From mlsnet.com: "The American soccer community is joining together to raise funds to support the victims of one of the most devastating natural disasters in our nation's history. Major League Soccer players, as well as members of the U.S. National Team and Mexican National Team, are contributing autographed game-worn jerseys that will be auctioned to raise funds for the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Players competing in the U.S. vs. Mexico World Cup qualifier in Columbus, Ohio on September 3 and all MLS games on September 3 and 4 will sign the jerseys and donate them for the relief efforts. These jerseys will be auctioned online via www.MLSnet.com with 100 percent of the proceeds going to programs that support the victims of Hurricane Katrina." http://auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncom...ept=&wl=33072944&sort=&accept=&gallery=&team= http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20050901&content_id=41585&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp
While that's nice and the money will help for sure, IMHO is also misleading. It's the US Soccer fans that will truly be raising the money. If the "Soccer Community" really wanted to make a statement of support, the player signing the jersey would make a matching dollar for dollar contribution of his own to the relief fund. Then the players and the fans would truly be one community in the relief effort.
Well the league/nats will have to replace the jerseys (Yes, I know they have extras, but they will replace the set that is auctioned off). Instead of just donating the same amount of money as the jerseys would cost they're creating a way to raise more money.
Unfortunately, not all MLS players are very well paid, so asking them to match the donations might be a bit unfair. Instead, I'd like to see the clubs match the donations, either at a 1-for-1, or preferably, 2-for-1, level.
I'll certainly conceed that point, but for the US players at least, their games fees alone would certainly be more than enough to match the donations pledged for the jerseys. That too would be a great way to make the relief drive a true "community" effort.
We are simply not raising enough, other leagues are going to give way more than this auction will produce.
Our Billionaire owners, through whatever foundation they want to go through, could each donate 500, 000 to the relief, collectively being more than each other League...plus donations from these jerseys, could be a respectible chunk.
It's not a competition... Who cares how much is donated by what team/group/person, every little bit counts.
Just for some perspective - the aggregate tv deal money the NFL splits among its member teams is $13.6 BILLION over 8 years. That's $1.7 billion per year in tv money alone. So the NFL contributing $1 million to NO flood relief is equivalent to MLS contributing $0.25 Heck, even a 30 second SuperBowl spot sells for $2.5 million.
Venus Williams announced that she will donate $100 for each ace she serves up for the rest of the year. On Wednesday night, that added up to $200 in the 6-2, 6-2 win over unseeded Catalina Castano of Colombia. Williams, sparkling in another pair of $40,000 diamond earrings and a diamond necklace, will face No. 25 Francesca Schiavone in the third round. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/12531444.htm
If the auctions are live, wouldn't it help to have a time? I'd love to get my wife a McBride jersey, but I'm not sitting by the CPU all day in order to know when it goes up for bid.
The auction will be conducted online. Bidding will begin today at 8pm ET and run until Sept 12, noon ET.
Auction update: Some of the USMNT jerseys are getting pretty high bids: Keller -- $2500 Donovan -- $1500 Reyna -- $1060 McBride -- $1020 But most of the MLS jerseys are pretty good deals. In fact, a number of MLS players have yet to receive a $150 minimum bid on their jersey: Guzan, Ezra, Chivas Martinez, Borchers, Freeman, Peguero, Petke, Henderson, Chad Marshall, Garlick, Valakari, Burciaga, Herculez Gomez, Kirovski, Tyrone Marshall, Vagenas, Andy Williams, and Alejandro Moreno
I thought they announced at last night's FCD match that every players signed, worn jersey would be auctioned. I only see about 5-6 per MLS team. For instance Eddie Johnson's jersey doesn't seem to be for auction. Any idea what's up?
It's a charity auction, yet they see fit to charge sales tax? HUH?! Someone missed the point there..... I think it's a nice idea and a way for MLS to contribute, lets not kid ourselves, MLS isn't in the league of NFL (who IMO could have donated much more than $1m). Shalrie Joseph's jersey wil be mine!
If the player autographed the jersey, that would be even sweeter.......... It's for a good cause and all, but eventually i'll have to step out on the bidding for some as past $2,000 for me for a jersey is too much. I'll just give directly to the Red Cross............ Either way, let's bid people!
It's nice to see all the MLS jerseys now have bids on them. Here's a listing of jerseys (including USMNT & Mexico) sorted by price from high to low: http://auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncom...ept=&wl=33072944&sort=&accept=&gallery=&team=