[BobNJ1960]

It can be done IMO, with a modest state investment, and the city needs a shot in the arm.

It CANNOT be done though w/o state funding.

I am not thinking we can get a pro team, but even one that is a few rungs down would be the best news the city got..in decades.

[AntonioR]

Quite frankly, I think Stamford should be the one choosen as the home of a CT soccer team with the promise the state would built them a new stadium somewhere in the city (preferably near I-95 or downtown/Harbor Point.)

Bridgeport has all these things that are superior to their equivalent in Stamford (an arena, an amphitheater, etc) when the state probably gets more in taxes from Stamford than Bridgeport.

Whenever the state proposes something for Fairfield County, Stamford/Norwalk should be the first considerations and only if it isn’t feasible there, places like Bridgeport becomes a third option.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by AntonioR

Quite frankly, I think Stamford should be the one choosen as the home of a CT soccer team with the promise the state would built them a new stadium somewhere in the city (preferably near I-95 or downtown/Harbor Point.)

Bridgeport has all these things that are superior to their equivalent in Stamford (an arena, an amphitheater, etc) when the state probably gets more in taxes from Stamford than Bridgeport.

Whenever the state proposes something for Fairfield County, Stamford/Norwalk should be the first considerations and only if it isn’t feasible there, places like Bridgeport becomes a third option.

Though it would be a minor league soccer team, I would think they'd find Stamford too close to NYC. In that sense I could see them more eyeing Hartford (unless they already have one) or New Haven, but even Bridgeport would mesh being somewhat close to NYC with more easily covering the rest of CT than Stamford.

[AntonioR]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

Though it would be a minor league soccer team, I would think they'd find Stamford too close to NYC. In that sense I could see them more eyeing Hartford (unless they already have one) or New Haven, but even Bridgeport would mesh being somewhat close to NYC with more easily covering the rest of CT than Stamford.

Maybe, but even being close to NYC is no true impediment for attracting teams or even having certain events. Case in point are the following 3 examples.

1. Stamford easily have the best Thanksgiving Day parade in Connecticut that includes many large balloons. In fact, in a way it’s a similar but smaller version of the Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC. The fact that NYC has one is no impediment to Stamford having one too and it’s one of CT’s most successful events always attracting a good crowd.

2. Many teams “in NYC” are not even in NYC. Oh yes, the Yankees are in The Bronx and the Mets in Queens, but if you want to attend a home game of the Jets, you actually need to go to the suburbs in New Jersey as their stadium is in the Meadow Woods. The proximity to NYC has never been an issue for the success of the Meadow Woods.

3. Every year near the 4th of July Stamford has a fireworks display. NYC also has a much bigger and more impressive fireworks display to celebrate the country’s independence. Let me know if there is ever a Stamford independence fireworks display that doesn’t attracts a good size crowd.

Quite frankly, the whole “it’s closer to NYC” sounds like an excuse to me. NYC also has the greatest shows in the tri-state reagionnas evidenced with its Broadways shows. That’s no impediment for things such as the existence of Stamford’s Palace Theatre or The Rich Forum, even White Plains with its Westchester County Center.

[CTlibrarian]

Hartford has a professional soccer team: The Hartford Athletic.

[robr2]

There are already a number of lower league soccer teams in CT and the area:

USL Championship
Hartford Athletic
Rhode Island FC
Brooklyn FC in 2025

League One
Westchester FC in 2025

League Two
AC Connecticut

[BHW2436]

Soccer is so fragmented. Hartford Athletic have played 3 home games this season and hardly anybody even knows that they are a team.

Attendance the past 3 seasons:

2022 avg per game 5178
2023 avg per game 4089
2024 avg per game so far 3182

This is a very poor trend line.

I’m all for sports of any kind, give the people things to do that isn’t just eat at a restaurant or backyard BBQ with neighbors in the suburbs but hearing people talk about “soccer in Hartford area” and not even realize we already have it is comical.

[SteveM85]

Keep minor leagues out of Stamford please. There’s enough rush hour traffic getting home from work. The last thing the area needs is game traffic.

Meadow Woods? lol
It’s the Meadowlands

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by AntonioR

Quite frankly, I think Stamford should be the one choosen as the home of a CT soccer team with the promise the state would built them a new stadium somewhere in the city (preferably near I-95 or downtown/Harbor Point.)

Bridgeport has all these things that are superior to their equivalent in Stamford (an arena, an amphitheater, etc) when the state probably gets more in taxes from Stamford than Bridgeport.

Whenever the state proposes something for Fairfield County, Stamford/Norwalk should be the first considerations and only if it isn’t feasible there, places like Bridgeport becomes a third option.

Stamford is way too close to NYC though, and the traffic in the area doesn’t help.

There’s huge fireworks ceremonies everywhere, irrelevant. Also Stamford is the ONLY Thanksgiving Day parade in the region outside of NYC. It’s a unique novelty once a year.

[AntonioR]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Stamford is way too close to NYC though, and the traffic in the area doesn’t help.

That’s mostly during the rush hours during the week. Most times traffic is fine and moving throughout Stamford including I-95.

Originally Posted by Stylo

There’s huge fireworks ceremonies everywhere, irrelevant.

That’s my point. NYC’s fireworks display doesn’t affect the attendance for the display of anywhere else including Stamford’s, despite the one in NYC is more impressive than all of them.

Originally Posted by Stylo

Also Stamford is the ONLY Thanksgiving Day parade in the region outside of NYC. It’s a unique novelty once a year.

But NYC’s is larger and more spectacular. It doesn’t affects attendance in the one in Stamford at all.

A sports team in Stamford attracting viewers throughout mostly Westchester/Rockland counties in NY and Fairfield/New Haven counties in CT is perfectly doable. It would be the only type of this event north of NYC within its metro area similar to the Thanksgiving Day Parade. A team in Stamford would also not be affected in the same way that the fireworks display isn’t affected.

The same could be said regarding many other things. Last year the Shen Yun was on taking place in NYC was also taking place in various theatrical theaters in the suburbs, Stamford included with The Palace Theatre. The fact it took place (might still be taking place) on several nights in NYC had no effect on the attendance to the event when it took place at The Palace Theatre in Stamford.