order to provide affordable market rate  places for young people and service workers to live. These folks will then build a customer base for everyday neighborhood type businesses and the streetcar.  Please check out https://cincinnatiideas.com/ballet-flats/

 

Edit: here's the original post Gordon Bombay[/member] was referring to: https://cincinnatiideas.com/2016/08/15/reconnecting-the-west-end/

 

 

FC Cincy: John Harkes out as head coach

 

FC Cincinnati President and General Manager Jeff Berding confirmed to The Enquirer Friday night that Harkes is no longer with the club.

 

Assistant FC Cincinnati coach and director of scouting and analytics Alan Koch will act as the club's head coach, Berding said, and won't be placed under an interim title.

 

Additional details weren't immediately provided.

 

Cont

Considering John Harkes' praiseworthy achievements as FC's first-year head coach, this comes as a shocking decision by team management.  Exactly why was this questionable decision really made?

According to this report: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/66/united-states/2017/02/17/32800472/sources-john-harkes-out-as-fc-cincinnati-coach?ICID=HP_BN_1

 

Sources say that a power struggle between Harkes and FC Cincinnati president and general manager Jeff Berding led to the abrupt coaching change, which caught players and staff by surprise, especially since Harkes was coaching the team as recently as Thursday.

...Speaking as an MLS observer: The league has really tried to get away from playing in shared football stadiums. It wants stadiums that look good on television, where teams have a firm say in dates and collecting revenue. Atlanta is a little bit different in that their new stadium has soccer considered from the ground up. The sightlines in Atlanta work, the pitch will receive the same priority as the NFL team, and the upper bowl can be completely hidden to create an intimate environment while still utilizing suites. In Seattle, they get away with using a football stadium simply due to attendance demands. That team averages far more than most (~44,000, sometimes more for playoffs) and they entered the league in a time when MLS needed strong markets and didn't exactly have everyone beating down the door to get in. New England and DC also play in football stadiums, but are actively looking to leave.

 

PBS doesn't really offer the advantages of Atlanta which make a shared stadium beneficial.

 

Speaking as a fan: playing in cavernous, bland Paul Brown would be terrible. While a 17,000 average for USL is impressive, it would look horrible on television in a 60,000 seat stadium.

 

I'm pretty sure PBS had soccer considered from the start as well. Yes, the seating capacity is challenging, but given how expensive and otherwise useless a third pro stadium would be (and how badly Hamilton county got burned on stadiums last time around), I think using PBS is the best option if MLS would allow it and if they ruled out Nippert.

^PBS has corner cutouts for soccer.  They were somewhat controversial at the time because they added $500k-$1 million to the expense of the stadium. 

 

I'm surprised but you can actually see the cutouts on Google Earth:

According to Berding, the decision to replace Harkes was all about winning... so it's clear that Berding had lost confidence in Harkes's ability as a coach:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/02/21/fc-cincinnati-s-berding-explains-coaching-change.html

 

 

^PBS has corner cutouts for soccer.  They were somewhat controversial at the time because they added $500k-$1 million to the expense of the stadium. 

 

I'm surprised but you can actually see the cutouts on Google Earth:

 

I remember that being a story. I forgot that the reason for it was not a potential soccer team - it was so that Cincinnati could pursue the Olympics:

 

http://enquirer.com/editions/2000/03/01/loc_710_000_stadium.html

 

How many soccer games have ever been played in PBS?

The FC Cincinnati Team Shop located in the 1st floor of their offices at 14 E 4th will be moving to a larger space across the street at 43 E 4th (formerly home to Bolero which moved to 417 Vine).

FC Cincinnati targets another attendance record

 

 

FC Cincinnati’s ticket sales keep soaring in its second season of existence, with season ticket sales topping 11,000. And the home opener is still two and a half weeks away.

 

FC Cincinnati has 11,500 season tickets in its sights, president and general manager Jeff Berding said. But his real goal is to break the United Soccer League single-game attendance record that the team set last year with 24,376 fans when it played Orlando City B Sept. 17.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/28/fc-cincinnati-targets-another-attendance-record.html

With the Port Authority's proposal to demolish the old Hudepohl Brewery, I'm starting to think that will be the site proposed for the new stadium.

With the Port Authority's proposal to demolish the old Hudepohl Brewery, I'm starting to think that will be the site proposed for the new stadium.

 

If it does can I toot my horn a few times for guessing this back on 2/6? I really don't think it is the best spot 'urban wise' but with some integrated history from the Brewery&trains it could lead to a whole new & interesting developable area for new related businesses to spring up without cannibalizing existing entertainment districts or encroaching on residential areas. They recently started clearing out the huge piles of iron ballast that was across from the coal company along Mehring Way so maybe something is in the works there too. I think demolishing the brewery w/o a plan in place is a mistake since things like the barrel vault tunnels and the Eastern Facade where the big letters were would make a cool retrofit into a unique stadium. Even if it isnt the stadium site, it seems rash to tear it down now with the current budget problems.

 

The only hope for the smokestack is a cool million from the wealthy owners of the soccer team. If the Hudepohl site is where they build their stadium, it'd be a travesty if they don't save it.

The only hope for the smokestack is a cool million from the wealthy owners of the soccer team. If the Hudepohl site is where they build their stadium, it'd be a travesty if they don't save it.

 

I think the million dollars was to move it somewhere. If they leave it in place, I think it's considerably cheaper than that.

I think using PBS is the best option if MLS would allow it and if they ruled out Nippert.

 

As has been pointed out here before though, MLS isn't going to allow it.

 

Seattle has the attendance and was admitted at a different time, New England is looking to move out of their American football stadium, Atlanta's stadium had soccer considered from the ground up and has several modifications made to keep soccer a priority, D.C. Just broke ground on a new venue.

 

While I agree that PBS makes practical sense, MLS has a long list of suitors lined up who can and will provide soccer specific stadiums. If FCC truly wants in, they're going to need their own facility other than Nippert or PBS.

 

Here's a mockup I made of PBS with it's soccer cut outs in place. From an article I did in 2012 about whether or not Cincy could support MLS: http://queencitydiscovery.blogspot.com/2012/04/major-league-soccer-in-cincinnati.html

 

I remember that being a story. I forgot that the reason for it was not a potential soccer team - it was so that Cincinnati could pursue the Olympics:

 

http://enquirer.com/editions/2000/03/01/loc_710_000_stadium.html

 

How many soccer games have ever been played in PBS?

 

The Bengals organization also hinted at potentially purchasing an MLS team circa 2002 for the 2004 expansion and saw the soccer modifications as a chance to make PBS a venue in a potential US hosted World Cup: http://enquirer.com/editions/2002/06/20/loc_soccer_fans_new_goal.html

 

Not sure on exactly how many matches it has hosted, but it did host the US Women's National Team at least once. It's out of contention for hosting the men's team now though as the surface is now field turf rather than it's original grass.

 

 

The FCC stadium will either be at the Hudepohl site (hopefully with the smokestack) or in Oakley next to the movie theater.

Photo of Nippert with the new "cut outs" allowing for wider field:

 

Looks like some of the bleachers on the upper deck were replaced (appears that the bottom ~6 rows of bleachers are new and have backs).

^I saw it this past weekend.  Looks really cheap, like a brick wall entrance to a new subdivision.  If they re-used the original brick, it doesn't look like it at all. 

I suspect those walls will be covered with banners/ads during game days. But yeah, the masonry looks cheap. The expansion joints are big part of what gives it a "suburban" look.

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2017/04/04/fc-cincinnati-christens-newly-renovated-nippert-stadium-field/100029556/

I think it looks fine along with the other walls from 1996.

Nice photos of Nippert from the home opener:

Saw an article about updates from the games of the last week. Thought it was awesome that they said we didn't only break a home opener attendance record, it was the second highest attendance of any soccer game in North America this last week. Pretty sweet.

Second largest in the US/Canada. Mexico had several with higher attendance, but usually we compare attendance with Canada/US as they share leagues.

The FCC stadium will either be at the Hudepohl site (hopefully with the smokestack) or in Oakley next to the movie theater.

Berding has said they're down to two sites between UC and the river so that would rule Oakley out. 

Can MLS and basketball share the same arena if it's designed well? Maybe they can come up with something to get the US Bank arena financed to host MLS, the final four or more.

Can MLS and basketball share the same arena if it's designed well? Maybe they can come up with something to get the US Bank arena financed to host MLS, the final four or more.

 

The NCAA schedules the Final Four in indoor football stadiums... but that is the only time that basketball "works" in the football/soccer sized facility. No NBA (or college basketball) team would ever want to play a full season in football sized stadium. The seats end up being too far away from the court, and you'd barely fill 1/4 of the seats for a typical game.

Second largest in the US/Canada.

 

Yet nobody knows any of the players' names, just like a Cyclones game.  If this team isn't accepted to MLS, look for attendance to drift downward. 

Second largest in the US/Canada.

 

Yet nobody knows any of the players' names, just like a Cyclones game. 

 

Actually plenty of people are well aware of who the players are and their names. Several banners, songs, and chants about many of them. Not to mention the regular mainstream sports coverage as well as an entire podcast produced by others that discusses the team in depth. What FCC has going is quite a bit different than the Cyclones, come check it out sometime.

Can MLS and basketball share the same arena if it's designed well? Maybe they can come up with something to get the US Bank arena financed to host MLS, the final four or more.

 

The NCAA schedules the Final Four in indoor football stadiums... but that is the only time that basketball "works" in the football/soccer sized facility. No NBA (or college basketball) team would ever want to play a full season in football sized stadium. The seats end up being too far away from the court, and you'd barely fill 1/4 of the seats for a typical game.

 

 

Don't tell that to Syracuse. I think they like their dome.

Yeah, no. It honestly sounds like your not much of a fan honestly, which is fine.

 

If you ever go to the games you'll realize how knowledgeable FCC fans are. You really should come to the games sometimes if you haven't already. It's faaaaaar from the cyclones. Their is a growing passion and interest for soccer. Hockey is just really irrelevant in general of a sport if your not from the northern states/east coast.

Second largest in the US/Canada.

 

Yet nobody knows any of the players' names, just like a Cyclones game.  If this team isn't accepted to MLS, look for attendance to drift downward.

 

I don't disagree that attendance would drift downward if MLS was completely off the table. But that's not what's bringing everyone to the games. And I guarantee I can name more FC Cincinnati players than Reds players or Bengals players.

FC Cincinnati's Djiby Fall suspended for 'major game misconduct'

 

In the wake of a biting accusation stemming from Saturday's Futbol Club Cincinnati-Louisville City FC match, a United Soccer League disciplinary panel handed down Wednesday two fines and a combined six-game suspension for FC Cincinnati striker Djiby Fall.

 

Djiby, who was accused post-match by Louisville City head coach James O'Connor of biting Louisville midfielder Niall McCabe, was assessed a five-game suspension and fine for what the USL Disciplinary Panel termed in its weekly discipline report as "major game misconduct."

 

Cont

FC Cincinnati moves up the charts in MLS expansion race

 

It’s been three months since FC Cincinnati submitted its application for an expansion team in Major League Soccer. Competition is fierce. It was one of a dozen cities to turn in a bid.

 

Since then, some cities’ bids have run into trouble. That bodes well for FC Cincinnati, which continues on its strong path to expansion. It’s time to revisit where FC Cincinnati stacks up in the high-stakes battle for one of four expansion bids MLS will award starting this year.

 

First, some quick background:

 

FC Cincinnati started out as one of the clear frontrunners in the high-stakes battle. Most observers had FC Cincinnati at least in the top four. That’s based largely on the overwhelming attendance success the club enjoyed in its inaugural season last year.

 

Cont

That seemed to cast our chances in a very positive light. Stadium plan being the last legitimate concern (market size being the only other slight concern.)

That seemed to cast our chances in a very positive light. Stadium plan being the last legitimate concern (market size being the only other slight concern.)

 

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in some MLS meetings about expansions. Granted, I'm inherinently bias towards Cincinnati, but while our media market size may not move the needle much for television ratings, the support here is unbelievable. Confirm that MLS is a certainty and I think that support will stay just as strong if not go up even more.

 

At the same time though, I can see the value in adding a market like San Diego or Tampa. Those areas move the needle and I don't think Tampa's middle of the road attendance is a good indicator. If the squad goes to the top level and has a modern stadium, I think people will show up.

 

That being said, I think Tampa's stadium plan is both unrealistic and a poor design, even if it looks nice visually. Their owner is also kind of an asshole with some questionable business dealings.

 

Interestingly enough, the author of the above article failed to mention Detroit and Indianapolis. Indy's run into some trouble with their bid, but Detroit still has life left in it.

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/05/17/here-s-where-fc-cincinnati-s-attendance-would-rank.html?ana=twt

 

Average attendance of 19,534/game puts FC Cincinnati at the top of the USL attendance charts (more than double all teams except Sacramento which averages ~11k/game). Compared to MLS teams, we would be 11 out of 22. Columbus Crew has the lowest attendance in the MLS, averaging 13,090/game.

 

http://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2017-mls-attendance/

 

One other interesting tidbit: average ticket price at FC Cincinnati games is $18 while MLS average is $27.

 

I'm actually surprised the price gap isn't larger. I suspect it's because FC Cincinnati is able to sell suites at Nippert at a pretty high price. That allows them to offset the cheaper tickets sold elsewhere in Nippert. You can buy $10 general admission tickets, which makes it almost as cheap as going to a movie.

^ I wonder if FC Cincinnati hurts Columbus attendance at all?

I seriously doubt it has had a large negative impact. Maybe there are some people who used to drive to Columbus and now stay in Cincinnati, but I suspect at most that's a few hundred. If you were a hardcore Crew fan, then you probably still make the drive.

 

And on the other hand, simply having more people excited about soccer in Cincinnati should be a *good* thing for attendance in Columbus. Long term, I think Columbus attendance would be boosted if/when FC Cincinnati joins the MLS.

FCC defeated AFC Cleveland in the US Open Cup, advancing to the third round. We host Louisville City FC at Nippert Stadium on Wednesday, May 31. Season ticket holders get first access to their seats. At 9am on next Tuesday, any seats held by season ticket holders who don't purchase for this game will be released to the general public. Tickets are not included for this match.

 

The winner of the FCC/LCFC match goes on to play the Columbus Crew on June 13 or 14. A coin flip around 12:30 today will determine who plays at home for that game.

The Crew lost the coin toss and will play in either Cincinnati or Louisville.