I was in favor of the Red Bull acquisition from the start, but I understood why some others objected. After the last few days, however, anyone who still opposes this deal is out of their mind.

First, we got reports earlier this week that the plans for the new stadium in Harrison, NJ “may change slightly to include a retractable roof.” It’s hard enough to get roofs of any kind on Major League Soccer stadiums. Crew Stadium doesn’t have a roof. Pizza Hut Park doesn’t have a roof. The original plans for the Home Depot Center didn’t have a roof. But a retractable roof? On an MLS stadium? That’s big time.

Next we heard that Red Bull may buy 80,000 tickets for the home opener and then give the tickets away. Now there are some risks in this. It devalues the product (Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?), and it’s possible that nobody will show up (They can’t even give the tickets away!).

But the more I think about this, and the more I think about the Red Bull company, the more confident I am this will all be wildly successful. Say what you want, but if Red Bull knows how to do anything they know how to create hype and demand. And if their marketing guys say this is a good idea then I’m inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt. This is what it comes down to: if AEG were in charge of a similar giveaway I’d be totally opposed because I’d be certain it would end in embarrassment.

Then Tab Ramos started whining. I support anything that makes Tab Ramos whine.

But that’s not all. Alexi Lalas banned the horns from the Meadowlands. His quote is a thing of beauty: “The maddening cacophony that is the hallmark of these instruments of the devil has been detrimental to our sport. Many fans have experienced the debilitating effects that can result from prolonged exposure to a horn.” The best thing they ever did for the atmosphere at the Home Depot Center was ban the horns at Galaxy games.

(And hopefully Chivas USA will follow suit. As it is I refuse to sit in the enclosed end of that stadium when I go to Chivas USA games. Once those horns start echoing you feel like your head’s gonna expode. No, let me rephrase that. Once those horns start echoing you wish your head would explode and put you out of your misery.)

If that weren’t enough, the folks at MatchNight’s NY/NJ bureau reported today that Red Bull would be offering a free, all inclusive trip to the Red Bull’s away opener against DC United. This is astonishing. The MetroStars made it plainly obvious they hated their fans. They treated them with nothing but contempt. Now Red Bull New York is giving them free tickets and transportation to an away game.

Apparently this was “a big push by Lalas and Red Bull to show the heart and intent of the new ownership to provide fans with ‘unparalleled service’ and that Red Bull recognizes the importance of support in away venues such as DC.” It’s no joke, they’re really going to do this. I said a while back that it was high time MLS did more for away supporters, but what Red Bull New York has planned goes far beyond the simple and cheap stuff I was talking about. I’m floored.

Is the CFKA MetroStars finally becoming the “model franchise” it once laughingly claimed to be? Is Red Bull New York showing us the future of Major League Soccer? I sure hope so.