The one thing that Metro management did right this year

Exactly. Just ask the Koreans.

 

Re: Re: Re: The one thing that Metro management did right this year

Did you see the game Saturday night?

 

bo was the capt. of the korean team...after a semi final appearance at the world cup....

 

I highly doubt there's any player in the world who can bring 76,000 to soccer stadiums in this country (maybe for one or two games but not consistenly for the season). I do agree that targeting certain ethnicity groups do work to a certain degree. I'm sure as a Metro fan you were disturbed to see all the NY Koreans who showed up to cheer for LA (More for Hong) but as a DCU fan I've had to put up with all the El Savadorians who cheered against DC whenever a team with one of their own showed up. I don't mind them cheering for their countryman but when they were getting violent, it really disturbed me. We must realize that MLS is still losing money and are desperate to raise gate revenue. The league office knew having a Korean Heritage night in NY with a Korean player coming to play for the opposing team would have not benefitted the Metrostars. But does MLS really care? MLS did succeed in bringing extra 3000-5000 fans who would've not shown up to watch the game. Currently the game is about the league's survival, not loyalty.

 

Beckham to Metrostars.

 

Re: Re: Re: The one thing that Metro management did right this year

Since they haven't had a home game yet, and their opening a new stadium when they do, that's gonna be mighty hard to quantify.

 

There's a big difference between signing a mediocre foreigner solely because he is the "right' ethnicity and may draw some fans (i.e. Comas, Palacios, H. Zambrano etc.) and signing a quality foreigner who may also draw some fans because of his ethnicity (Cienfuegos, Bo etc.).

Ultimately, the primary consideration when contemplating signing a foreigner is whether he is a good player and will improve the team. Whether he will sell tickets should be secondary, if considered at all.

Most of us really enjoyed watching Amado Guevara on Saturday night because he is a quality player; the fact that there were probably a few hundred Hondurans in the crowd who bought tickets to see their countryman is a nice byproduct of the signing, but a byproduct nonetheless.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: The one thing that Metro management did right this year

The Galaxy had upwards of 5-6 thousand Koreans last year for a Korean appreciation day BEFORE signing a Korean player. Led to them acquiring Hong Myung Bo.

Also led Metro to plan what you saw before you this past weekend.

And many of the Columbians Metro signed don't fit the mold mentioned in this thread. During the Zambrano era, they tended to be players who used him as their agent. Seems more likely they were here as much because of his take of their wages as anything else.

Hong, Spenser, O'Brien, Eklund, and now Guevara are the new breed of MLS foriegners. They play as hard or harder than the nativos and are here because they want to be here, and most importantly want to excel here.

So can we please shut up about ethnic signings in relation to Saturday, because both the player in question and the event itself were/are an unqualified MLS success. Hypersensitive burb herb hand wringing sold seperately.

 

When a big named foreign player goes on the road in this country, there is a pretty good chance he'll get a big time following. A one time chance to see their "hero". However, this doesn't mean that if he's in the same town every week, he's going to continually draw that crowd. Sure you might see some flags, but the 5,000 people won't be there.

From what i've seen in the past, the people who show up for these games are not soccer people. We know that, because if they were, they'd be there even if their "home town hero" wasn't there. But they are there to see their hero, to be with other people from their background. If I lived in South Africa, and there was a cricket match in which an american was playing, I may be there. Then it only sweetens the deal to have a American-based preformer such as Dave Matthews or something at halftime.

You market to make money sometimes, even though you know for a fact that those people won't be back.

It's a one time thing, and it should make everyone happy. Metro gets the extra 5k in ticket sales, i get a good atmosphere, and the Koreans get to scream like 13 year old girls everytime Bo touches the ball.
Should Metro market the way they did? Hell yes, because they got more koreans in the stands with demographic marketing rather than their usual Star Ledger crowd.

 

I think we have Bob Bradley to thank for this.

 

Lothar can.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The one thing that Metro management did right this year

I did not know that. Thanks for the info.

Now here's the next logical question - does it matter this year? All indications are that the Galaxy are going to do quite well attendance-wise because of the new stadium. Are there enough seats left for the Korean contingent to make a dent?

 

Re: Re: The one thing that Metro management did right this year

I was just thinking about him. We certainly got plenty of press and a bump in attendance when played for us early in the '00 season.

I'm curious, how many seasons removed from AC Milan was Donadoni before he played for the Metros?

 

Re: Re: Re: The one thing that Metro management did right this year

0. He left right after the Seria A season(possibly even before it ended). I remember watching his last match on RAI and the whole stadium was filled with "Ciao Roberto" type banners.

 

It should also be noted Dono was still in the Italian National team when he started with the Metro in 96 . If you remember he left us to play in Euro '96 for a month .

 

Another soccer genius who can only post crap. I'm getting really sick stupid posts like these.

Sanka and the rest, if you don't have something intelligent to say, don't say anything at all.

 

highly doubt there's any player in the world who can bring 76,000 to soccer stadiums in this country (maybe for one or two games but not consistenly for the season

Pele did..............

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/2003/04/21/beckham_time/

Eat a bag...

 

I understand the league's need to have these politcally correct heritage nights. They need the extra money. But there are plenty of fans like me who don't care where a player is from .........just the jersey he wears. When I see half of Giants stadium rooting for the Galaxy because of a heritage night, as a season ticket holder I feel like telling the Metro management "screw you". Don't ask for my support when you slap me in the face like that.

 

England only made it to the quarters.........

better get Hasan Sas or Emre


dre

 

Somebody should thank Bradley for signing Guevara. He's the perfect type of player for this league, and he is a stud! The "geniuses" at AEG wrecked our team in LA twice trying to cater to the Mexican fans with the signing of Hermosillo and Hernandez. What a disaster! (just think, we could still have Mathis)

You guys have got it right this time, and hats off to Bradley and the front office. I'll pay money to watch Guevara and Clint and Tim Howard any day.

 

I'm surprised it took so long for a poster to bring up that point. Heritage nights are great. Pandering to a specific ethnic group is not. This turns off a lot of fans.

The problem is that they are usually targeted towards one ethnic group....Colombians. How many people here have sat next to drunken fans who shout "Co-loom-bee-a" throughout a Metros game before one of their club teams come on in doubleheaders?

Most people here can tune it out but for a lot of other people it's a turn-off. So for every "fan" these players or "events" draw, other fans stay away for the reasons this poster noted.

 

Sorry. I promise to try not to do that next time.