I would love to see the stadium packed with the city's largest ethnic groups, hispanics, but that is a difficult challenge. I think most of the hispanics that post on this board are not really in touch with the hispanic community in general. I'm sorry, I know I am going to get alot of flack for saying this. I have worked in a hispanic neighborhood for 5 years and I can tell you the kids that I teach are more likely to wear a Mavericks jersey or a Cowboys jersey. In fact, I have never seen a Burn shirt. My neighbor is a Mexican and a huge soccer fan. He saw me wearing my Club America jersey one day and struck up a conversation. I asked him about the Burn and at first he did not know who they were. When I explained further he said, "Oh yeah, they don't know how to play." Apparently he saw them once in 1996 and was completely turned off by them.

My point is by large the hispanic community is not interested in the Burn at the present. I think that if the Burn becomes a traditional part of the Dallas sports scene we will win many hispanic fans but that will take decades. That also goes for the majority of the white community too, who is also not interested in the Burn. But this is just my opinion. Theo and Carlitos, when you are argueing with Annonymous, instead of complaining about his long posts or complaining about him posting at all why don't you come up with a solution for this problem. Theo you Annonymous's critical responses, but that is because you really have not put up a good arguement.

Heck, make me a believer. Convince me that I'm wrong with actual solutions.

I agree with your comments as I too have Hispanic friends that still think of Burn as the team they saw five years ago. The level of soccer for the Burns and MLS as a whole has improved dramatically. That is why I think that it does not matter where, a specific stadium where teams can make money to bring better players will eventually bring back addict fans from all races.

Assflag, I'm glad you asked the question. The latest back and forth has gone beyond the issues, issues we detailed some time ago. So here goes:

I think in large part you are right. Many of the Mexican fans will not come out to see the Burn no matter what. True, many will pack the Cotton Bowl to see Chivas or America, but not even Manchester Utd. Why? These are not soccer fans. They are homesick expatriots longing for a bit of home. We can put them in the bandwagon category right along with many of the white folks who then will attend only if the event is seen as trendy. (kind of like the old Mavs fans and the Cuban era fans.)
Now, maybe 1 of 10 from that group, (a sizeable number that live and breath soccer). Telemundo, FOXSPORTS ESP, Univision, and the like are getting filthy rich meeting their demand. TV is no substitute for the big festive environment that live stadium soccer provides. The nasty urinals, the crude language, the pulsation and rhythm of the crowd reacting to every play can only happen in the live setting. (I think that Euro's can also fit in this category.) If the on the field product is respectful of their game and people, they can be won over one fan at a time. If instead, the team gives them the finger, (perceived or in reality), they will retreat to their TV sets and spend their money and time elsewhere. Andy Swift understood this well. When the team made changes that undid the good will the team had built with this community. It will take years to undo the damage, and only if the team makes it a priority. Hard work? Yes. worth it? Of course, why else are the Mavs, Rangers, and Cowboys broadcasting in Spanish and getting Hispanic players to make appearances for the Hispanic community. Get as much of the 10 percent hardcore soccer fans to buy, and they will be your best salesmen for the rest of their community.

How do you go about doing that? First of all, you have to want them back and they have to know it. Not all people on this board want them back, not all the staff care for them. When players and coaches are removed, PR work is needed. Personnel and staff that look and sound like them make the perception a reality. This is the easiest way to make a statement that the Hispanics are respected and missed. Imagine if every player were hispanic, and the team systematically began removing all the anglo players. What if the stadium were moved to the barrio, and the team went silent when any anglo supporter groups asked questions. I'd be pissed.


Secondly, the product has to make sense to them. Many have played the game for years, and have watched thousands of hours of high level soccer. They know when they are being duped. The Burn are competing with television soccer, but they still have their advantages if they are smart. A good soccer blueprint, as we've rehashed too many times on this board would help.

Thirdly, be patient and never take these groups for granted. Put professionals in charge who have thick skin. If a group says ugly things about your organization, redouble your efforts to meet their needs. Don't get offended like a romantic school girl, and say you are breaking up with these fan groups. Fan by fan, you will build a base that will sell the game to the band wagon types.

When success on the field and the proper building of the fan base occur, then you will really achieve something. Some MLS teams have had on field success, but still folded, because no one cared. Winning on the field and in the stands are not necessarily one in the same.

These are my humble opinions. I don't claim to know it all, I am just a fan who doesn't want this team and league to go the way of WUSA and NASL. A team cannot survive by torching 1/3rd of its fanbase. The kids and families, the beer drinking soccer rowdies, and the Hispanics have all got to be courted.

Again only one "s" in asflagg.

Theo you have made a few good points. Particularly when you compare the white fan base with the hispanic fan base. Both are very similar in that the communities by far are not interested in the Burn. Such interest will have to be cultivated over time.

You said that the Burn have to let the hispanic community know that want them to come to the games. that sounds nice, but how do you do that? I'm convinced the only way to that is to have a winning team. There is nothing ethnocentric about that idea. That would bring all people in eventualy. As to our future home, I'm not convinced that Frisco is the best place for the team either but its the only place that is giving us a stadium. I think a place like Mesquite or Pleasant Grove, basically places with high hispanic populations would have been beter but those places were not putting up the cash.

Exactly asflagg! Beggars can't be choosers. Not too while back we were all panicking as no city would give us a look. Now Frisco gives us a chance and all the sudden we are picky and want to choose where to put our stadium. Heck the Cowboys are having a hard time convincing Dallas to get a deal going. Getting a city to put the money for a stadium is a huge deal. Let's just be happy we got Frisco. Frisco is near Allen (9000+ Hispanic) Plano (22000+ Hispanic) McKinney (12000+ Hispanic) Frisco (8000+ Hispanic) and only 5-25 miles from Denton, Dallas and other metropolitan cities.

Shiit,

One more time Professor Theo has spoken. I kind of like his tail. Too bad that he does not a coaching license. I will given the job.Oh wait!!! I must ask first. Theo do you have a coaching license???

Shiit we need some body with vission like Theo at the helm. Even though, We have our new Boss. Dan will help us on the last minutes before going belly up.

Okay, let work on the brown players list now!!!!!

baya.

He is the same guy you accused of working for the Burn while back.

Baya, Theo was basically saying what I had said a while back and I was accussed of being a bigot. Not by you exactly, but by some of the other people on here who are over sinsitive to this topic. Isn't Theo basically saying that there is no quick fix with the hispanic fan base and that it will take a long time, winning one fan at a time, to get the hispanic support. That is what I meant Baya, when I said it will take decades of the Burn being a part of Dallas sports to slowly gain the respect of the Dallas fans (of all color). And that also means winning.

And this also goes for the white market too. You can't just sign a player like Landon Donovan(not that this is even possible) and expect white people to start going to the games. Oh, it might raise attendence marginaly but not much.

The only thing that will bring in the fans of all colors is a winning team. And I don't think most people care about the racial makeup of the players. I know some of us are sore about the sorry trades we made under Jeffries. Hell, I wasn't happy with them either. But if you were to fire half the team today and replace them with some random hispanic players. You would probably satisfy La Raza Latina and a few people on this site but it really wouldn't raise attendence significantly. Now in the post season I wouldn't mind seeing a few acquisitions from down south, but not because of what they are but because of what they could do for the team. I would love to see a fast little Guatamalan player like Ruiz paired up with Nlecko or Curtis next year. But I hope for the sake of the team that the management is selective on who they get. Graziani yes, Damian no. Leonel Alvarez yes, Washington Rodrigues no. The bottom line is, lets stop worrying about the ethnicity of the players and just give them our support.

Sorry about the length of this post but I hope it raps up this topic. It's getting very old.

Yes I did support the team for 6 years total time. Now I will not support it any longer. I just got fed up. I got all that I could take.

Hell, even the Latin radio station was force to bring Rafael to booth so they can have him talk. According to you count all 12 showed up Saturday.

I am not going to be there no more. I'll be at reunion Arena Saturday to see La Furia Mexicana play The Dallas Sidekicks. At least I will be paying to see players that I could relate, Style that I like ,and that mysteriously ambient that I can not get at the Sucklake place.

I already spoke to Rafael. I am giving back all the appoinments that he has vested upon me. I am really tired of this shiity place.

This place has become to lilly white for me. Too lilly white, Asflag the worst part is that I get Full brown Gringos telling that at the stadium. Do you understand the issue????

Baya.

Well, if that is what you want to do then that is your choice. I have to agree with annonymous that you will be back, however. You've said this before. If you do leave, however, then all I have to say is to bad you couldn't have stuck it out for one more year. Just one more year before we get the new stadium. It's been fun arguing with you for the past eight years

Well, if that new GM is as good as they painted him to be. I am more than willing to be bribe with some good or not so good brown players. Any other way, you will not see me.

By the way, Did you heard Pareja questioning Clarke. When he was telling every one move forward. Pareja reply back four times who? who? who? who? With that Italian style hand close by the lips. Shiit that was nice to see, and here now at least the team has some sort of communication.

They just got to get their head out of their rocksack.
Baya.