Seriously it is the best thing to ever happen to mls, but in big soccer I see nothing but insults. I just don't get it. We should all be happy but I swear 80% of what I see is name calling. MLS was saved this year thanks to Mr Vergara and Mr Checketts. Chivas USA: Will bring in the hispanic market that MLS has so desperately tried to get/failed miserably to get. Every game against Chivas USA will mean the biggest home crowd for each team that plays against them. It will be like the freddy adu effect. Not only that but the instant rivalry of every team out to destroy Chivas, every game against Chivas is a special one. 90% of mls fans already hate chivas so we have a fan rivalry as well between between all the Mexico haters and Mexicans, plus we have an attention thirsty owner (Vergara) who spices things up in the Mexican league, and im sure he will do stuff to build up the rivalries. Real Salt Lake: Fans in salt lake are excited, one of the towns where soccer is one of the biggest sports when it comes to kids practicing it if im not mistaken. You have an owner who is fully behind the project and wants to do well. You come to bigsoccer and you see nothing but hate against salt lake for chosing a Euro name (REAL). There is already a fan rivalry here between the newbies and the hardcore mls fans who hate Mexico/hate eurosnubs and are bent on preserving MLS's 'American identity.' Not only that but RSL has the best logo in mls! I just wanted to thank Mr Checketts and Mr Vergara, for saving mls.
The problem that a lot of us find with Real Salt Lake is that we haven't actually seen the fans show up yet. It's not about Eurosnobbery. There are plenty of other good European names that work nicely. Something like SLC Wanderers would even have a local connection. The problem I see is the possibility of mispronunciation. Fake Salt Lake, anyone? Oh, by the way... MLS didn't need saving.
The league is moving in the right direction. With these last two teams I don't know how I feel. It has the Miami Fusion written all over it to me. Seems like the same wrong decisions. MLS is an American league and it has been doing really well. I don't see the need to bring in foregin country influences. And Chivas is "Mexico's" team that is why so many mexicans love chivas cause all the have in mexican players. That team is supposed to represent mexico it is suppose to stand for national pride. It does not make sense to bring that team over. Maybe Club America(on the pricipals of mexican pride)? Matt DeStefano
not voting, those two choices don't cover mosts opinion here, I'd guess Metrostars SSS would bethe best thing, I think. Necessary for league to be profitable, will signal turning the corner toward profitability to those outside of MLS (other sports/US media, Europe).
New investors entering the league can not be viewed as anything but a positive move. Even if these new teams fail to attract huge fan bases, diversification of the league ownership is an important move (no offense to AEG or Uncle Lamar). I expect RSL to be a great success. The ownership is knowledgeable, the community is large enough to support a team and, with only the NBA as competition, the people will accept MSL as a major league (something we struggle with here in KC). As for Chivas USA, I just like the idea of the Galaxians having to share their turf.
The best thing to happen to MLS could be the NHL lockout. I heard that MLS is negotiating with ESPN to put some MLS games in NHL time slots. I'm hoping they have a Chivas-Galaxy game to open the season on ABC next year. Ratings for that would be really high in the LA area for sure. What MLS really needs to do is keep up the expansion. Philly, Texas, and the Northwest are primed for teams. I'm really hoping Atlanta gets a front seat for a team soon because the closest team is DC United (which is 10 hours away). Another issue is of course salaries. I think it would be a good move if somehow MLS could get Landon Donovan out of his BL contract and give him the Freddy Adu money. With the new Adidas deal, something like that could be possible.
It is not just the new teams. This year of 2004 is the single greatest year for MLS since the inagrual season of 1996. 1. Freddy Adu signing 2. Dallas breaks ground on new SSS 3. Chicago announces new stadium deal 4. Expansion of Chivas USA 5. Expansion of Salt Lake City 6. Adidas announces league-wide sponsership deal (huge) 7. Colorado and Metro announce deals for SSS are close 8. Deal with Yahoo for live internest broadcasts. 9. Average attendance is up this year Banner year if you ask me.
Agreed with the poster about Metroes SSS. That gets done and you turn the biggest loser into the biggest winner immediately. That one is HUGE. There are nothing but positive signs this year. Must remember that the most vocal people are usually the most discontent. They sream loudest even if they are in the clear minority. Just how it works. People who are happy or satisfied don't need to vent for the most part. I truely believe that Checketts is going to make a lot of people say "we were wrong." This guy knows how to run a business, and as Garber has shown, that is most important at this stage. He seems to be working the community very well already with regards to stadium and support. The more I see, the better I feel, whether I'm thrilled by the name or not (it's actually growing on me already). This seems very different than the Miami situation. Here is a team, Miami is diverse, we have a nice stadium...show up. Anyone who has a problem with Chivas needs to take a long hard look in the mirror. Business wise it is a complete win. Instant passion and rivalry in LA ans SJ. Something we have so little of. LA - SJ is probably the biggest rivalry out there. It only gets more intense and better now. More attention, people in the satnds, passion...everything. Really have to take a look at yourself and find out what your "real" issues are. Especially if Chivas plays by the rules set out by MLS. What can your complaint be then, other than something simplisic, emotional or petty. Someone please explain? If your answer is that you just hate them, or the thought of a Mexican team that to me is a great thing! Intense rivalry immediately. Wonderfull stuff. CAmerica with it's television capacity is another huge win. We can easily have 14 teams by 2007 and 6 SSS built with 3 or 4 more approved, under construction or very close. Not sure what the problem is. This league is definitely heading in the right direction. Get the NY SSS built DAMMIT!
Chivas is easily the best thing to happen to MLS since I have been watching. Until American francises can try to bring a more pure soccer element to the league; I will just look to the Chivas's and Club Americas of the world to show us how its done. The stadium deals are a close second. I just believe that you need the interest and purity of the prior to fill the latter.
From yesterday's turn out I think RSL will be very successful. They put the number at around 2500. Sweet. One thing we have going for us is durring the Summer, if you are not a huge baseball fan or an outdoors kind of a guy, there is nothing to do in Utah. There are so many things going durring the Winter its great, but Summer is as boring as hell. Now we have a major league to give us life. Plus we have an owner who's main goal is to get a stadium built and we actually have two cities fighting over who will get the stadium. Good times.
The best thing that could ever happen to MLS is when the Metrostars get Harisson SSS built. The Metros, despite brining in lots of businesses and money to the league, loses more than any other team does because of the horrible lease that the NJSEA has the team locked into. It costs the Metro $150, 000 per game just to turn on the lights at Giants Stadium. The Metro make almost nothing on the parking fees, the concession fees, the merchandise fees, etc... because it all goes back into paying the NJSEA staff who are required to work at every event held at the stadium, whether they are actually needed to be there or not.
This guy needs some props, he is 100% right, MLS is American, personally I think RSL and Chivas well blow up in Garber's face. Real SL? Come on Checketts doesn't even know what Real means in Spain, Royal, hope they change the name. MLS is suppost to be a unique league, not a wannabe league. I felt that if a Mexican team had to come to MLS, it should have been Club America, because the name is politically correct, US of America, much like Internacional of Italy(Inter Milan) and Brazil. Those names work perfectly with teams from around the world. And more importantly because it wouldn't have an emphasis on Mexican players as Chivas USA does. And like Wynalda sayed the HDC is a symbol of US Soccer, great way of crapping on that by having a team that is known for racism playing in it. Garber is doing a great job! <--- Sarcasim
Well, all of this doesn't matter now. It's done. Chivas is here. Real Salt Lake is here. Rather than hoping for the worst so we can all be "right", I propose hoping for the best so that the league continues its rise. I will be glad to say that I was wrong about my initial impressions if it works out, and as i stated before, am indeed hoping so. Chivas will certainly raise attendances in the league in the short-term. I don't see how anyone can deny that. Let's hope that it rallies each home teams base to come out as well. If it does, the Chivas experiment will be a huge success. As for the concerns about Salt Lake not having enough support ......... well, it looks as if over 1000 people came out just to hear the darn name and colors announced. I'd say that's a pretty good feat right there. Long story short, I'm going to take the positive view on this because that's the view I want to take. And for the good of the league as a whole, we should all be hoping for the same thing.
That's why you are "churchhill2000". Pure American know it all ismfor 150 years until the US proved that England was just plain small. Must be a Redskin fan or Seminole fan I presume. Knowing so much about racism and sport. Yeah, Garber has doen such a bad job since contraction. Horrible. The contracts, stadiums, increased attendance, etc. I know you could do better. I love when you arite. I may be a wise ass, but you are the ultimate moron. I really love your posts. Keep it up. With Wynalda as your excuse for brains you must be a genius...or 12 of course. BTW - I do like your posts. I love trolls and idiots like you. It makes this fun!
Gimme a break! MLS is supposed to be a soccer league. Period. The owners can call their teams whatever they want. We'll do our talking on the pitch.
One thing's for certain I'm gonna enjoy two things next season: -Being able to watch more games now on Direct Kick and more highlights on MLS Wrap -And driving out to SLC to see the Rapids kick the living sh!t out of RSL THOSE will be good times
It's amazing to me that so many people constantly want MLS to change this, or that, etc. Then when there is some change that's a little different the fear mongering starts. What have they been paying attention to as far as pwnership groups and community commitment? Getting slightly better, but still really hard to come by. RSL sounds pretty goo. Nice unis and pro organization backing it along with two cities fighting for a stadium. What more do you want. The Blitzz averages about 6K per match? Over 1,000 at the name unvieling! Chivas pays to live in HDC. Auto rivalries and sellouts. Don't forget SJ who now have another two huge gates which can only help their staying cause and bottom line. Short term, as someone stated, of Chivas will be great. If they can have staying power and you add CA with Spanish TV coverage which isn't completely MLS you are tapping another fan base, and earning more rev for the league. Maybe it's just my years in the boardroom. Business wise on a bigger scale it all makes sense for the league and it's economics. That simple. All the other arguments are emotional or fear mongering. If two Mexican teams join, all of MLS will be watched more intently by a passionate soccer crowd. this is how you gain respect, an audience, and convert some fans over time. I am happy Garber is in charge. He is obviously a man who knows how to run a business. ,aybe we don't like some of his soccer moves, but he can run a business and has shown it...WITH VERY LITTLE TO WORK WITH!!! As he gains more assets, repect and just a little leverage this guy is going to kick ass for us. To many on these boards always forget that the vast majority are not passionate about the game as we are. Garber has worked with what he had. Not great. It is only going to get better. I welcome all commited ownerships with money and a plan. Checketts has the looks, and experience, of a man with a plan. Chivas has the name and money. In this league we'll take it. We have too. I don't see too many guys like this trying to "force" there way in. Give it a break already. BTW - Utah already looks nothing like Miami. Nothing. Miami had a stadium...that's it. Bad owner, mkting, message, everything else...
I am going to skip the caveats on the things I think Garber does well, clearly there are many. Those aside, do you think he has done a good job galvanizing the american soccer fans interest in the league? I am not sure about television ratings, but as far as ticket sales go, this league has been flat for about 6 years now. How would you defend him in this area?
I couldn't agree more that this (among other things) has made 2004 the "Year of Soccer" so far in the U.S.... (with the exception of 1994 of course). If there is one obvious thing on the boards since Chivas and RêAL Salt Lake (that's a Regal Mountain Peak you see over the "e" - kinda like a crown ) has come on, is that they have stirred up some passion! Both for and against it, I love it. I think the league needs more rivalries, making fun of opposing teams, jeering at opposing players because it gets people fired up! I hope it translates to RêAL-ly good jokes about the names, lots of derision of opposing teams, and PACKED stadiums! I took 3 of my Saturday soccer buddies with me to the rally on Saturday for RSL and none of these guys had ever followed MLS previously... now their like little kids before Christmas! Something's working...