Keep United in DC march, May 2009

Pinning down just where Major League Soccer and DC United's ownership is on the frustration scale when it comes to finding a stadium deal for the club has always been difficult. Though the team (through team president Kevin Payne) continues to say they are exploring options in the DC Metro, there have been few specifics and almost no reason for hope.


And there's your problem.


The DC United fan base cannot be comfortable. RFK has been a serviceable home for the team, in part because United's supporters have made it so through their own efforts, but character doesn't pay the bills; Will Chang bought out Victor MacFarlane's share of the operating rights, seems committed to the club and the fans, but cannot expect to eat the cost of running the club with no return forever. This isn't about United being just a little in the red, it's about millions of dollars going out the door because RFK is such a drain on the bottom line.


Chang wants new investors for United, and would likely have little trouble finding them if a new stadium was on the horizon. But without a deal, one has to wonder how hard it will be to find funds, money that might be necessary to bolster the teams ability to contribute to stadium costs. Chang has made it clear he's open to a functional stadium without the mixed-use developmental aspects that seemed to drive MacFarlane; that would require significant investment (see Houston's 75/25 split on their deal), something Chang's position probably doesn't allow.


Garber sounded clearly frustrated in yesterday's conference call. He ripped local government for "backslaps and faux press conferences" and identified their inability to "get out of their own way". He stopped short of commenting on relocating the club, though he's already on record about the possibility. While Kevin Payne continues to evade any real discussion of who the organization is talking to, United fans twist in the wind; how can you give yourself full to a club when they may not be here in a few years?


Even worse that Baltimore appears serious about making a run at luring away United. Perhaps Payne is avoiding specifics because the only locality serious about a stadium is 40 miles up I-95; if that gets out, the fan reaction would be devastating.


The one thing we can count on is that United staying put as long as there's no ready-made deal in Baltimore or elsewhere. The league isn't going to go through the Houston experience again, but with Baltimore studying the prospect of a building a soccer stadium, they're already well ahead of the game. The timeline is getting shorter with every passing month, and though United has assured fans that something would be happening in 2010, it's not good that the future will be more of the focus, again, than the present. Sure, United's passionate support want to see the team back in the playoffs and playing good soccer; but they also want to hear that they're not showing up and cheering for a lost cause.


No one wants to be be backing the lame duck.


Is United definitely headed for Baltimore? I don't know, but I think the possibility is very real and much closer to happening than most would like to think. Still, there's much that needs to happen in Charm City for United's relocation to make any sense, and there's always a chance the club can convince a suburban locality to go in on a facility; but we've heard nothing since the Prince George's County deal fell through, and with legitimate business questions surrounding the wisdom of going too far from the city center, one wonders if the lesser of two evils for Chang and United isn't to head north.

DC Area Counties - with Loudoun misspelled (I didn't make the map)

I don't know where the breaking point is for the club or the league, but Garber's comments lead me to believe that it's just around the corner in relative terms. United's relocation won't be taken lightly, even if it is only to Baltimore. But DC's history with the team only means so much for a league that cannot afford to have one of its leading lights historically withering on the financial vine because of a dilapidated stadium and no area prospects.


I'm crossing my fingers and toes that there's a super-secret deal in the works, that United is destined to land in a DMV locale not too far from their fan base, and the it will be 2010 when the news finally gets good.

M&T Bank Stadium during the World Football Challenge
Baltimore's dalliance with soccer this summer during the World Football Challenge has led the city's mayor, Sheila Dixon, to request a study to determine the feasibility of building a soccer-specific stadium for DC United.

While Baltimore has come up once or twice as a possible landing spot for United thanks to the team's inability to secure a stadium deal in the District or immediate Washington suburbs, this is the first sign that the idea has any basis in reality.

There's potential for Baltimore as a top-level soccer market, and I believe that the city's blue-collar character and young professional community would fit well with MLS; but moving DC United to test that potential would do more harm than good for the league and the game in the region.

What do you make of this news, and do you believe that there's any real chance DC United could become Baltimore United?

DC United is exploring privately held sites in its quest to find a location to build its own soccer specific stadium, according to the Washington Business Journal. With previous attempts to work with the city failing due to the red tape and resistance involved (in no doubt made worse by the recent construction of an expensive baseball stadium), it seems that purchasing land not controlled by public interests is the way to go.

The particular site in question, which WBJ reports United contacted real estate development firm Akridge about, is Buzzard's Point, a location in Southwest less a mile from two subway stops. Labelled 100 V Street by Akridge, the site is close to the Nationals new ballpark on the Anacostia waterfront.

Here's map of the area courtesy of Akridge's 100 V Street website. Nationals Park is number 6 on the map, with Buzzards Point represented by the "V".



DC United belongs in the city, so this news comes as a welcome development. With Will Chang as the majority owner now that Victor MacFarlane has pulled out of the team, the sense is that a stadium deal will be much simpler. Chang does not have a mixed-use development in mind for United's stadium as MacFarlane did, making the possibility of finding a site and securing support from local authorities much more likely.

Also mentioned in the Washington Business Journal piece is other sites Akridge controls that United may have some interest in (or could). Most intriguing is the writer's notion that could DCU acquire air rights and build a stadium adjacent to Union Station. While that strikes me as prohibitively expensive option, it is fun to think about. Even better that Union Station is easily accessible by Metro and has a vibrant urban setting.

The man that would know, Steven Goff of the Washington Post, is reporting that there may be a new player in the DC United stadium saga. United has already struck out in Prince George's County, and both Montgomery County, Maryland and Loudoun County, Virginia have been mentioned as possible locations; because of all of those exes dotting the DC metropolitan area map (colloquially known as the "DMV" these days), Goff speculates that perhaps the new suitor is Fairfax County, Virginia.

If that's true, and there's nothing in Goff's post to back it up, it's just his best guess, then I would be completely and utterly stunned.

Back when I did my United stadium location round up, I discounted Fairfax County as a potential home for the club. I based this on several factors, not the least of which is a county government most view as ill-suited to the passage of a major stadium construction bill.

But if Goff is right, and if Fairfax County is indeed interested in becoming the permanent home of DC United, then we can look at the development in a few different ways. Part of the good/bad designation of this news is dependent on where in Fairfax County the stadium would be located. For those unfamiliar with the geography of the area, the DC metro is broken down most simply by the designations "inside the beltway" and "outside the beltway". Anything inside the beltway is going to be closer to the city proper, but much more accessible by public transportation, and more than likely be characterized by an urban setting. Any location outside the beltway tends to be more suburban and less easily accessible to those not driving, though this rule is far from hard and fast.

Fairfax County straddles the beltway, and spans the spectrum of "urban" and "suburban". If the DC United stadium was to be located inside or directly adjacent to the beltway, than it would be an incredible boon to the club. But if Fairfax County is eying land farther west on which to build, the same issues that plague potential sits in Loudoun and Montgomery counties may come to bear.

Again, it's only speculation on the part of Goff, and nothing has been officially announced by the team or the county. Even if the site is located in the western part of Fairfax, it's probably preferable to the other possibilities mentioned to this point; DC's subway system, the Metro, is planning massive expansion farther west, and that eventually benefit the team in their new facility.

Fairfax County is an odd mix of the well-off and the not-so-rich, with a broad range of ethnic groups inhabiting the area. The county has a significant Latino population, from which the club already draws a substantial portion of their fan base; add to that the "soccer mom" crowd that infects the more affluent areas of the county, and it makes sense for United to be located there.

I am just a little concerned about what part of the county might be targeted, but until we find out whether or not Goff's supposition is correct, it remains a moot point.

Just as an aside, it was interesting to see in Goff's post that the city remains in play, as the Poplar Point project remains on the table.

Courtesy of MLS Rumors, a nice little gallery of "Keep United in DC" banners, an idea which started here last month.

PHOTOS: Support for DC United Stadium Deal Pours In From Supporters Around The League

Excellent stuff, and perhaps a sign that the reach of MFUSA is slowly extending.

It's heartening to see fans around the leauge (and in future MLS cities) exhibit an understanding of just how important United staying in the District of Columbia (or the immediate area) is to the long term health of Major League Soccer.

Now if we can just get them to fly one at Giants Stadium, then we can be sure the idea has really caught fire.

Big news out of DC today, as owner Victor MacFarlane has sold his shares of the club to partner Will Chang.

It would appear that MacFarlane has finally had enough of the stadium game, as his ownership in DC was always based on leveraging a stadium deal into a mixed-use development project. MacFarlane made his money in real estate investment, and had little ties to the DC Metro area.

A few items of pure speculation:

MacFarlane clearly did not see a good end to the stadium saga. For him, it appears this was a matter of sooner rather than later. If the club is ultimately unable to secure a stadium deal and MLS chooses to relocate it, MacFarlane would be selling his stake anyway, so why not get out now? Expediency is the word of the day.

Although MacFarlane's sale casts a shadow of doubt over United's stadium prospects, the club will be better off with Chang in total control. Chang has always been the more involved of the two, and clearly feels a connection to the club that MacFarlane did not. Chang is also more likely to look for creative alternatives to the traditional stadium process, something that could pay dividends in the end.

It's difficult to properly frame this news without knowing all of the factors, of course, though I expect we'll hear more out of MacFarlane's camp in the not-too-distant future (Goff and Stauffer may be on the phone right now).

If there is more fallout, or if something relative to United's prospects of remaining in DC comes out, I'll be sure to provide an update.

*UPDATE*

Okay, so it's not MacFarlane, but it is the next best thing: Steven Goff has just posted a brief interview with the new majority owner of the club, Will Chang.

I take two things away from Chang's comments:

One, the removal of extraneous real estate issues from a stadium plan might make things go a little smoother than before, and it's heartening to hear Chang say that he just wants a stadium, not an investment (and oddly enough, the ideas presented by the FC St. Pauli piece I referenced in my previous post would absolutely work in DC: a functional, utilitarian facility that gets the job done without the need for bells and whistles). And two, United fans can exhale; Chang's assertions that the club is going nowhere, even if a stadium deal takes a few year, has to be great news to the faithful.

Steven Goff reported through his Soccer Insider twitter account that the Union Ultras, a Chivas USA supporters group, displayed a "Keep United in DC" banner at the HDC Saturday night during the Goats' home match versus DC United.

Dare I hope? Could it be that this humble blog inspired another team's fans to join in the campaign to keep United in their rightful home?

Maybe not, but it's certainly possible. MFUSA has more than a few readers in the Southern California area, and perhaps one like my idea.

I have yet to get my hands on a photo of the banner, and I missed the live shot during FSC's coverage on Saturday night. If you have a picture, know of someone who does, or better yet know the origin of the Union Ultra's inspiration, please PLEASE let me know.

A bit of discussion about the movement after the jump.

Originally, the "United Movement" was intended to coincide with the supporters march taking place in DC on May 9th; it never occurred to me that it could extend beyond that date. It makes sense though. United's struggle to remain in DC won't stop, and so there's no reason the fans' solidarity campaign should stop.

Whether they got the idea from me or not, the Union Ultras should be applauded for what they did. Maybe it will spawn copycats around the country, everywhere that DC United play.

Again, if you're a member of the Union Ultras or have insight into their motivation for the banner, please get in touch with me at matchfitusa@gmail.com

Don't forget, new podcast tomorrow.

**UPDATE**

Thanks to a heads up by Alejo in the comments, we now have picture of the banner.

Just wanted to share some images from around the web of yesterday's march in DC. I was unable to attend, but I've heard estimates of between 500 and 1000 participants. That's good, but maybe not quite good enough.



Photos from Behind the Badge

A few stories from sources around the web

WTOP (Local News Radio)
AP Story
Craig Stouffer at the Washington Examiner
MLSNet

It's very possible that there will be more later.

Despite being a vocal supporter of the DC United fan march tomorrow, and despite the coverage that I've given the effort here, I will be unable to actually attend

Trust me, it's not by choice, but such is the life of the unpaid blogger. Family concerns have intruded, and I will only be able to be with La Barra Brava and all of the others in spirit.

I've taken my fair share of heat over it already, so I beg your forgiveness.

I may not be able to attend, but I am still hoping to have post-march reports to share with everyone here; to that end, I'm asking for the help of anyone who will be in Lincoln Park tomorrow.

If you have a camera and plan on taking pictures, please send them to me at matchfitusa@gmail.com

If fancy yourself a writer and want to have your report posted here, or simply have information and experiences to share, please send that along as well.

I'll certainly have reaction from the Barra Brava leadership following the march, and it would be great to have pictures and first-hand accounts to share.

There are a lot of people from around the country interested in the march and it's execution, and you'd be doing both me and them a favor.

If you come by here on a regular basis, it's probably safe to assume that you check Steven Goff's soccer blog at the Washington Post. Just in case you don't, however, I wanted to pass along a link to Goff's entry today on the United march:

Forward, March! (for a Stadium)

More interesting than Goff's mention of the march (which should help the effort) is the reaction of the readers. There seem to be plenty of people missing the point, people that apparently would roll over and concede defeat when faced with a struggle.

The march is intended to effect results; but it would be ridiculous to think that United fans wouldn't be trying even if it appeared that it would have no effect. From meeting some of the guys involved, I can't imagine that they wouldn't have done something like this even if a relocation agreement had already been reached. These guys love their club, and they're going to try anything to make sure it doesn't go anyway.

And once again, we're treated to the tired "If the owners would step up and build it themselves, none of this would be happening" crap. Anyone who doesn't understand that it's just a tad more complicated than that shouldn't be commenting.

No mention of the United Movement idea there (not that I expected there would be), though I'm hoping we can still get things moving on that. If anyone out there would like to log in to washpost.com and mention it (no link necessary, and I doubt you could post one anyway), I won't stop you...

For some of you, this post may be redundant. For others, it will be the first you've heard of the solidarity movement that I've spontaneously (as in: just now) named "The United Movement".

In addition to the march that DC United fans are holding in support of keeping the team in the District on Saturday, I'm attempting to build momentum for a league-wide show of support from MLS fans around the country.

Here's the idea behind the United Movement:

MLS fans attending games on May 9th (the day of the DC march) who feel United fans' pain and want to show their support will exhibit signs or banners with the simple message "Keep United in D.C."

That's it. That's the whole thing. Simple, but hopefully effective.

I'm reposting this in an effort to seriously push the idea before Saturday. I ask all of you to spread the word in any way possible: link to MFUSA, post on message boards about the idea, call your congressman-whatever it takes. I know of at least a few people who are on board, and the blogosphere seems to be behind the idea. But it's going to take a lot more to get any kind of real momentum going.

*UPDATE*

Since I originally posted this idea, Chivas USA supporters have stepped up with the first example. Granted, it wasn't on the day I originally proposed, though I'm not sure why I thought it was necessary to limit it anyway. I'd love to see this continue, and while I'm still not sure if my idea was the impetus behind it, it's still a great thing. DynomoPlanet has now come out on the side of supporting DC's efforts, so I'm hoping we'll see signs or banners at Houston's next home game.

La Barra Brava, in their push towards a strong showing at next week's march, used Saturday's DC United home match to publicize the effort. Volunteers placed fliers on seats throughout RFK Stadium, after the club allowed them into the venue before gates opened to the general public.

La Barra Brava leaders Oscar and Chico were kind enough to give me a few moments of their time during the pre-game tailgate.

MFUSA: You have the march coming up on May 9th, is that right?

Oscar: Yes, indeed we do. We're trying to support the team every way possible, since 1996, and this is a big thing that we're trying to do. We hope that everybody from the metropolitan area can help us out, they don't have to be a soccer fan, we just want everybody up there.

MFUSA: How many people are you hoping for?

Oscar: We're expecting to have 2,000 plus. That's our goal.

MFUSA: And this isn't just La Barra Brava, it's everybody?

Oscar: This in conjunction with the Eagles (Screaming Eagles) and La Norte. This is something that we don't have to, at this time, to think about differences between the supporters groups or season ticket holders. This is something that we have to do unified, because otherwise we're headed to where we would lose the team.

MFUSA: Are you hoping that the powers-that-be in city take notice of the rally?

Oscar: That's the idea. I started the group (La Barra Brava) in 1996. We have so many members now. We have a lot of people from the metropolitan area that have invested a lot of money in the team. Personally, I pray every date that we keep DC United in the area. That's our main goal.

MFUSA: You chose the week of a match with TFC; are you expecting any help from their fans?

Oscar: Yes we are. Not only from Toronto, there are other supporters groups that are willing to join us in the march. We have great support when we visit Toronto, which is real nice, and that's the way it should be. In the stands, it's a different story. When we're out at the tailgate, when we see people traveling from far away, I personally don't see any reason that we have to be, you know, treat them in bad way. The idea is supporting soccer in the USA, and that's exactly what we're doing.

MFUSA: What are you doing to get the word out for the march?

Chico: We're going to try to spread out fliers all over the stadium. The quiet side, the supporters side, any fan that comes through the gates, we're going to try to get the word out.

MFUSA: The plan is then to have everybody-

Chico: Total saturation.

MFUSA: So everybody that's here today, hopefully comes back next week and joins in-

Chico: And brings some people (laughs). And brings as may people as they can. Hopefully we get some youth groups...basically we want as many as we can at the march.

MFUSA: Is the march being called "United Force"? Is that the name?

Chico: There's no official name. It's just the "march for United". United is a word which is pretty descriptive of what we are. We're all united in one cause. We just-basically we love our team, and we have so much history here.

MFUSA: Were you worried about by the commissioner's comments after the PG County stadium fell through?

Chico: Well yeah, of course. It picked our ears up, no doubt. There's that fear there, that something could happen. We understand the economics of everything, but we don't want to see it end, and we're going to do whatever it takes to makes sure that does not happen. We just want the local community, be it DC, Virgina, Maryland, to realize that this team means a lot to a lot of people.

MFUSA: Are you worried that the Capitals playoff run could take away from the march?

Chico: We can't plan around every event that goes down in this town. We have to do what we have to do. We have so many hardcore people that have so much passion about this team, that will do it regardless of when and where. We just can't plan-we wish the Caps well, but we can't plan our agenda around theirs.

MFUSA: Are you hoping for any media attention?

Chico: Oh, of course, as much as we can get. We've already had it, the Washington Post, and blogs like Stephen Goff's blog, Dan Steinberg's blog, Big Soccer-the word's out there. We just want to bring attention to our cause. This team is part of DC's fiber and we need to have it here.

It's clear from meeting the leaders of La Barra Brava why DC has some of the best supporters in North American soccer. They're obviously extremely passionate about their club, extremely organized, and extremely committed.

Remember, if you support La Barra Brava and all United fans' effort to ensure the team stays where it belongs, spread the word for the league wide movement.

My little throw away thought has picked up a good amount of steam over the last few days, and I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight all the writers and blogs that have either pledged their support for the cause, or given it a mention.

This list is not intended to be comprehensive; in fact, if you know of a blog/site that has jumped on board that I don't have listed here, please leave it in the comments.

The Beautiful Game
Avoiding the Drop
Ed Morgans, DC United Examiner
Again from Ed
Ginge Talks the Footy
The Midnight Ride
Unprofessional Foul
WV Hooligan
MLS Daily
The DCenters

It has also made it's way around Twitter more than once:
MLS Rumors
American Soccer News (and all of their team tweeters)

I'm sure there's a few I'm aware of that I'm still missing, and the idea has been mentioned at Big Soccer as well. I don't think it's anywhere done spreading it's tentacles by any means, and next week will be crucial for further growing the buzz ahead of May 9th.

I kindly ask you to aid in the effort. Hit up each and every relevant site you can think of, let them know you support the movement, and ask them to mention it.

Letting this speak for itself...



Click to enlarge.

Just a little more news on the "Keep United in DC" front.

I've spoken with an elder of the Barra Brava, and everything looks be a go for the march on May 9th. Permits are in hand and the group is meeting with the front office today ahead of printing up 15,000 fliers to be distributed at the FC Dallas match this weekend.

While the effort is being led by the Barra Brava, the march effort is all-inclusive. The group hopes to have as many participants as possible, and that includes families, youth teams, and anyone else who is sympathetic to the effort.

A lot of time and effort is going into the march, and those responsible should be applauded for getting it together so quickly.

The other aspect of the "Keep United in DC" campaign, the one that I suggested could include a gesture of solidarity from fans around league, has gotten some good run since I first posted the thought yesterday.

Bloggers around the country have picked up on the idea, and if the momentum continues to build, we could see something fairly special on May 9th.

If you are a fan of an MLS club, plan on attending your team's game on May 9th, and respect what the Barra Brava and United fans are doing, get involved. Spread the word and let Garber and Co. know that United calling anywhere but DC home will not stand.

Sorry about getting a little melodramatic.

If you don't care, don't plan on supporting the cause, or see any sign of camaraderie with another club's supporters as sacrilege, that's fine. I can respect that viewpoint. Please be aware that no one if forcing you to do anything, and if you prefer to stick to your guns on being for your club and your club only, I (and I'm sure most) certainly won't hold it against you. This also goes for for traveling TFC fans who will be in DC on May 9th; if you don't want to march, don't march. If you don't want to display a sign, or hang a banner, don't. But I don't think it's too much to ask for you to respect the effort. May 9th is not the time for antagonism (I'm not trying to insult TFC fans or imply anything would happen; I would be saying this no matter which club was in town on the day of the march).

I will have interviews with the Barra Brava leadership on Monday, and may soon try to do a roundup of those around the country that have promoted the cause.

If you can't tell, I'm a little wrapped up in the "Keep United in DC" march efforts, planned for May 9th. I view the march as a perfect example of what makes soccer such an amazing sport; the passion of its fans is unrivaled.

If you missed it, Barra Brava has taken the lead on coordinating a show of support for the club's efforts to remain in DC. Washington is where United should be, and the recent setbacks the team has faced to find a proper home have many supporters, both of United and around the league, just a little worried.

In the spirit of the movement, I have a thought.

Despite the animosity that often comes with our club allegiances, there remains a certain amount of solidarity across the MLS spectrum. The league is young, the margins small, and to an extent, we're all in this together.

No matter how much you might hate United and their fans (I'm looking at you Red Bull), it would be impossible to argue that a relocated United would be a good thing. Who would New York fans have to hate if DC moved to say, St. Louis? It's just not the way things should be.

So why not make May 9th "Keep United in DC" Day across the league?

"Keep United in DC" Day would work like this: fans attending matches all over MLS, in that aforementioned spirit of solidarity, would display signs or banners showing their support for the march efforts in DC. No matter if you're attending a match in Columbus, Chicago, or Houston, show your support for Barra Brava and all of the other United fans as they rally for their club. If it was your club being threatened, wouldn't you feel better knowing that fans around the league have your back?

Maybe a chant or a song could even break out in those other stadiums...

Okay, so that's probably too much to ask. But a few signs sprinkled among the crowd at MLS stadiums across the country would be a fantastic sight.

Let's be clear: I realize that what people in other cities do will have no effect on DC and their stadium issues. Local politicians aren't really going to care if a few fans in Columbus wave around "Keep United in DC" signs.

But that's not the point. Attention needs to be paid to the United's plight, and the wider the message goes, the better. Don Garber has made statements indicating that the team could be moved, and while many people believe those statements were idle threats (for the time being), the fact remains that United supporters feel the need to rally in support of their club.

What do you guys think? Does the idea have legs? Should we start a campaign to get the "Keep United in DC" movement spread across the league?

If anyone else thinks this is a worthwhile idea and wants to help spread the word, don't hesitate to do so. I'm not necessarily worried about credit for me; it's the idea itself that important. If you want to link back to this post, I certainly won't stop you, but if you just want to let other bloggers and soccer people about the campaign, that's fine too.

KEEP UNITED IN DC!