No news for you, just to let you know how it is reported on MLS in an European soccer magazine: Start on Saturday – Upswing by WC? NEW MLS COURSE: TALENTS INSTEAD OF TOURISTS When the 8th season of the Major League Soccer starts in the United States on Saturday, many things won’t be as they were before. Mainly the transfer politics of the ten clubs changed: while formerly ageing stars like Lothar Matthäus, Hristo Stoitchkov or Luis Hernandez were signed, now they mainly rely on younger players from the own country. The motto is ‘talents instead of tourists’, after the Americans could not succeed with the mentioned player types, neither with performance nor in matters of public relation. A further reason is the salary cap though, which offers a maximum of 280.000 US-dollars a year for top players. That way only four new players came from foreign countries to the USA: South Korea’s former team captain Hong Myung-Bo (Los Angeles), Bulgaria’s defender Galin Ivanov (DC United), Amado Guevara from Honduras and the French defender Gilles Grimandi (Colorado). Coming back to MLS are Ex-Wolfsburg player Brian McBride, Ex-Nuremberg forward Joe-Max Moore (both from Everton), Frankie Hejduk (St Gallen) and Earnie Stewart (NAC Breda). McBride and Hejduk are moving to Columbus, Moore to New England, Stewart to DC United. The interest of the attendance should get better – thanks to reaching the quarter finals of the WC 2002 and fifteen current MLS national players. “We hope that some people detected soccer for themselves”, says League Commissioner Don Garber. Some things did not change: favourite is title defender Los Angeles Galaxy. If a team can endanger them at all, then it is Columbus Crew because of their new players. Only disadvantage for LA: the new stadium, which is built after the ideal of Leverkusen’s BayArena, is under construction until June. Until then they got to start with eight road games.
I've never heard that before, from either an official or an unofficial source, but... it's pretty good. Thanks, Olaf.
yeah i didn't know that either. I've seen that arena on FSW a few times, didn't quite strike me as being all that familiar. That players not tourists things might be a little bit of editorializing on their part, or a twist in the translation. this link has a picture of it. sorry i don't know how to upload, will someone tell me how to do that? http://www.bayer04.de/en/index2.htm
Best BayArena pics can be seen here: http://www.stadionwelt-stadien.de/S...dionfotos_BayArena/Stadionfotos_BayArena.html http://www.stadionwelt-stadien.de/S...nfotos_BayArena/Stadionfotos_BayArena_02.html
That is pretty similar, maybe not enough to say designed after but very well could be. Their stadium looks like the seats slope a bit slower than the LA one. And obviously there's a bit of a second deck in LA with luxory boxes, however, we don't have a hotel at one end do we? Their's looks quite a bit bigger too, but the stadium capacity isn't all that much different does it?
Re: Re: Kicker article about MLS 'Talente statt Touristen' - it's not available online yet. They don't put all articles of the print to the online version, but you can check again tomorrow. biggyv: don't know about the stadium in LA. Leverkusen has 22.500 capacity. One end (the one you see on many pics) has restaurant and VIP boxes, the other end has hotel including a conference room with view to the pitch.
Re: Re: Kicker article about MLS An extended version of the article is available now: http://www.kicker.de/content/news/a...on=2002/03&spieltag=27&spielpaarung=&turnier= MLS starts 8th season 'SOCCER' FINALLY WITH AN UPSWING? When on Saturday Major League Soccer starts their 8th season, they hope despite of low TV ratings and sinking income the league maybe gets the breakthrough. The makers of the league hope on a positive effect of reaching the WC quarter final 2002. The game against Germany ended with an unlucky 0-1 loss, but many Americans might have found some attraction by coming that far. "In this country soccer never had such a push", says the Landon Donovan, who turned to a superstar also due to the WC performances, and is loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes from Bayer Leverkusen. A further push is hoped by the changed transfer politics. While formerly the clubs relied on ageing stars like Matthäus or Stoitchkov (who still is active at capital club DC United), who wanted to earn some bucks before their career end, now players from the own country are in the focus. "We now prefer to sign young players, who want to make a name in the league", explains MLS-"Vice" Ivan Gazidis the new concept. 15 players from the WC roster will start on Saturday - the formerly in foreign countries active stars McBride and Moore (Everton) or ex-Leverkusen player Hejduk (St Gallen) and Stewart (NAC Breda) returned to the USA. With South Korea's WC participant Hong Myung-Bo only one prominent new player came from a foreign country. Reason for that surely also is the Salary Cap of 280.000 US-Dollar. The calculation seems to fit: the number of sold season tickets is significantly increasing and despite of a rather moderate economical situation the league found new sponsors and signed a second TV contract. The season is opened by the meeting of title defender Los Angeles Galaxy and cup winner Columbus Crew. Los Angeles with the experienced Cobi Jones, is starting the season as clear favourite. Until finishing the 27.000 capacity soccer arena in June, the champion has to start with eight road games though. --- Second US related short news: Ex-national player finishes pro-career BALBOA GOES TO TV The former US national player Marcelo Balboa finished his pro career. The 35 year old will work as TV announcer in the future. Balboa played 128 national games for the US boys and took part in the WC's 90 in Italy, 94 in the USA and 98 in France. Lately Balboa just had seldom playing time with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars due to permanent knee problems.
I've been to Leverkusen's stadium and with the roof, it feels bigger. Great facilities as well, ie, press room, restuarants, stadium club, etc. Obviously it's wrong about McBride since he was just on loan, but at least they are writing about us and they even mentioned how MLS wasn't getting it done with the likes of Matteus.
No doubt... I couldn't imagine ALBA Berlin getting this kind of press in Sports Illustrated. Danke, Kicker! (Now if they could just learn to give Cherundolo something better than a "3" ;-))