Mods, forgive me if this is in the wrong place: Am I the only person who thinks it’s ridiculous that the Manchester Money Grab is selling out stadiums across the country, while the US National Team can only fill Crew Stadium with USA fans? Last year the US drew only 38,534 in Seattle for Honduras, and a large percentage of those fans were Honduran. The last match at Giants Stadium drew 30,659 for Jamaica, and once again many Jamaican fans were attending. Furthermore, would anybody care to guess if the US game v. Japan in Seattle will sell out? If I may assume there aren’t 70,000 ex-pats buying up the tickets and traveling the nation to see the team of their homeland, I have to conclude there are a large number of so-called fans who do not attend US matches. I shouldn’t say fans, I should say “front running poseurs”. No offense to the 500 at each game who grew up in Manchester and have a right to follow the team. The rest of you, where are you on a US game day? Why not move to Europe so you can be closer to all the other glory seeking wankers who follow the elite Euro teams when in reality, they have no connection to them? Let me guess, you are all Yankees and Lakers fans, right? Oh, and you cheered on your favorite country, Brazil, in the World Cup, correct? You make me ill. I hope Seattle and Philly never get MLS franchises, which you would ignore anyway as not being the equal of Juventus. NJ already has all the punishment it deserves in the MetroStars, now even more pathetic with the re-addition of Richie Williams. Discuss. Thank you.
I agree with you for the most part, especially with your level of frustration with fans in America. To add to your point, I would like to remind all those people swooping up ManU tickets that the more people that we can get to support or National Team and MLS, the more money we make... This leads to a better quality of soccer, as MLS can afford better players with better tv deals and attendence. SO if they would just get out and support it, they would get that high level of soccer they want to see.
Not all Man. U fans I bought 5 tickets to Philly. I am NOT a man.U fan. I am going because I want to see a game between teams I only see on TV. DOn't worry i will still drive more than 2 hours to see DC United and go to Rapids games whenever I am out there. Don;t lump us all together! I actually cheer against Man U every week.
Sorry! I wasn't trying to lump everyone together... I do realize that many people that attend the ManU games also attend MLS games, but obviously since there will be close to 70,000 at the game, there is significant group of fans that aren't like you.
A well-known team is playing games in the U.S. for the first time since the 1950s - this tour may be a once in a generation opportunity for fans to see ManUtd or Barcelona or Celtic or Juventus (whichever team they are going to these games to see). The U.S. National Team will play games in the U.S. every year for the rest of our lives. This is apples and oranges.
My take on this: it's a glass-half-full situation; anytime that a soccer match sells out in a few hours in the good ol' US of A is cause for us to celebrate. Whether most of those ticket-buyers don't care (yet) about watching the US National team, or MLS, still, every match that is successful in the US gives the soccer-haters a well-deserved middle finger, and shows off the sport in a positive way for what it is--and we're all for that, right? Look around you at the youth, high-school, or adult-league games in your town---why don't more people come to watch those? I love watching those games, not just the ones my kids are in. These tours are about showing off the sport in the US. That is not a bad thing. Sure, we hope it translates to a few more tix for the Seattle Sounders, or San Jose Earthquakes. But I can't work up much animosity towards Man U for doing this.
What?? I'm pretty sure that soccer is known to exist in America. This tour is about one thing and one thing only. $$ Screw ManU
Yeah. Who needs money anyway. I am sure if a MLS club was in the position of a Manu, they would do the same.
Obviously, I disagree. In between the generational wait for the next Man U tour, why don't these fans get off the Euro high horse and slum with us at MLS or US National games? A fan of the game doesn't wait around for a "chance of a lifetime" to see legendary clubs play. They should be supporting the game that is available all the time. Obviously, the vast majority of the fans at these games do not regularly attend US matches, or we would have actual home field advantage outside of Columbus. Forgetting the logistical difficulties inherent in the dead rising from the grave, you have a bit of merit in this argument. However, I would say that in terms of advancing the cause of, in this case the American music industry as opposed to US soccer, you would be better off supporting Blink 182. There is of course no comparison between the two bands, or between the KC Wizards and Juventus. But at least Blink is a) American and b) producing new music, whereas I am assuming it would be an oldies tour for the Beatles, who are scousers. If you want to listen to the Beatles, buy the CDs, and if you want to watch Man U, they are on PPV ad nauseum. Thanks.
Sounds like our government So, we are all Judas' if we go see two of the worlds best teams because they are not playing MLS teams. Sounds like being told I like Saddam because I think the war is wacked. The problem with both of these is that one does not equal the other. Long after Barca/Man. U. is gone I will still go to MLS games. Going to that game will not affect one penny of my spending on MLS or on my interest of the league. It is a chance to see some soccer in a town close to me. PERIOD! Would I like to have a MLS doubleheader with this game? Sure, would I like to see them play MLS teams, sure. I am NOT a Judas!
Anyone going to this doesn't deserve to be called an MLS fan? Why does everything have to be a frickin' holy war? This "with me or against me mentality" is completely devoid of logic. I'm trying to figure out how this tour drawing just 10,000 die-hard Mancs in exile and falling flat on its face is good for soccer in this country. Yes, there will be some people who want to go to the United matches and have no interest in the Nats or MLS. So? If just a couple get the soccer bug and want to see more matches this summer then it's good for the league and the sport. And since when did soccer turn into frickin' skaeboarding? "Front-running poseurs?" Basically that's saying there are rules for how you support a sport. Fine, how about this? If you didn't have NASL season tickets you're a JohnnyComeLately who doesn't deserve to watch professional soccer in the States now. If you didnt' travel to Italy and only made it to the easy Nats game in '94, you're not wanted. Wear your credentials, there will be a check at the security gate. I seem to remember a certain Italian team grabbing the American cash when they had the chance. Maybe if you'd played more than two Gotham Cup matches you'd still be in Serie A.
Re: Not all Man. U fans Hear, hear! How do you know fans in these cities don't deserve MLS teams? How do you know they would ingnore MLS if it put a team in their city? Would boycotting the ManU matches prove they support MLS and deserve to be considered for MLS expansion? I'm not seeing the connection. Philly and Seattle do not have MLS, so you can't say fans in those cities have ingnored MLS. Philly hasn't had a USMNT game since the US-Sheff Wed. game about 15 years ago. Seattle drew almost 40,000 to a meaningless US friendly last March. I don't know when's the last time they had a US match before that. While the turnout in Seattle might not have been great, I don't think you can say fans in these cities ignored the USMNT. I just fail to see the justification for saying fans in Philly and Seattle don't deserve a MLS team.
At least manu will feel at home,they play in front of 65000 glory seeking,bandwagon jumping hangers on (and some genuine fans!) who have nowt to do with where they come from,every other week!!
Explain OK, I understand being called a Judas if my going to the game was going to replace something related to MLS. Doesn't anyone get it? This is EXTRA. This replaces NONE of my dollars to MLS. If the game wasn't being played I would not be going to more games either. This is a bonus!
You are such an idiot. Get over it you boob. FIrst, the USvHon match was totally proUSA, were you there? And "only" 38.5k for Honduras is bad? Are you for real? It was a FRIENDLY, it was HONDURAS, and it was great fun. Second, your argument that fans who attend these games are somehow "harming" the MLS is insane. Mark my words (and prepare to picket your local MLS side), in the stands at some of these games, will be actual..GASP!..paid employees of the MLS! Should we call for their jobs!?!? It's going to be a great show and the SOCCER fans that attend will have a great time. Forgive me for making such a general statement about you..but people like you and people of your ilk are the reason soccer fans in this country are percieved as whiners. YOu are ruining it for the rest of us. Go home. Stop acting like such dip. STOP CRYING about everything. I'm pleading with you....
You're a puss-ass tough guy behind you're computer screen you d-bag. go bitch and crap your diapers somewhere else. while you're at it, take the tampon out of your ass and get a life while we all laugh at you.
No, you make <i>me</i> ill. If you really care about the growth in popularity of soccer in this country, then you should realize what we need most is “front running poseurs”. How else do you get that many people to fill stadiums every year? Don't you think that if there were more "soccer" fans in this country, that would necessarily create more "MLS" fans? How can you not see the relationship? How can you think that 65000 fans going to a soccer game in this country is a bad thing, no matter who is playing? After reading your post, I think that *you* are the bandwagon fan. If you can't get excited about any of the teams that are coming to this country to play for us, then you must not like soccer. If great teams coming to our backyard to play bothers you, maybe you should find a new sport. Major League Lacrosse is up and coming. Maybe you should give that a try.