An End of Year, Cleaning out some files post
A bit of an older article by Fake Sigi illuminates some of the machinizations that occur beyond the pitch that surround clubs and stadiums.
Bill Archer’s post, The End of the Beginning, is a good piece on the labors issues in MLS.
Mike Woitalla of Soccer America has an excellent post on European pro teams partnering with elite American youth clubs.
American Soccer News presents Chris Wingert’s first person recount of MLS Cup final.
Goal.com’s Q. & A. With U.S. and Houston Midfielder Stuart Holden.
Kyle McCarthy’s view of MLS in the decade.
J.R. Eskilson’s look at the PDL.
Richard Snowden on MLS and the CBA. One thing stuck out in this piece which I’d like to verify; Snowden writes that the league owns 51% of each team. Does that mean that when a team is ‘sold’, it’s real value is double what is paid?
And Kyle McCarthy on MLS and the CBA.
EPL in trouble? Didn’t you know the outrageous spending was unsustainable?
USL/NASL Stuff
Inside Minnesota Soccer’s articles on the USL/TOA/NASL situation.
A view of the USL/NASL dispute from the perspective of Portland Timbers community bloggers. The Timbers are scheduled to move up to MLS in 2011.
Andrea Canales on the USSF’s non decision.
Tom Dunmore on the USSF’s non decision.
Jason Davis on the USSF’s non decision.
Inside Minnesota Soccer on the USSF’s non decision, including a podcast with our own Kartik Krishnaiyer joining Brian Quarstad and others.
Dumb Things I’ve Read More Than Once This Year
- OMG, I won’t watch soccer if it’s not in HD
- MLS is ready for promotion/relegation
My Two Memorable Live Soccer Experiences This YearGetting to attend the Gold Cup Final
Going to the Development Academy Showcase in Phoenix and ending up sitting between the scouts from Tigres UANL and Manchester United.
My apologies for having lost the link to the source of this quote …“The Northwestern soccer team is excited to see the US qualify for the World Cup; unfortunately there’s a shot at MLS in there (accurate, perhaps, but still), with a player saying “There is American soccer, like the MLS, but for the real good stuff, you’ve got to watch European leagues to watch the highest quality soccer.” If MLS can’t get young college players to care about a league they might actually have a shot to play in, it’s time to address the issues.”
Happy New Year to All.
Related posts:
Man.. that Archer piece is depressing. He makes a very sound argument that is difficult to counter. Like it or not, MLS has a successful business model and the cost/drop in quality of life by peddling one’s trade overseas simply won’t pan out for most players, so MLS can continue to take advantage of the little guy.
MLS needs a personality like Chris “Boomer” Berman to help take it to the next level!