Crocketteers & San Antonio Soccer

I received a suggestion to start this thread again. So here's the current status of Pro Soccer in SA.

The SA Scorpions FC will begin play in the NASL next year.

They will play the 2012 season at the North East ISD's Heroes Stadium, which is across the street from Morgan's Wonderland and the STAR Soccer Complex.

The original plan was to build their own stadium inside STAR, but that was shot down. Apparently, the financing for STAR was a ballot initiative (a few years ago) which stated it would be used for recreational and amateur soccer only.

They also asked for financial assistance from Bexar County and the City of San Antonio. Apparently, due to a non-compete clause, the county is not allowed to help fund any sporting or entertainment venue which would be in competition with the AT&T Center, where the Spurs play. The AT&T Center holds major concert events, and so would have the new soccer stadium. So no $$ from the county.

The city council looked over the team's business prospectus and voted to deny any funds to help build the stadium. But wait; there's more. The city helped Gordon Hartman fund his Morgan's Wonderland project (which is actually pretty cool) and build STAR Soccer Complex. From what I've read and heard from "people in the know", Mr Hartman has not come thru with repaying the city per the agreement. So the city is understandably reluctant to give him any more money.

There's a piece of undeveloped land next to Morgan's Wonderland on which Mr Hartman can legally build the stadium, and that's now his plan. But he's looking for private investors to help him pay for it. That's why the team will play at Heroes for the first year. He needs time to gather the money and begin construction. The first phase of the stadium will hold 5,000 and it will be expandable to 10,000.

The Scorpions, Part 2

Hartman recently announced the team president: Michael Hitchcock.

The team has hired Hitch and his PMI team to run the entire operation. I've heard they will hire a coach by end of August and tryouts will be in October and November.

They unveiled their jersey design:

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Yes, that's Jorge Campos. Apparently, he's really excited about this effort. So he's part of Hartman's advisory team.

While all this has been going on since last October, another group has been quietly working on their plans.

Spurs Sports and Entertainment have been looking to add pro soccer to their portfolio of teams. In addition to the Spurs, they also own the Silver Stars of the WNBA, the Rampage of the AHL and the Austin Toros of the D-League (developmental basketball league).

They have been in discussions with USL for several years to add a team here. SS&E are known to research every little detail and they tend to move very slow. However, the organization is one of the most well-respected sports businesses in the US, maybe even the world. Very smart and savvy.

They do not want to spend the money on a new stadium for what will now be D3 soccer. They've been in talks with the San Antonio ISD in regards to renting Alamo Stadium, a 70+ year old High School football stadium in need of major repairs.

The district put a $535 million bond initiative on the ballot last year. Part of that was $35 million to renovate and repair Alamo Stadium (and Convocation Center next door). To be clear, the stadium needs a facelift even if you take soccer out of the equation. If the district wants to keep place open for HS football and other district sporting events, the repairs must be done soon.

No work can begin on Alamo Stadium until after the 2011 HS football season is over. So that means it could start in November. That also means that IF SS&E want play in USL, it won't be next year but 2013 at the earliest. And that's IF they can work a deal with SAISD.

So SS&E have their own set of problems and delays.

We know their ultimate goal is to be in MLS. And with 19 teams in MLS next year, SS&E know time is ticking for them to get one of the last spots (assuming MLS plans to go to 24 teams).

The good news is that Don Garber mentioned San Antonio several times last year in his list of "cities of interest" for expansion. But my concern is if we get 2 lower division teams here, the fan base could be split.

While I'm excited to have a team to cheer for next year, I don't feel confident about the Scorpions lasting very long. I hope I'm wrong, but as I've said to some of my soccer / Sci Fi geek friends here - "I have a bad feeling about this."

SS&E probably have a better business model and have the sports business experience. But if they move too slow, the MLS boat will have sailed.

Good luck guys. I know you all have the heart but it seems such an uphill battle that you are all fighting down there. I hope the Scorpions works out better than you feel.

Yay i can finally post!!!! The key to Scorpions success will be relationships i want to see them play !! This guy needs to pay back some debt, and should involve heavy hitters in the soccer world: investors, teams abroad who may be interested in cultivating a relationship Or create ties with a local MLS team

The San Antonio Scorpions FC announced their coach today: Tim Hankinson.

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FCDSouth wrote:

The San Antonio Scorpions FC announced their coach today: Tim Hankinson.

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Awesome! I read that they were only holding off tryouts until they found their head coach, so this is a BIG step in the right direction. I agree that if San Antonio were to get an MLS team the fanbase would be split, however I honestly dont think San Antonio is a Major League Sports kind of town. I remember when the Saints were here and everyone was saying that we could have an NFL team. I really dont think we could support it. Has anybody ever seen a Spurs game when they are having a losing season? Its a morgue. And they are a championship team! I think an MLS team and hell, an NASL team will be doomed if they dont come out of the gate with a great first season and continue winning.

Just my .$02 [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

It was nice to see our Crocketeer friends join us in section yesterday. Looking forwar to seeing you guys when we play Houstank!

I am planning to go down to one of the opening games in san Antonio is like to get a group together that would be sweet to build a symbiotic relationship with the crocketeers and the scorpions anybody interested let me know

Scorpions Press Conference

Wed, December 14, 2011
1:30 pm
The Soccer Factory
12066 Starcrest Dr, #100
San Antonio, TX 78247

Description
San Antonio Scorpions FC To Introduce First Player, Introduce New Assistant Coaches

WHO: First San Antonio Scorpions FC player and two new assistant coaches

WHAT: Press Conference

WHEN: 1:30 p.m. CDT Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011.

WHERE: The Soccer Factory, 12066 Starcrest Drive, #100.

WHY: To introduce new Scorpions personnel and share recent team-building progress.

Alamo Stadium update:

The SAISD School Board is set to hear discussions and then vote on some key items related to the 2010 Bond Election related to Alamo Stadium. The vote is scheduled for Tuesday evening (December 13).

At issue is a controversial decision whether the track will remain as part of the stadium or if it will be removed to allow for a wider soccer field.

The media has been quite negative on the idea of removing the field, stating that the decision is motivated solely / primarily to allow the stadium to be used for professional soccer. Many people in the community are accusing the school board of pandering to Spurs Sports and Entertainment's interest in renting the stadium for a future USL Pro team.

The school district's Track and Field coaches and athletes contend Alamo Stadium has always been, and will always be, the best place for those events. However, a new facility called Wheatley Heights is also being considered for the SAISD's Track and Field events.

There are other considerations:

1. Sports Equity. Soccer is the #1 HS sport in the district based on number of athletes. However, its near the bottom of the "dollars spent per athlete". If the district wants their soccer program to really compete with other local districts (not to mention other districts around the state), those numbers will need to improve.

2. Safety Management. There have been studies published suggesting that when HS soccer is played on standard football-wide fields, there is an increase in fouls, yellow and red cards, and injuries. The opponents to removing the track for a wider soccer field conveniently ignore this safety factor.

3. Additional Revenue. Even if SS&E were not interested in pro soccer, Alamo Stadium could be used for other major soccer events: MLS pre-season tournaments, International friendlies, College Cup matches, etc. SAISD is hurting for revenue. These events would help the district financially.

To me, if the Wheatley Heights option is viable for Track & Field events, it would be a win-win-win for the district, their soccer athletes and SS&E. But many people who live inside SAISD are holding on to old history, based mostly on emotion, not the facts. And the media is playing it up.

We will know the answer Tuesday night.

One school board member and one former SA city council person have asked the board to postpone the vote to allow more time for the public to be informed about the proposed changes. So they may not vote on the track decision tonight.

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Quote :

The owners of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs are playing a wait-and-see game as the San Antonio Independent School District [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] It would require getting rid of a track.

The Scorpions held another weekend of tryouts. A very reliable source (who was there to watch) told me he saw Josh Lambo in goal.

The last few weeks culminated in some extraordinary activity yesterday for both the Scorpions and the Alamo Stadium issue.

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As I've mentioned before, the local media has been heavily slanted against the use of Alamo Stadium for professional soccer. Also, Options 2 and 3 were worded, "priced" and presented by certain school district employees in a way which favored Option 1. The problem is the "information" they used and presented was so obviously flawed, I almost laughed out loud.

While I'm personally glad the compromise (Option 3) was passed, I'm sickened by the way the anti-soccer groups used flat out lies to sway public opinion. If they don't want pro soccer in Alamo Stadium, fine... just say that. They could have easily worded a motion to say "Yes, we'll widen the soccer field to meet FIFA regulations for high school and college matches, but there will be a 10-year moratorium on the use of the stadium for professional sports."

That would have allowed the district to bring their soccer program up to the same level as neighboring districts. And it would also allow 2 nearby colleges to rent the stadium for their soccer matches.

But no, they had to pile layer upon layer of BS arguments on top to bolster their case.

So while this is a victory for HS soccer in SA, its seems sadly hollow today.

The Scorpions opened their Inaugural season with a 0-0 draw on the road at the Atlanta Silverbacks. The Crocketteers hosted a Watch Party at the Lion and Rose pub, which attracted over 150 fans. We basically filled the entire place. All TVs except 2 had the game on. We also had 2 TV stations show up to cover the event and conduct interviews. Big night for the Scorpions and the Crocketteers.

The Home Opener is this Sunday at Heroes Stadium against the Puerto Rico Islanders. We anticipate over 200 people at our tailgate.

This week is filled with finalizing tailgate setup, chant and drum practices, in-stadium setup and tear down, flags and banners, food purchase and prep, and many other details.

It's a busy time for soccer fans in San Antonio.

Oh, I forgot to mention - Blake Wagner is the Scorpions' starting left back. He played pretty well on Saturday.

That sounds great, It would be nice if we had more MLS teams from Texas, but it's building blocks. Great thing about NASL is every game is streamed online too!

Things are coming together for tomorrow's home opener. The Crocketteers are holding a huge tailgate. We use a system called EventBrite which allows people to "register" for an event. As of right now, there are 259 people registered for the tailgate.

Now, the downside. The current weather forecast for Sunday afternoon is .... rain. This is not your average run-of-the-mill rain shower. Potentially major thunderstorms, lightning, high winds, etc.

Timing.

New San Antonio Scorpions stadium:

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Opening game at Toyota Field last night. We filled Section 113, "The Garrison". Good crowd, good atmosphere. Unfortunately, the home team lost 2-0 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies.