New York, New York

Wednesday, July 28, 2010 | View Comments
The Manhattan skyline is seen from a helicopter in New York City, April 22, 2010. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES - Tags: CITYSCAPE)

A big MLS event, which the All Star Game is, naturally leads to bits of "news" on various league business as filtered through mouthpiece/commissioner Don Garber. The assembled press asks (or someone holds a web chat) and The Don answers; responses are often vague and non-committal, but Garber knows when to say something substantial and when to dance around a topic.


On a second team in New York, one in New York proper rather, Garber does no dancing. The word is out, and the placement of an expansion franchise somewhere inside the five boroughs is nearly stamped "inevitable." There are legitimate reasons for a team with a New York, New York address to exist, just as there are reasonable objections. The Don also talks regularly about needing a team in the Southeast; in light of the Red Bulls only now taking advantage of the massive New York market, it might be prudent to get that bit of business done first.


I generally defer to New Yorkers and those with better knowledge of the city on the wisdom of New York 2. It doesn't appear from the outside that a stadium deal could come with any ease, and locating a team on Long Island sounds like a recipe for disaster. All that being said, the idea of a New York derby (or New York/New Jersey rivalry if you prefer) is intriguing; I expect matches between the two teams would be some of the most visible and hotly contested in the league.


Maybe the Wilpons (owners of the Mets) are still up for MLS despite their Madoff-related troubles. Maybe a team based in the city itself would attract more interest and dramatically raise the the league's profile. If the conditions are perfect (owners, stadium, etc.), it does make a lot of sense. There's really no reason the market can't support two franchises.

***



For awhile there, it appeared possible that NYC2 would coincide with the return of the Cosmos. Relics of the past, but with a resonating influence, the name and the brand still move the needle. I've covered the issue of whether or not American soccer "needs" the Cosmos name in the past, and won't bore you with a rehash here; but there's movement on the Cosmos front, and it would be odd to simply ignore it. While the majority of the country might not have any idea of what's going on in the NYC, people are taking notice.


What this viral campaign means is anyone's guess, and it's clearly driving my New York-based friend SF a little mad with curiosity. Something is happening, and while I'm of the feeling it's going to ultimately be disappointing (at least to me), I can't help my fascination with all things Cosmos.


Because of that, and because SF decided to post on the subject, I've just become a pawn in the further dispersal of the virus. I feel dirty and exhilarated at the same time.


And the video is pretty cool.

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