Actually if you learn to read I call the FMF mediocre... maybe 5 years ago it legitimately might crack the Top 10... but now that is far off. However, the MLS plain sucks... but is evidently getting better at the marketing (or attracting less soccer knowledgeable fans perhaps)
Clearly the only reason someone watches football is for the superstars on the pitch. This is by the far the most delusional post I've seen in weeks. "The" MLS as you put, has grown substantially in the last 5 years. It's quite clear why marketing in MLS is working and why it isn't working in Mexico. The economies of scale and the market they provide. FMF is a solid league, producing players that are relatively similar to their American counterparts. The difference is their ability to retain those players. 80 million Mexicans live and breath the sport. When soccer is a bit part sport in the American arena. Mexican fans should be ashamed of themselves if they don't beat US teams and players. I'm reminded of the 2002 World Cup when an elderly Mexican women was crying over the same points I'm making right now. In truth with an open spending market or any mixture of the two, A single MLS team could outspend half of the Mexican league combined. Don't fool yourself, time is on MLS side, so is money.
the LA Galaxy could definitely survive in the EPL. thats the only definite, if the Red Bulls had a good manager they probably would, the sounders could probably do it, and maybe even RSL.
Delusional... given that the Mexican league is the most popular league, with highest ratings in the U.S.... the MLS will never be a financially strong league. I wonder how long it will take AEG & the League of Rich Nerds to realize the MLS is an economic & sporting failure and everyone would be much better off if the Mexican league teams just choose existing MLS stadiums to be their 2nd Homes... holding half of their league home matches in their U.S. home and half in Mexico. The existing MLS teams could become feeders for the Mex 2nd Division
He meant that anyone that would chose to watch MLS over FMF is clearly less informed about soccer than he is.
I think so, as well, yet he's claiming that that interpretation is a "ridiculous assertion" so I'd like to understand, then, what the intended meaning is.
Nope... I meant that MLS fans are above average more delusional about the relative strength of their league than other fans I am acquainted with. If grew up in Sweden then I would follow their schitty league... there is nothing wrong with that... I commend you for supporting your league... but if kept drinking kool laid that the Swedish league was getting stronger & stronger and that its teams could compete in the Dutch league... meanwhile watching them get owned by Dutch & for dog sake even Belgian teams in the regional championship... then that is what would qualify me as less informed.
As much as a troll as you are, this point is a good one. It would be cool to see say Tecos move to LA and/or Xolos move to San Diego, but that won't happen, that would require USSF permission (FIFA gives each federation monopolies with in their territory) and I doubt USSF (Sunil does what ever SUM tell him to do) will allow it. One thing me and another dude that follow FMF were wondering, why doesn't the FMF try to market the league in English? Fox Soccer Channel will lose MLS next year, that would be an opportunity for the FMF to break into the English speaking market, Friday night football spot will be open, some Mexican teams play Friday night (Azteca and Azteca America in Spanish) why not make a deal to give the rights to FSC for cheap? I think the FMF lack vision when it comes to exporting the game outside Mexico. Most Mexican teams are happy by holding friendly games in the USA and collecting a nice pay check. But look at LA and NJRB they travel to other parts of the world, MLS may not be well known outside the USA/Canada but they have Beckham and Henry so that pulls fans in Indonesia, Malaysia, England, etc. It is that visions that may help MLS go pass the FMF in 20-30 years. The FMF needs to step their marketing to more than just Mexicans and Mexican-Americans if they do not want to be left behind. IMO.
No, I don't quite see how the MLS will surpass the Mexican league... it is still on financially wobbly ground most teams lose money on Operations... it is the SUM contract that keeps the league viable. I am not saying it can't happen but MLS 2.0 will never be able to do it. MLS needs to do something drastically different (and be right about it) to change the game. I mean come on... the league can't even go to a single table because of the freaking travelling costs... and people whine about CCL participation because of the travel & financial demands.. and you are telling me the MLS is a viable exportable product? As a product the MLS is no better than the J or K leagues.. and those leagues are more likely to hire the Indonesian, Malaysian players etc., Further... England? You could play the MLS Cup in London... and you might get the 1,000 ex pats to the match... and that is if the gate price is free. As to FMF.... if Televisa has something it is business savvy... they aren't the dominant Media Content & major Telecomm giant of the Ibero speaking Hemisphere with 300 MM customers from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego for nothing... if Televisa's MBAs saw an opportunity in exporting the Mexican league they would have fuct that hole faster than a Republican Senator in a public restroom. Look at the best teams in the world struggling to stay in the black despite having revenues & fan bases that dwarf most leagues in the world. (Cristiano Ronaldo & Messi alone generate more revenue than all of MLS)... the ratings of a Barcelona Copa del Rey match alone dwarf the MLS Cup.... The Mexican league is a cash cow with most teams comfortably profitable... & the Pacto de Cabelleros, while justifiably hated by journos & fans, is more than just about screwing the free agents it is an agreement that the most powerful & wealthy teams will refrain from doing anything that would be financially dangerous for the other teams in the league. BTW.. the proposal to internationalize the Mexican league is on the table, its been debated and discussed every couple of years... when talk of the Liga Premier de Mexico comes up... recently the word was that there was strong support but not consensus... and the league bosses America, Chivas & Pachuca have tabled it for another year... it will come up again in the summer. Azcarraga & Vergara are sophisticated business men... they will know if & when the FMF can expand abroad. In the meantime, Brasil is the league that has the highest likelihood of threatening the big Euro leagues. Brasil is quickly becoming a very large, Upper Middle Income economy... they produce huge quantities of talent... the Brazilian player would rather live in Brasil than Europe... and with the right marketing plan Brazilian soccer has the history, legitimacy & product to attract fans all over the world, further Brazil has a world known culture that is viewed favorable in almost all parts of the world. If Brazil becomes big & starts dominating Libertadores & taking the CWC often... then an opportunity will open up for the Mexican league to become big as the regional Spanish speaking counterpart to Brazil. Mexico is the only country in Latin America that has the demographics & economic power to challenge a strong Brazilian league... but if it could hold its own against the best in Libertadores & the Brazilian league raises the prestige of Libertadores to be similiar to the UEFA Champions... then we can talk about Mexico having an opportunity to internationalize its futbol... until then I don't see a viable vehicle.
Single table issue is because MLS wants to grow to look like the NFL 32 teams or such, it is the American way, nothing to do with travel cost anymore (allegedly) the past two years MLS had round robin single table (sadly it will go away next year). J and K leagues are about the same level as the Mexican league so yes I and many others on this forum would rate MLS below those two leagues, not sure what is the issue, they are pretty decent leagues. MLS teams would not pull many people in london, but Henry and Beckham do, that is why they are over paid. International rights vs National/local rights, look that up. This is something the FMF needs to figure out and make it happen, Televisa/Azteca can help but it is up to the Federation. Yes European leagues generate lots of revenue, so do the NHL and the NBA, I do believe the largest revenue league is the NFL, which is who MLS is competing against; the MLS needs to catch the NHL not the Bundesliga in economic terms. Never thought about it that way, this is one thing both MLS anf FMF have in common, they screw free agents for the good of the league (against FIFA rules) Why would it be on the table, this should be happening now, FMF should be televised to every home in Central America and maybe some places in South America. I rate the Brazilian very high and with a great future in my opinion, one thing that may keep Brazil from becoming the best world league in 20-30 years may be language, English is the world language. One thing that Mexico is doing right recently is that teams are going after Colombians, Ecuadorenians (spell?) and those type of players that are good enough for their respective National teams, that will increase the viewership of the FMF in those countries because people want to see and follow their national team players (like Mexicans, Americans following teams in Europe with their National players).
"This is something the FMF needs to figure out and make it happen, Televisa/Azteca can help but it is up to the Federation." Televisa IS the Federation... Vergara & Jesus Martinez are simply "Board Members" with some power.. but Televisa is "CEO & Chairman of the Board" in the FMF "Why would it be on the table, this should be happening now, FMF should be televised to every home in Central America and maybe some places in South America." Mexican soccer is already broadcast in Central America & South America... I have relatives in Argentina that watch Mexican league games almost any time they wish.... they even get Primera A (2nd Division) there. Xolos had a small following in Buenos Aires even before ascending. But I cannot see the Mexican league ever making a huge dent in market share in Argentina, Colombia, Chile (the major TV markets there) "J and K leagues are about the same level as the Mexican league so yes I and many others on this forum would rate MLS below those two leagues, not sure what is the issue, they are pretty decent leagues." My point is that neither the Mexican league nor the MLS could ever generate enough interest in Asia to displace the J & K leagues... by the time it is even a possibility China will likely be a dominant player in Asian soccer and have a very powerful / rich league of its own. "I rate the Brazilian very high and with a great future in my opinion, one thing that may keep Brazil from becoming the best world league in 20-30 years may be language, English is the world language." Language doesn't seem to hold the Spanish, Italian, German or French leagues behind. I am not saying Brazil will be the top league in the world... but it will join & possibly displace a league from that bunch. "Yes European leagues generate lots of revenue, so do the NHL and the NBA, I do believe the largest revenue league is the NFL, which is who MLS is competing against; the MLS needs to catch the NHL not the Bundesliga in economic terms." The problem for the MLS is.... can it gain enough market share from other U.S. professional sports faster than the total decline in U.S. sports entertainment spending as the country declines into 2nd World status? I have no idea how consumers will react the new economic realities... will they cling to sports like religion & spend a higher share of discretationary income than now (which is what happened in Argentina as they went from being one of the very wealthiest countries in the world to an inflation & right wing populist dictator led 2nd world nation). Or will Americans spend less on entertainment to try & keep the number of cars & the Sq Ft of living space per person that the country is used to? Those are some big questions... the U.S. isn't going to become a 3rd World Country this century like the wingnuts predict... but a perpetual 8 to 10% unemployment, slowly declining real wages scenario is not only plausible but the Status Quo at this point (it has been happening for 30 years & the declines in real wages seem to be accelerating a bit now). U.S. consumption patterns will be affected... but how will the culture adapt? I don't know. Even if people become sports nuts... will they be increasingly Isolationistic wanting to only support the native born sports or will there by an increasingly Globalistic outlook? I don't know.
Oh shit if that is what you think about the USA situation I can't imagine what you think about the EU, I guess in your mind the Italian/Spanish/English leagues will be paying their players with food stamps. lol!
I do think a European decline is inevitable this century as well. The BRICs are likely to dominate sport & consumer markets as they become the world's super powers.. there is no question about that. What I don't is if it means that Ping Pong & Cricket become the dominant global sports or if China & India adopt them as their own. World History generally suggests the latter (Greek copied most Persian & Levantine culture, Rome coped Greek Culture, Thrace copied Rome, Byzantines copied Thrace, France copied Byzantine etc) of course not everything gets ported over to the next power... but my guess is that Football has enough gravitational force that India & China will join Russia & Brazil... plus the Jr. BRICS.... Mexico, Argentina, Chile, South Africa etc., are all football nations.
You keep saying India and China, but neither have done anything to prove they are interested in improving soccer. India especially is way more interested in Cricket, and most of their Cricket players don't make a lot of money.
India is globalizing slowly and still in a nationalistic phase... it has the most "closed" economy of any BRIC.... but they are slowly becoming a part of the global culture.. and when that happens I think Football will get big there... or Cricket will become big here.. what I do know is that at some point India will be a Super Power... and will have a big say in global sports culture.
Cricket and Hockey..............the two sports I will never get. Especially cricket. Takes so little skill to play compared to baseball. And watching Hockey is like watching a soccer game where they would kick around a tennis ball instead of a soccer ball. Basically, you can't see the ball/puck.
I think Twix means field hockey with the round ball. http://www.zimbio.com/Soccer/articles/0XPtdEPmMpU/Watch+Philippine+Azkals+vs+LA+Galaxy+Live Full stadium in the Philippines to watch their Azkals play the LA Galaxy. (Small stadium) That is how you internationalize a league. Now I bet very few people in the stadium are there to see the LA Galaxy, shit 90% of them are probably dudes and girls there to see and take pictures of David Beckham, that is why they paid his ass 6+ million USD. Edit: Beckham gave his shirt to Manny Pacquiao.
So you are going to tell me there are sustainable benefits to the MLS or Galaxy arising from that match? If the Beckham & the other Gramps in the league keep making appearances like that... how long before the MLS Cup gets ratings that surpass a Xolos vs. Estudiantes Tecos match?