Fans of the Portland Timbers rallied at city hall Saturday afternoon, in an effort to persuade the undecided members of city council to join Randy Leonard and Sam Adams in supporting Leonard’s effort to bring Major League Soccer to town.
Joey Webber, who works at Kells downtown, and owns a construction firm, revved up his chainsaw a few times while the 200 Timbers Army fans sang songs from the terraces. I asked Webber what’s so special about the Timbers, just as all 200 fans began jumping up and down in unison.
“This is,” said Webber, gesturing to the crowd. “The supporters are like a family.”
“The reason MLS is going to succeed in this town is that we don’t just love the Timbers, we love Portland!” shouted Timbers fan Jeremy Wright, into a megaphone.
“Rose City ‘til I die! Rose City ‘til I die!” sang the 200 Timbers fans gathered there with him, in unison. “I know I am I’m sure I am, Rose City ‘til I die…”
Wright urged the crowd to write, phone or email the two undecided members of city council—Nick Fish and Dan Saltzman, begging them to join Randy Leonard and Sam Adams in supporting MLS. “We’re assuming Amanda Fritz is a no at this point,” Wright told the Mercury, although Fritz insists she is waiting for a report on MLS by Leonard’s task force before deciding which way to vote at a council hearing on the issue, slated for March 11.
Saltzman’s chief of staff, Brendan Finn, was standing quietly in the sidelines at the march. “I’m just watching,” he said, when asked whether the march might persuade his boss either way.
Leonard’s task force is still looking to plug a $20m to $40m hole in the $85m budget required to renovate PGE Park in NW Portland, and build a new stadium for the Beavers baseball team across the river. Pressure is rising on Timbers and Beavers owner Merritt Paulson to come up with the extra money.
Leonard’s office insists that “negotiations are still ongoing” with Paulson over the size of the check he will write for the project. Paulson has hired former mayor, Vera Katz, as a consultant to shepherd the deal through to completion, and also announced at a meeting of the task force last Tuesday, February 24, that he will personally underwrite the cost of the city’s bonds if the project fails.
“We’re structuring this deal so that there’s no risk to the city’s general fund,” says Paulson. “This deal won’t affect the city’s basic services.”
I spoke with Wright and podcaster Bruce Eaton, who presents the 107report, a Timbers podcast. They were both very optimistic about the deal going through. “Toronto used to have a crowd of 2000 at its games,” said Wrright. They got MLS in 2006, and now they have a regular crowd of 22,000.” Similarly, Seattle used to have 2500 fans at its regular games, according to Wright. “But now, they’ve pre-sold 25,000 season tickets, since becoming an MLS team,” said Eaton.
Both those teams are yet to respond to inquiries about the veracity of those numbers. It should also be noted that only three MLS teams are currently making money. “Portland will be number four,” says Wright.
The skeptics continue to be skeptical, of course: Blogger Jack Bogdanski says that each of the fans at the rally would have to pay $425,000 towards the deal to make it pencil out. The Oregonian ran an editorial this morning questioning the pencils, too.
From my part, I’ve noticed that almost all those calling supporting the deal have something to gain from it. Either Randy Leonard, who gets to take credit, or Merritt Paulson, who stands to make some money and can basically afford to lose billions, or Vera Katz, who’s being paid to shepherd the deal through, or Timbers fans, who seem to be exhibiting the kind of blind faith in their team that I grew up with in England.
I’m excited at the opportunity to boost Portland’s reputation on the world stage. And I love soccer as much as the next man. Go Bees! But it’s going to take more skin in the game from Paulson, and some firmer numbers—perhaps a solid economic impact analysis—and a few independent, non Timbers’ army folks to come out in support of the idea, before I’m going to be won over.
“Man Goes To City Hall With Chainsaw, Demands 20 to 40 Million Dollars.”
Does anyone besides me think it’s a little creepy for a Kell’s employee to wield a chainsaw and chant “Rose City ’til I die”? Seems a little soon after the downtown massacre in which a Kell’s manager was one of the victims.
“We’re structuring this deal so that there’s no risk to the city’s general fund,” says Paulson. “This deal won’t affect the city’s basic services.”
Wow. Something for nothing! There couldn’t possibly be a catch!
Can I just point out that the picture of Matt’s childhood blind faith in England, is a picture of Polish national team supporters?
Matt, is this a tacit statement about the state of football supporter culture in your homeland? Or did you just link to the first footie crowd pic you could find?
OK Matt,
Really this is getting ridiculous. This has been a proposal for how long? There have been plenty of stories written about this. I can go over it time and time again but the bottom line is that Merritt Paulson personally has guaranteed the bonds. If this doesn’t work out he’s on the hook for the money.
Look at it from another angle for once and I’d love to see your response to these questions. In 2010 the lease on PGE is up. Paulson purchased the teams, assumed the debt rung up by the city in the original deal with Portland Family Entertainment. He’s been paying that off and turned the Timbers and Beavers into a profitable business.
If we don’t do this Paulson could stay and continue to be the good owner he has been or there is another scenario…this is what I really want your response on.
What if he says screw it and either
a: sells the team or
b: moves one or two of them to a town with a decent AAA stadium? He can make more money in.
And yes there are plenty of cities around the country that would build a AAA ballpark his baseball team can inhabit and they wouldn’t charge him a dime.
So in either of those cases we are likely to lose both teams since I doubt either can succeed in PGE park without the other. Even if 1 stayed the city would have to drastically redo the lease in PGE park to be significantly cheaper and probably would have to assume all the debt from the original deal.
Who will rent PGE and pay down the original debt if we don’t do this? I assume the city will. That’s $30 million dollars and a stadium that costs us $3 million a year to operate with no renter.
I’m not trying to be a jackass. I would really like to see your response. No reporters seem to be reporting the angle that Paulson has presented a plan that could work and the city has no risk (Paulson is guaranteeing everything) or the city could be shit out of luck and we’ve got nothing but the original debt.
I have to agree with Blabbs (as much as that scares me). There is always a catch. In fact what is that giant square lifeless building in the Rose Quarter doing RIGHT NOW? You know the one……..
Matt actually uses a Jack Bogdanski link as a discussion topic point. By all laws of the universe, doesn’t that automatically mean fail?
And why does the “go bees!” link go to the O-Live editorial from the guy who’s major problem with this proposal is that he’s bent out of shape because it’ll take bond money from his convention center hotel pet project?
This process would’ve been so much easier if the City had just agreed to sell PGE Park to Paulson so he could actually pay for the renovations privately, instead of going through this red-tape dog-and-pony routine of private backing/guaranteeing on a temporary up-front public loan. Everyone loves Paulson under scenario one, but apparently everyone seems to hate that richy rich bastard a-hole under scenario two. Meh. He wanted to go route one, and the biggest difference between the two scenarios is simply that the City refused to negotiate a sale of some dirt.
I wouldn’t call it blind faith, really, Matt, I’d call it more of a belief in something that will benefit the city greatly, and bring top level American soccer to Portland.
The risks here are mentioned above, so I don’t think it needs to be repeated. What this idea will do is refurbish a stadium for MLS, build a more appropriate stadium for the Beavers, and build a city-Paulson partnership where both sides can reap the rewards. It’s a win for everyone, and with Paulson assuming the financial risk, it leaves the city off the hook.
I believe in the idea and I believe in Paulson’s plan, and I think it’s a win for everyone. But at this point, the decision is really either to keep with the status quo and ponder what might have been or take a risk, albeit a small one, and make things better for the city. For me, it’s an easy choice.
Matt – Please check your notes. I stated that Seattle had sold 20,000 season tickets. Probably not a big deal until you call me out for stating an inflated attendance that I never did. Also – we pointed you to David Logsdon at the city for the economic impact statement. I’m confident it exists but sometimes you have to actually make phone calls…
@Jack Acid
The city couldn’t just sell PGE to Paulson. The Mac Club has first rights to that land if the city wants to sell it.
Matt,
2 minutes of google answered the attendance issue I have tried to tell you several times about.
Toronto USL 2006 Avg Attendance: (last season in the league) – 1,792
Toronto MLS Avg Attendance: 2007 – 20,130, 2008 – 20,241
Seattle 2008 USL Attendance – 3,386
Seattle SEASON Tickets Sold prior to innuagural 2009 MLS Season – 20,000
USL Timbers 2008 Average – 8,568
Projected MLS Attendance 2011 – 15,000
NOW do see why there is a) ample precedent for huge growth between USL and MLS and b) the projected increase for the Timbers is actually quite reasonable in comparison?
Sources:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/attenda…
http://www.uslsoccer.com
http://www.soundersfc.com/
Yes, I realize that the MAC would have to be in on any land sale. But maybe I just underestimated the MAC’s giddiness to get the land themselves so they can put 500 exercise bikes in center field.
@Jack Acid
I doubt they’d want to put the bikes there. They’d probably rather sell the field to a developer that will turn it into condos and office buildings that nobody can afford.
For clarification:
@Totalnerd: I don’t know what you’re talking about. Those are English soccer fans.
@Jack Acid: I don’t know what you’re talking about. The “Go Bees” link goes to Brentford FC. The best football club just East of Heathrow.
[Kidding. I’ve made corrections to the links, thanks to your sharp eyes…]
@Garrett: I’ll look into your questions.
@Obi: I have 25,000 written in my notes and underlined. Sorry for the confusion.
@Finnegan: I tend to trust first-hand comments from sources over Google, but thanks for doing the “research.”
Matt,
Thanks for the response. The main point of what I’m asking is who will rent that stadium if Paulson bails? Who will pay off the debt incurred by PFE if Paulson isn’t paying it? Strictly making a business decision I’d take my AAA team to the town where I can make money hand over fist. Nothing keeps him here past 2010.
Matt,
The sources for the numbers I gave you are the league websites. What else do you need? I even gave you the citations. This isn’t a controversial issue or something opinion based. The numbers are the numbers.
Secondly you write – “But it’s going to take more skin in the game from Paulson, and some firmer numbers—perhaps a solid economic impact analysis—and a few independent, non Timbers’ army folks to come out in support of the idea, before I’m going to be won over.”
Okay fair enough- 1) The City actually hired a consultant to do an economic impact anaylsis, which he presented to the task force. I have it, Dave Lodgson has it, anyone on the Task Force can give it to you.
2) I would argue that the Task Force made up of a rather diverse 18 member panel is pretty much as close as you are gonna find for your “Independent” label. There is even a representative from Nike on the task force and they stand to loose both sponsorship of the Timbers as well as prestige as their cross -town rivals Addidas will be the Timbers sponsor if they go MLS (league wide sponsor – Addidas paid MLS $150 million for the honor).
I know you look at the TA and think “rabid soccer fans” and we absolutely are. But we are also bankers, writers, bouncers and stay at home dads. We pay taxes as much as the next guy and I would guarantee you that we would be alot more hesistant to support this deal if it meant taking money from the general fund or if we thought it wouldn’t work.
Our faith isn’t blind. It’s borne out by living and breathing soccer aka football in the United States and knowing the ins and outs of this business like few do. I can quote you attendance numbers from memory Matt because I have lived and breathed and blogged and wrote about this since 2001.
What Finnegan said.
And I hate Seattle.
The Bees! I went to a Brentford home match last year and have followed them since. Top of the league!
Thanks to you all for your comments.
@ Finnegan:
“I can quote you attendance numbers from memory Matt because I have lived and breathed and blogged and wrote about this since 2001.”
My best man’s grandad died on the terraces, watching Brentford play. His dad has rarely missed a game in 30 years, and he still goes to every home game, and occasionally heads to Stoke on the train from Brighton. That’s 8 hours. Minimum. One way. To Stoke.
So: American soccer fans think they’re devoted. But they’ve never frozen to death at the North End at Griffin Park in January, when the microwave for the pies is broken, and the team’s down 4-0 to Grimsby.
That’s a test of resolve, right there: Maybe losing this MLS bid will only serve to strengthen the Timbers fans’ loyalty!
Woo hoo! Let’s go millions of dollars in debt to help a rich, connected, kid to bring dozens of part time service worker jobs to Portland!
I don’t see what the problem is, Portland doesn’t have any other issues to address at the moment. Count me and my property tax bill in. (Just because its paid from revenues from the Park doesn’t mean it won’t jack up the interest the city pays on its other bond issues… this will raise your property tax)
Hey Matt,
There are only so many studys one can do on sports finances. At some point it always come down to a faith. If a team has a bad year this can affect the product on the pitch. There are too many variables. In the Timbers case however the crowds have grown even when they finished bottom. It would just be sad for Portland if it gets turned down as they are the biggest soccer city in North America without an MLS team. If the City turns down MLS maybe in a few years the City can use the Stadium for a giant dog park. Then the sound of kids cheering on their teams will be replaced by barking dogs. Coming from England also I can tell you that the Timber fans are just as loyal as any back home.
@Matt Davis
Now you’re trying to antagonize us aren’t you? Good work!
Well Matt if we are gonna have a dick swinging contest about traveling to support ones squad instead of a substantive discussion of the economic impact study or USL vs MLS attendances or whether the Task Force represents an independent voice…then I will see your 8 hour one way train trip to Stoke (great fans btw!) and raise you with the following places I have traveled to watch the Timbers in the past 8 years: Via Car or Bus: Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton. Via Plane: Montreal, Toronto, Rochester, Charleston and Atlanta.
Oh and when I say since 2001, that is because that is when the Timbers came back to town and discussion of MLS began. I began playing when I was 5, still have the NASL sheets I slept on every night my mom didn’t have them in the wash, got a opportunity to play in college and have traveled Europe kicking a ball. So yes, I know a thing or three about the beautiful game. But that isn’t the point.
The point is that, based on all available evidence, the numbers for MLS in a remodeled PGE Park pencil out. They are sober and reasonable and will work.
Thanks for the good reporting job Matt. The Timbers Army are on a final countdown of their disinformation and personal attack campaign.