Eurosnobbery at its finest. Its articles like this that really make me wonder if the writer actully gives a rats ass about the SPORT itself, and helping it to GROW in the United States. Sure seems like the only thing most writers like this one are interested in are taking the "ha ha we're better than youll ever be" approach, and that would to me at least, seem to turn more people OFF, than on. What a dolt.
All that fine Euro tradition and congratulatory self-aggrandizing got England as far as the USA in the World Cup 2002.
My life got infinitely better when I stopped giving a rat's ass what other people thought about my personal tastes, especially in regard to the soccer league I support most.
Wonder no longer, now you know. I thought the quote from the Brit who's been here 27 years and has no use for MLS was equally enlightening. He has the EPL on the telly, and no use for the "inferior" MLS. I put it to you this way. If you lived in England, and there was a league playing American football, baseball, basketball, wouldn't you at least drop in for a few games just out of curiosity to see how they manage the sport? I'm not even a fan of our US Big Three, but I'm sure I'd do that, and I'd bet I'd find it entertaining, though not top level. MLS is inferior compared to the EPL, but not that bad at all compared to England 1 and 2. If a person can enjoy lower division English football, it is not a stretch to get a kick out of MLS. Snobbery -- or just too lazy to get off the couch or barstool and out to the game? Jeez, you don't even have to change channels from FSW to see an MLS match during the season!
This should mean the death of all minor league sports in the country. I mean, I can see the top leagues plays on television all the time so why do I need to go see my local minor league baseball or hockey game? Why should anyone? It's so inferior. Maybe it's because I enjoy the sport regardless and like to get out among other people at a live event instead of stitting at home in my rocking chair wearing nothing but boxer shorts and a stained wife-beater and accidentally spilling another can of Natty Light on myself when I get over excited and knock over the TV tray next to me with my now cold frozen dinner sitting on top.
THANK YOU! I couldnt agree more. I LOVE seeing how my favorite sport is doing in foreign lands, and were i in a position to check it out in person, you bet your a$$ is get myself into the stadium just to at least check things out.
Dont worry man. We have Don Garber, a great leader who knows how to build a league that makes money. These Euro-crappers could only wish ONLY DREAM that ANY!!! league in Europe could be as successful as a whole that the NFL is for example. Garber is going to build us in the mold of that league and that is a great thing. The NFL knows how to draw fans make money and sell merchandise like no one else on the planet. Now wall Euros who are going to cry Manu and Chelsea, yes they are AS A single team very successful, but they are a big fish in a smaller pond. Because you can make same argument with the New York Yankees, that arent much cheaper. Yet baseball has some problems too, with weak teams and salaries that are getting out of control in smaller markets. So we have our flagship domestic league being run by a man who comes from the flag ship sports league on the planet. They can crow all they want and say what they want, but in due time they will be eating crow. MLS just signed a collective bargining agreement with the MLSPU through 2009. An agreement that both sides refreshingly agreed to for the good of the sport FIRST! Something that those Euro snobs as well as some of the other domestic leagues in the US could learn from, especially the NHL. Instead of making fun, they should embrace the MLS and adopt some of its cost controls and refreshing approach to players salaries and its growth and try to learn how its done. Laugh all they want one day when we have 10-12 soccer specific stadiums and a 17-18,000 game average and our own cable network they are going to say gee why do our players want to go to MLS. MLS will have the last laugh. Don Garber is our David Stern. I have faith in him.
Why does France have a league then? Some underlying truths, but brutally misinformed. Let's see Chelsea put on 15 games in a US market and see what attendance adds up to.
Maybe some of these MLS bashers should look at this http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-mlstv12nov12,1,1115242.story?coll=la-headlines-sports MLS is gonna have the last laugh, they just keep on blowing them off. I love an underdog.
This 'writer' states that the LA Galaxy WILL be the team that affluent white Americans (suburban no less) follow and the new side WILL attract a Hispanic crowd who are poorer but potentially more enthusiastic. WOW! This dude knows so much about MLS ticket buyers that he is confident in who WILL show up for LAG or LAC by how much they file for Uncle Sam. It takes a Euro to assume that Hispanic futbol fans=Mexican futbol fans. He is leaving Guanacos, Catrachos and Chapines in SoCal that love the jogo bonito to be mindless followers of whatever the Mexicans are doing today. LAG has a crafty Chapine in Ruiz. Does this boludo really think that cuz Chivas is Mexican in origin that the Guatemaltecos are going to start supporting LA Chivas cuz Chivas are for the poorer, more enthusiastic and Hispanic in SoCal??? The article is about top quality soccer vs. inferior soccer. Yet then the writer goes on to clearly define fan support on the race and money card. It wouldn't be that a pro team playing class and enjoyable ball would be the one that fans gravitate to in a two franchise city like LA, regardless of race. MLS needs more flair and streetsmarts in its product no doubt. IMHO that's what Latinos in LA will use for their allegiance.
Bravo, CeltTexan! I love it when the hammer hits the nail on the head! The writer of the article is so clueless about the US and the range of people who call it home that you have to laugh. No concept! I don't know if he represents the majority of English football fans -- let alone Europe in general -- but I suspect his view is shared by a great many.