Which goes to show that the quality of play in the league has improved. YOu can't just pull together a squad of cast offs, have a decent eye for a couple good SI's and win the MLS Cup. Giving the MLS crap for RSL and Chivas stuggling would be like giving the Prem a poor rating cuz the newly promoted clubs struggle year after year.
C. Disappointing attendance across the board this year which I think is due to lack of players people want to see play in the league. Too many faceless teams. MLS I think recognizes this and is ready to send some coin this offseason. Younger players are getting better but there is a reason you dont see teenagers playing in most leagues and that is because they are still raw and inexperienced and I think this comes through with MLS product. I think the overall direction is good but I think its time they got some better talent in the league. Something needs to be done with the scheduling also. Players missing this many games is not fair to the fans of the league. They need to schedule around national team games. It really hurts the integrity of the league. Many positives off the field as new owners and new stadiums seem to be continuing in the right direction.
I would have liked to give them a B, but the more I though about it, I had to go with a C. Good US Player Development HDC Garber SSS Plan (Dallas, Chicago, Columbus) DC (4 MLC Cups) Level of Play (Yes, it needs to get better.) Average Foreign Purchases Playoff Format Player Salary Bad No International Calendar Marketing San Jose, KC, Metros CONACCAF Cup Competition Ugly Doug Logan Shootout Miami and Tampa Bay Hispanic Pandering (I.e. We got to get a Mexican player in LA or SJ)
I like all the above comments by everyone. I give the MLS a B grade. They should have thought a little harder before entering into markets in Florida, their sport teams hardly draw large crowds (i.e Marlins, Devil Rays, Heat, Panthers). I am sure there are exceptions their. I never thought of K.C. as a hotbed for soccer. If they wanted a team in the same area of the mid-west, I think St. Louis would have been a better choice. Their is a large youth soccer presence and they really get behind their sport teams. I even herd the St Louis U soccer team draws larges crowds. One more thing the MLS needs to improve on is their marketing. One more small thing, I would like a little bit more diversity when it comes to the Team Kits. 9 out 12 with Adidas is a little to high.
Man, you're going to hate it next year then when the Adidas deal kicks in and all 12 teams are done by them.
I think they are all going to be adidas next season, so look forward to less diversity. Adidas signed a contract with the league.
year 10 gets an A MLS has a solid business plan, is well-managed, and the league continues to improve in every single category. Not a week goes by you don't read some positive news about the league. Truly amazing! Not to sound "corny" but the league represents itself so well, I'm proud of the way they do things. Proud! Alexi Lalas has gone insane, though. He used to be normal. I have a theory: alien abduction. The person we all knew of as Alexi Lalas has been abducted by aliens and replaced by an insane space creature which has morphed itself to appear to look like Lalas and whose purpose is TO CONQUER THE EARTH. Run!
Well, I teach undergrad courses at Rutgers, and we're supposed to grade as follows: C = average B = good A = exceptional So I gave MLS Year 10 a B. They're still around, they seem to be expanding into the right markets, the growing pool of players has given us more talent/depth on the national team, and soccer is growing over here. A sign of higher interest is the fact that huge European teams are coming over here for exhibitions. Did they do this ten years ago? (I woulda been too young to remember, so don't flame me if they did.) I wouldn't give it an A, but the suits have a plan for growing MLS and are sticking to it. Soccer isn't ready yet to challenge the big 3 (if ever), but it's finding its niche. FC Dallas and Chicago are going to get SWEET new facilities. Columbus and LA have SSS. Colorado will follow thereafter. Realizing that having SSS are important to the league's success, MLS teams are trying to get out of NFL stadia and into SSS, and several teams have a chance in the near future to do so. Progress is incremental, but I think MLS is doing a good job, and a good showing at next year's WC could boost grades into the A range.
I must have missed that article..does anyone have any links or info on the adidas deal next year? I hope the Fire still keep their 3rd jersey(chicago flag) next year.
Totally agree with you as does every single person I know who follows MLS wheter they have a team or not,its such an overwhelming consensus that the commentary,especially on ESPN, ,is beyond poor or un-entertaining,its makes you un-interested and actually puts you off even bothering to tune in for the next match.This would seem to me to be a huge huge concern to a league desperate to build its following and attract new fans and with this bunch its actually driving people away and doing nothing to attract and hook the legions of soccer-interested fans and players etc in this country.On my travells I visit an MLS match at every oppertunity I can and the fans I talk to always moan about the crap commentators we have and how the league and its players suffer because of it. I`m not going to personally attack some of the "usual suspects" responsible or recount the past blunders associated with the piss-poor television production as we are all too familiar with them all but I`ll say this;there is one person who is capable of not just improving MLS TV commentary for the masses of fans,casual viewers,young players,Sunday morning pub-team players,the pros themselves and their wives,daughters,girlfreinds and their pets!!!!!...One guy who has been there done that,good and bad,player,coach and proven TV personality...One guy who would not just be an "improvement" but who would REVOLUTIONIZE soccer commentary as we know it!!!....and who would be like a hot-air baloon for MLS and ESPN. This weeks Soccer America has a nice article on the man.I`ve been a fan of his for many years,because of his wya with words,passion and personality,his knowlege and incredible humor.Hey,I know we all have our favorites and we all know these people always do their best,and some do a very decent job and are tolerable so the reality that TV commentary hasn`t been anything like what it should or could be, has been part of the learning process of MLS 10years ...lets just say forgive and forget....but 10 years later and things need to effing GET BETTER `cos I`ve put my foot thru too many tv sets during that time listening to some the clowns on ESPN and MLS Package,yeah? The league is better,our players are better,the stadiums are better,the future looks better,hell,even the refs are better("Honey,get me another beer will ya?")....We need a good few more quality foreigners spread thruout though I feel.....but for crisesake do somethink about Hudson and spread him around like the soccer-fertilizer he is!....I mean that in a good way of course Ray!...I was gonna call him horse-manure cos thats the best fertilizer of all and hes been a horses-ass sometimes but you cant stop lovin` the guy !!!
Explain to me how a game played largely on weekday nights, with 40 regular season home matches is going to be "taken over" by a sport played mostly on the weekend with something like 18 regular season home matches. It's like saying the NFL is going to "take over" the NBA. They exist in different parts of the sports universe. Hockey is a niche sport like soccer is and more and more like basketball is. MLS needs to carve out its own niche among the soccer fans that already exist in this country, which it has failed miserably in doing.
I think some of you are not posting per the thread topic. This is supposed to be an evaluation of YEAR 10 of the league, not all the years combined up to this point or "where soccer is in this country", or blah blah blah. As far as this year has been concerned so far I'd give it a B+ The Bad -Metro stadium situation not resolved -San Jose possibly moving (although business wise I don't think it's a bad decision....flame away if you want) -San Antonio falling through (not in the league's interest anyway) -Columbus Crew poor attendance The Good -D.C. United sold -Kansas City being close to sold -Milwaukee emerging as an expansion candidate with an SSS plan/new investor -Toronto still strong as an expansion candidate with and SSS plan/new investor -Alexi Lalas taking over in NY -NE's awesome attendance numbers -FCD stadium being built AND getting a name sponsor as well -Real Madrid, AC Milan, AND Chelsea games against MLS clubs -D.C. United being invited to Copa Sudamericana -RSL's awesome attendance numbers -Galaxy/Chivas USA PAID television deal -Houston emerging as a new MLS market with a huge investor (Televisa), and an awesome tv package as well. If these things can happen by the end of the year: -Metrostars stadium announced and shovels in the dirt -Kansas City sold with stadium plan -Toronto SSS discussions complete with shovels in the dirt -Rapids stadium plan complete with shovels in the dirt -D.C. United with a solid stadium plan and construction date -Milwaukee with a solid stadium plan and construction date Year 10 gets an A. We can talk all we want until we're blue in the face about "QUALITY OF PLAY! QUALITY OF PLAY!". But in order for the quality of play to increase, the business of the league must be solid and in place. And in terms of how the business is being run so far it's doing VERY well indeed.
Quoted because I can't better your reasoning. However, I'd give the year so far an A- instead of a B+, because on top of everything else you mentioned, SCORING IS UP THIS YEAR. Yes, I think that matters--last weekend, the totals from six matches added up to 19 goals; slightly over 3.0 goals/game.
I give it an A because overall I like the way things are going and I'm having fun with my team and the league.
I agree. Until they can spend more money on players, the good ones are going to test their skills elsewhere.
I give it an A Love the game - and MLS, warts and all, is our game here. It's great to watch the young talent strut their stuff. Chivas USA just beat the Revs - I have a feeling the expansion teams will make some noise in the league before the season ends.
I do not know if you have been watch the CONCACAF's Champions Cups for the last five years. MLS teams BEAT ROUTINELY the Caribbean islands teams and many of the less experienced Central Americians teams except the ones from better established soccer countries, such as Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras. I will agree that play is a little slow but I believe it is mainly due to the heat and high temperatures of summertime. FIFA is right MLS MUST change and follow the Septemeber to May league format like Europe. As for the refereeing, I will take poor referees over cheating referees like those from CONCACAF nations that I will not name any time; at least our USA referees can improved with more training and more game experience. My grade B for for the league.
B+ there's always room for improvement. I love going to the Fire games with my wife and kid, it's a good time.
Gold Cup, OK I get that Horrible expansion teams? That SHOULD happen. Nine of the other clubs have been around since 1996. They should be much better.
I would argue a C+ for the MLS overall...Soccer appears to be growing quite quickly in America and i would argue the talent in the MLS is on par with if not better then the SPL. No doubt no MLS team could ever compete succesfully in a european champions league or probably even a UEFA cup but give it a few years and who knows...if our national team can manage a decent showing at the 2006 world cup then it would prove very beneficial for the MLS as a whole with players like dempsey who might subsequently recieve international attention.
I picked D. You say there is no "D" choice. Exactly! I'm a nonconformist, non smoking, social drinker, sex as often as possible kind of guy...
I'll say B. When the league began I felt it was going to take 40 or 50 years to get MLS and the sport of soccer to true "Major League" status in the US. I still feel that's the case. The key to getting there is staying in business and so far, MLS has succeeded. The owner/investors are deep pocketed, they're making a long term statement with the stadiums that are being constructed, and it looks like they've done a good job with corporate sponsorship. Plus they've done a reasonable job at controlling costs, which is probably the main reason why MLS is still here. That all said it has a long way to go. Attendance in some markets is a problem right now -- and to me that's indicative of the lengthy battle ahead to sell the sport to the public. Plus it looks like the New York team is still hemoraging money and at least 2 of the teams -- San Jose and KC-- have questionable futures right now. Probably throw Chivas into that so let's say 3 teams. MLS was never going to be an overnight success, but unlike the Women's league, it's ownership understood that. So I think they're pretty much on schedule. There are bound to be bumps in the road in the future. There certainly have been plenty to date. But the level of play of our pros has improved dramatically in 10 years. We're devleoping lots of American talent and quite a bit of it is staying home to play, plus steps are being taken to ensure that MLS will stay in business for the long haul. I don't think we can guarantee the MLS will suceed long term, but 10 years in, the business model is still being executed, and there's a lot to be excited about down the road. There are problems, no doubt, but the league is still in business, the owners still have deep pockets, stars are being developed, and the level of play is improving. I don't think you could ask for a whole lot more at this point. Still, I don't think you can say definitively that MLS will still be around 40 years from now because the question of whether pro soccer will ever truly succeed in the US remains unanswered. But I also think that if MLS ultimately fails, we will know once and for all that the answer is "No". This league is the sport's best chance to succeed in the US and the ownership continues to do everything possible to try to make that happen. They get a solid B.