Every so often, I’ll venture over to Santa Ana Sentinel, run by Santa Ana artist and part-time Santa Ana College instructor Omar Avalos who pens a blog about Chivas USA for Soccer Newsday.
Recently, he’s noted increased marketing of the Los Angeles Galaxy in Santa Ana which he attributes to the city’s flirtations with Chivas USA; actually, Santa Ana and Orange County are simply part of a comprehensive marketing program all over Southern California. You’ll see signs, ads, and billboards in Pasadena, San Fernando Valley and Long Beach among others. Chivas USA, not so much.
In his posts about Santa Ana, soccer and Chivas USA, Avalos continues to insist that there is still a chance that Chivas USA will relocate to Santa Ana. He’s done so here, but you’ll have to actually scroll through individual posts for the details.
On March 9, he wrote: “Psst, remember when Chivas was testing the possibility of moving to Santa Ana? Well that is, in fact, NOT off the table.”
On April 22, he wrote: ”
Chivas owner Jorge Vergara needs to understand the importance of the Santa Ana soccer market and take it as seriously as the Galaxy has been doing lately. Although he wants to field a team in Los Angeles proper, those hopes are dependent on whether or not USC decides to demolish the Sports Arena and build a soccer stadium there, or whether or not USC sells all of that land and the Arena to Vergara, which would be a costlier fix for him.
Even if USC sells all of that land to Vergara, I don’t see a deal of that scale closing by the end of 2014. It’s said that Chivas USA’s lease at the Stub Hub Center (former Home Depot Center) ends in 2014.
In the meantime there was a place–the only place–that was openly proactive about bringing Chivas USA, and that place is Santa Ana. There is, undoubtedly, an important soccer market in Santa Ana, all that is needed is a city council brave enough to make Santa Ana a top-flight soccer town by housing a pro team here.”
Actually, there’s no table to even put a deal on.
We’ve chronicled how much money would be required to bring Chivas to Santa Ana and how its just not feasible with a city in the financial straights it’s in. But some people just can’t let go of the idea of MLS level soccer in Santa Ana. So because Avalos continues to fuel the idea Chivas is still talking to the city, we contacted Jose Gonzalez, Santa Ana’s PIO for answers.
He writes, “In speaking with the City Manager, he informed me that there are no negotiations going on with Chivas USA. He also checked with the other executive directors and they confirmed the same information.”
So much for the notion Chivas USA might still come to Santa Ana. Dead in the water. Zombie soccer. To wit, Avalos’ post in his soccer blog today mentions a possibility of relocating Chivas USA to Queens, NY. So perhaps he has finally let go on this fantasy of an MLS professional team in Santa Ana.
Yippppeeeeee! Haha Omar! Told you. Dream on you rude, racist, hater of everyone but yourself, 2nd rate college degree mailed to your PO Box, jerk! Quit spreading the hate Omar and realize you’re not the only one in this city called Santa Ana! We are progressing, creating and embracing the great strides Downtown Santa Ana has made and we welcome EVERYONE! Go watch soccer on TV or support the local soccer teams and grow up.
I left a comment on his blog and it hasn’t seen the light of day.
But Omar has a complete economic plan for SanTanna despite having no record of business sense or any academic success.
Hello again, and thanks for reading.
Full disclosure: Dan C., Downtown Inc’s Wendy Boelter and other cyber bullies like these two are blocked from my blog. Their IP addresses and emails are blocked, so I don’t ever get their comments.
Dan, FYI the Manchester City group is closest to buying the franchise in Queens. Read up. So no, I haven’t given up on the idea of a move to Santa Ana. For the record, I’m still supportive of it and I do encourage the powers that be to work towards it, if the possibility comes up. The ball is in Chivas’ court.
If the new sole owner, Jorge Vergara, (not the former owner Antonio Cue, the guy who talked with Santa Ana) builds the stadium that he wants at Expo Park, great, I’ll still be a fan. If not, then he’ll have to look at other places in the LA area, which MLS commissioner Don Garber is also supportive of.
I’m not the one pontificating about what this club will or will not do. The truth is that you’re nobody to say what comes next for them.
Oh and as far as you trying to debunk me, that’s just another puff of wind.
Now, I have to return to my thesis, which I’ll complete this week, so that I may FINISH grad school.
Good night.
Omar,
Congratulations on your pending completion of grad school.
Omar, why haven’t you posted my comment. Looks like you edited your story after I commented too glad you haven’t given upon Chivas coming to Santa Ana but the city as. They don’t have enough money to make it happen in the timeframe that coincides with the lease expiration. I have already debunked you.
How would you even know the IP addresses of the two previous commenters?
I’ll tell why you’re not debunking anybody. I never said that negotiations with the city and Chivas are ongoing. Not anywhere, not ever. But you’re either misinterpreting or jumping the gun asking the city manager about talks. I would’ve told you the same thing he said. You’re probably willfully misinterpreting for the sake of spinning what I write. I’ll reiterate, never, NEVER have I said that talks are ongoing. So you go ahead and see what you want to see, keep sifting out facts so that you may have something to spin, something to write about.
This Omar guy operates like Pedroza – I sense another flame-out on the horizon.
You wrote that the Chivas move to Santa Ana was not off the table. In March, you wrote: “Psst, remember when Chivas was testing the possibility of moving to Santa Ana? Well that is, in fact, NOT off the table.”
My favorite part about your post was that the Galaxy somehow targeted Santa Ana for marketing because of the city’s flirtations with Chivas. You clearly need to get out more; those ads, billsboards and other very visible forms of marketing are all over Southern California which just proves you don’t get out much.
As far as your hatred of the Galaxy goes, well back-to-back titles can do that to you I guess.
I also never said that that you wrote negotiations with the city and Chivas are ongoing. I did write that you still pine for a Chivas relocation to Santa Ana.
And? I don’t hate the Galaxy for their titles. I hate them for their business model. For bringing in underwear salesmen to help them fill seats. My team is hated and accused of pandering to an ethnic group when the Galaxy does the same.
You need to get out beyond Memphis in DTSA. Two years ago the galaxy put up a huge ad on the entrance to MainPlace mall mentioning MLS cup. When has this ever happened in the history of MLS, in Santa Ana? NEVER.
Admit it. Face it. Chivas talking to Santa Ana is what got the gals marketing in Santa Ana, not this year, awhile back.
And,
You misinterpreted “off the table” to mean negotiating table, to fit your intentions. There was never any suggestion that such talks were even happening. That was written figuratively but nice try trying to debunk me based on figurative language.
I’ll bite Omar..what DID you mean? Literally or figuratively? Explain yourself
Very Pedroza-esque ….
You mean the Galaxy’s successful business model that fills seats with fans on all races, ages and gender? The business model that produces championships? The Galaxy put up the ad because the MLS Cup final was in Carson. That’s why? And Mainplace gets lots of highway visibility. Your argument is pathetic
I didn’t misinterpret a thing. Why not just admit that you were wrong?
Right. EVERYONE LOOKS at the MainPlace facade when darting up and down the freeway. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. LAME!!!
You refuse to recognize the importance of Santa Ana as a soccer market! That was put there for the foot traffic!! You’re amazing!
Way to side step.
You absolutely misinterpreted, and willfully, to serve your continuous cyber bullying ends. That’s it. You just nag for the sake of it. YOU admit that you’re nothing but a cyber bully.
Because Omar is a mini-Pedroza and Pedroza is NEVER wrong.
I’m going to remind everyone that it appears we are straying from the topic of Chivas and a move of the team to Santa Ana.I’m going to start deleting comments that are off topic, specifically those which engage in personal attacks.
Omar —
I asked that you explain yourself. What did you mean when you said the deal was not off the table? How is asking you to answer a quesiton cyberbullying?
And yes, I do glance at the new signs out up along the 5 freeway at the Discovery Science Center and Main Place when I drive by.
Santa Ana is a great soccer town — no queston. But in terms of residents being financially able to support a pro soccer team when the average family income is well below the state and national average is not realistic.
http://www.areavibes.com/santa+ana-ca/employment/
Dan – This Omar guy is an avatar of Pedroza.
Junior —
all I am asking is that he explain himself and that makes me a cyberbully? ha!
His failure to explain what he meant about the deal being on the table and the debunking of this by City Hall just means he got it wrong.
Omar-not only are you wrong and should stop chasing the dream of the Chivas EVER calling Santa Ana their home, you should stop the hate. I know your banned from ever playing your music from the Downtown restaurants and its because of all your HATE you blast everywhere. This city has and will continue to move on without people like you. BTW everyone! Little Sparrow opening their doors May 13th for breakfast and lunch, and May 21st for dinner. Sorry Omar, I’m sure it’s not good news for you. Ha.
Lynn, be careful, that is what Dan calls BLOGWHORING!
Who cares anyway? Soccer sucks and so do Chivas.
Actually Jack, it isn’t. And soccer doesn’t suck. But Omar can’t explain what he meant about the deal still being on the table. I’m a cyber bully for pressing him to explain himself. I don’t he understands the difference between literal and figurative.
I am not questioning the number of people in Santa Ana who love soccer; just don’t think its a market any team could make serious money in via relocation.