To hear Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber tell it, the Philadelphia Union would not exist without the efforts of a group of dedicated fans called the Sons of Ben. The collection of like-minded soccer fans had one goal in mind when they formed in 2007: bring a top-flight professional team to their city.
With their mission accomplished, the Sons of Ben now have an actual team to support. But for other groups around the country who hope to replicate Philadelphia's success, the path is a bit more difficult. Far from MLS headquarters and often in cities thousands of miles away from the new hotbeds of the Northeast and Northwest, they do the what they can to drum up interest, find reasons to believe, and keep their cities in the discussion for the next MLS franchise.
One such group is the Crocketteers, started in 2009 with the stated purpose of bringing professional soccer to the River City. Founder Michael Macias found the imagery of Davy Crockett and the Alamo, two icons from San Antonio's history and sources of pride for the city, a perfect fit for the fledgling effort.
"Like the Sons of Ben, we pay homage to a local city hero or for our matter, state hero in David Crockett," Macias said, "Crockett, although from Tennessee, is considered a Texan in the minds of many proud Texans. He came to Texas for a new life and then gave that life for Texas by fighting for it. His statue is on the grounds of the Alamo today, his name is honored in both a downtown street and hotel. In fact one of our members is a direct descendant of David Crockett."
Having just marked the group's first year of existence, Macias knows the job of proving to MLS that San Antonio deserves a franchise won't be easy; convincing soccer fans to join without a team to support brings its own unique challenges. Growth has been slow, as one would expect, and spreading the message is done almost entirely by word of mouth, a local community website, and the groups' own Internet presence at crocketteers.com.
"Our numbers are growing every month and we have a goal of having over 250 members (500 on Facebook) by year's end," Macias revealed. "We want professional soccer to notice us. We want to say that we were there from the beginning, before a club called San Antonio home."
Make no mistake: the Sons of Ben legacy, and the there-before-the-team success that Macias and his group hope to copy, is a strong influence on The Crocketteers. That legacy manifests not only in the spirit of the group, but in networking advantage; Union president Nick Sakiewicz's brother Ed, who runs soccer-related organizations in San Antonio, lent a helping hand to the group by opening a direct line of communication between The Crocketteers and the Sons of Ben.
As part of that relationship, The Crocketteers have been admitted to the Independent Supporters Council, an organization of supporters groups from the US and Canada that includes the Timbers Army of Portland, the Red Patch Boys of Toronto, and the Sons of Ben themselves. "We look to use that resource in running our local group," said Macias.
Macias and The Crocketteers recognize that MLS may be wary of San Antonio as a potential market, having flirted with placing a team there just five years ago. The effort ended in disappointment, with then-newly-elected mayor Phil Hardberger criticizing a proposed deal that would have put a team in the Alamo Dome. "It makes our situation that much harder in that we have to put San Antonio back on the soccer expansion map," lamented Macias.
But with new mayor Julian Castro on the record supporting the idea of professional soccer in San Antonio, the advent of The Crocketteers, and the growing nature of the city, Macias sees hope.
"With an economy that is that is rated tops in the nation, local sports radio in support of MLS and now a grassroots soccer supporters base that other candidate cities would love to have on their side, San Antonio needs to be on Major League Soccer's short list not only for expansion but for a possible relocation of an existing franchise."
Fans look on as the Haitian National Team takes on Trinity University in San Antonio
San Antonio is the nation's seventh most populated city with 1.3 million people, and the metropolitan area boasts over 2 million; those numbers are certainly strong enough to support a team that would hope to draw crowds of no larger than 20,000 a match.
For all its attributes, the case for San Antonio means nothing without an actual plan. The 2005 deal, one that sought the Alamo Dome as a potential home, fell through because the city's leadership failed to see the benefit. Local investors seemed to be lacking as well, though efforts to find them were hampered by political concerns. When Phil Hardberger closed the door on the deal, and the league responded tersely to the political resistance they felt was destructive, and the city feel off the MLS radar.
Enter the ownership of the San Antonio Spurs, the city's only major league sports franchise. The Spurs ownership, operating as Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) currently hold an option to start a USL franchise in the city, an indication that they might be willing to invest in top-level professional soccer. During a summer schedule, an MLS franchise in San Antonio would be without serious competition for sports entertainment dollars, and any conflicts with the Spurs themselves during those portions of the year that overlap could likely be sorted out without any serious hindrance to soccer's ultimate success.
Equally as pressing as lining up a willing ownership group with the requisite deep pockets is finding a proper home for a possible team; the Alamo Dome is likely no longer an option, and seems ill-suited to the task regardless. Building from scratch isn't out of the question, but with suburban stadiums around the country struggling to draw fans and urban land prices a potential deal-breaker, an alternative might be necessary to entice the Spurs to shell out the expansion fee.
That alternative might exist in Alamo Stadium, a 23,000-seat venue used primarily for high school football since its opening in 1940. The stadium is currently owned by the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD), who has reportedly held talks to turn over control of the venue in light of their budget problems. With a central location and potential for renovation, Alamo Stadium could be the perfect place for professional soccer in San Antonio.
Location of Alamo Stadium (denoted by "A" on the map) in the city of San Antonio
The stadium would need renovation, $30 million worth according to sources, to bring it up to the necessary standard. Though the school district could pass a bond issue to pay for the construction costs, that may prove difficult in the current environment of school closings and budget shortfalls. Another possibility is a partnership with the Spurs and the city, who would split the costs; though there is no talk yet of such a deal, SS&E's resulting control of the venue for all events (soccer, outdoor concerts, etc.) might be enough to bring their investment.
The trickiest bit for San Antonio's renewed MLS candidacy is the availability of a franchise. Would the city be a candidate for expansion, with Don Garber stressing the need to re-enter the Southeast and Montreal already lined up to join as the nineteenth team? Perhaps the Alamo City could become home to an existing franchise, one struggling in their current market or with a intransigent stadium situation.
For Michael Macias, new or old hardly matters.
"Seeing the success of the Houston Dynamo, the Crocketteers are in full support of a relocated franchise. It might be a better option from the Crocketteers standpoint as we will be supporting an established team and success may come sooner than expected."
And if you wonder which current MLS team Macias and The Crocketteers think might be a candidate for a move to their city, you needn't look far.
Alamo Stadium
