the test: How will news operations (read: ESPN Sportscenter) treat the opening of the Home Depot Training Center?? if they make a big deal out of it... To any unbiased observer, the opening of another SSS clearly makes the statement that soccer in this country is here to stay. Furthermore, those glib Sportscenter anchors were so upfront and anxious to mention that MLS had lost $250 million in its first 5 years...in other words, you mention the bad, gotta mention the good. if they ignore it... then maybe these guys really do have something against seeing soccer succeed in this country. maybe you conspiracy theorists were right all along! again, the opening of a beautiful, perfect SSS (with one already, and at least one on the way) in America sends a clear message about the future of the sport. IMHO I, for one, am anxious to see the reception this gets in the national media.
If I was a betting man, I would bet you a beer for every second the HDC got attention on Sportscenter, past an over/under of 8 seconds. And I'm very confident I'd win that bet.
i'll take that bet... all they'll do is start the first 5 seconds of the Galaxy highlights with, "The LA Galaxy, first game in their new stadium...let's go to the highlights." And then you never hear about it again. ever. it won't be anything close to the love-fest ESPN had with BankOne ballpark in Phoenix or Reliant Stadium in Houston or even Camden Yards years ago. what they should do: just make the point: "check this out, the LA Galaxy playing their first game in their new stadium. Did anyone realise that soccer teams were building their own stadiums? I had no idea. All I do is make fun of this league 24/7, but apparently it's good enough to start building its own stadiums. And I gotta admit, it looks pretty nice." you see, any league can rent out the meadowlands, rose bowl, etc and run from 5-10 years. but once you get to the point where your building your own stadiums (and not just glorified high school cement stadiums like the Crew, no offence), you send a clear signal about the viability of your league. Now, any, ANY sportscaster, no matter how dense, can notice this. the question is, will said sportscaster choose to cover it, or ignore it. i'll be interested to see...
You're assuming they actually get highlights on the show at all. Good luck there. I wouldn't know...can't remember the last time I watched Sportscenter. Why bother? ESPNews is plenty good, on all the time, and largely without the dull, smarmy schtick.
That's the thing. I don't watch Sportscenter this time of year because I don't like the NBA and my favorite hockey teams are out of the playoffs (well, my favorite hockey team is actually in the ECHL), and since Comedy Central has a ton of failing comedians on the tube every day, why bother watching the Sportscenter guys, who sound like they're bored to tears with their job? Now, I do like baseball, so for that I'll watch ESPN's Baseball Tonight. If you want soccer highlights, get Fox Sports World, which has an hour show devoted to MLS. While it looks like they just slightly modified the set used for Wayne's World, it's getting better each week. ESPN, in other words, shouldn't be anyone's benchmark for soccer's success in this country. If it is, you're buying into their own hype about how important they are.
first, i don't watch SC, but i'd have to say they will give it decent coverage. does anyone still watch SC thinking they will be getting good MLS coverage (if so, why?)?
I've been of the opinion lately that MLS should try and use the HDNTC home opener as a bit of a stepping stone. I think they should try and bump this game up to ABC, and then do some serious promotion for this game to try and get as big a number on ABC as possible. This is really a game tha MLS could take advantage propaganda-wise. Brand new Stadium Packed House for a normal regular season game Defending MLS Champs playing their first game at home etc.... People who turn on the tv and see a brand new stadium, sell-out crowd of 24k+, and some decent soccer on the tube may well change their opinions about MLS. Then again, maybe they won't the idea would backfire, and MLS would fold at the end of the year...
you can pretend that SC is not the gold standard for mainstream American sports thought, but that doesn't make it so... the amount of americans who take everything those guys say as gospel truth is astoundingly large. just think about how powerful SC is: they've faced off against all competitors and always come out on top. first it was CNN Sports Tonight, then it was the entire network CNNSI, then it was almost an entire network FOXSports NET, which is essentially a bare bones syndication network now. face it, soccer won't take the next step in popularity without respect from Sportscenter. those are just the facts (not saying it's right)...
I agree. this is a huge story for MLS and soccer in general in this country. they should be working the propaganda machine like crazy. they should be telling anyone who cares to listen that they just built a new stadium for ONLY SOCCER!!! think about it, we are finally a nation that actually builds soccer stadiums!!! This is the first time in our nation's history that you could say such a thing. seriously, if you guys can't see the irony/historical significance of this moment, then you have tunnel vision or you are just way too cynical...
No one builds a stadium for "only soccer". Anywhere. For that matter, no one builds a astadium for "only football" anywhere. Or "only hockey," or only anything. People build stadiums. The Galaxy and the USSF happen to be the primary tenants. If you think it won't be made available on off dates to anyone who puts up the moolah, you're delusional.
FYI, I was channel surfing last night and caught the last 5-10 minutes of FSW Reports. They were discussing about the Revs at that moment. I don't know what was before that. All this time I was under the impression the FSW Reports show was mainly coverage about the EPL. Now I'll definitely try to tune in more to the show. BTW, as long as we(soccer fans) keep watching SC, they'll never change their ways. Of course, no one here can ask the fans to stay away from SC, as many soccer fans also watch other sports. I, at least, don't follow at all the "4 major sports" (can't stand basketball & baseball, only watch NFL when the Pats are playing), so I find it very easy to avoid their highlights shows. But then again, even if all "soccer fans" stop tuning to SC, I'm sure it would only be just a "drop in the ocean" for ESPN.
If SportsCenter were to even acknowledge that the MLS existed, that would be a first. I have serious doubts that SC will even mention the opening of the Home Depot Center.
a country that supposedly hates the sport of soccer has now built 2 stadiums just for that very purpose, with at least 2 more on the way... i·ro·ny n. 1.a. Incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=irony Awww, so close, Roehl! Almost a coherent thought. Oh well, you can try again next time.
Particularly, Uncle Phil. He builds buildings and stadia (isn't that the plural of 'stadium'?) that he fills with events. Some of the events are primarily soccer and hockey, but also other sports and concerts. Some of the events are movies. All gather revenue from admission, parking and concessions. Can we say 'Uncle Phil is very, very talented at earning money?' Can we also say 'Bless Uncle Phil for liking soccer.'?