http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=478021&cc=5901 Interesting quotes. As I have said in other posts, we are living with a whole different reality in MLS now. With a diversified ownership group, soccer stadiums, and teams turning a profit, a major shift has occurred. MLS is no longer about trying to get by, its now the sky is the limit. Oh yeah and by the way, the American soccer market is still all potential. Is MLS at Premeirship quality? No. Can it be in 10 years? Yes. Leiweke and others are starting to envision a day when MLS is one of the best leagues in the world. I think its very possible. We have come a long way. Sit back and enjoy the ride. For you all who have been following the league with blood, sweat and tears since 1996, good work, now get ready to reap the benefits. Peace.
The important thing to remember is that, even if there is no more potential from here on out, MLS is permanent. The last five years saw to that.
dont get too comfortable; we still got many years to get to where we want to be. there will still be many ups and downs sorry, i have a habit of ruining the party
well i would expect that from a red sox fan, thanks for ruining the party. it really sounds like a cubs fan statement now days, but we will let it slide
Liewike is a dreamer. He's a huckster, a seller. His comments don't have to be based in any reality, they are about buzz and selling. It's about the immidiate buzz, not about the long term reality. I've been a Los Angeles Kings fan for enough years to know that his predictions of the future are garbage. I'm not saying MLS isn't flying high and on its way, I'm just saying I'd take the insight of just about any MLS executive before his. Him and Lalas are of the same mold.
MLS will not be Premiership quality anytime soon . . . exspansion every two or three years will see to that. Especially since the league doesn't want to stop at 20 teams. A new team next year with possibly two more the year after that with many more markets clammering to get in line to be the next franchise will both help and hamper the league's growth Yes MLS is here to stay and it will soon be a strong league with many quality players, but there will be a S-L-O-W growth of the overall level of play.
Got any other brilliant things to say you jealous bigsoccer turd? You have no clue what your talking about. Everything you are saying here is utter nonsense.
No one is a bigger MLS fan then me. I'm just saying that Liewike saying something is as worthless as Lalas saying it. They both are absolutely full of it.
I am just giving you a hard time. I do feel good about the direction that MLS is going. We have come a long way since the NASL. I live in Seattle but I lived in LA and have been a Galaxy supporter since 96' There will always be a place in my heart for LA but I have root for Seattle once we get a team. Cheers Mate!
MLS will not be one of the best leagues in the world until the quality of the American player improves.
Derby, Fulham and 'Boro are only slightly better than the best MLS has to offer. Leiweke was address lower table, not the top teams in Prem. I thought his comments were pretty fair.
I guess Leiweke has never heard of the Club World Cup... Of course getting there actually involves winning something.
Leiweke is the president of a billion dollar company. Lallas is a hairband guitar player pretending to be a GM. Big difference. Sure we are a ways from a time when the Galaxy can take on Chelsea, but we are getting there.
i guess, but the difference between fulham and boro especially is that they have much more depth than any mls team.
mbar - good comment above. And this is just more laying the groundwork for expansion of DP slots for LA.
Your speaking in tongues. Look Liewecke for his rights and wrongs is a human. he loves the sport and at the same time has a boss who wants the sport to be successful. He orchestrated. The building of the Home Depot Center The development of SUM (which is making MLS money hand over fist) He orchestrated the purchase of World Cup rights in the US for the last two World Cups and made the league millions He brought over David Beckham. He designed the DP player slot which has turned out wonderfully this year. Yes he has made some mistakes. But like I said before, his sucess' FAR outweighs the errors. The nonsense you spew of him and lalas etc etc, is pure dribble.
That's funny, because about four years ago, an MLS executive (not n the same position now, but still associated with the league) said pretty much the same thing the guy you are criticizing said. And so did the other MLS employee on the conference call.
We werent having a discussion about the World's greatest fan contest. I am sure you are a MLS fan, and thats great. But your a ignorantly bashing two people you know nothing about and you OBVIOUSLY make it clear you are unaware of what Tim Liewecke and AEG have done for this league, and thats ok, but I wont sit here and read your blatant nonsense based on no facts and a very narrow view of the situation, much like a horse with blinders on.
Yes, he has done a lot. No doubt. But also predicts wildly crazy things just to get his name and the league in the media. And they are sometimes counter to what the rest of ownership and the league wants to project. He's a very savvy businessman, but he really should shut his mouth and let the things he does do the talking instead of trying to put the focus on what he will help accomplish seven years from now.
OOOO OOOO I guess that makes him right? Look its baseless nonsense. If you want to agree with him go ahead, but he does nothing to back it up. Typicla childish dribble on here. OO WAAA Lalas sucks WAaaa Liewecke sucks .. WAAAAAAAA. I think Liewecke is going to sleep just fine tonight. You and Mbar can do a much better job of takinb over the soccer worl on World Championship Manager 2008.
Leiweke is still trying to sell his product, that is what mbar was trying to convey. Why do people like you get so defensive on bigsoccer anytime, anyone says anything that might interfere with your set way of thinking? Like it or not, mbar is right. That isn't to say that Leiweke's positive view of the future can't be seen. It just means that when billionaires extol the virtues of their product, it doesn't always mean that the vision will come to fruition. Although I guess in your "good time lollipop" world, MLS will undoubtedly become a kingpin in world soccer in years to come. So we should just sit back and enjoy the ride.