Ives Answers Question on a New York City FC

I am a fan of Soccer by Ives and his Q&A posts (maybe because we are both Peruvian and are suffering through another lost opportunity to make the World Cup). He usually gets at least one question from his readers about a NYC franchise. The latest Q&A was no different.

THE NICK- Is New York City just jonesing for a team to support? Obviously the Red Bulls are outside of the border, and outside of the borders of the thoughts of many New Yorkers. IF a team can play within the city, do you think they can galvanize the cities soccer fans and pull off another Toronto (16k season tix sold)

IVES- This is something that I just don't think enough people outside the New YorkNew Jersey area realize. People against a second New York team point to Red Bulls attendance and insist that the support isn't there for another team. That is WRONG. The MetroStars intentionally ignored New York as a market for years, choosing to focus mainly on New Jersey, and the result is a New York City soccer fanbase that never took to the MetroStars (with some exceptions of course). WHEN the New York City team is established in 2010 or 2011 you are going to see packed stadiums and some serious buzz. You will also see a rivalry like no other between FC New York (or whatever Fred Wilpon calls the team) and the Red Bulls.

I love how Ives admits that the Red Bulls have "intentionally ignored" soccer fans in the Big Apple. I have posted before on the Big Soccer forums that one of the reasons that I don't follow Red Bull New York is that I never see advertising in the City for the team. To be honest, I did see ONE spanish television interview of Claudia Reynas prior to a RBNY playoff game... that's it. Do not blame people for wanting a NYC FC when RBNY ownership has failed to promote their product. If RBNY does not want us, we do not want the Red Bulls. Ives also backs the belief that a Wilpon-owned NYC FC is a matter of "when", not "if". I agree that unless something drastic happens, we will be buying NYC FC season tickets in 2010. I am looking forward to NYC FC-RBNY derbies in the near future.

Credit to KingsCountyFC for this post's picture.