I hope Garber and the higher ups in the MLS infrastructure read this article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/07/AR2011020705610.html) and never allow MLS to become the monstrosity the NFL is.
I could only dream that MLS would be 1/2 the level of a success that the NFL is. Then again, who would want 110 Million Americans to watch the MLS Cup. Icky
In my judgment it ought to be possible to become 1/2 as successful without becoming any where near 1/2 as pompus as the NFL.
Widzew Lodz in Poland is saying the club will be liquidated unless the city of Lodz pays for a new stadium
It is impossible to have an upstart league succeed to the level of the NFL due to them having a monopoly on all professional football. There is an extremely high demand for American football in this country and the 32 owners exploit that by creating a false shortage. Every city the size of Green Bay and above can support some sort of professional football team with a rather large following which is evident because of college football. It absolutely disgusts me what the NFL is. I do not want to see MLS be the same thing. No one should have to spend half a weeks wage to go to a 3 and half hour event with their family. Keep MLS the affordable sporting option in the USA.
USFL did fine competing until they got greedy. It could happen again, just takes some balls. And money. Lots and lots of money. If anything, now is the time to have an upstart league challenge MLS if you are afraid of them becoming the NFL. Because their wages are low enough that you wouldn't have to be mega rich to start up a team.
So what you are saying is to defeat a bloated out of control League that has a monopoly on professional football is to take another bloated out of control League to capture a small piece of the market. Eventually, upstart league reaches a level to compete with the NFL and it might drive down prices. However, the more realistic scenario is the NFL purchases upstart league and merges it's "successful" franchises into the NFL then folds teams like buffalo, green bay, san fran who are all playing in outdated stadiums. Well unless our government does their job and breaks apart that monopoly, however that is unlikely. Your second point I completely agree with.
Ever tried to buy a ticket to a Barcelona game? Unless they're playing a 2nd division team in a 3rd tier cup competition, you'll be paying NFL-like prices. Being an open system doesn't guarantee affordability. Bundesliga does pretty well, but the others...not so much.
True, but if you can not afford Barca tickets, you can support Espanyol or other lower division teams. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Barcelona_football_clubs If I can not afford the Bears, I can go see High School football I guess. I guess Northwestern at Evenston would be ok. Or lower division College Football, the closest college to me is probably DIII. Any lower division pro-football in Chicago?
I like to think that professional sports are more than just a business. Those teams are a community asset and a point of pride. They represent the community they reside in. That is a very idealistic view, and isn't exactly rooted in reality. I understand that 100% I think you can reach a balance. It may be difficult, but I think it is worth the effort.
Dude, I feel ya KINDA. The Skins are my team, Washington's team in the NFL. They grew as the DC area came into it's own. I like the symbolism. Same with my Virginia Cavaliers. But you know it's symbolism, it's best not to get sick off the kool aid. My grand dad and dad are HUGE football fans yet wouldn't dare throw down all that money to go to Lincoln or FedEx, it's just WAYYY too exorbiant of a day out. What's more if you know anything about our owner Dan Snyder you will see all the greedy excesses that Big Buisness sports has become. They have the exact same problem over in the old country too (the club formally known as SV Austria Salzburg). Only there they won't relocate at the drop of a hat when the public doesn't want to get shafted by corporate wang via crazy stadium financing plans and tax breaks.