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Snippets: Now, with average attendances higher than both NBA and NHL and an ESPN poll finding Baseball equally popular with 12-17 year olds, soccer’s popularity is at an all-time high in the states and this has coincided with increase in quality and ability to attract top players. The MLS is starting to be recognised as a competitive, high quality league and in recent months Clint Dempsey returned to Seattle Seahawks for $6,500,000, while his Team USA compatriot Michael Bradley went back to Toronto from Serie A heavyweights AS Roma.
In this recent spate of mid-season friendlies, the MLS contingent have acquitted themselves well on the whole. Sounders drew 3-3 in a thriller against a club with lots of US connections in Tottenham Hotspur, while the Lilywhites’ deadly rivals Arsenal were vanquished by ex-hero Thierry Henry and Ian Wright’s son Bradley Wright-Phillips’s New York Red Bulls 1-0. Bar Manchester United’s 7-0 mauling against LA Galaxy none of the Premier League sides have completely dominated or embarrassed their opponents. This shows that the games are not only an attempt to tap into an emerging and potentially lucrative American soccer market but a strong test for managers to pit their players against and judge any areas of weakness.
Seattle Seahwks... wow the author knows an awful lot about the MLS.
Don't read a lot into preseason games (mostly bench players play anyway), the MLS is still a joke compared to Europe. Heck, it's even a joke compared to the Mexican league. Look at the Concachampions -CONCACAF Champions League- results; best by an American team is runner up in 2011 (Dynamo).
It's improving, but some preseason games and hiring a few veterans here and there is not what makes a good league. It will take time, a lot of time, but if a country can pull it off it's the US of A. I know they don't want to run into the NFL, but I think syncing the league's calendar with the rest of the world could help.
You cant cut a guy some slack for typing a mistake ? No doubt he would be looking at other sports in the area too ...
The MLS is hardly a joke as much as it used to be, anyone that actually watches it week in week out knows its a good league. Is it weak compared to EPL ? Yes for sure, but its not a joke compared to Mexico. Nobody cares about the CONCACAF because there is no money in it.
The veterans arent bad, they can play ball better than most. Its not like theyre taking guys on their deathbeds like they used to. Switching to sync with Europe will not work for a few reasons 1) NFL 2) People will watch EPL over MLS 3) Weather.
Seattle Seahwks... wow the author knows an awful lot about the MLS.
Don't read a lot into preseason games (mostly bench players play anyway), the MLS is still a joke compared to Europe. Heck, it's even a joke compared to the Mexican league. Look at the Concachampions -CONCACAF Champions League- results; best by an American team is runner up in 2011 (Dynamo).
It's improving, but some preseason games and hiring a few veterans here and there is not what makes a good league. It will take time, a lot of time, but if a country can pull it off it's the US of A. I know they don't want to run into the NFL, but I think syncing the league's calendar with the rest of the world could help.
I think the point he was trying to make was the infrastrucutre (stadiums, DP's, etc) is getting better-- which means more TV, fans and that equates to increased revenue for the league.
No one is saying the MLS is on par with the Euro leagues.
The MLS is not a joke. To have an average stadium attendance number 9th in the world considering how unpopular soccer still in the US, is very, very impressive. But it is also a fact, that soccer in the US is a niche sport with decent popularity limited mainly to regions represented by their clubs. TV audience nationwide is still a huge problem, and changing that in this NFL/College Sports-driven culture is going to take a lot of good strategy, right investments and time.
I apologize for the table in Portuguese, but I think it's easy enough to see.
According to that chart we are above Brazil. That either has to mean something, or that whole chart means nothing.
Yes! The chart can reveal a lot about what is going on in the world of soccer. Keep in mind soccer TV audience in Brazil is still probably among the top in the world but its wimpy stadium attendance is alarming to say the least. Don't even get me started because it is a complex issue, but to make a long history short, the Brazilian soccer managment, CBF, is pretty much the root of the problem.
Yes! The chart can reveal a lot about what is going on in the world of soccer. Keep in mind soccer TV audience in Brazil is still probably among the top in the world but its wimpy stadium attendance is alarming to say the least. Don't even get me started because it is a complex issue, but to make a long history short, the Brazilian soccer managment, CBF, is pretty much the root of the problem.
I heard the MLS will have a team playing Copa Libertadores next year (by invitation), just like some Mexican clubs participated in the last couple of years. Libertadores is the Commebol's version of the of the Concacaf champions cup.
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