Fowler Studying Future of Sockers, MSL

As Major Soccer League owners begin their annual winter meetings today in Kansas City, Mo., there will be one noticeable absentee--the Sockers’ Ron Fowler.

Fowler will be in Los Angeles.

“I have meetings there, one in the morning and one in the afternoon that I just can’t miss,” he said.

He will arrive Tuesday in Kansas City, where he will find a league in one of two positions: poised to expand, or braced for another tumultuous summer.

Fowler says he will wait until the meetings conclude Wednesday to make a decision on whether he will put together a group of investors, which will buy a portion of the team, or get out entirely.

Several factors will come out of the meetings and affect Fowler’s decision. Among them are expansion, stability, and revenue from increased marketing efforts.

On the first count, there are reports the MSL is close to expanding to Pittsburgh and Buffalo.

However, Fowler is not optimistic about Pittsburgh despite the fact that Bernie Mullin has applied for an expansion team, opened an office and even hired a coach, Bob Vosmaer, a former player with the defunct Pittsburgh Spirit.

He is more optimistic about Buffalo, where city officials, including the mayor and comptroller, are spearheading the effort.

Fowler says he is only being realistic in his appraisal of expansion--that he has seen nothing solid.

Even Mullin and Joel Giambra, Buffalo’s comptroller, say that if they are to join the league, they will need more time to work out arrangements.

Mullin already has lined up several investors, but still is looking for more. Giambra says he has interested investors, but that it will be another 30 days before he knows if they will follow through.

The problem? Same old story:

“We want to determine whether or not the league has staying power,” Giambra said.

So does Fowler, who says a more realistic tone needs to be set when addressing established franchises.

“We need some stability in the league,” Fowler said. “And right now all of us are having attendance problems.”

Leaguewide attendance is down nearly 1,500 per game from last year. Box office woes have led to reports that the Tacoma Stars will fold at season’s end unless things improve.

There also have been rumors that the owners of the Cleveland Crunch are looking to get out at the end of the season.

Now, both groups say they will be back next year. Whether that’s true or the result of a league mandate to put on a happy face is not known.

Whichever, it now seems one other owner is wavering--Fowler.

“I’m going to reserve all comment (about the future of the Sockers) until after the league meetings,” he said.

He may wait longer than that.

“Personally,” he said. “I wish the meetings were two or three weeks later because that would give us an opportunity to pursue matters to a greater extent.”

The meetings are being conducted in conjunction with Tuesday’s college showcase game and the league draft and All-Star Game, which are Wednesday.

“There will be a lot of interesting subjects put on the table,” Fowler said. “There are a lot of good ideas coming up now; it’s just a matter of getting focused.”

Besides stability and expansion, Fowler is anticipating a progress report from the league’s new marketing firm. He said his continued involvement with the Sockers could hinge on how far league marketing has come.

“We have to see if league revenue with marketing is moving in the right direction,” he said.

Fowler made it clear he was looking for more than words.

“I can’t continue to stay in by myself and absorb significant losses, so there has to be an up side. There has to be something real, not just someone blowing smoke. And if I see that there is real progress I will put together a group of investors for the team.”

MSL Notes

Because this year’s draft comes midseason, and because the signing deadline is later in the year, players drafted on Wednesday can be placed on active rosters upon their signing. That could give draftees a role in the playoff drive. Socker Coach Ron Newman says the quality of the draft in recent years has improved markedly. “The draft is getting more and more important,” he said. “It’s probably the best place for us to get players.”