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Old 12-25-2010, 05:25 PM
 
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
11,157 posts, read 13,923,137 times
Reputation: 14935

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Okay, so this is 100% visionary speculation, but it's fun, so bear with me.

Denver is without a doubt the top city in Colorado and looks to be for the foreseeable future. But with 400,000+ people and a metro area of about 650,000, Colorado Springs is significant to Colorado's economy and culture. Unfortunately many consider it to be behind other cities of it's size. That is debatable in its own right, but it's a topic for a different thread. I just want to discuss something that I think will help to increase Colorado Springs' prominence among other mid-sized metros.

My suggestion is that Colorado Springs lobby to the United Football League to be the site of a future expansion team. Now like I said, this is pure speculation. Right now Colorado Springs and the UFL are not even on each others' radars. But this may generate some interesting discussion and perhaps some ideas can come from this. Ideas on how to make Colorado Springs a better city for everyone.

Here's why it could work or should be discussed:

-Colorado Springs has ample population to support a team. Even assuming that they would not draw interest from the Denver area, they still have Pueblo and Canon City to the south, adding roughly 200,000 additional people to a potential television market and fan base.

-A temporary home exists. Colorado Springs could host home games at the Air Force Academy until a permanent home could be built. The stadium seats over 50,000, well over expected attendance for a UFL game. UFL games are on Saturdays, so the team would have to coordinate home games with the Air Force. This is not that big of a deal, as it is already done in stadiums all across the country.

-The city already is home to the Sky Sox, a AAA professional baseball team. It is unlikely that Colorado Springs will land a team from any of the major 4 sports categories, so if it wants to expand its role as a sports city it will be through minor professional sports. May as well be football, a sport that just about everyone enjoys.

-Getting REALLY into the visionary... A stadium could be built near downtown. I actually imagine a whole sports complex, with a stadium for the Sky Sox and the UFL team, connected to each other with a system of catwalks, and feeding directly into downtown streets. (Don't ask me where this would fit down there, I'm just playing with the possibilities at this point.)

Problems with this plan, and why it probably won't happen:

-Money. It would take a lot of it to pull this off. It would take an ambitious ownership group willing to take a gamble in a period of rough economic times. I do not know of any such group there in Colorado Springs who is interested in bringing the UFL into town.

-As I already mentioned, UFL and Colorado Springs are not even on each others' radars.

-The stadium idea is extremely far-fetched. I do not think a UFL team can afford to build its own stadium, and voters in Colorado Springs are much less likely to vote in support of a publicly funded project.

-Competition. Colorado Springs is right smack in the middle of Broncos country. The Broncos are the unrivaled king of Colorado sports, despite the lousy season they are having now. Any ownership group would think twice before attempting to introduce professional football so near such a commercial powerhouse as the Broncos. Even though UFL and NFL do not consider themselves to be competing with each other (NFL actually supports the UFL) the teams themselves WILL compete for the cash of a fan. If you had $$$ to spend on a football game, would you rather see the Denver Broncos, or a UFL team?

The pros and cons could go on forever, which is what this thread is about. Hopefully we can develop some ideas on how to improve the community, and for those of you who live in Colorado Springs, can maybe get some ideas on the city's agenda.

Once again, I realize what I am discussing is a far-fetched pipe dream, but it's an interesting discussion. I hope that we can conclude by saying, "why not Colorado Springs?"
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Old 12-25-2010, 05:35 PM
 
Location: Houston area, for now
948 posts, read 1,381,930 times
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The USFL at one point had a football team in Colorado although they were in Denver at the old Mile High.
I am not discounting your idea but the UFL may take into consideration a similar failed team in the region
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Old 12-25-2010, 06:20 PM
 
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
11,157 posts, read 13,923,137 times
Reputation: 14935
It's entirely possible that the UFL would take that into consideration. But the USFL was a short-lived league anyways, and Colorado Springs is a different city than Denver, so perhaps the UFL would not hold it against Colorado Springs that USFL didn't work out in Denver.
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Old 01-02-2011, 08:29 PM
 
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
11,157 posts, read 13,923,137 times
Reputation: 14935
I'm surprised this hasn't spawned any conversation. I think this is a good idea to make Colorado Springs a more dynamic city. I guess the topic is just not interesting...
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Old 01-02-2011, 08:32 PM
 
Location: Houston area, for now
948 posts, read 1,381,930 times
Reputation: 449
I was also surprised. I am glad you brought it back up. As I said I am not sure that it will happen but I would love it if it did
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Old 01-02-2011, 09:43 PM
 
Location: Denver, CO
3,135 posts, read 11,817,408 times
Reputation: 2484
We need a NASCAR track/race with over 150,000 seats! Huge boost to the economy during several weekends out of the year.

I wish the Sox played in downtown instead of in Kansas
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Old 01-02-2011, 09:44 PM
 
Location: Houston area, for now
948 posts, read 1,381,930 times
Reputation: 449
Isn't Commerce city looking into a NASCAR track??
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Old 01-02-2011, 09:49 PM
 
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
3,331 posts, read 5,934,766 times
Reputation: 2082
I think it is an intriguing idea. I'd go to the games. Where would they play? The Academy?

Nevermind...I saw you already said that above.
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Old 01-02-2011, 09:51 PM
 
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
11,157 posts, read 13,923,137 times
Reputation: 14935
What happened to PPIR? Didn't that place get shut down? Could it be upgraded?


The Sky Sox should play downtown. It would be a tremendous setting to watch a professional baseball game. They don't need to build an elaborate stadium, just something similar to what they already have. Just downtown. And next to the new UFL stadium...

I'm sure some sports bars would spring up around the stadiums, as well as some nice lofts/condos, bringing more life to downtown and bolstering the city's economy.
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Old 01-02-2011, 09:56 PM
 
Location: Houston area, for now
948 posts, read 1,381,930 times
Reputation: 449
PPIR got bought by a developer and he put condos on the land. It is no more and has no chance of reemerging.
I was not a happy camper.
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