Here's a quote from http://news.yahoo.com/garber-says-mls-goal-line-technology-193706551--soccer.html [MLS Commissioner] Garber praised the Seattle Sounders for marketing beyond their youth soccer community. "It's about young, urban, hip, 20-somethings who care about the game and really want something to cheer and celebrate for because they're connected to it through EA, connected to it through watching Fox and the Premier League, and now we're going to give them the chance to do it in their hometown," he said. ---- If only indoor soccer teams would market to more than just the youth soccer community.
I agree too that the MISL should not market their games exclusively to young kids who don't even know much about the team they are watching. But they do make up a high proportion of the spectators. Indoor soccer is really a game anyone can get "into" - the young, the elderly and everyone inbetween. And each team should market it like that and not to any group specifically, if that makes any sense.
the problem there is guys that follow EPL,LaLiga, etc. barely respect MLS. Why are they going to respect indoor? MLS refers to USL PDL as 4th division tier of american soccer. Where do you think MISL falls in the pyramid? If you can't make die hards in Levels 2-4 how do you make indoor fans? Its Tough. Teams aren't willing to really push the drinking culture of this. Thats what Garber leaves out. A ton of what supporters do is drink together. Hard to do when you're recruiting youth teams. At RFK for DC United La Barra, and other supporters are separated from the youth teams. Might as well be called the alcohol section on the other side. No comment on the screaming eagles.
There are a lot (surely still a majority) of adults in this country who don't follow outdoor soccer at all.
There is nothing wrong with the group sales to kids, rec soccer leagues, etc. They need to do both, market to both. The Orioles market to rec baseball, get great group sales, but, they also market to adults. You can't pick one, you have to do all, that is why you need staffs, not 3 people and a GM and expect sellouts.
Btw, those people need to do things, there are many people sitting with paychecks in indoor soccer that do jack squat. "Soccer people" have no place being GMs, you need business folks who are trained in SALES.
You're a Baltimore guy. Dan Duquette has nothing to do with the business end of the Orioles. Ozzie Newesome has nothing to do with the business end of the Orioles. The problem is not that the GM's are soccer people. The problem is that there aren't business people in high positions (i.e. Dick Cass the president of the Ravens).
Every team (except Milwaukee and Missouri) needs an Amy Keller. She does a lot for the Blast... selling tickets, maintaining the website, promoting the team, etc.
Titles are different in indoor soccer. The coach is usually what you would call the GM as far as signing players. The actual GM is usually the guy in charge of managing the team's business operations. If there is a President it's usually the owner. And that's it. I agree with wsls that the guy in charge of marketing and sales should not be a soccer guy.