Reality Bytes: Sponsorships
by Fuzion on Jan 31, 2012 1:34 PM CST
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It's that time again. Another chance for me to share my highly biased opinions with all of you, the Dynamo faithful. I cherish this time I have to spend ranting and raving about anything Dynamo or US Soccer related, and to have you all comment on it -- whether positive or negative. It's an honor to write for all of you and for Dynamo Theory, and while my activity sees dips and lulls, rest assured I hope to be around here for a long time to come. Thus, you get to put up with me for much, much longer. Sorry. Now that we've had our bromance bonding time, feel free to follow to the actual meat of this weeks rants and raves after the jump.
I'm sure some of you were scratching your head at the picture adorning the precious Front Page of Dynamo Theory (and this article). Well, rest assured, MLS has not become so bush league they had to revert to using cars in replacement for actual players (though, cars do tend to have a longer lifespan than the average Dynamo DP). About 5 days ago, Mazda North American Operations announced they have agreed to become a long-term sponsor of the Houston Dynamo and BBVA Stadium.
As most of us know by now, these sponsorship deals actually mean very little for the Dynamo, as AEG tends to embezzle horde pass these funds onto their favored football club, the LA Galaxy. Really, it just seems like while the Dynamo Front Office do a decent job of acquiring sponsors, the galactic overlords AEG refuse to actually use the acquired excess funds on anything but a DP level talent. Unless you count Lord Lardo Luis Landin, which really, could anyone count him as a DP talent? I suppose if it was a hot dog eating belly flop biggest DP flop talent contest.
The real sadness behind this sponsorship is while it benefits Mazda and is a great partnership overall, it really, just as every previous sponsorship, is just for show. Until we see some major moves out of the Dynamo Front Office, or AEG sent packing thanks to a willing spender of a new owner or ownership group, we're going to remain in the MLS Dark Ages while other clubs continue to move forward and sign quality talent.
As it is, we lost out on Kris Boyd to the Portland Timbers. Sure, we received a first round draft pick out of the process, but really, you're comparing apples to oranges. In three years from now, we could look to have some serious depth, or we might totally suck. While this is the same time we fielded last season, minus one Brian Ching and one Carlos Costly, the rest of the league grows and expands around us.
It is one thing to be left in the dust by teams like LA and NY, but it is quite another to be left in the dust by teams like Portland and Seattle. They have solid fan bases, but so too do the Dynamo. Nobody can argue the Dynamo have one of the best homefield advantages, and that advantage will be even greater in BBVA Stadium. Yet somehow, we always come up short on our quest for the DP to round out our team.
I'm not saying it's a conspiracy, but there's no doubt AEG is working the collusion angle. After all, while AEG continues to open up the deep, deep pocketbooks to grab players for their prize gem, the LA Galaxy, they continue to remain incredibly tight-fisted when it comes to the Dynamo payroll. The Dynamo lost out on two fairly large contracts in a good way this offseason. Brian Ching's $412,500 contract is gone, and Koke's $153,000 was gone before we even noticed it left the pocketbook. Also gone is Hunter Freeman's $183,333 salary and Eddie Robinson's $120,000 salary. Hopefully gone is also he who shall not be named JeVaughn Watson's ridiculous $105,000 salary (figures based off 2011 MLS released salaries).
Count with me now, $973,833 in offloaded salaries in exchange for...? Yeah, I'm not seeing much in terms of new signings here to show where it all went. Even if Moffat was given $120,000 and Carmago a hefty $200,000, that's a boatload of remaining salaries we sure could be using to sign a REAL DP. The math is simple, and it's easy.
One ownership group + two teams owned = one red-headed step child a la the Houston Dynamo.
It's sad, but it is the state of being a Houston Dynamo fan. It is the state of sitting in the Dynamo Front Office right now. Your hands are tied, and you are unable to make moves. Not because there isn't money to play with, but because the Ownership Group surely won't let you. So what do you do?
You watch the rest of the league expand, grow and bring in quality talent at ridiculously good prices while the stigma of Houston being a place no real footie player wants to go continues to trend. I don't blame our Front Office. Canetti is working with what he is given. I blame AEG. I blame Garber. If the deal AEG was offering potential owners was any good, there would have been one offer by now. And we would know about it.
Instead, it's becoming more and more apparent while AEG wants to sell, their terms just simply do not fit a reasonable viability for any potential ownership to grow this team properly. I am sure now AEG is doing what we feared they would do, and demanding they retain full ownership of BBVA Stadium and demanding they retain the right to rent or lease the stadium to prospective ownership groups. There isn't a single financially viable individual who would agree to those terms, let alone further terms which I am dead certain AEG is demanding in order to protect their "investments".
Eventually AEG's ownership stake will be sold, but it won't be to the best ownership group for the Dynamo. I can almost say with certainty unless something miraculous happens, the reality of this situation is we will not see a quality Dynamo team beyond the players we have now and the players we draft for the duration of the next ownerships tenure. If you think AEG is tight-fisted, just wait. I have a feeling the next version will be even worse.
Scary, ain't it?
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The biggest wow factor for me was actually looking at the 2011 salaries of the Dynamo
Over $900k knocked off the list, and yet we STILL can’t sign a true DP? Claim it’s the city all you want, but eventually the truth has to be admitted. AEG doesn’t want the Dynamo having a DP as long as they have an ownership stake. Period.
-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog
Yeah
JeVaughn Watson’s alone makes one go O.O
-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog
If only we can get rid of his salary. I still can’t believe he get’s payed more than some of the players that are actually in the starting 11. That’s not fair in my opinion since he is dead weight. The guy sucks that in the scrimmage he didn’t even play till the last 10 minutes. That shows how much we truly value him lol
Sadly
I can’t help but agree. Does anyone think we can pick up a big name during the summer transfer window?
Thanks
you forgot to mention I should’ve removed The Smiths from my playlist before reading, now I’m feeling Joey Barton-ish ;-)
I dearly, dearly hope the new ownership group has half a brain because otherwise its going to become a depressing run that could conceivably see Dom leave in some form or fashion. Look, he’s not perfect and we’ve decried his calls and tactics but real talk: the man is a 2-time championship coach and consistently gets the most out of his players, which can’t be said for many MLS coaches. And I’ve been banging this drum as well: AEG is now the clear bottleneck in this situation. We’re actively seeking players but I’m sure word gets around that Houston doesn’t or can’t pay. Unless you’re REALLY looking to take a chance, who would want to sign? And it sucks because we actually have a great nucleus of players that is one or two players away from being dangerous…but as you said, that would severely interfere with AEG’s quest to make LAG “…the greatest team in American soccer history.”
What really sucks is that it seems that Garber was quietly asking AEG to sell us but there was really no impetus; after the MLS Cup final and subsequent interviews AEG has made it crystal clear LAG is their team and there is absolutely no mention of us. I’m not saying that as an attention-hungry, no-respect fan, I’m just saying scour the interwebz and you’ll see its true. AEG is going all-in with LAG…and under any other circumstances I wouldn’t care, but when you own 2 MLS teams and you explicitly state you give a damn about only one then its truly in the best interests of the league to force the sale. In that sense, its definitely on Garber to get AEG to sell and sell now. I wish it would happen before the season starts so its not so farcical but what leverage do they have? Stirring into this unholy gumbo is the fact that even though MLS owns the league and players, they should have all the leverage but considering its unclear the relationship between MLS & AEG it makes it hard to know if AEG can just sit back and collect our money and funnel it to LAG for another season.
I think anyone looking to troll would have to look objectively at this and agree its a truly f***ed situation that AEG & MLS need to resolve now. I know there are ownership groups/peeps with the pockets to make it happen…the thing is, we don’t need a Les Alexander/Bob McNair type. FFS, look at our payroll!!!! As of 2011 we were at, what, $3MM and we just shaved off almost $1MM…we don’t need a billionaire, we need someone with $20MM who gives a damn. That’s it. $20MM is $5MM over what LA paid, and I know we wouldn’t spend nearly that much on DPs that would make us strong like bull. We honestly just need the appearance of a vested owner to make a difference.
Sorry, its just this is one of those topics that will set me off.
This
“that would severely interfere with AEG’s quest to make LAG ‘…the greatest team in American soccer history.’"
Huge conflict of interest.
Just to twist the knife
I’m going to find the interview…my blood gets up everytime I think of it. Again, if LAG is the only team they own then fair play, but when they trot out 3 DPs in the final against our…none and then they say that after the match? What’s worse is outside of Houston, there’s nary a word about it. I wonder if even Wynalda would say anything about it
On the other hand, the evil empire has given us something rather than nothing. We could be without a team entirely. In the real world sometimes you have to make a temporary pact with the devil to get off the ground. Nevertheless, we need independent ownership. And as you say, an owner who cares. Majority owners are committed to the LA Designated Players (aka Galaxy). I was diss’d for criticizing Oscar de la Hoya for not caring. But.. can someone show me he cares.? Other than jumping on the bandwagon and showing up at the corporate boxes in the championship and seeming almost apologetic to the LA press that he was rooting for the Dynamo. ??
We fans have to foment the revolution and overthrow AEG, whether it’s a benevolent tyranny or not. Tyranny is tyranny.
Right
look, I’m not going all proletariat here because this is a business, and an entertainment one at that and AEG is an entertainment company; I get all that. I also get that we probably represent a pretty good ROI considering we have relatively little overhead and I’m sure we generate a fair amount of cash, though I’m sure its nothing massive. And I also get that AEG’s endgame in all of this is the completion of the stadium which, you guessed it, is for entertainment purposes. We had this discussion previously (I think with @Nigel) that I imagine that since AEG had the stadium built that they will retain ownership (and of course, the money from the naming rights) and Dynamo Soccer Club LLC (or whatever its called), under new ownership, will simply be a tenant of this stadium. So AEG wants the revenue stream from tenant agreements (Dynamo, TSU, etc) and events hosted there plus the naming rights. I get all this. But, considering you own the stadium, that’s already guaranteed…so what’s the hold-up in selling? Is it because another potential owner wants a piece of that pie plus buying the ownership stake?
As for Oscar, you’re absolutely right: aside from a couple of interviews and an appearance at the ground-breaking, he’s been in absentia. Again, I get that he’d probably much rather stay in a low-risk, minority ownership position but please, consider selling your stake as well. He’d probably rather hitch his wagon to LAG since he is an LA boy, and that’s all well and good, but again, let’s get an owner/ownership group that cares and is committed.
This all raises another question: exactly how much does an ownership stake in a team cost? I imagine its different for all clubs, or is it the same considering that MLS owns almost everything except the teams?
CONspiracy!
This article makes me want to smash my Ching bobble-head in frustration. I believe AEG is conspiring to keep us down, but I can delude myself into thinking it’s the mad ramblings of my inner voice until I see someone else write it down. I’m not sure what the profitability of the Dynamo is so I can’t be too mad at AEG for seeking a return on their investment, however, I can fault them for not allowing us a some leeway to make a splash when that’s what they have said they would do. I feel like one of those cats in the SPCA commercial waiting for someone to adopt us into a good home.
As far as the cap space that was freed up, you have to figure that at least some of our eggs were in the Boyd basket so there was probably some expectation that they would commit the money to him. That said, I will be sorely dissappointed if there isn’t some contingency in place to pick up another DP in his wake.
The thing is
like we said, if we’re getting outbid by Portland – and no offense to you guys – its a dire situation. We’ll get a solid Central American/Caribbean player or two, but no DP guy.
PS – I now look at our team photos and have that Sarah McLachlin song playing in my head
(Stroking Moffat’s head) “Won’t you please donate to help these poor animals?”
Here
Just so that I’m not reading too much into it, the title pretty much gives it away:
Kick Off: LA aim to be greatest team in US history
Again, this wasn’t 2 years ago, this was about a week and a half ago…and on the official MLS website, no less.
Sick
AEG Chief Tim Leiweke says…[we will not be making the Houston Dynamo competitive with LA Galaxy] because we want the LA Galaxy to be the best team in the history of the United States. Isn’t he also the CEO of the Houston Dynamo’s parent company too? It wasn’t mentioned in the article…unless you include the part about Beckham buying a team, which would just make perfect sense to someone in LA.
And that
is why MLS should force AEG to sell NOW, not after the season…he’s laid bare the plan to invest entirely in LAG, without a mention of Houston. When the CEO of the group that owns 2 MLS teams boasts of their desire to make one of those teams the best in history, its clear the other team needs to be sold and sold now…because really, otherwise it will be farcical to watch LAG buy player after player and no mention will be made of our situation.
I'm sure
it was rather vexing for us to be in the final against LAG this past season…its clear that in the minds of plenty we had no business being in the playoffs. I mean for crying out loud, the coverage of the Cup was farcical enough, you would’ve thought Beckham was vying for Pele’s legacy. As it is, we pushed them without our best player…if we would’ve won, it would’ve been priceless to watch Lieweke grit his teeth as we hoisted the trophy since we apparently forgot our place and did better than we should have
On a lighter note
I’m looking forward to reaping some benefits from the Mazda sponsorship as my wife’s car is a Mazda. From now on we’ll only be going to the games in her car. They mentioned there will be some free parking for Mazda owners and that works for me. I hope there will be a Mazda tailgating section. In fact that’s my biggest fear about the downtown stadium- no tailgating.
They'll keep tailgating
It’s such a good draw for the Dynamo plus the Texans, it’s kind of a sporting staple for them. And it makes sense.
-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog
I'd imagine
they would keep it…at least they better, I’m counting on my uncle and his crew to keep tailgating so I can crash it :)
Fact or Fiction
Last I heard from the Dynamo, they were working on it but it’s still illegal to have an open container in/near downtown. So unless that changes, non-alcoholic tailgating is the best you’ll get.
Not intended to be an endorsement
May have to switch it to several bars in and around the area, such as Lucky’s Pub, which is about 100 meters from the stadium.
"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie
Ahem...
Petition? We need to make it known that AEG isn’t wanted in Houston and I’m a little curious as to how many people would sign off on this.
by foreverorange25 on Jan 31, 2012 9:43 PM CST reply actions
im in
lets get a petition going here with an article and start getting people to sign or at least to read an article about this serious issue.
Start a petition
Also who wants to make a sign on May 12 dissing AEG? I’m tired of their shit. It makes me sick. Lets show the rest of MLS and the stupid LA fans that we’re not bring treated fairly
by RedAce on Feb 1, 2012 10:30 AM CST via Android app reply actions
I'd be happy
with a raised level of awareness, or at least something to motivate AEG to sell. Again, I can’t imagine its going to take a billionaire or multi-millionaire; hell, someone who owns like 5 McDonald’s franchises could probably comfortably foot the bill.
contact the supporters groups
and get some TIFO going. That would get the rest of the league to notice.
by foreverorange25 on Feb 1, 2012 3:15 PM CST up reply actions
As much as I despise AEG
They are essentially responsible for single handedly keeping MLS afloat and we’ve prospered under their ownership. There may be an artificial cap on how good we can be under AEG rule, but I’m afraid to see how far down we could slide if they were to sell us to someone who owned 5 Mickey D’s (5 Fuddrucker’s at least!). Basically a “Devil You Know” argument until they can find an ownership group that will act with our best interests in mind.
Well, based purely on the math
Even an owner who owned 5 McD’s franchises would actually be in the same current ballpark as all of the Dynamo’s salaries, minus coaching staff. So to say we’d slide so far based on the idea of a less fiscally solid ownership would be well, short-sighted. It’s not impossible in the MLS as it is right now to field a consistently competitive team with a minimal salary. It requires more effort and more work, certainly, but at least then we’d know where we stood and how to proceed.
The problem with AEG as the majority ownership is we’re stuck in this University of Houston conundrum. Sure, we can recruit guys who can compete regularly, but there’s that taste within our reach of something bigger and something better. The problem is we can’t ever seal the deal. That can be owed only to AEG’s handling of the finances and current situation.
There are ownership groups out there willing to buy the Dynamo if the offer isn’t as currently constructed (or what I have to assume is currently constructed based on tidbits here and there). There isn’t enough profit in the team by itself, minus the Stadium rights and having to rent the Stadium, minus concessions gained and the profitability of parking costs. I mean, hell, that is what drives most of the revenue for a MLS franchise. Taking that away, you leave ticket sales and sponsorship deals.
Sponsorship deals are wonderful, but only provide so much of an impact. There is far more to spend right now than there is to earn, due to the lack of stadium rights and the necessity to pay for the use of said stadium. It’s a ripoff no matter how you look at it, as the Dynamo — not AEG — earned the right to play in the Stadium and to do so for free. AEG is using it as another revenue stream which they simply do NOT deserve.
Guys like Brian Ching, Eddie Robinson, Craig Waibel, Barrett, Paul Daghlish, Dominic Kinnear, John Spencer…they deserve the Stadium. They EARNED the Stadium. AEG sat on their coattails, tallied up the revenue earned, and pocketed everything short of the Stadium, which is a decent amount even from the time in Robertson. AEG fleeced Houston, fleeced the Orange, fleeced us the fans, etc.
AEG should have charges raised against them for fraud and embezzlement of funds. Yet it won’t ever happen, and it’s a shame. What they did isn’t illegal, it’s just underhanded and outright wrong morally. Then they want to turn around, put the onus on the new ownership to field a viable team, without the benefit of the Stadium revenue stream.
I’m still shaking my head. AEG deserves to have MLS strip them of the Stadium rights and have something more productive done with it. Look at what happened with the WPS. One ownership may keep a league afloat, but it can also kill it if left unchecked. I dearly hope that is not the road we are travelling here…
-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog
Yes
this is likely where the hold-up is. Again, there’s enough millionaires and multi-millionaires running around our fair city to buy a team like we’d buy a car: you’ll do your homework to be smart about it but ultimately you can afford it. The issue is: future revenue streams. AEG is still going to make out of it, no matter what happens, though I see MLS giving AEG some kind of back-end sweetheart deal we’ll never know about as long as they give the new owner a percentage of the stadium revenue. That might be a matter of the owners pocketbook – the more they have, the larger percentage of that revenue they can negotiate. But yeah, I would be shocked if AEG conceded more than 40% unless it were Bob McNair or Les Alexander. Still, considering OPEX for the team is relatively low revenue from tix and merchandise would still be a solid, if perhaps underwhelming, revenue stream.
Guh.
That's ridicolous
AEG is basically paying for the entire cost of the stadium. Nearly all of the City/County money is for infrastructure improvements in the area. AEG is well within their rights to want to hold onto the stadium rights. If a potential new owner wants “in” on stadium revenues they will have to compensate AEG for their investment in building the Stadium and for the loss of those revenue streams. These are complex situations and this is not the kind of deal that gets worked out in a couple of weeks. Any prospective new owners will negotiate with AEG on stuff like this. AEG knows they won’t get what they are asking for initially….that’s just how negotiations work
I think it’s also important to remember that once completed the Stadium will be turned over to and run by the Harris County Sports Authority (with a sweetheart lease agreement for the Dynamo).
"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
My concern is AEG isn't offering to sell their stadium rights
Only their ownership rights. IF AEG is willing to sell the Stadium rights in a package deal, then yes I take the blame off AEG. If they refuse to sell those, then it is still on AEG. Sorry, Dynamo revenue without the Stadium is not enough, especially when the Dynamo LLC will have to PAY to play there.
-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog
Sorry, even if that's true I can't get mad at them for wanting to hang onto them
That’s just business. They’re spending 80 million to build it. If they want hang onto to some revenue streams that is perfectly logical.
Also, I don’t think any of us know enough about the details of the original lease between the HCSA (though that should be publicly available somewhere) and the Dynamo, or what has actually been said in any negotiations. At this point we’re all just guessing based on what? One tweet or a single line in an article that we think means AEG is being unreasonable?
"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
MLS is rife with secrecy and we'll never know
As you said, it’s a business, so no it’s not far-fetched to think AEG will milk it for all it’s worth. Take the rose-colored glasses off papa, because if you believe AEG is going to play this out fairly, you haven’t paid attention to the way AEG has worked ever.
-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog
what is unfair about them wanting to keep some revenue from the 80 million stadium they are building?
For the record I don’t like defending AEG one bit.
"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
by papabear on Feb 1, 2012 9:14 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Not a lawyer
But I was raised by snakes lawyers. Seriously I’m surrounded by lawyers. Parent, siblings, best friend, cousins, uncles, and x-girlfriends. I can’t stand them either.
"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
To me
I’ve said it several times that I understand AEG’s position and they’re entitled to that….but in another situation. I take issue with the fact that given that both teams compete in the league and as an owner you blatantly favor one club over the other both publicly and fiscally then its an egregious conflict that, frankly, I think the League has the purview to intervene – if not necessarily force a sale – or certainly expedite it.
/run-on
the leaugue IS the one pushing the sale
Garber said a couple of years ago that they wanted to get away from one owner-multiple teams situation and that they were forced that route out of necessity. The sale would’ve been pushed by the league earlier if it weren’t for the stadium situation.
"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
by papabear on Feb 1, 2012 9:07 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Right
I get all that, but again we see time and again that our ability to attract better talent – presumably DP or DP-level talent – is constrained by our ability to offer competitive pay. I know it isn’t a guarantee of better performance but, when done well, can lead to better performance. The problem for us is that we aren’t really in that conversation because we don’t have the money, or if we do it comes at a sacrifice. That goes to ownership and their investment in the club…the stadium isn’t an altruistic act, it is a business decision as you note. AEG is an entertainment company and this is an entertainment venue they’re building.
I’ll admit, part of the frustration as well is the seemingly incestuous relationship between AEG & MLS…we all know the history but at this point, while MLS is pushing the sale do they have the authority to do anything? And would they, considering its AEG and the situation? In the meantime, we’ll continue to carry on as best we can with our relatively limited resources
I think the league is part of the problem as well
It’s well known that if the rules prevent LAG from doing something, the league just changes the rules…whether it’s good for the rest of the teams in the league or not. That’s the whole reason “DP”, and multiple “DP’s”, is even a thing outside of the porn industry. I’ve got as much of a problem with that as I do with anything .
You’re saying we don’t have the money, but we really don’t know if that’s the case.
I suspect that AEG has limited our budget when it comes to DP’s. My question is, is it just some arbitrary “we don’t care about them” restriction, or is it based on a logical here’s what you have to spend based on revenue projections type of thing? If it’s the former, it sucks balls. If it’s the latter, well it still kinda sucks, but I can understand. That’s my problem with a lot of the criticism lately, we place blame without knowing what the situation is. It sucks we don’t the reasons, but That’s more of an extension of the league’s secret nature than anything else.
We don’t really know why we didn’t get Boyd. I have seen two “rumor” tweets. One that hinted at maybe the heat in Houston was a factor. The other said something about negotiations breaking down over agent fees.
-Maybe AEG is just screwing us
-Maybe the agent jacked his fees because his client maybe didn’t really want to be here so the agent played bad cop.
-Maybe AEG was willing to put up extra money, but Delahoya and Brenner weren’t
-Maybe we had plenty of money, but Canetti and Dom just decided he wasn’t worth what he was asking
-Maybe we didn’t get outbid and Boyd just preferred Portland
To me those are all plausible reasons we lost out on Boyd. Sure, I’m suspicious of AEG, but there’s one factor that makes me think it’s not all their fault. Chris Canetti. Canetti is smart enough to know which players he has no financial shot at signing, so he’s not going to spend time on players that are far out of his price range. He’s also not going to pay more than what they think a player is worth. I used Boyd as an example, but I think you could apply the same situations to just about any player we’ve tried to sign. I think when we lose out on players it’s more likely that the player didn’t want to come to MLS, or that Canetti didn’t think he was worth the asking price(even if it fit under the budget).
Delahoya and Brenner are part of the ownership group too. For all we know they could be the ones unwilling to pony up some extra cash to get a player. Yes AEG is the majority owner, but it would perfectly normal for them to expect the rest of the owners to contribute as well.
"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
Nice
you also hint at part of this sort of “unfocused” rage is that when we don’t seem to be as competitive as other clubs in terms of signing higher-quality talent, the natural scapegoat is ownership – and AEG in particular. Its because we know the money is there, since clearly LAG is getting it, but yes, part of it is simply not knowing. When Canetti sends out tweets or posts why something did or didn’t happen, it at least helps make sense of an outcome, whether or not its full disclosure or not. Why isn’t there more money available to us? You list several scenarios, some or all of which may be valid, but it points back to the fact that we know money is there but for some unknown reason its not available to us.
Part of the issue is we never will know: AEG nor the league want to or need to. So this fuels speculation because again, we’re trying to rationalize what happened using what we know. And what we don’t know falls mostly under the AEG umbrella (or MLS’).
In the end what can I say? Fandom is part irrational :)
Well
I’ll certainly agree with why AEG had the ownership model it did, and effectively it was to ensure the viability of the league. I also appreciate that because of this it lead to SJ relocating here to Houston and voila, we have our beloved Dynamo; so yes, I do thank AEG for that. 10+ years and a couple of billion dollars later, MLS is on solid footing and is still growing, so that’s incredibly encouraging. In terms of entertainment value, its almost impossible to beat if you want to watch professional sports so again, it will remain an attractive revenue stream for an owner. But that was then, and this is now, which is where we are. In reality, AEG should’ve sold before the stadium got built, but that’s their legacy and future revenue stream. The issue, as Fuze points out, is that likely AEG doesn’t want to cede that to any potential owner, and honestly that’s fair. They put up the capital to fund most of the stadium construction, they should get the filthy lucre that comes with it. The problem is that any future owner wants a piece of that pie as well…and this is perhaps where MLS has to step in to make AEG give any potential owner a percentage of the stadium ownership. And perhaps that’s the main sticking point: are we talking 60/40, 70/30, 80/20, 90/10, etc. and what makes sense for an owner who has to look at this as a 5-10yr business plan?
MLS doesn't need to step in
A new owner just has to be willing to pay AEG enough to make their investment worthwhile….like any business deal.
"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
In a normal business situation
I’d agree, but considering the league structure that’s where I disagree. It’s bad publicity and (potentially) bad business, and that falls under the league’s purview
I hear what you're saying.
Without them we’d have no team to begin with, so although I’d like to see our revenue return to our team and not the Galaxy we have to keep a level head about AEG. We need to wait for them to find a buyer all the while remembering that this is a business and as Scarface roughly said “You know what capitalism is? Capitalism is get f#&ked.” They are going to make as much as they can out of this deal.
To add the idiocracy that has become the Darth Galaxy situation...
Buddle just signed with LA. Seriously, why the bloody hell couldn’t AEG give us 1/5th the money they’ve spent on LAG’s insane contracts to sign 1, yes I repeat, ONE, single DP level talent. It’s a joke now, right? I’m going to wake up in two weeks and all of LAG players will be in Europe leaving LAG with a bunch of money but nobody to play. Right? Right?!
-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog
You are so right and yet we continue to compete each year...
I agree with almost everything you’re written here. I wish the Dynamo had local ownership with deep pockets. Yet because we have a front office that is capable and one of if not the best coaches in the league we came within perhaps a Geoff Cameron leg injury of winning the MLS Cup last year. Our front office had the wisdom to sign Dominic to a contract extension a few weeks ago.
I live in the NYC area and kind of follow the Red Bulls (though I am a Dynamo fan firstly) and believe me their leadership is a mess. They have European owners and are coached by a European. They have money. Where has it gotten them? Not very far the past 3-4 years. If you’re interested read this great article about their poor off-field decisions last season:
http://bigapplesoccer.com/sections/mls2.php?article_id=29044
Dynamo fans appreciate this team and it’s leadership. It can get much worse.
Monty Python
Yeah I caused a minor furor on another site by repeatedly pointing out all those empty blue seats at Red Blows stadium at their biggest game of the year, playoffs, against the LA Designated Players. At least LAG DID something with their buttload of money, and at least they do turn out fans.
NYRB only accomplishment, and I do think it was significant, was winning the Arsenal tournament against some big name world clubs. Didn’t get much pub, but it was one of those quiet breaking of new barriers for MLS.
But I despise the coastal media teams that dont have to work for their players like the rest of the world. I’m glad NY red blows got pummeled and I fart in their general direction.
I'll be completely honest
The EVERYTHING IS AEG’s FAULT stuff just gets a big yawn from me. I know the Galaxy is their priority, but they have also been the money maker for them. They got Houston a team, and are getting a stadium built…mostly with their own money. I don’t agree with everything they have done, but I don’t expect too either.
Dynamo sponsorship dollars go to the Galaxy? Based on what? I’m sure any profits the Dynamo earns(assuming the Dynamo even turn a profit, which is far from a sure thing) could potentially end up going towards the galaxy, but I highly doubt that their is any kind of direct transfer of sponsorship funds. Without looking at financials there’s no way to say for sure, but the knee jerk blame AEG response can be a little ridicolous. We’re pissed the team just got more sponsorship revenue because of some conspiracy theory that it all goes to LA’s roster?
I also don’t understand the obsession with getting a DP. Which teams have seen more success than us because of DP’s? Recently the Galaxy, but remember their first couple of years in DP land were some of the worst records in their history.New York is another team that has been DP heavy, and I don’t think it’s too far off to say that team is a fucking mess. Sure, they have some talent, but they don’t have the results. Other DP’s have been a success ont he field, but even with a rough rebuilding period there’s not another team in the league that has been successful as we have since the team moved to Houston. I could care less if we get a DP, but it’s not like we haven’t tried.
I’m not an AEG fan, and I would like to see new owners, but there is no guarantee that a new owner would be a good owner. From what it seems like to me Canetti and Co. meet with the ownership group occasionally and more or less run their own ship(which they do very well). The worst thing that could happen to this team would be for a new owner to come in and think he has all the answers and start interfering with Canetti/Dom and what they do best
"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
for that matter....
It’s easy to make an anti-AEG ruckus, but one shouldn’t act until one has the appropriate leverage, as Custer found out. AEG might say, "oh…. don’t appreciate what we’ve done for you, you second-tier mites..???? Well then we’ll just tighten up our purse strings more and see how you peasants like THAT. "
When one does a review of AEG’s holdings, one is quickly reminded the Dynamo are simply an insignificant spec of sand in a vast sea of AEG’s corporate holdings.
Does the squeaky bitchy wheel get the grease? Or does one draw more flies with honey.? It’s a bit hard to know which approach to take, but at the least the concern can be kept before the media as a constant issue to be addressed.
I just think it's gone way past legitimate complaints about AEG to the point where everything is their fault even if we need to invent a reason.
This whole thing was started because the team picked up a new sponsor. I just can’t get that upset about the fact AEG might get some of that money. That kinda comes with being the owner.
"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
I wouldn't argue with you papa
If we didn’t just offload over $1 million in salaries only to see that nice pile of cash go nowhere and go there quickly. AEG did not make the Dynamo competitive, a good quality FO did. And that is not AEG’s fault, that’s the work of smart individuals elsewhere.
Yes, I can place a big piece of this hate in AEG’s general direction. You act like we’re asking for the world from AEG. We are merely asking for one single DP. Why? Just so we can have a shiny new toy to play with. And the way MLS is structured, it wouldn’t cost the Dynamo LLC much of anything, and hell, maybe just maybe it could make the Dynamo LLC even more viable as a consistent commodity of fiscal power goes.
Teams without DPs are kind of like the Houston Rockets without a star. Sure, they can win and do so pretty consistently, but when the time comes to put butts in the seats, eventually the “who are these people?” concerning the players isn’t going to do it. Go watch the movie Moneyball, it’s a damn good example of why you still need some firepower somewhere beyond just the perfect connections.
I believe in team-ball and team play as much as the next guy, but we don’t want to just be the bridesmaids year after year. The Dynamo proved they should be given SOME consideration somewhere somehow. It’s a classic case of all Houston sports teams. We’re not relevant, not because we shouldn’t be, but because nobody beyond Houston cares about Houston.
If we don’t make the noise as fans, we won’t ever garner the attention our teams and our city deserves. It’s time we were considered for bigger and better opportunities. We survived the economic fillibusters, we survived the government muck-ups. We survived because we are Houston. We are diverse. And we are damn strong as a city.
So nationally, on every level, in most every professional sport, people better take notice. The Dynamo carried the banner of Houston when nobody else could step up. The Texans are beginning to hit their stride. The Rockets and Astros are still 2-3 seasons out at least. Eventually, though, the national stage will prove once and for all, Houston deserves attention, deserves respect, and deserves SOME acknowledgement.
Stop giving AEG a free ride because they originally shelled out the money. It doesn’t matter. Sports are a case of what have you done for me lately. AEG could’ve sold the Dynamo before, but they wanted to wait until they could keep their hands in the pockets of the team without having to do a damn thing or fork over a damn penny to do so.
At the end of this, we will end up with lackluster management because anything less would NOT suit AEG’s desire to destroy American soccer. Seriously, MLS does not need to be run like EPL. Man City and Man U are not the future of LAG and NYRB. It’s not good for the game here, and AEG doesn’t care. They want their name, their brand on top, no matter who they have to crush to do it.
-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog
I don't have a problem with wanting a DP, even though I don't think that is as vital as some do
I suspect AEG is part of the reason we don’t have one, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other factors….or that Delahoya and Brenner don’t share some of the blame as well even if they are only minority owners.
I am not a fan of AEG, but when we start freaking out because we got a new sponsorship because AEG is just going to steal the money away from Canetti anyway I think we’re going off the tracks just a little. Same thing goes for comments like “AEG’s desire to destroy American soccer”. I agree that a lot of the stuff AEG has done is potentially damaging to the long term future of the game. You’re implying they are actively trying to destroy American Soccer? Really? They might make some bad decisions, but I don’t think there long term goal is destroy the sport in America.
"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
I think
What he was trying to point out is that if MLS allows one or two super clubs, you will have the same situation that is found in La Liga or even in the EPL where in the former 2 clubs dominate and the others never have an inkling of winning, or the latter where the same 4 or 5 clubs are always at the top of the table. Since MLS doesn’t have relegation races or a champion crowned by position on a table, more importance is placed on single games such as the MLS Cup. And when you have a superclub go against a club who is not for whatever reasons, then they will 9 times out of 10 never win. Which would kill competition and kill the sport from growing, because why would people spend their hard earned cash to go watch a game who they already know is going to win? Or watch their team come short year after year? Maybe for the die hard fans yeah, they’ll keep coming back for more, but the casual American fan? Nah, they are going to go watch football or baseball.
by HernanEscobar on Feb 2, 2012 5:38 PM CST up reply actions
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