Will the Bump in TV Ratings for the World Cup Translate to Interst in MLS?

It's possible but it's more likely the new fan will just turn into the premier league when it starts up in august. Every liverpool, manchester united, chelsea, and arsenal game is on live here in the U.S.

also supporting the national team is different than supporting a club team. MLS is just not that appealing of a league.

with next years gold cup being important with the confed cup tie in i think it's more likely the interest in this years world cup will transfer to more into the national team and the tournaments we have until the next world cup

 

MLS will gain a few more fans.

 

MLs will gain some curious fans, but MLS need to learn how to market themselves better as a League, trying to be like the europe leagues is not gonna work, needs more american influence a american audience.

 

MLS hasn't tried to be like Europe. They've been the opposite. They couldn't even come up with an original name for the league - Major League Soccer- . That's just a generic copy of Major League Baseball. And the mascot names is right out of the Arena league.

heck if MLS was more like Europe they wouldn't have turned off so many fans in the beginning.

 

I think people are increasingly bypassing MLS in favor of Europe because it's now easy to find it on TV and it's simply better soccer.

What this World Cup has left as a legacy seems to be the whole country finally getting behind the Nats instead of rooting for Italy because their grandma once took a dump there.

 

MLS has catered more to the eurosnobs. Who don't. Really care much. For the league unless it was more like a europe style league, MLS is in or has been lost for years it hasn't hit mainstream success, and very few teams are maketed well, some are to marketed toward certain fans and not broadly sucessful, but the League needs a Better more american style of appeal, not the soccer nerd freak show appearance, that Colin Cowherds and JT the bricks has said about MLS, the league just need to better marketing period. A way to win american audience is. To relate to the american audience

 

lol

that is so true.

this is the first world cup where it's really been noticeable at pubs and out in public that there was a large vocal support for the nats. This kind of support wasn't there the year we went to the quarter finals(the time of day the broadcasts where might have had something to do with it.)

My parents are from Scotland and I remember in 1998 we all rooted for Scotland in the world cup. Everyone i knew sort of rooted for the country their parents were from. Had a friend who's dad was from Germany, she rooted for Germany. Another friends mom was from England, she rooted for England.

I worked in a bar back then and there wasn't any American fan presence in the pubs. Now there is. In some areas it's huge. I think in this country soccer ( national team not club level) has developed into a pub sport meaning it's sort of an event where even if it's 7am you go to the pub and stand and have a beer and watch the match with your countrymen. I think America finely gets it. All those friends of mine that used to root for their parents home country. We all root for the U.S national team now.

 

Seriously did you just use JT the Brick and Colin Cowherd as proof of your point?

What MLS needs to do is get better. At everything. Right now it seems like most new soccer fans are gravitating towards Europe because it's just as easy (if not easier) to find on television and the soccer is better. MLS doesn't have a niche yet. It's still trying way too hard to be suburban family friendly instead of building up a supporter culture, the quality of soccer stinks (and does not value creativity), it's not really a great incubator for US talent...there's no there there. Nobody wants MLS to fold up and die, but to act as if the league's problems are just they aren't 'merican enough - when 'merican fans are choosing to watch Europe instead - is silly.

 

Cowherd and JT I believe and a lot of other people believe that they are a a example of what a true american sports fan is, They can be just as supportive and will in help promote soccer in this case the world cup, but often get turned off by typical eurosnobs who write in or call in their shows. MLS has figured out how to cross over yet its too friendly not manly enough not exciting enough needs a american touch that only americans know how.

 

I'd go see it if there was a team closer than a 4+ hour drive. I'll watch it when it approaches the entertainment value I get out of the EPL and Champions League.

 

Maybe the soccer highlights on SportsCenter are more Euro-centric than MLS-centric -- but when it comes to full live matches: some of us value sleeping in on Saturday mornings through the English afternoon ESPN Game of the Week. And watching a TIVO'd game versus a truly live game whose scores aren't posted all over creation just isn't the same.

If you wake up at a normal Saturday time and want to watch English primetime games at 8 or 9AM Central let's say, you have to have Fox Soccer Channel -- which is no ESPN in terms of availability (it's a niche sport channel afterall...)

Face it, we can go round and round about why the MLS is or is not garbage. It's no league of world all-stars. But ESPN does more than report on what they think IS important; they report on what they think SHOULD be important ((hence unprecedented World Cup coverage commissioned without the previous Cup ratings in the US to really justify the decision -- it was a bit of a leap of faith)). ESPN makes culture in this country. For better or worse, the public is largely spoon fed their sports because they don't have enough time in their day anymore to read the sports section or a Sports Illustrated cover to cover; hence SportsCenter's popularity.

And MLS is OUR league. And one whose Best XII/All-Star team can go toe-to-toe with any Premier League team. Shouldn't you at least root for the fact that they are having successes domestically -- growing their attendance rates despite expansion of 1-2 teams per year these days? The league doesn't have to be the very best level of the sport in order to get ratings. The US team was no Top 5 team going into the World Cup, but Americans rallied behind the fact it was the Americans. If they ever get behind the MLS, it will be because it's the American (& Canadian) League of club soccer. I really think it's as simple as that. Cheering for a team on another continent is not sustainable unless you have real organic connections to the team or town you're supporting over there. How many American Prem League fans can honestly say that? Maybe if you cheer for Everton because of Tim Howard, or Fulham because of Clint Dempsey, or Rangers because of Maurice Edu & Demarcus Beasley...But what are the Arsenal/Man U/Liverpool/Chelsea supporters here in America's excuse??

And honestly, even though I know creativity ultimately wins you games against tough opponents, I don't really care if my players are creative if they can get wins. Results. Hardware. And I'm guessing most casual or new fans out there would rather watch an American-based team in a sane timeslot win games and not bitch about creative foot work.

I hate to be blunt. And I love soccer. But it's no more beautiful than baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, track and field, etc. As beautiful as it is that the whole world plays, it's still just a sport like any other sport. Once we realize that and come back down to Earth a little, maybe the sport can become relatable for a fun and enthusiastic American sports fan base. I think that what we saw this World Cup was a sneak preview of what could be...

 

I agree with others that the biggest issue with the MLS is quality. After watching a bunch of World Cup games, MLS games are underwhelming at best. It reminds me of how I feel when I watch the AA baseball team here in SA compared to the majors. It can be fun if you love the sport, but the drop off in quality is signifigant.

I understand everything with marketing, but the quality of play in the MLS must get better. I will always support the Dynamo (unless somehow San Antonio gets a team) but I also am not ashamed to admit I get much more enjoyment out of an EPL, Champions League, La Liga or Serie A match.

 

I would love if this were true, but it isn't. My best friend is a passionate, passionate Liverpool supporter who lives in Chicago but he wouldn't touch the Fire with a 10 foot pole. I think it's obvious when looking at MLS attendance that there are a lot of soccer fans in this country who would rather watch European matches on TV than go to an MLS game.

You must admit you're the minority of American soccer fans, though. For every 1 person willing to steer new fans to MLS, there are 2 telling them about it's a shitty league and pushing them toward the EPL or La Liga.

The perception amongst non-fans is that MLS isn't worth watching... when they become interested in the sport, they inherently avoid it.

 

The Philadelphia v. Seattle game should help to add a few fans. Exciting and quality play by some young talented players. The Revolution v. Fire game was tough to watch though

 

Yeah I've noticed a few Nick and Ethans here at BigSoccer, sadly.

 

Ive never followed the MLS despite my decades of loving this sport. That is because Philly never had a team, until this year. Now I got season tickets with a team I can support and can follow the MLS.

 

This is where I am at. I am from Miami so I don't have a rooting interest in any of the games. I may catch a game or two so I can see a young USMNT prospect. I generally approve of the way the MLS is being run, it is slow but the direction the league is heading is positive.

 

It will be tough for you to get another MLS franchise. Even with your high immigrant population from baseball loving nations the Marlins cant draw flys. The only time they get big crowds is when the Phillies or Mets come to town since the transplants from that area go to support their teams. I still remember despite the great Dolphins history how us Eagles fans came to that stadium a few years back and made that a home game for us.

 

Miami is a terrible place for fan support. The one thing that pisses me off though is that he Fusions attendance was increasing when it folded and the team was really good at that time. Given the chance I think the team would have been successful.

 

People will tune in for a some games but get disinterested.

 

There was a spike in MLS interest after 2002, and a little bit more after 2006. The MLS usually capitalizes on such interests, like in this ad after the 2006 World Cup.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JCgZT_42hE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JCgZT_42hE[/ame]

I think this ad can somehow be remade. If people can realize that they can support their local club team as passionately as the National team, the experience this summer is never ending. (Of course, more Donovan in the commercial too)

Basically, the MLS just needs a bit of marketing to tie the US team with the league, and that isn't seriously hard to do. Still, there are some glitches. On David Letterman, not once did Dave or Landon himself mentioned he was playing for the Galaxy and that the season was still going on.

I think the USA will always put country before club, but the MLS can do a lot to translate the fan experience felt by mainstream America this summer and get them in the gates. Something akin to "Your nation, your league". After all, after our World Cup, it is kind of silly to be a Eurosnob wearing an England Rooney kit and to completely eschew the US MLS.

Then again, I could be all wrong. Maybe the MLS should try a different approach, like this ad. I totallly can see this being stolen and made into a Crew commercial.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-B52PV876I"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-B52PV876I[/ame]