Comments on: MLS Needs to Refocus on the Domestic Game

By: Brazilian Fan

Brazilian Fan — Fri, 08 May 2009 23:09:57 +0000

MLS Rumors.

Well, i am quite sure that Toronto and Seattle fans are not Eurosnobs just because they are going to the games and supporting their LOCAL teams. If you consider someone who watch european soccer an Eurosnob its your interpretation… I dont think that way.

To me a Eurosnob is those ones who just watch european soccer AND criticize every other league just because its not a European one.

Perhaps i should be called an MLS snob just because i like to watch the league, right?

By: Lars

Lars — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:54:24 +0000

Toronto’s fans, by and large, aren’t Eurosnobs. We cheer for the team because we’re grateful to have one. We’re happier Canadians are playing on the team and performing well. Our ideal situation is to field entirely domestics and be competitive, but sadly we can’t…

By: Vnice

Vnice — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:24:47 +0000

Joe from Indy…

A lot of teams around the world play friendlies in the middle of their seasons.

By: MLS Rumors

MLS Rumors — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:36:16 +0000

Agreed Jean Guy Pepper.

Also the article ignores the fact that many American players go straight from College to Europe now, bypassing MLS entirely, not for lack of money or playing time but for the prestige of playing in Europe.

That was not the case in 1996.

By: jean-guy pepper

jean-guy pepper — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:57:51 +0000

I disagree with this article.
America is all about competition, and having more foreign talent compete with domestic talent is good. If the American talent can compete at a high level, then they will play, if not they won’t. Besides most domestic players are cheaper than foreign players, so if there are domestics who are comparable to a foreign player, simple economics would win out every time. Why the protectionism?

By: MLS Rumors

MLS Rumors — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:33:57 +0000

Brazilian fan said:

Eurosnobs wont sell out stadiums. Eurosnobs wont make the tv ratings grow up. But fans of american soccer will.

Think Toronto and Seattle would disagree.…

By: MLS Rumors

MLS Rumors — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:28:38 +0000

Kartik…tsk tsk..

What you have not done in this article is point out the amount of revenue generated in MLS now through TV contracts worth tens of millions (unheard of in 1996), expansion fees of 30-40million (unheard of in 1996), shirt sponsors with multimillion dollar deals (unheard of in 1996), a diversity of ownership numbering in the teens, most of them well heeled (unheard of in 1996) and the fact that it is far easier to capture ancillary revenue in a Soccer Specific Stadium or one where the team pays no rent (which MLS will have 17 of out of 18 in 2011) is VASTLY different to the situation in 1996.

What’s the point of building all these stadiums if the soccer fan in America couldn’t care less? What’s the point on having some billionaire owners in the league if they won’t spend money to improve their product? Why would a shirt sponsor want to fork out millions to advertise on the Colorado Rapids with no real players of world wide acclaim?

Dig deeper Kartik. Great article but it misses the point. Don Garber knows what he’s doing and the league owners who want to spend money now outnmber the “go slow” crowd that used to dominate MLS Board of Governors meetings.

By: Joe in Indianapolis

Joe in Indianapolis — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:19:34 +0000

Speaking of focusing on the domestic game, I just read that Seattle Sounders FC scheduled a friendly with FC Barcelona on Wednesday, August 3. I have followed the Sounders all year. As far as MLS teams go, they are my team. I suppose I am supposed to be incredibly excited that my Sounders are to be taking on one of the best clubs in the world, except for one problem. Wednesday, August 3 falls in between two MLS games for Seattle (at San Jose the previous Sunday; home against Salt Lake the following Saturday). Is Sigi really expected to play his starters against Barcelona? Of course, the starters will WANT to play against Barca. Who wouldn’t? They will all beg to play. Mark my words, Seattle will start a bunch of back-ups in one of the two MLS fixtures that sandwiches this Barcelona game. If Seattle drops points because of this, I will seriously consider ditching this team. I want my team to want to win trophies, not want to be the whipping boys of a European juggernaut. Maybe I am over-reacting to this. But when MLS throws European friendlies into the middle of the schedule, they disrespect their own domestic product. Let Barca play another team on summer break. But not the Sounders. Not in the middle of the season. This is embarrassing. It says “we care more about jerk-off friendlies that will get us exposure than we do about our own league fixtures.” WEAK!!!!!!!!!!

By: peteo

peteo — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:39:42 +0000

“MLS in the 1996 to 2000 period in my opinion produced better quality play…”

Really? I think the quality of play the last three to four seasons is much, much better. MLS almost went bankrupt because of the lack of profits due to those years of playing in rented stadiums.

By: christian

christian — Fri, 08 May 2009 07:30:58 +0000

All i know is if the league brings in a player like beckham for every team i most definatley be seeing double the amount of games that i see now. Dont see how increasing salary and foreigners would hamper the US team,i think it would only help them with stiffer competition and they wouldnt want to go overseas anymore…Do it Garber!!