MLS needs to see the handwriting on the wall. They are too big a fish in the USOC minnow pond. I know there is a great tradition and all that, but everyone knows that the players are stretched too thin during the MLS season and something has to go. USOC has the short straw. Except for exhibition games the USOC crowds are the smallest audiences that they play for. Leave it for the minnows and move to greener pastures. I would guess that very few USOC games involving MLS teams drew more than 3,000 fans. The attendance for the finals hasn't been announced yet but at gametime it looks like there are less than 1,000 to me.
Too big a fish? Tell that to Chivas, RSL, KC, DC, Dallas, and all the other teams that have gotten knocked out of the tournament by some of the lower-division teams in USL. No MLS team is too good to not play in the USOC. As for attendence, Rochester, Richmond, and just about every other USL 1 team would disagree with you. MLS teams are a big draw point and are a good measure of the talent on their team. As for being stretched thin, the reserve team has given every MLS team a break and these games are a benefit to their development. So, yeah, your entire argument is ridiculous.
MLS stadiums have no business hosting USOC games, especially on weeknights. USOC games belong at USL venues with a maximum seating capacity of 5000. When an MLS team goes to a USL venue, the USL team will treat it as an EVENT and market the H-LL out of it.
I agree and disagree. I think yes that the way it is run now isnt something the mls should want to be in however i think its a tournament with potential if only it was given the proper attention to make it a big time tournament so they need to be in it and it has to be made important to all
They are definitely not stretched too thin. The most games an MLS team has ever played in a single year is 44. Most teams will play about 35 this season, less than the 38 league games the big European leagues play. Frank Lampard played over 50 games for Chelsea last year.
I completely disagree. The cup tournaments are just fine in England, Spain, Italy, and everywhere else. Why are we too good for such an arrangement? Or unable to play the extra games required? The issue, for me, is simply that the USOC itself seems rather minor league. Same with MLS. As MLS grows in stature, I'm sure the USOC will also grow in stature. Hopefully both set-ups (MLS, USSF) find a way to market these events and grow them. The USOC could be a very compelling event in years down the road. Especially if some team is down in MLS standings near the end of the season and playoff hopes dashed (of course in a different, rewarding playoff system). The fans of those teams taht might still be in USOC contention and will still have something to cheer for. But, as I stated, the events (MLS, USOC) need to be grown, given some importance through marketing, history, tradition, level of play, superstars, enterianment value, etc., etc.
There should be a certain point in the tournament up to which the MLS team plays on the road. In N.C., MLS gets mentioned about as often as the Siberian Basketball League, or in other words people know it's there but know nothing about it. Until MLS becomes a known quantity, at the very least like the NHL, the USOC is the primary way of showcasing the top soccer league to markets outside MLS' 11 markets, where it pretty much doesn't exist to the typical sports fan.
So, I guess Rochester can never host again, since their venue holds more than 5,000. Actually, does any USL-1 team play in a venue that doesn't hold 5,000? And where were they supposed to have played last night?
So should Juventus drop out of the Champions League? I mean they can only manage to draw 11k fans for a CL match to a 70k stadium.
The only thing that bothers me is that before Minnesota was eliminated, it had already been decided that if they made the final, that they wouldn't host. As was the case last year, attendance at an MLS facility was horrible, yet even if the Thunder had made it to the final, it still would have been played in front of 1,000 or less.
I believe money is the primary factor in determining who hosts. Minnesota must not have promised enough to USSF.
I'm not saying that lower-division teams can't beat MLS teams. I'm saying that the attendances are too low. They won't give the true attendance at the final. They said 10,000, but I saw a camera shot of the crowd at gametime and I've seen Amtrack depots in Montana at midnight that are closer to 10,000 and more passionate. It's just not worth it for MLS. Why risk getting World Cup caliber players like Landon Donovan injured for nothing? Dallas was smart to hold out Ruiz. Now maybe he'll be healthy for the much bigger qualifier that he'll play next week for the Guats. I hope he appreciates it.
Am I the only one who thinks the USOC is getting a bit more popular? There's been a lot more publicity about it and most MLS clubs seem to be taking it a bit more seriously. It's only recently that it's been on national TV. An announced crowd of 10k is probably the best attendance in recent times. Like many things in US soccer, the Open Cup is an investment for the future. I expect it to continue to grow.
You have to take season length into consideration as well. Frank Lampard played 50 games over 10 months, or 5 games a month. An MLS team playing 44 games over 8 months, or 5.5 games a month. Not too much difference there.
Manchester City agrees with you I'm sure. Actually, the League Cup should drop Setanta so I can see a match or two one of these days.
from Kenn.com 1996 - DC (7,234) 1997 - Indy (9,776) 1998 - Chicago (18,615) 1999 - Columbus (4,455) 2000 - Chicago (19,146) 2001 - Los Angeles (4,195) 2002 - Columbus (6,054) 2003 - New Jersey (5,183) 2004 - Kansas City (8,819) 2005 - Los Angeles (10,000 - sales limited to 10,000)
He has a hamstring injury, if he could have played he would have, this was not strategic, this was reactionary.
LA should have been able to draw better--this is an important match against a bitter rival. I saw posted somewhere that the attendance was capped at 10K. Denver's point that this is evolving is correct, MLS it finding its place in the sporting landscape and so is USOC. The USOC, which has a great history, lost some luster of the early days of the ASL (when it arguably served as the national championship and featured great performers like Billy Gonsalves and Archie Stark) due to the decline in the fortunes of soccer in the USA. It would be great if the teams would sell that aspect as well. Remembering the greats of the past gives the current players and fans perspective—no one does this as well as the NFL, the Super Bowl is also a celebration of champions past. Not that I think the USOC will get to the stature of the Super Bowl but that may be a model.
I think he was referring to the tournament in general and not just the final. Unless finals are played in a consistent venue its hard to judge year to year attendances. Look at the two Chicago hosted finals....pretty impressive. Look at the two Columbus hosted finals....pretty embarassing. Perhaps the host city has a lot to do with it.
The 1999 final was won by the Rhinos and I bet that they had buses of fans at Crew stadium. This was the final where USOC chose the final venue and the home side was sent home by the Rhinos in Richmond. Also, most fans were just learning of the USOC in 1996 when United won. Their progress to the final was a bit of a surprise to fans I know, they thought that the games leading to the finals were just friendlies. WRT Chicago, this is a stated team goal, the fans know that the team is going to participate and play to win. Indy as a neutral site really was a good showing.
Agree completely with this. In addition MLS teams now have reserve squads, so they should be able to handle the extra games. I agree with a previous poster, from N.C. that USOC should be used to get MLS teams playing in parts of the country that don't have an MLS team already to increase thier exposure there. The USOC should be allowed to grow in importance in addition to the Supporters Shield. I think this would get the US more in line with European traditions around soccer.
I almost forgot about this.... Went with my entire high school side for this one. The crowd was alright and the event was a blast, even though the game was rather stale.