Could Milwaukee Handle an MLS Team?

h/t @BennyHutch

For years, people have said Milwaukee should have a National Hockey League team. Many people believe
this team could support hockey team even though they really do not support a basketball team in the winter months, but I digress. Given the massive crowds at Brady Street this past Sunday for the World Cup, it makes one wonder could Milwaukee or the Milwaukee suburban area could support a Major League Soccer team. There are some realistic areas where it could be built plus provide a low-cost option for fans to support yet obvious hurdles exist all over the place.

It was estimated 15,000 people came down to Brady Street to support the United States Soccer effort with a great deal of passion and excitement. That number would fill up a majority of MLS Stadiums.  Milwaukee is more of a soccer city than people might think it is despite not being around the top 10 in the television ratings for the World Cup. There has always been a great deal of soccer love in the city with support of UW-Milwaukee and Marquette's soccer team along with a rich tradition in high school soccer. Milwaukee once had a professional team named Milwaukee Rampage where they did not draw very well, but this was a long team ago before the preceived leap soccer is making right now. 

Miller Park will be hosting a friendly with Swansea City and Chivas USA during the All-Star Break for the Milwaukee Brewers. If that draws well, it should be a push in the right direction for adding an MLS team in the future. This is not something where Milwaukee should do it in the next five years because the city needs to get the Bucks a new arena before everything else. Once they have that in place, the next step should be trying to add an MLS team with a new stadium somewhere in the City of Milwaukee. If the expansion of Milwaukee grows in the right direction adding a soccer team might not be the most ridiculous thing in the world. Further, it is time to think outside the box with the stadium and how to build Milwaukee as a city. 

Imagine if they put it around the old Pabst buildings right around the courthouse. There is a clear relationship with Pabst Blue Ribbon and soccer and if the Pabst sign looming in the background as they play soccer, it would be a thing of beauty. They could add around Miller Park in the golden triangle which we have talked about countless times for the Bucks. If Milwaukee does not work, putting a 15,000 seat stadium in the suburbs of Brookfield, Mequon or Franklin is not a terrible idea. All the sudden, there is a new place to host outdoor concerts and could create a whole new revenue stream for the entire area. Although there are many hurdles they will have to go through before actually making this a reality. 

Currently, the MLS has 18 teams with four teams coming through in the coming years. At some point, MLS will probably cap how many teams they want unless they go the route of European leagues and have a secondary division. Further, Minneapolis has an even better soccer reputation than Milwaukee and nearly got a team last time around. It might be hard to see all three cities, Milwaukee, Chicago and Minneapolis, all have MLS soccer teams. Another city that might cut Milwaukee's chance to get a team is Indianapolis which could bring more to the table. 

Another big concern for the MLS addition in Milwaukee would be the Green Bay Packers. Now, there are 10 teams with NFL teams in the same city and in fact, New England Revolution plays in Gillette Stadium. My argument would be if New England can deal with having a soccer team, Milwaukee could deal with the Green Bay crowd. Same goes for Washington D.C. The other thing about is it would be much cheaper to see Milwaukee's MLS team versus doing anything else in the city.  There might be too much going on with the Brewers as well when it comes to September plus let's not forget about Wisconsin Badgers either. Milwaukee is a big small city and things might be spread too thin yet all of the options for the sports fan of Milwaukee would be tremendous.  

It will be interesting to see if this gains any momentum. I am all for the idea of adding new professional teams to the City of Milwaukee. Nothing wrong with getting on the bandwagon for Cream City FC or Milwaukee Futbol Club.   

Charlie. 

How Milwaukee Relates to All 32 World Cup Teams

Everyone has some sort of creative World Cup preview.  I am pretty much out of options at this point because all of the corners of the Internet have been taken. Needless to say, I am pretty disappointed with this one because I want to have something about the World Cup besides Mitch and I bumbling through an audio preview around the 30 minute mark of our latest podcast.  Here's my idea, and we are going to try to do it to the best of our abilities. We are going to try and relate every single World Cup country with the City of Milwaukee. Godspeed.

Group A
Brazil - General Electric, one of the biggest companies in Wisconsin and the Milwaukee area , has a major office in Sao Paulo where roughly10,000 people work in a variety of different occupations for the company. Harley-Davidson has major involvement with Brazil as well.  OH and people are pissed at Milwaukee when it comes to Brazil right now.

Croatia - I had no idea Croatian Eagles Soccer Club here in Milwaukee is the oldest North American Soccer club. They first started in 1922.

Mexico - There are so many great things about Mexico and the City of Milwaukee. They are a major part of this city without question. El Rey is one of the most heralded grocery stores in the city.

Cameroon - This is a very recent story about a Alverno College professor whose bringing laptops to Cameroon to young women here. Fantastic to see.

Group B
Spain - Santaigo Calatrava, a Spanish architect, created Milwaukee Art Museum which was his first American building and a staple of Milwaukee architecture.

Netherlands - Surprisingly, not very much from this country ties to Milwaukee, but Maxwell Wassacher, a junior at MSOE, will be playing for Netherlands' National Team in Lacrosse this coming julu.

Chile - When Chile had an earthquake in April 2014, a Milwaukee seismic meters picked it up from well over a  1,000 miles away. That's pretty neat science.

Australia - Milwaukee Tool has a major factory in Australia. They have all sorts of advertisements, YouTube videos, everything.



Group C
Colombia - I don't know when this occurred or if it is still going to happen, but the Milwaukee Ballet Company was headed to Colombia to compete in the International Ballet Festival.

Greece - GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO!!!!  That's really all that needs to be said, but also, Milwaukee has a strong Greek population rooted in the city.

Ivory Coast  - Wilfred Bony, one of the players for the Cote D'Ivore, will be playing for Swansea at Miller Park against Chivas FC this upcoming July.

Japan - Milwaukee has a stronger Japanese culture than anyone probably thinks about or considers. Here's a look at the Milwaukee Japanese Association.

Group D
England - I don't always like lists, but the BBC America has 10 British things about America which I will say is close enough. And if it's not, Michael King is the obvious answer.

Italy - Huge Italian presence here in Milwaukee, and the Italian Community Center is a great place in the city of Milwaukee. Additionally, Brady Street used to be considered Little Italy shortly after World War II and also home to Gloriosos, one of the best ethnic grocery stores in the area .

Uruguay - Easily the hardest one thus far, but we ended on finding the Milwaukee Guitar Duo whom won some awards in Uruguay in the late 90's. Yeah I don't know either.

Costa Rica - In March, we had two smugglers trying to bring in Milwaukee's Best Premium into the country from the Panama border. In fact, they tried to bring seven cases in because this beer would only cost one American dollar versus the two to four dollar prices they pay for beer. And at Taylors: Costa Rica, they still pay five dollars.

Group E
France - The United States Futsal team is playing the French's national team in Milwaukee this Saturday at MSOE. Big-time event on Water Street and Juneau all day. From everything I read, top notch day to day-drink on Saturday.  

Switzerland - Simon Moser, one of the players for the Milwaukee Adrimals this season, played for the Swiss National Team at Sochi this February.

Ecuador - I had no idea they had their own fly fishing technique but apparently they do so now we all know this information. Why it matters for this piece, some guy did it in the Milwaukee River.


Honduras - Another one where I had some big-time trouble with finding something Milwaukee-related for this country. The best I can do is the USS Milwaukee spent some time in Honduras during the 1910's.

Group G
United States - A city in the United States. Boom. Easiest one yet.

Germany - There is SO much of Germany in Milwaukee. We all know it is a major part of our overall culture as a city. I would like to give a special shoutout to my favorite German restaurant, Cafe Bavaria.

Ghana - Ghana Milwaukee Association seems like a really cool thing to check out in order to learn more about the country right here in the City of Milwaukee.

Portugal - This is the first one to have me completely stumped therefore we are going with a performance from Portugal. The Man at Pabst Theater.



Group H
Belgium - I should be on the PR staff for Lowlands. Cafe Hollander is one of the more popular restaurants in the city known for its Belgium cuisine.

Russia - Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church is one of the more famed churches around the area with their website still having the Russian language.

South Korea - I have not eaten at the Stone Bowl Grill on the Eastside, but it is a new Korean restaurant to the area.

Algeria -  This happened last year, but pretty cool stuff from NPR: Milwaukee reuniting an Algerian Buena Vista Club after 50 years of separation.

Charlie.