Minnesota Thunder: Manny Lagos speaks about the move

UPDATE: The great Brian Quarstad of Blue Sky Soccer was in contact with coach Amos Magee; the coach's reaction to the move is available here.

Below, an email sent from Thunder team president Manny Lagos to season ticket holders, regarding the team's move from St. Paul to Blaine in the middle of the season:

Dear Season Ticket Holder:

As many of our faithful ticket holders have learned today, with much excitement from the Thunder, we have announced that we will be returning to our roots and will begin playing at the National Sports Center in Blaine immediately. The first home game at the National Sports Center will be played on Saturday, May 24, at 7:35 p.m. against Miami FC.

In partnership with the NSC, we have already begun removal of the running track that surrounds the field, and will bring the playing surface 80 feet closer to the main grand stand. We will also be enclosing the other three sides in bleachers to create a truly intimate soccer atmosphere.

James Griffin Stadium was an important move for the growth of the Thunder and for soccer in Minnesota. It has been a great four years and we believe we are a stronger club because of it. We also believe that this move to Blaine will help our long term initiative of building a stadium in the urban core.

As an organization, this is an interim move for us. Our owners are committed to securing us a permanent home in the Twin Cities Metro by the year 2012. Until that time, we have a very nice home in the NSC that will be conducive to the professional atmosphere we want to create around this organization both on and off the field.

Reasons for the Move:

In addition to logistical concerns about Griffin Stadium, another key issue that led to the Thunder's move is the USL's requirement that teams play in venues that are specifically dedicated to soccer. Griffin Stadium is a multi-use facility that hosts a variety of sports and events. The USL has been strongly encouraging teams to improve the quality of the on-field performance and supporting efforts to improve the overall fan experience.

We considered every possible option to stay at Griffin Stadium as we continue to improve the quality of the team and enhance the fan experience. Unfortunately, we could not find a solution that worked.

Our fans are the team's greatest asset, and we appreciate your support as we make this transition.

On behalf of the entire Minnesota Thunder organization, thank you for your continued support as we work to enhance the soccer experience for Minnesota fans.

Sincerely,

Manny Lagos
President
Minnesota Thunder

The team is also holding a Q&A session for season ticket holders before the next game, which may or may not turn into a venting session for those who've got a long drive ahead of them with the move.

That might be the most surprising thing about this email, that Lagos didn't address the most common concern seen on the USL Discussion Board: travel time. There are certainly going to be ticketholders whose travel time and costs have doubled or tripled, not a negligible concern in the era of $3.60-per-gallon gasoline.

Ultimately, my verdict on the move hasn't changed: good for the long term, bad for the short term. It's not a good idea to be bait-and-switching your customers, whatever form it takes. The Thunder can hope, however, that most of their ticket base - and it's a die-hard group at the core - makes the transition to Blaine with no concerns.