With the recent changes at Chicago in players, does this spell the end of the league mandated "ethnic players" for specific markets. When the Fire were an expansion team, MLS stocked them with tons of E. European players to appeal to the ethnic bases. Louis Hernandez, and Carlos Hermisillo were in LA to give it a "Mexican player". Are we seeing an evolution/realization by MLS that fans want to see good players and good soccer rather than a specific ethnic player?
maybe we're just getting the point where there are enough good american players to round out teams and we don't need over-the-hill marketing gimmicks to stock teams.
The Mexican American community did not come out in mass (or much at all) when Hernandez came to LA. The Central American fans have been good supporters of their players coming to LA. The Korean community is responding in a large way to Hong's signing. It is not "dead" as a method for MLS, but they are learning that what the fans want more is just better players and where they come from is not as important as a good team. I don't think the Mexican American community will come out to MLS for some time to come unless Chivas moved to LA and that isn't going to happen. I think it has more to do with not wanting to support the game here than their claims that the quality of play is not worth their time even though it's the teams they can follow in person, often. Their argument loses water when many come from a lower division town in Mexico and admit they attended those games but will not attend MLS stating it's not a good enough game. When MLS teams beat them in the CONCACAF cup they usually say Mexican teams don't care about it because of Copa Liberatores or that MLS teams want to win the games much more than them because MLS teams are no good and want to prove something.. I'm getting of track.. Sorry..
yea they always have an excuse ready. I really think Mexico shouldn't be in the Copa Libetadores. Just a pet peeve, I hate when other countries are in a cup that focuses outside their Confederation. I.E. South Korea in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. I know theres a reason, I just wish they wouldn't be there. Could you imagine, South Korea-CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions! shutter (that goes for any team outside CONCACAF)
If FIFA revives the World Club Championship where the CONCACAF winner is invited, the excuse of not caring about it won't wash with even Mexican fans anymore. Another thing that bugs me is that they call the champion of Copa Liberatores .."Campeon de Las Americas" (my spanish is rusty).. Umm.. Not if you don't let all the Americas in.. Kinda like calling the Anaheim Angels "World Champions".
Actually, I believe that MLB has started calling the World Series winner the World Series Champion. IIRC, the NFL and NBA still call their champs the world champs but MLB has corrected their terminology.
No. Hong Myung Bo from Korea to LA was an ethnic based move. I really don't have that big a problem with it, because some of those fans are going to continue to be fans of that team, even after that player leaves. Others will leave, but MLS has got to get "new butts" in those seats somehow. James