Last week the English Premiership announced its intentions to hold league matches outside of England, one for each club in addition to the traditional home-and-away fixtures. Five cities would host two matches each in a weekend, probably January. New York was among potential host cities mentioned (though subsequent statements have mentioned the need for warm climes). Would RBP or the New Meadowlands be the host stadium or is this idea so half-baked they really don't have any idea? Would an English Premiership match on these shores undermine MLS? Would you go? http://www.fsf.org.uk/
Sunil Gulati isn't all that enthusiastic: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7239788.stm
I've got mixed feelings about this. My gut reaction is that we've already got a league here, why do we need to host some other country's league? But I don't think one or two games a year would have much of an effect on MLS. I thought I read that the EPL was looking to schedule this extra game in January, when MLS is out of season anyway (so NY is probably not in the running to host anyway). The reality is that any game involving the big four would be a good draw here. But really, how much interest would there be in a game not involving the big four? How well would Reading v. Man City draw?
I would def. be there, but I don't think that any games for a country's league should be outside of their own country.
Lucky for Toronto FC and their fans, you're not calling the shots at MLS headquarters. But seriously, I would love to go watch Arsenal play against Spurs in Orlando (or Miami) in January.
this gives the opportunity for American fans of the EPL to watch their team play.. i know i would be at a game.
I think its a great idea. I support a club from England and would like to see them live and not in a preseason setting. to all the people complaining here is a simple solution don't go to the game simple as that.
That's really not what people are complaining about. You won't have the regular season atmosphere, as you can only see an English football match in England. It is just as easy to fly to London to catch a game as it is to fly to, say, LA. Would there really be much of a crowd for Boro v Derby? With five host cities, at least one won't host one of the Big Four. Of course, the extra match would destabilize the balance that makes the league table fair. That's why the playoffs work with something like the NFL, in that each team can't possibly play all the others home and away. Since they cited the Giants-Dolphins game at Wembley, they should realize that both teams were playing one of eight away games and that they had the week after off. I think if any Euro clubs, EPL or other, want to play on these shores then they should do so in friendlies v MLS teams. If the Arsenal play in the northeast, I'm there, so whether or not it is regular season won't matter. If it is farther away than a flight to London, I'm just irritated. If any other English club comes to the region, I'm not about to go out of my way, even with points on the line. But given this is to be in January, we're ruled out. The fact that they mentioned NY initially just tells me they haven't really thought this through. And since we'll never enjoy this, I begrudge any other American city the right! Viper, wouldn't you fly down to Fla to see the Arsenal even if it was just a friendly? Does making it regular season make that much of a difference?
I actually think it'd be great to have this 39th foreign round. I would definitely be interested in going to a game if they had one in NY.
I really doubt we'd see Arsenal here in a friendly, Doc. At least as long as Mr. Wenger is in charge. I would, however, fly to see them anywhere in the US, friendly or regular season game. If it was a regular season game, it would be that much more special. I hope it happens, but with our luck, we'd see Fulham vs Man City (well maybe not Fulham, as they're going down - sorry Sublicon), or Boro vs Everton here in North America.
So do each of the 11 daily flights from JFK & Newark to London. I think this is a horrible idea. We already get preseason friendlies with these teams anyway. Having the game theoretically "mean" something isn't a big enough trade off for the fans of those teams NOT being able to go to their own league games. And, ManUtd- Everton would be tons of fun in NYC, ditto Arsenal-Portsmouth in Toronto, but can you say the same about Wigan-Sunderland in Caracas? Derby-Middlesboro in Shanghai? I think it's another boorish attempt to find that one extra pocket to stick a hand in, and pull out yet another quarter. The EPL already makes enough money via TV, and uses that to import players from all around the world. This would make them more money, allowing them to buy more players...diluting the talent pools everywhere else.
Sure Jamison if you have that much money to spend on a flight to London just to see a game that could have easily been played here.
I voted yes because I'm selfish. I like to see any games I can. I won't touch what a 39th game would do to the schedule, but the issue with the fans can be taken care of easily enough: Give all club season-ticket holders free tickets the matches (both teams.) Then, have a lottery that gives 100 - 200 fans from each team free airline and hotel. The fans that don't get free airfare and hotel will still be able to attend, but of course at extra out of pocket cost, but perhaps special deals could be negotiated to minimize these costs. I'm guessing the expense of the lottery could easily be covered by the revenues generated by the game. I'm sure charter planes and hotels could get pretty good rates to the clubs. The whole point would be to bring the fans with the teams when they go out of country. Be a good way to reward the team faithful, and have the English fans meet their foreign compatriots. Blah blah blah. (I thought of all that just so I can see an EPL game here locally.)
Re: EPL Game 39 I stand corrected. They did have a bye the week after. I think Dolphins fans have a legitimate gripe, then, over an unfair schedule, as they look back on a season where they went 1-15. Losing that "home" game by three to the eventual Super Bowl champs must sting.
Personally I don't think that they should let this occur. If anything they should play an MLS team. In the end they are basically mining our fans and money. If they want to play here, and play competitively at that (man u ring any bells) they should pony up a couple of million and call it: The Colony's Cup (or something corny like that) Now, finally the Brits can have another shot at taking back America. lol In the end if Europeans want to play here because they know they will pack a stadium, they should at least play American teams. Not with their B or C squad but with their A team.