2008 US Open Cup - First Round results

The first round is all but done (one game was rained out) and things pretty much went as expected as the team in the tougher league won every match except one. So what underdog sunk a higher division side? None other then Hollywood United (USASA) who dropped the Portland Timbers (USL-1) in Portland.

There were two other matches that came close to being an upsets as the Austin Aztex's (USL-PDL) pushed Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1) all the way to penalty kicks and the USASA's RWB Adria forced Rochester (USL-1) to overtime. Atlanta won by converting all their pks and Austin missing one of their's while Rochester got a goal by Tiger Fitzpatrick in the first overtime period.

Although not technically a US Open Cup match, the Chicago Fire and Columbus played last night for the final MLS spot in the tournament and the Crew lost again.

In all, a great night of soccer in America.

Here are the results:

Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) 5-1 Yakima Reds (USL-PDL)

Charlotte Eagles (USL-2) 5-2 Clearwater Galactics (USASA)

Minnesota Thunder (USL-1) 4-1 St. Louis Lions (USL-PDL)

Western Mass Pioneers (USL-2) 2-0 Boston Olympiakos (USASA)

Michigan Bucks (USL-PDL) 1-2 Cleveland City Stars (USL-2)

Rochester Rhinos (USL-1) 2-1 RWB Adria (USASA)

Charleston Battery (USL-1) 3-0. ASC New Stars (USASA)

Carolina Railhawks (USL-1) 1-0 Brooklyn Knights (USL-PDL)

Real Maryland Monarchs (USL-2) vs. NY Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA)
Postponed due to rain

Miami FC Blues (USL-1) 4-2 Bradenton Academics (USL-PDL)

Richmond Kickers (USL-2) 3-0 Fredericksburg Gunners (USL-PDL)

Austin Aztex (USL-PDL) 1(4)-(5)1 Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1)

AAC Eagles (USASA) 0-4 Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2)

Portland Timbers (USL-1) 2-3 Hollywood United (USASA)

LA Legends (USL-PDL) 1-2 Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2)

Arizona Sahuaros (USASA) 0-1 Seattle Sounders (USL-1)

Chicago Fire (MLS) 3-2 Columbus Crew (MLS)

The second round will take place in two weeks on 24 June. The eight MLS teams join the tournament in the third round (1 July).
Here is the schedule (home team listed first):

Carolina Railhawks (USL-1) vs. Real Maryland Monarchs (USL-2)/NY Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA) winner
Richmond Kickers (USL-2) vs. Western Mass Pioneers (USL-2)
Minnesota Thunder (USL-1) vs. Cleveland City Stars (USL-2)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2) vs. Rochester Rhinos (USL-1)

Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1) vs. Miami FC Blues (USL-1)
Charlotte Eagles (USL-2) vs. Charleston Battery (USL-1)
Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2) vs. Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2)
Seattle Sounders (USL-1) vs. Hollywood United (USASA)

MLS Expansion - If Portland doesn't act fast, owner might be priced out of MLS

Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson would love to bring Major League Soccer to town, but he is concerned that the ever increasing expansion fee (now sitting at $40 million +) might price him out of consideration.

Still the dream of top-level soccer in the city is moving forward as Paulson plans on presenting his full proposal for a MLS team to the city as early as June. It is very much expected that he will ask for a public-private partnership that could cost the city more then $55 million.

Portland's bid hinges on Paulson and the city agreeing to a public-private partnership. Paulson said he is willing to absorb the league's $40 million expansion fee. The city would be on the hook for the rest, Paulson said, which probably would amount to more than $55 million.

A breakdown of the city's cost sees at least $20m going to the renovation of the Timbers current home PGE Park, which needs 'grandstand seating on the stadium's vacant east side, plus more restrooms and concessions.' The other $35m would go to the construction of a new, 9,000-seat baseball stadium for the Portland Beavers. The Beavers currently play at PGE Park but with the improvements mentioned above, would no longer be able to call it home. Paulson also owns the Beavers.

I guess the biggest question I have about the Portland situation has to do with the ownership group. Paulson is not a poor man but he is not the billionaire type the league has been looking for of late. This makes the Portland situation seem a lot like the St. Louis situation. If the city approves the funding request, both cities will have rich but not mega-rich owners with solid public backing.

One big difference, unlike Paulson, St. Louis owner Jeff Cooper is not the son of the current US Secretary of the Treasury.

Anyway, the question I have for Paulson is how much he is willing to invest in a future team beyond the roughly $40m expansion fee and does he have other owners setup to take part in the project (his pop is partial owner in the sports teams)?

If Paulson is not ready to invest the big money needed to make Portland a success, I find it hard to see the league moving in.

MLS Expansion - The problem with Portland is the stadium

It would seem that the only thing holding MLS back from giving Portland a team is PGE Park. MLS commissioner Don Garber likes the stadium but says that major changes need to happen to make it work for the league.

"It's hard to accept that you would not be in an optimum facility," Garber said, explaining that Philadelphia is close to approving a $125 million soccer stadium, and other cities have expressed interest. "Years ago, we needed to play wherever we could. Now we're in a position where we can play where we want to play. ... That's a very positive development for the sport."

To make the park an 'optimum facility' Garber says they need to, among other things, install seats along the east side of the stadium, upgraded locker rooms and improve the rest rooms. The problem of course is who is going to pay for such upgrades?

Timbers owner Merritt Paulson is willing to pay the $30 million expansion fee to get a team but does not want to pay for the stadium. PGE Park is owned by the City of Portland, so people will look in their direction, but publicly funded stadium deals are always a sticky situation.

Add what would a stadium situation be without a bit of a time crunch as Paulson says that he does not want to pay more then $30 million for the franchise, meaning that if MLS increases the fee, he says he will walk.

MLS Expansion - Portland gets a second visit

MLS Commissioner Don Garber and league president Mark Abbott will be in Portland today to revisit PGE Park. The two are interested in seeing the park in full 'game condition' ahead of tonight's US Women's match against Mexico.

Garber first looked at PGE Park in March but at the time, it was not setup for a full soccer experience. The two will talk with Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson about the requirements needed to make PGE MLS ready.

"I'm sure they want to talk about the stadium and what it might take to bring it up to MLS standards," said Dan Courtemanche, a league senior vice president.

So if you are in the area and want to show Garber what Portland soccer fans are like, here is your chance.

MLS Expansion - Seattle and Portland could both get teams

MLS senior vice president Dan Courtemanche has made it clear that just if one of the Northwest cities get a MLS club, that doesn't mean the other will not get one soon after.

"If by chance we do finalize an agreement to bring a team to Seattle, that would not preclude us from bringing a team to Portland."

This should not be much of a surprise to anyone, however I do think it again shows the league leaning towards a Seattle franchise since Courtemanche specifically says Seattle. However, Portland still makes a good case and could beat out Seattle if MLS decides playing at Qwest Field is not the way they want to go.

With PGE Park needing around $20 million of changes to make it suitable for the league, it work not be that difficult to make this happen. In addition, if a team came to town, Merritt Paulson, who owns both the Portland Timbers and the Portland Beavers (baseball), says that he would be open to building the Beavers an 8-9,000-seat stadium elsewhere in the city if he was given a MLS franchise. That would mean that for most of the soccer season, PGE would be soccer only.

Seattle seems to still have the inside track, but Portland is making it hard for MLS to ignore them.

MLS to Portland or Seattle via California

Back in March MLS Commissioner Don Garber made headlines when he visited Portland and Seattle to explore the possibility of granting one of them an expansion team. At the time Garber was silent on the names of possible investors. However, the lead investor has finally stepped forward.

Michael Keston, a California real estate developer has announced that he has the exclusive rights to discuss with MLS the possibility of bringing an expansion team to one of the two cities.

Keston has yet to decide which city he will put forward, however it does seem that Portland is where he would prefer to be.

"We very much would like to be in Portland," he said. "We think the people and atmosphere are great and it's a place we could very happily be."

The problem is MLS wants the team to be ready to play within two years and a stadium solution might not be ready within that time.

If a team moved to Portland, they would probably play at PGE Park, which is currently the home of USL first division side the Portland Timbers and Triple A baseball club the Portland Beavers. Although the city would love to have a MLS side, they don't want to hurt their relationship with these two teams to make it happen.

A possible solution to this problem might happen by itself, as the Portland Timbers might not continue if a bigger squad moves into town.

The city, for their part, is willing to make improvements to the stadium (new field, more seating, better locker rooms...), but Keston is also looking at other stadiums in the area.

If Seattle gets the nod, the team would probably head to Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks (NFL) and Sounders (USL). The idea of playing in a 67,000-seat stadium is a good short-term solution, but at some point they will need to find their own venue.

Keston is working on these issues and hopes to announce which of the two Northwestern cities he has picked within a month. Once he has a city, he will present his plans to MLS headquarters in order to get their final approval.

MLS looking at Portland

MLS Commissioner Don Garber was in Portland yesterday to explore the possibility of granting the city an expansion team.

During a tour of PGE Park, home of the USL First Division Portland Timbers, Garber said it was "pretty cool" however added "But I haven't even gone so far as to see if it's the best option or only option." He specifically pointed to the stadiums NeXturf surface as a problem.

Garber says MLS is committed to bringing a team to the Northwest by 2010, however it has not come close to deciding a location (ie, Seattle or Portland).

The league has quietly been discussing that possibility for at least six months with an investment group Garber declined to identify. The investors first envisioned Seattle as the locale for an expansion franchise, then in the past three to four months added Portland as another viable option, he said.

Portland has a great history of supporting soccer and would find an instant fan base, I just wonder how this affect the Timbers. It would be a shame to see them hit by this (since it sounds like the investment group is looking at either Seattle or Portland, it doesn't seem like the team would be promoted to top flight action). Then again, perhaps this could be the beginning of a strong working relationship between MLS and USL clubs.

I still think St. Louis and San Jose need teams first, but Portland would be a great third spot.