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The addition of Orlando City and NYCFC will no doubt be very beneficial for the league. I don't care what anyone says, but these team's abilities to attract star talent to the league is good for it to gain media and fan attention. It also makes it more attractive for American players to stay in the league. (Zusi and Besler)
Some teams have been able to stay strong attendance and attention-wise from the get go since their addition. (Seattle, Portland, Montreal, Vancouver) Others have always stayed strong, however some have not. Granted there are a variety of reasons and factors based on a franchises success and fanbase, but there appear to be some large holes in the current league regarding teams and their fanbases.
First, let me start off, through my observations, that soccer is growing as very exponential rates within the country. There is no denying this. In fact, I would dare say the base for soccer fandom is already very large, especially in areas with poor attendance. What the MLS has to realize is that this fandom is very urban based and hence venues and teams need to be urban friendly as possible in order to build strong support for their club.
The two main teams I will point to in my example are DC United and New England Revolution. The main arguments will raise points around how the current stadiums and venues are hurting the club and the league. DC United has had one of the strongest fan bases in the history of the MLS. Granted they just had a dreadful season, they have rebounded to second place in the East this year but still show abysmal attendance numbers. I have talked with DC United fans and observed other fans talk about their team. The main issue tends to revolve around holding games at RFK Stadium. The stadium is old, located far from the city center in a less than ideal neighborhood. I have heard around three times that many DC residents want to go to games but the less than ideal location and commute makes it rather challenging. There are new plans for a stadium in SW Washington but the city council is evidently making this as hard as possible.
Now onto the Revs. Out of all the teams in the MLS, the Revs very well might take the cake for most inconvenient location. Gillett Stadium is very much outside the Boston metro and is only accessible by car. This franchise idea of gathering around the region of "New England" instead of the Boston metro area has been a mistake from the get-go. Though slumping right now, the Revs have proven themselves as a competitive team the past two years. Their location has however been a large hamper in their ability to make it a attractive team. I have heard hotchpotch rumors about a stadium in Boston, but it really hasn't amount to much yet.
Overall, teams, such as the ones I pointed out, need to rally around stadiums that make it suitable for a supporting fanbase and the league needs to take this heart and PUSH for it. I see a lot of wasted potential in teams like the Revs and DC United, especially when they are playing well. If the MLS wants the hope of growing more into a league that will be better respected globally, it needs to channel the urban fanbase that keeps it alive and make games more accessible to such environments.
New England Revs are probably pretty cheap for Kraft , as he would have the stadium (owned by Kraft Sports Group) anyways due to the Patriots. The costs associated with a new stadium would create more risk in his business model. I bet this doesn't change unless he sells the Revs.
I think DC is aware of the issue you outlined. I read a long article a while back about the problems they are having locating a stadium in the city. Its beyond the city council, the residents are split on the idea.
The Chicago Fire, which I am most familiar with, gets decent attendance and their stadium is a pain to get to and in crummy area (imo). Very car centric. The Fire did start a pub to pitch program that has shuttles between key soccer bars in the city out to the stadium. They also encourage tailgating, which is one of my favorite reasons to go to a live sporting event.
They really need to extend the Orange Line from Midway out to the stadium...it wouldn't help me, but I bet attendance would grow. How this didn't happen yet is beyond me, Bridgeview has done a bad job (again, imo) in the whole stadium deal. If they could get public transit out to the stadium, I bet a few bars and restaurants would open at the end of the line and improve the area.
Kaka is coming to Orlando city in the end of the year and Robinho is about to sign with them too. Even being aging stars, they can still bring a lot of quality to the MLS.
The addition of Orlando City and NYCFC will no doubt be very beneficial for the league. I don't care what anyone says, but these team's abilities to attract star talent to the league is good for it to gain media and fan attention. It also makes it more attractive for American players to stay in the league. (Zusi and Besler)
Some teams have been able to stay strong attendance and attention-wise from the get go since their addition. (Seattle, Portland, Montreal, Vancouver) Others have always stayed strong, however some have not. Granted there are a variety of reasons and factors based on a franchises success and fanbase, but there appear to be some large holes in the current league regarding teams and their fanbases.
First, let me start off, through my observations, that soccer is growing as very exponential rates within the country. There is no denying this. In fact, I would dare say the base for soccer fandom is already very large, especially in areas with poor attendance. What the MLS has to realize is that this fandom is very urban based and hence venues and teams need to be urban friendly as possible in order to build strong support for their club.
The two main teams I will point to in my example are DC United and New England Revolution. The main arguments will raise points around how the current stadiums and venues are hurting the club and the league. DC United has had one of the strongest fan bases in the history of the MLS. Granted they just had a dreadful season, they have rebounded to second place in the East this year but still show abysmal attendance numbers. I have talked with DC United fans and observed other fans talk about their team. The main issue tends to revolve around holding games at RFK Stadium. The stadium is old, located far from the city center in a less than ideal neighborhood. I have heard around three times that many DC residents want to go to games but the less than ideal location and commute makes it rather challenging. There are new plans for a stadium in SW Washington but the city council is evidently making this as hard as possible.
Now onto the Revs. Out of all the teams in the MLS, the Revs very well might take the cake for most inconvenient location. Gillett Stadium is very much outside the Boston metro and is only accessible by car. This franchise idea of gathering around the region of "New England" instead of the Boston metro area has been a mistake from the get-go. Though slumping right now, the Revs have proven themselves as a competitive team the past two years. Their location has however been a large hamper in their ability to make it a attractive team. I have heard hotchpotch rumors about a stadium in Boston, but it really hasn't amount to much yet.
Overall, teams, such as the ones I pointed out, need to rally around stadiums that make it suitable for a supporting fanbase and the league needs to take this heart and PUSH for it. I see a lot of wasted potential in teams like the Revs and DC United, especially when they are playing well. If the MLS wants the hope of growing more into a league that will be better respected globally, it needs to channel the urban fanbase that keeps it alive and make games more accessible to such environments.
A stadium is expensive, and if a team isn't bringing in the revenue, they're not going to invest in a stadium. As another poster pointed out, the Revolution are cheap for Kraft, as they are playing in a stadium he owns.
The argument could also be made that Gillette stadium is not a problem for fans to get to Patriots games, just Revloution games?
I think the main issue is just the lack of quality and prestige associated with the MLS. I am a die hard soccer fan, but I couldn't care less about the MLS. I follow the EPL religiously, and most of the other European leagues as well. The MLS just doesn't hold any value to me.
I think the main issue is just the lack of quality and prestige associated with the MLS. I am a die hard soccer fan, but I couldn't care less about the MLS. I follow the EPL religiously, and most of the other European leagues as well. The MLS just doesn't hold any value to me.
Stop being a glory hunter and watch the MLS! I mean that in the nicest way possible Its a great league to watch, the setup is too odd for my liking but there are some very good games out there.
Some of the best games I have ever seen where by part timers in stadiums where the crapper didnt work and the seats where all broken. Football is a great game, not just the ones on ESPN or NBC.
I agree with you on the fans, stop whining and go. Travel is a stupid reason not to go.
In regards to the Revs and Kraft, I believe that he has no business owning this team to begin with. The current ownership has zero clue as to what they are doing and the team rather serves as a pet project than something they take seriously. This brings me back to the original point in the league should pressure owners to adopt to proper stadiums surrounded by an urban core. Moving the team to the metro area of Boston or Hartford would do wonders and improve their current situation.
In regards to the Revs and Kraft, I believe that he has no business owning this team to begin with. The current ownership has zero clue as to what they are doing and the team rather serves as a pet project than something they take seriously. This brings me back to the original point in the league should pressure owners to adopt to proper stadiums surrounded by an urban core. Moving the team to the metro area of Boston or Hartford would do wonders and improve their current situation.
Wasn't Kraft one of the original owners that kept the league alive? Anschultz (sic?) was the big reason it lived, but I thought Kraft has been in it during the dark days. Its hard to say to that guy to sell.
Playing it during the winter as European teams could be an improvement..
That's a big issue as well. If they would conform the schedule to the rest of the world, and had their league set up like the rest of the world as well, without the pointless playoff system, a lot more European fans would get involved in the MLS.
To me, the MLS just seems to niche and doesn't interest me when I want to watch a real football game.
I went to RFK stadium once while I was working in DC. I was able to take the Metro and then I had to walk maybe a mile to the stadium. This was when DC United played Celtic so there were a lot more fans at the game. I didn't feel unsafe due to the amount of people at the Stadium that also took the metro. Doesn't RFK stadium sell a good amount of tickets for Redskins? It would be nice to have a Soccer stadium in DC near the Baseball stadium but if the DC City Council is being a pain then the team should build a stadium outside of DC in either Maryland or Virginia.
One thing I do not like about the MLS scheduling is the LA Galaxy games that start at 7pm PST on a Saturday. I usually don't watch them due to them being so late on the east coast.
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Its a great league to watch, the setup is too odd for my liking but there are some very good games out there.
