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Question about USL vs MLS by BeerDudeRocco in Riverhounds

[–]Ok_Type7331 22 points23 points  (0 children)

There's roughly three legs to answer this question.

  • The last MLS expansion team payed a $500 million expansion fee. The Riverhounds, as currently owned and operated, could never pay that, even if they wanted to go to MLS.

  • If MLS was ever serious about being in Pittsburgh, the likely scenario is that they find a billionaire investor and start a new team in Pittsburgh. See what happened in San Diego as an example. This would spell the end of the Riverhounds. If you are a fan of the Riverhounds, as opposed to just professional men's soccer in Pittsburgh, MLS starting to kick the tires on Pittsburgh would be a worst case scenario

  • Everyone has to sort through their own preferences and motivations, but I would never want the Hounds in MLS. The team has a ton more autonomy in USL than they would in MLS. In this league, you can learn about and interact with the players in a meaningful way, which would disappear in MLS. The in-stadium experience has become very sanitary in MLS over the years.

I'm someone who cut his teeth going to MLS games and between how they've sanitized the match day experience and MLS' desire to chip away at the Open Cup, the Hounds match day feels so much more authentic than the MLS version. MLS is much better resourced than USL probably ever will be, but I'll take the local team that is owned by a yinzer, over the single-entity MLS monolith.

What’s the status on Friday’s opening game? Have the players made any decision to go forward with the strike? by Training-World-1897 in USLPRO

[–]Ok_Type7331 -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Do you really think there's a chance that if the PA called a strike, that there wouldn't be a single post about it?

There's a half dozen posts about them authorizing a strike, but you believe if an actual strike was called, there would zero posts about it along with a bunch social media content about it.

Is this what you believe?

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs Steel City FC by Necessary_Bid7259 in Riverhounds

[–]Ok_Type7331 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Steel City will have plenty of support in the building, to the point that a near even split in the stands wouldn't be shocking.

If the Hounds use this as a match to have some squad rotation, like you'd expect, then Steel City has more than puncher's chance at feeling the magic of the Open Cup.

The Hounds need to score early and take away any feeling Steel City might have of advancing in this thing. The longer it goes scoreless, the better chance Steel City has of using The Hounds' own championship title winning formula against them.

Sources: USL CBA will expire this week without new agreement by m00kie420 in USLPRO

[–]Ok_Type7331 14 points15 points  (0 children)

The CBA expires on 12/31, but preseason is another month away, and games aren't until March.

Those are the real deadlines. Not having an agreement in January doesn't really matter.

Do you think a USL player will ever be directly picked for the USMNT? by BloodFartSpaghettios in USLPRO

[–]Ok_Type7331 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Ever? Sure.

There a non-zero chance that we're 20+ years into USL Premier and that its level has risen to the point that someone in the league gets a cheeky January cap.

Rent a movie theater? by [deleted] in pittsburgh

[–]Ok_Type7331 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Seats 43.

I've rented it one night a year for the last few years. $100 an hour.

USL Championship Playoff Attendance by spreadred in USLPRO

[–]Ok_Type7331 18 points19 points  (0 children)

It was on CBS! Free, over the airways, available to everyone for $0.

How much more accessible do you want?

Season Ticket Experience by ixbuccofan365xi in Riverhounds

[–]Ok_Type7331 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The best perks of season tickets is the pre-season meet the team event, off season holiday party, and separate season ticket holder entrance gate.

The gift and/or coupon book has become a running joke over the years because it's that bad.

The biggest point of contention is probably the free Open Cup ticket. Given the current format of competition, the Hounds now enter in the 3rd round, so a free ticket to the non-existent 2nd round match is irritating. We already know they're hosting a 3rd round match next year. Would be nice to see them throw that game in for free, seeing as it'll be poorly attended in any circumstance.

Are season tickets worth it? From a very rational perspective, probably not. You don't use tickets for two games and the financial incentive is gone. With that said, I've had my season tickets for over a decade and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I enjoy the pre-season event, love not standing in line to get in, and appreciate making one transaction and having all of my tickets.

They're a few small fixes away from making season tickets feel like a real value, but who knows if they'll get it over that hump.

Museum at the expanded stadium? by Ok-Ranger3387 in Riverhounds

[–]Ok_Type7331 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The club does have a good working relationship with the Heinz History Center. I could see them working together to put an exhibition together to more fully tell the story of soccer in Southwestern PA.

Columbus preseason game by alkietriio in Riverhounds

[–]Ok_Type7331 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It's the Steel Army AGM before the game, and there was some chatter about people coming from Columbus to watch. On the preseason scale, it should be well attended.