Professional Sports Team Ownership

[ita]

I am only throwing this out there hypothetically. I know we have a very low chance to get a major professional sports team anytime soon, but I know people have clamored for one over the year. If we got one, who would be the owner? A lot of sports teams are owned by a local rich family or individual. I know Minnesota Timberwolves are being sold to an investment group and there are others owned by entities or a group of investors. Regardless, who in Omaha would be a potential team owner? I don't know of any local rich (enough) dudes/dudettes that would want to own a sports team. Whenever someone talks about bringing a sports team, there is are no rich names attached to said potential teams.

[Brad]

The Rickets already own the Chicago cubs.

[ita]

The Rickets already own the Chicago cubs.

Ah, you're right! How could I forget about the Ricketts's.

[NEDodger]

Brad Williams

[Brad]

Brad Williams

Maybe a 40+ slow pitch softball team.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Brad Williams

Maybe a 40+ slow pitch softball team.

Barely over 40+ and fast pitch might be a better draw ..

In any case, there is big business money in this metropolitan area.. A fantastic philanthropist community (just look at the Riverfront Redevelopment Plan underway downtown)..

Sadly though, there just doesn’t seem to be enough juice or enthusiasm within the business/philanthropy community for real, major league sports here. NFL and MLB are definite No’s.. NBA is an extremely remote possibility.. NHL hockey might be the best “chance” out of the “Big 4”..

Honestly, I don’t see a shred of chance for any in Omaha..At least within this decade…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Linkin5]

Never say never. OKC and Memphis aren’t much bigger than Omaha and recently got their teams. Definitely not likely but not impossible.

[iamjacobm]

Never say never. OKC and Memphis aren’t much bigger than Omaha and recently got their teams. Definitely not likely but not impossible.

I agree never say never, but the sports franchise market is wild. It's still crazy to me that the Ricketts got the Cubs for only $900 million, I believe they are worth well over $3 billion now. Insane valuation returns in a decade for sports franchise owners, to get one started will take a lot. Not sure there is much of an appetite for expansion either, but you never know.

[nebport5]

I think MLS would be the best chance although not in the big four. Sacramento seems to be out on their bid but Omaha would still have to beat out Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Diego. Yes, ultimately it starts with a benevolent potential owner.

[Cermak]

Omaha is one of the larger metros with no big 4 sports teams. But KC which has two is not that far away. I just don’t see Omaha getting any , the NHL is a slight possibility. No doubt we could support a NFL team, but I don’t think they would be interested in Omaha, the metro population is less than 1.5 million, the TV market is to small, and it’s to close to KC. If we had another 200-300 thousand more people I would think we might have a shot at an NBA team.

[omaha79]

Omaha is one of the larger metros with no big 4 sports teams. But KC which has two is not that far away. I just don’t see Omaha getting any , the NHL is a slight possibility. No doubt we could support a NFL team, but I don’t think they would be interested in Omaha, the metro population is less than 1.5 million, the TV market is to small, and it’s to close to KC. If we had another 200-300 thousand more people I would think we might have a shot at an NBA team.

Omaha is interesting. The national perception is that we are a college and event town. We do not consistently support the minor league sports we've had over the years. All of our focus, energy, and dollars seem to go to Nebraska athletics, Creighton athletics, and the CWS in that order.

So, it becomes a chicken and egg sort of thing. Why would a smart businessman want to invest their own money into an iffy proposition. We've consistently been in the bottom 1/3 of AAA baseball attendance, even with a new ballpark. We only average 5k for baseball in good years. You'd need about 25k per game in that sport. NFL would never happen. MLS? Maybe, but even though Union has been great, they've only drawn a few thousand a game. Teams like Cincy that moved to MLS were absolutely crushing attendance prior to getting a MLS franchise. St. Louis had great USL attendance as well. NHL is niche, like MLS, but you'd need to draw about 18-20k a game to make the financials work. Even with a new arena and decent team, UNO hockey has been in the 6k range for many years. That interest level is pretty well defined. I don't see that going to 18k overnight at ticket prices that would average triple what UNO costs. Our foray into minor league hockey failed spectacularly in the mid 00's...for many reasons, not just including lack of interest.

We want our sports to be good and cheap. We want a high level of competition on a beer budget. Frankly, I can't see us getting triple the attendance on these sports for a cost that's triple the price. The sticker shock on tickets and parking in this city would be insane. Yes, there would be a bump. As an event town, some people would go, at least initially, because it's "the thing to do". But, once it wears off, Omaha would fail as a pro sports town, sadly.

[Louie]

Omaha is one of the larger metros with no big 4 sports teams. But KC which has two is not that far away. I just don’t see Omaha getting any , the NHL is a slight possibility. No doubt we could support a NFL team, but I don’t think they would be interested in Omaha, the metro population is less than 1.5 million, the TV market is to small, and it’s to close to KC. If we had another 200-300 thousand more people I would think we might have a shot at an NBA team.

Omaha is interesting. The national perception is that we are a college and event town. We do not consistently support the minor league sports we've had over the years. All of our focus, energy, and dollars seem to go to Nebraska athletics, Creighton athletics, and the CWS in that order.

So, it becomes a chicken and egg sort of thing. Why would a smart businessman want to invest their own money into an iffy proposition. We've consistently been in the bottom 1/3 of AAA baseball attendance, even with a new ballpark. We only average 5k for baseball in good years. You'd need about 25k per game in that sport. NFL would never happen. MLS? Maybe, but even though Union has been great, they've only drawn a few thousand a game. Teams like Cincy that moved to MLS were absolutely crushing attendance prior to getting a MLS franchise. St. Louis had great USL attendance as well. NHL is niche, like MLS, but you'd need to draw about 18-20k a game to make the financials work. Even with a new arena and decent team, UNO hockey has been in the 6k range for many years. That interest level is pretty well defined. I don't see that going to 18k overnight at ticket prices that would average triple what UNO costs. Our foray into minor league hockey failed spectacularly in the mid 00's...for many reasons, not just including lack of interest.

We want our sports to be good and cheap. We want a high level of competition on a beer budget. Frankly, I can't see us getting triple the attendance on these sports for a cost that's triple the price. The sticker shock on tickets and parking in this city would be insane. Yes, there would be a bump. As an event town, some people would go, at least initially, because it's "the thing to do". But, once it wears off, Omaha would fail as a pro sports town, sadly.

I think this is the best assessment of the situation. And currently, there are a lot of sports options to fill most of the pro sports void. I don't think its an entirely necessary feature of a thriving metro. Plus we have enough arenas and stadiums that we have to support, no doubt a new facility would be part of a professional sports pitch.

[omaha79]

Omaha is one of the larger metros with no big 4 sports teams. But KC which has two is not that far away. I just don’t see Omaha getting any , the NHL is a slight possibility. No doubt we could support a NFL team, but I don’t think they would be interested in Omaha, the metro population is less than 1.5 million, the TV market is to small, and it’s to close to KC. If we had another 200-300 thousand more people I would think we might have a shot at an NBA team.

Omaha is interesting. The national perception is that we are a college and event town. We do not consistently support the minor league sports we've had over the years. All of our focus, energy, and dollars seem to go to Nebraska athletics, Creighton athletics, and the CWS in that order.

So, it becomes a chicken and egg sort of thing. Why would a smart businessman want to invest their own money into an iffy proposition. We've consistently been in the bottom 1/3 of AAA baseball attendance, even with a new ballpark. We only average 5k for baseball in good years. You'd need about 25k per game in that sport. NFL would never happen. MLS? Maybe, but even though Union has been great, they've only drawn a few thousand a game. Teams like Cincy that moved to MLS were absolutely crushing attendance prior to getting a MLS franchise. St. Louis had great USL attendance as well. NHL is niche, like MLS, but you'd need to draw about 18-20k a game to make the financials work. Even with a new arena and decent team, UNO hockey has been in the 6k range for many years. That interest level is pretty well defined. I don't see that going to 18k overnight at ticket prices that would average triple what UNO costs. Our foray into minor league hockey failed spectacularly in the mid 00's...for many reasons, not just including lack of interest.

We want our sports to be good and cheap. We want a high level of competition on a beer budget. Frankly, I can't see us getting triple the attendance on these sports for a cost that's triple the price. The sticker shock on tickets and parking in this city would be insane. Yes, there would be a bump. As an event town, some people would go, at least initially, because it's "the thing to do". But, once it wears off, Omaha would fail as a pro sports town, sadly.

I think this is the best assessment of the situation. And currently, there are a lot of sports options to fill most of the pro sports void. I don't think its an entirely necessary feature of a thriving metro. Plus we have enough arenas and stadiums that we have to support, no doubt a new facility would be part of a professional sports pitch.

Agree. You hit on the dagger in all this that I forgot to mention. No NHL or NBA team would move into the CHI Center. They'd want a brand new arena that's nearly 20k for NBA or 18k for NHL. We are at, I believe, 17k for baskeball and 15k for hockey. That's simply not big enough. Back in 2001, we had the opportunity to build something that was expandable up to that size space, but opted not to to save money. Ultimately, that was the fiscally responsible choice, but the powers that be essentially made the choice with that decision that Omaha would not become a NBA or NHL city. And, since the CHI center was built, there were many other bigger and more modern facilities built in bigger metro areas that would be ahead of Omaha for those leagues. Talk to KC about what chasing the NHL and NBA often amounts to. If KC couldn't get a franchise in either league with the Sprint Center, we stand zero chance to get one with the CHI Center. there is nothing wrong with the CHI Center for what it is, but it's just not a NBA or NHL building. Once the 2006 expansion of the North balcony was added, the facility was essentially capped in terms of size forever. There is nowhere they can go with it that I'm aware of.

We shouldn't and probably cannot build a new arena/convention center in the next 20-30 years. Someday, the CHI will be beyond its useful life, but it's not really quite even middle age yet. Any conversation about NBA or NHL is likely 20-25 years away based on facilities alone.

A new MLS sized facility could be an easier sell. It could house both the MLS team, and maybe Union if they chose to keep their USL team in the same town. That would give it use along with things like the state tournament. But again, we'd be way behind several other bigger cities for a franchise and we don't have that soccer cache. Ultimately, it takes a committed ownership group to get behind it and build it. St. Louis is considered the cradle of soccer in the midwest and it took them decades to find an ownership group committed enough to get a downtown stadium built and a franchise awarded...and even that probably only happened as a response to the city losing the NFL and not wanting to be relegated to only having 2 teams. The money was there and just got redirected towards MLS basically.

[nebport5]

Omaha79,

you make many good points, particularly with what would likely go against a sound financial investment. However, in terms of the existing sports that are played at Werner Park I still believe attendance could be better in a more urban location than Sarpy County. I think this is particularly true with soccer as I believe more people on the Eastern side of O are more likely to already support the sport and thus more likely to regularly attend games. Yes, there are plenty off baseball fans closer to Werner Park but If I still lived in DTO I would've enjoyed attending Storm Chaser games had they decided make TD Stadium their home. Driving out to Sarpy for a Storm Chaser game? Probably not. I much prefer soccer to baseball personally. However, it again comes down to location. Living DT I'd still prefer watching a Creighton game most of the time over making the trek out to see the Union. I realize not all here are going to share this opinion but I think an awful lot of people living east of 72nd St would concur.

[ita]

I appreciate the discussion on this topic. There are definitely a lot of considerations with trying to get a professional sports team. Ownership, new facilities, TV markets all come into play. My personal dream would be landing an NBA team. I think it hits the sweet spot for attendance and TV market. I think Omaha is blacked out for Denver and Minneapolis games. Further with KC relatively close, we would be the team for the region. But that's a far reach with other markets like Seattle and Vegas that the NBA would more likely want to relocate a team or expand into.

I know CHI is not NBA ready, but the capacity places it right in the thick of NBA arena capacities, about 18,000. It's more likely that new facilities would be needed, so that point is likely moot.

Last personal opinion, I don't think you can compare professional versus semi-professional sports attendance, fandom, etc. I don't think college and semi-pro are comparable either. There are so many factors to be considered as to why pro and college having better attendance, support, money, than semi-pro. With college teams you have legacy, alumni, culture all tied in, while professional sports has its own advantages over semi-pro leagues including talent, marketing, and perception. If you don't think people will pay up for a professional team, look at Nebraska Football or the prices at Werner Park. If you look at midmarket NBA team tickets, like Denver or New Orleans, their ticket prices are a lot more affordable. I have been wanting to go to a Union game, but at $50/ticket (I have 4 kids), that is too expensive, in my mind, for a semi-pro team.

[omaha79]

Omaha79,

you make many good points, particularly with what would likely go against a sound financial investment. However, in terms of the existing sports that are played at Werner Park I still believe attendance could be better in a more urban location than Sarpy County. I think this is particularly true with soccer as I believe more people on the Eastern side of O are more likely to already support the sport and thus more likely to regularly attend games. Yes, there are plenty off baseball fans closer to Werner Park but If I still lived in DTO I would've enjoyed attending Storm Chaser games had they decided make TD Stadium their home. Driving out to Sarpy for a Storm Chaser game? Probably not. I much prefer soccer to baseball personally. However, it again comes down to location. Living DT I'd still prefer watching a Creighton game most of the time over making the trek out to see the Union. I realize not all here are going to share this opinion but I think an awful lot of people living east of 72nd St would concur.

I do get the suburban vs. urban sentiment. But, it still comes down to butts in seats. We still have been in the bottom 1/3 of MILB attendance. We used to have a more urban setting in Rosenblatt and the attendance hasn't significantly changed with the franchise being on the East side of town or the West.

Overall, I do have a hard time with the reluctance of some fans in this town to not attend events if it's not right outside their door. It is somewhat of an epidemic and the territoriality of East Omaha people vs. West Omaha People is tiring to me and has been divisive for decades. I live in Bellevue. Nothing is really close to me. But, with the interstate system, I can be Werner Park from my house near Offut within 20 minutes unless I leave during rush hour.

Ultimately, it comes down to commitment. People either see things as a priority or they don't. People will sit in traffic for hours to watch Nebraska football lose an hour away. The fact so many won't drive 15-20 minutes to watch baseball or soccer out at Werner is telling to me. And, it's the same in the other way. If this stuff was downtown, you'd have the West O people saying the same things about it being "too far" from their house to go.

I think you'd see a slight bump in soccer attendance if it was downtown. I do. But, I don't know how significant it would be. I think the bigger aspect is actually having a soccer specific facility. Many just don't want to watch soccer in a baseball stadium. If Gary Green really wants to grow this, they will eventually need a stadium for Union. It would likely be downtown at that point. Having it in a ballpark is the epitome of a minor league feel. But, even when there was a game downtown, on a perfect fall evening, it wasn't sold out. But, it was up against the 800 lb elephant in the room...Nebraska football.

[Greg S]

I just don't see it in my lifetime. First thing is the population. With the exception of Green Bay (and they only have a team because they were with the NFL when it started), there is no US market as small as Omaha with a team. The other thing is facilities.

I think we'd have to build a new facility. I don't think you could retro fit enough suites and club seating for an NHL or NBA team.

Greg

[omaha79]

I appreciate the discussion on this topic. There are definitely a lot of considerations with trying to get a professional sports team. Ownership, new facilities, TV markets all come into play. My personally dream would be landing an NBA team. I think it hits the sweet spot for attendance and TV market. I think Omaha is blacked out for Denver and Minneapolis games. Further with KC relatively close, we would be [italics]team[/italics] for the region. But that's a far reach with other markets like Seattle that the NBA would more likely want to relocate a team or expand into.

I know CHI is not NBA ready, but the capacity places it right in the thick of NBA arena capacities, about 18,000. It's more likely that new facilities would be needed, so that point is likely moot.

Last personal opinion, I don't think you can compare professional versus semi-professional sports attendance, fandom, etc. I don't think college and semi-pro are comparable either. There are so many factors to be considered as to why pro and college having better attendance, support, money, than semi-pro. With college teams you have legacy, alumni, culture all tied in, while professional sports has its own advantages over semi-pro leagues including talent, marketing, and perception. If you don't think people will pay up for a professional team, look at Nebraska Football or the prices at Werner Park. If you look at midmarket NBA team tickets, like Denver or New Orleans, their ticket prices are a lot more affordable. I have been wanting to go to a Union game, but at $50/ticket (I have 4 kids), that is too expensive, in my mind, for a semi-pro team.

I wouldn't call Union or the Storm Chasers semi pro. Per established accepted understanding on these organizations, these are both professional sports teams. But, I think what you're ultimately describing is exactly what I'm talking about and epitomizes the mentality of "Omaha Sports fan". You're seeing these offerings as lesser than. Semi Pro. You want the real deal or it's not worth your time.

Union games haven't been $50 a ticket. There have been numerous deals all year. I think face may be $15-$20 depending on where you sit, but I've seen packages and bundles. I've seen a 1620 the Zone deal for 4 tickets for $16.20! But, people still haven't been showing up in droves. Now, you move to MLS and you're going to see $50 prices for tickets per match.

If we want next level, we ultimately have to support what we have. Granted, Union is a level down in USL League 1, but in USL Championship, Cincinnati started their team in 2016. They averaged 17k in their first year. That quickly ballooned to 21k. They positioned their fanbase and city as a slam dunk to the league. Even St. Louis averaged 5k per match at a suburban soccer complex with with St. Louis FC. That would be nearly double what Omaha has averaged. Then, they had an ownership group commit to a stadium largely with private money. There is nothing about what Omaha has done from an interest perspective that would position us as a slam dunk to any league.

And, even with the Storm Chasers, I don't expect AAA baseball to draw like MLB, but it's been established over 50 plus years that there is only consistently about 5,000 people willing to watch this product. Other cities, even colder weather cities like St. Paul and Des Moines consistently draw better for the same product as we do.

As long as our residents treat the things we have as niche, lesser than, and something to do only as an ancillary entertainment choice, we won't be seriously considered for anything more substantial, nor should we be.

[nebport5]

Omaha79,

you make many good points, particularly with what would likely go against a sound financial investment. However, in terms of the existing sports that are played at Werner Park I still believe attendance could be better in a more urban location than Sarpy County. I think this is particularly true with soccer as I believe more people on the Eastern side of O are more likely to already support the sport and thus more likely to regularly attend games. Yes, there are plenty off baseball fans closer to Werner Park but If I still lived in DTO I would've enjoyed attending Storm Chaser games had they decided make TD Stadium their home. Driving out to Sarpy for a Storm Chaser game? Probably not. I much prefer soccer to baseball personally. However, it again comes down to location. Living DT I'd still prefer watching a Creighton game most of the time over making the trek out to see the Union. I realize not all here are going to share this opinion but I think an awful lot of people living east of 72nd St would concur.

I do get the suburban vs. urban sentiment. But, it still comes down to butts in seats. We still have been in the bottom 1/3 of MILB attendance. We used to have a more urban setting in Rosenblatt and the attendance hasn't significantly changed with the franchise being on the East side of town or the West.

Overall, I do have a hard time with the reluctance of some fans in this town to not attend events if it's not right outside their door. It is somewhat of an epidemic and the territoriality of East Omaha people vs. West Omaha People is tiring to me and has been divisive for decades. I live in Bellevue. Nothing is really close to me. But, with the interstate system, I can be Werner Park from my house near Offut within 20 minutes unless I leave during rush hour.

Ultimately, it comes down to commitment. People either see things as a priority or they don't. People will sit in traffic for hours to watch Nebraska football lose an hour away. The fact so many won't drive 15-20 minutes to watch baseball or soccer out at Werner is telling to me. And, it's the same in the other way. If this stuff was downtown, you'd have the West O people saying the same things about it being "too far" from their house to go.

I think you'd see a slight bump in soccer attendance if it was downtown. I do. But, I don't know how significant it would be. I think the bigger aspect is actually having a soccer specific facility. Many just don't want to watch soccer in a baseball stadium. If Gary Green really wants to grow this, they will eventually need a stadium for Union. It would likely be downtown at that point. Having it in a ballpark is the epitome of a minor league feel.

Isn't part of the appeal of living out in West O/Sarpy(in a new subdivision with no trees) because "it's a great place to raise a family"? Families with kids have their own sports and extracurricular activities that limit how much they are going to attend games at Werner. If I'm an empty nester in my 20s and 30s Eastern O seems a he!! of a lot more culturally interesting. I don't have any numbers to back this up but these folks would have in theory much more time to attend professional sports. I agree those really dedicated to a particular team should make the trip one way or another regardless of an east or west location. Ultimately, aren't we assuming these people already are going beyond their own backyards but yet, it's the other people needed to boost attendance numbers that are the bigger X factor?

Yes, Rosenblatt was east...but hard to compare an antiquated old stadium vs. the shiny new TD diamond .


As for the East vs. West, I somewhat agree in concept "a win is a win for Omaha" no matter the location. Still, as often discussed in so many other threads the lack of city leadership to further urbanize the urban core will continue this divide. The more white flight continues to shorten the commute to Husker games the more I want to say F the burbs!

[buildomaha]

I think Omaha will fare perfectly fine without a pro sports team. They suck tax dollars away from other useful programs (like transport that we already don’t spend enough on here). I think the city is developing a character and pride without the pro sports team to drive it.

[bigredmed1]

I think Omaha will fare perfectly fine without a pro sports team. They suck tax dollars away from other useful programs (like transport that we already don’t spend enough on here). I think the city is developing a character and pride without the pro sports team to drive it.

Yep. Sports teams are millionaires playing a children’s game for billionaires and bleeding the worker bees for tax money. We would be better off continuing as you said, build up useful assets.

[NEDodger]

As much as it would be cool to see an NBA/NHL team here.....either would go to Kansas City first. They've got us beat on population, TV market, etc.. There's just simply no reason to put a major sport in Omaha over Kansas City.

[SunMan]

I don't get the semi pro reference. All the players are paid, not some of them. They're pros but at the minor league level. Union Omaha is averaging around 3,300 fans per match. It may not sound like a lot but it does lead the league in attendance.

[Padre]

I don't get the semi pro reference. All the players are paid, not some of them. They're pros but at the minor league level. Union Omaha is averaging around 3,300 fans per match. It may not sound like a lot but it does lead the league in attendance.

Semi pro usually refers to players who are getting paid, but not enough to make it their full time job. Whether or not this applies to Union Omaha I don’t know.

[bigredmed1]

As much as it would be cool to see an NBA/NHL team here.....either would go to Kansas City first. They've got us beat on population, TV market, etc.. There's just simply no reason to put a major sport in Omaha over Kansas City.

And KCMO couldn’t support the Sharks’ farm team. Don’t think they would be the greatest hockey town. The NBA team that we shared with them is now in Sacramento. Honestly, as a kid in Jr High, even I could tell why it bombed in Omaha. Most of the Omaha games were on Tuesdays and this is a family town with lots of kids who have homework and exams to prepare for. KC got the weekend games and even that couldn’t keep it going for the Kings.

[omaha79]

I don't get the semi pro reference. All the players are paid, not some of them. They're pros but at the minor league level. Union Omaha is averaging around 3,300 fans per match. It may not sound like a lot but it does lead the league in attendance.

Semi pro usually refers to players who are getting paid, but not enough to make it their full time job. Whether or not this applies to Union Omaha I don’t know.

I think it's a misnomer to call them "semi-pro". This isn't the Omaha Beef, which I would absolutely quantify as a semi-pro team. Those players make a couple hundred bucks a game. My understanding is that Union Omaha players make an annual salary. It's not huge, but something closer in line with minor league baseball on average. It is regarded as a professional team as much as the Omaha Storm Chasers would be. They aren't just getting beer money to show up for the game and then go back to their job at Wal-Mart the next day.

[Greg S]

As much as it would be cool to see an NBA/NHL team here.....either would go to Kansas City first. They've got us beat on population, TV market, etc.. There's just simply no reason to put a major sport in Omaha over Kansas City.

And KCMO couldn’t support the Sharks’ farm team. Don’t think they would be the greatest hockey town. The NBA team that we shared with them is now in Sacramento. Honestly, as a kid in Jr High, even I could tell why it bombed in Omaha. Most of the Omaha games were on Tuesdays and this is a family town with lots of kids who have homework and exams to prepare for. KC got the weekend games and even that couldn’t keep it going for the Kings.

Actually KC did support the Sharks team. The problem was the AHL and the IHL (which the Blades played in) merged. The IHL allowed owners to own more than one team. The owner of the Blades owned more than one team (the other being in Michigan and was doing well affiliated with the Wings) so he had to dump the Blades.

Greg

[Greg S]

I don't get the semi pro reference. All the players are paid, not some of them. They're pros but at the minor league level. Union Omaha is averaging around 3,300 fans per match. It may not sound like a lot but it does lead the league in attendance.

Semi pro usually refers to players who are getting paid, but not enough to make it their full time job. Whether or not this applies to Union Omaha I don’t know.

I think it's a misnomer to call them "semi-pro". This isn't the Omaha Beef, which I would absolutely quantify as a semi-pro team. Those players make a couple hundred bucks a game. My understanding is that Union Omaha players make an annual salary. It's not huge, but something closer in line with minor league baseball on average. It is regarded as a professional team as much as the Omaha Storm Chasers would be. They aren't just getting beer money to show up for the game and then go back to their job at Wal-Mart the next day.

Union Omaha is not as far up the food chain as the Chasers. They don't play at the level just below MLS, there is at least one level between them and the MLS. Also they are an unaffiliated team. The Chasers players are paid for by the Royals (and next season their housing will be paid by the Royals too). You see players all the time going from Omaha to KC, and KC players rehabbing in Omaha. Union is not at this level.

Greg

[omaha79]

I don't get the semi pro reference. All the players are paid, not some of them. They're pros but at the minor league level. Union Omaha is averaging around 3,300 fans per match. It may not sound like a lot but it does lead the league in attendance.

Semi pro usually refers to players who are getting paid, but not enough to make it their full time job. Whether or not this applies to Union Omaha I don’t know.

I think it's a misnomer to call them "semi-pro". This isn't the Omaha Beef, which I would absolutely quantify as a semi-pro team. Those players make a couple hundred bucks a game. My understanding is that Union Omaha players make an annual salary. It's not huge, but something closer in line with minor league baseball on average. It is regarded as a professional team as much as the Omaha Storm Chasers would be. They aren't just getting beer money to show up for the game and then go back to their job at Wal-Mart the next day.

Union Omaha is not as far up the food chain as the Chasers. They don't play at the level just below MLS, there is at least one level between them and the MLS. Also they are an unaffiliated team. The Chasers players are paid for by the Royals (and next season their housing will be paid by the Royals too). You see players all the time going from Omaha to KC, and KC players rehabbing in Omaha. Union is not at this level.

Greg

Yes. I'm aware of the level Union is at. Whether you want to call it AA or AAA soccer, it is mostly semantics. And, the same idea still holds that this is a professional team and much more akin to minior league baseball than something like the Omaha Beef who are weekend warriors playing for beer money. That's the definition of "semi-pro".

And, being an unaffiliated team is an active choice, and one that has served them well, I might add. I directly spoke to Gary Green about this and he said they were a heartbeat away from an announcement that they were going to be affiliated with Sporting KC; however, it didn't fit for either side. Sporting was struggling with the whole Swope Park Rangers model and deciding what they wanted to do moving forward. They moved that franchise to Childrens Mercy Park for 2019.

Ultimately, Sporting saw value in having larger practices and the ability to have the entire squad together. And, Union wanted the ability to sign whoever they wanted including former UNO and Creighton players. They would not have had that opportunity as an affiliated team. Look at the squad they've put together. They've basically dominated USL League 1 for 2 seasons. They would have had very little control over any player personnel decisions as an affiliated squad and likely would have been middle of the pack, at best, in the league.

USL League 1 remains a hybrid though. It has both similarities and differences from AAA baseball. So, you can't quite even call it AA soccer either. You still have Omaha competing against MLS affiliated teams like Toronto II, Ft. Lauderdale, and New England Revolution II.

Basically, the bigger difference between USL Championship and USL League 1 is stadiums almost a bit more than competitive level. USL Championship basically mandates soccer specific stadiums only...no minor league ballparks. Omaha had an opportunity to enter as a USL Championship franchise, but only if they had a dedicated soccer facility (which would have included if they played at Morrison or Caniglia), but the ownership situation being what it is, with Green having control of revenues more at Werner Park, they chose to be in USL League 1. But, the competition between USL Championship and USL League 1 isn't really as far off as one might think.

[WBR_Tom]

Just so happened to see this tweet featuring a graph of team-by-team attendance for USL Championship and USL League One teams and it made me think of this thread. Union Omaha did indeed lead League One in attendance; the numbers themselves don't sound like a ton, but look at the size of the stadiums in League One -- with a couple of exceptions they're mostly similar-sized places and Union Omaha was (I think) second in percentage of capacity sold. Forward Madison FC is the outlier, with a smaller stadium that they sell out pretty much every match.

[Louie]

Just so happened to see this tweet featuring a graph of team-by-team attendance for USL Championship and USL League One teams and it made me think of this thread. Union Omaha did indeed lead League One in attendance; the numbers themselves don't sound like a ton, but look at the size of the stadiums in League One -- with a couple of exceptions they're mostly similar-sized places and Union Omaha was (I think) second in percentage of capacity sold. Forward Madison FC is the outlier, with a smaller stadium that they sell out pretty much every match.

That's promising. At least they are towards the top of their respective league.

[Greg S]

I don't get the semi pro reference. All the players are paid, not some of them. They're pros but at the minor league level. Union Omaha is averaging around 3,300 fans per match. It may not sound like a lot but it does lead the league in attendance.

Semi pro usually refers to players who are getting paid, but not enough to make it their full time job. Whether or not this applies to Union Omaha I don’t know.

I think it's a misnomer to call them "semi-pro". This isn't the Omaha Beef, which I would absolutely quantify as a semi-pro team. Those players make a couple hundred bucks a game. My understanding is that Union Omaha players make an annual salary. It's not huge, but something closer in line with minor league baseball on average. It is regarded as a professional team as much as the Omaha Storm Chasers would be. They aren't just getting beer money to show up for the game and then go back to their job at Wal-Mart the next day.

Union Omaha is not as far up the food chain as the Chasers. They don't play at the level just below MLS, there is at least one level between them and the MLS. Also they are an unaffiliated team. The Chasers players are paid for by the Royals (and next season their housing will be paid by the Royals too). You see players all the time going from Omaha to KC, and KC players rehabbing in Omaha. Union is not at this level.

Greg

Yes. I'm aware of the level Union is at. Whether you want to call it AA or AAA soccer, it is mostly semantics. And, the same idea still holds that this is a professional team and much more akin to minior league baseball than something like the Omaha Beef who are weekend warriors playing for beer money. That's the definition of "semi-pro".

And, being an unaffiliated team is an active choice, and one that has served them well, I might add. I directly spoke to Gary Green about this and he said they were a heartbeat away from an announcement that they were going to be affiliated with Sporting KC; however, it didn't fit for either side. Sporting was struggling with the whole Swope Park Rangers model and deciding what they wanted to do moving forward. They moved that franchise to Childrens Mercy Park for 2019.

Ultimately, Sporting saw value in having larger practices and the ability to have the entire squad together. And, Union wanted the ability to sign whoever they wanted including former UNO and Creighton players. They would not have had that opportunity as an affiliated team. Look at the squad they've put together. They've basically dominated USL League 1 for 2 seasons. They would have had very little control over any player personnel decisions as an affiliated squad and likely would have been middle of the pack, at best, in the league.

USL League 1 remains a hybrid though. It has both similarities and differences from AAA baseball. So, you can't quite even call it AA soccer either. You still have Omaha competing against MLS affiliated teams like Toronto II, Ft. Lauderdale, and New England Revolution II.

Basically, the bigger difference between USL Championship and USL League 1 is stadiums almost a bit more than competitive level. USL Championship basically mandates soccer specific stadiums only...no minor league ballparks. Omaha had an opportunity to enter as a USL Championship franchise, but only if they had a dedicated soccer facility (which would have included if they played at Morrison or Caniglia), but the ownership situation being what it is, with Green having control of revenues more at Werner Park, they chose to be in USL League 1. But, the competition between USL Championship and USL League 1 isn't really as far off as one might think.

I think it's a bit of a stretch to say Union is AAA. How many of their players have been called up in the last 2 years to the MLS?

Greg

[omaha79]

I don't get the semi pro reference. All the players are paid, not some of them. They're pros but at the minor league level. Union Omaha is averaging around 3,300 fans per match. It may not sound like a lot but it does lead the league in attendance.

Semi pro usually refers to players who are getting paid, but not enough to make it their full time job. Whether or not this applies to Union Omaha I don’t know.

I think it's a misnomer to call them "semi-pro". This isn't the Omaha Beef, which I would absolutely quantify as a semi-pro team. Those players make a couple hundred bucks a game. My understanding is that Union Omaha players make an annual salary. It's not huge, but something closer in line with minor league baseball on average. It is regarded as a professional team as much as the Omaha Storm Chasers would be. They aren't just getting beer money to show up for the game and then go back to their job at Wal-Mart the next day.

Union Omaha is not as far up the food chain as the Chasers. They don't play at the level just below MLS, there is at least one level between them and the MLS. Also they are an unaffiliated team. The Chasers players are paid for by the Royals (and next season their housing will be paid by the Royals too). You see players all the time going from Omaha to KC, and KC players rehabbing in Omaha. Union is not at this level.

Greg

Yes. I'm aware of the level Union is at. Whether you want to call it AA or AAA soccer, it is mostly semantics. And, the same idea still holds that this is a professional team and much more akin to minior league baseball than something like the Omaha Beef who are weekend warriors playing for beer money. That's the definition of "semi-pro".

And, being an unaffiliated team is an active choice, and one that has served them well, I might add. I directly spoke to Gary Green about this and he said they were a heartbeat away from an announcement that they were going to be affiliated with Sporting KC; however, it didn't fit for either side. Sporting was struggling with the whole Swope Park Rangers model and deciding what they wanted to do moving forward. They moved that franchise to Childrens Mercy Park for 2019.

Ultimately, Sporting saw value in having larger practices and the ability to have the entire squad together. And, Union wanted the ability to sign whoever they wanted including former UNO and Creighton players. They would not have had that opportunity as an affiliated team. Look at the squad they've put together. They've basically dominated USL League 1 for 2 seasons. They would have had very little control over any player personnel decisions as an affiliated squad and likely would have been middle of the pack, at best, in the league.

USL League 1 remains a hybrid though. It has both similarities and differences from AAA baseball. So, you can't quite even call it AA soccer either. You still have Omaha competing against MLS affiliated teams like Toronto II, Ft. Lauderdale, and New England Revolution II.

Basically, the bigger difference between USL Championship and USL League 1 is stadiums almost a bit more than competitive level. USL Championship basically mandates soccer specific stadiums only...no minor league ballparks. Omaha had an opportunity to enter as a USL Championship franchise, but only if they had a dedicated soccer facility (which would have included if they played at Morrison or Caniglia), but the ownership situation being what it is, with Green having control of revenues more at Werner Park, they chose to be in USL League 1. But, the competition between USL Championship and USL League 1 isn't really as far off as one might think.

I think it's a bit of a stretch to say Union is AAA. How many of their players have been called up in the last 2 years to the MLS?

Greg

Probably not exactly AAA, but not exactly AA either. It's just hard to quantify. Certainly a professional team though.

[Coyote]

“Washington Commanders: NFL franchise reveals new team name:”

(CNN) - The National Football League's Washington franchise unveiled its new team name on Wednesday -- the Washington Commanders.

[skinzfan23]

That is crazy that it took them 1 1/2 yrs to come up with that. I have been a fan my whole life and the fanbase is mostly upset over this name.

[Coyote]

Washington Commanders: New era begins as Washington Football Team announces new name



After an 18-month-search the Washington Football Team has announced its new name: The Washington Commanders. STORY: https://bit.ly/3rl2n4t

[Greg S]

Sounds like the earlier front runner for new Washington team name was the Red Wolves but they ran into copyright issues? I think that would have been a cool name.

That being said I think they made a good choice. Fits in well with their locale. Will take years to get used to but I think anything would have.

Greg

[skinzfan23]

I would have loved to see RedWolves, but yes they had copyright issues and issues with a logo as well.

I agree this will take a while to get used to but hopefully the organization is headed in the right direction after so many troubling years.

[MadMartin8]

I was hoping for the Red Tails, but seeing people now call them the 'Washington Commies' for short has made it all worth it.