MLS All-Star Game with EFC?

[terrett101]

I'm really excited about the All-Star game, and it'll certainly be a hard game for Everton. Our squad will be out of shape, and weakened, and you'll be playing the best of the best from the MLS. While it may be a **** league in general, you do have stand outs on each team, as well as competitive USA internationals, and playing for the all-stars is a real honour in whichever American sport you look at. So these players will be playing for top honours in the league. They've never lost after all (albeit with Beck's help last year).

In terms of growing football interest in the States, it's really never gonna happen. The profile of soccer is growing, especially european soccer, but you're dealing with a niche market. I'm on the generally liberal east coast, at a university without an American Football team, and it has a decent following here. But go 100 miles west and into the 'real' America (small-town America as the Republicans would call it) and you'll find a majority of people who have never heard of any club team in Europe and wouldn't be able to name a famous football player if their life depended on it (maybe Beckham). The amount of this country where football is considered a gay or [Poor language removed] sport is unbelievable.

 

[atrottel]

I was under the impression - with apologies to all you WASP Yanks here - that it was mainly a latino (and women's) sport in the US?

 

[Maverick]

pretty sure the MLS All Stars have never lost an All Star Game

meaningless I realize, but interesting nonetheless

 

[Jondi10]

pretty sure the MLS All Stars have never lost an All Star Game

meaningless I realize, but interesting nonetheless

Yeah, beat Chelsea twice and West Ham if my memory serves me right. They didn't start all their star players but they did come in around half time. Really just has to do with fitness. I'm sure if they played any team that was in the middle of their season they would lose. Well probably not Derby County.

 

[Maverick]

I don't think ya'll give enough credit to the MLS All Stars

oh well, hopefully it's a great game out in brand new Rio Tinto Stadium

 

[Goat]

I think if the MLS All stars, played any European Team mid season, they would get utterly destroyed.

 

[Jondi10]

I don't think ya'll give enough credit to the MLS All Stars

oh well, hopefully it's a great game out in brand new Rio Tinto Stadium

I do give them some credit. As a whole the MLS is getting better but the rules and game in general needs a good bit of improving. I've tried to get into the MLS but I haven't been able to yet. I think once they get enough teams to get rid of the stupid playoff system and into a promotion/relegation system it'll get more exciting and get more fans.

 

[TX Bill]

I wasn't big into the MLS until we got the Houston Dynamo here.

Now we're into it big time and are season ticket holders.

 

[Onslow]

I do give them some credit. As a whole the MLS is getting better but the rules and game in general needs a good bit of improving. I've tried to get into the MLS but I haven't been able to yet. I think once they get enough teams to get rid of the stupid playoff system and into a promotion/relegation system it'll get more exciting and get more fans.

Problem is the MLS just doesn't get the concept. If they could ever move beyond the idea that you need a playoff and understand the added dimension promotion/relegation brings to the table, then I think you would see the league gain major interest across the nation simply for the unique way in which it operated.

I don't think they are going to gain fans in a strong way trying to be a carbon copy of other American sports. To get real notice, they're going to have to do something different.

Personally, I think they should establish an agreement with the stronger USL clubs and bring a promotion/relegation element into their set-up as quickly as possible.

Too many times, MLS think their fans want something like what they have with the NFL, Baseball, and the other leagues. In actuality, the majority of football fans here would kill to see MLS follow the template seen in the rest of the world.

 

[TX Bill]

Problem is the MLS just doesn't get the concept. If they could ever move beyond the idea that you need a playoff and understand the added dimension promotion/relegation brings to the table, then I think you would see the league gain major interest across the nation simply for the unique way in which it operated.

I don't think they are going to gain fans in a strong way trying to be a carbon copy of other American sports. To get real notice, they're going to have to do something different.

Personally, I think they should establish an agreement with the stronger USL clubs and bring a promotion/relegation element into their set-up as quickly as possible.

Too many times, MLS think their fans want something like what they have with the NFL, Baseball, and the other leagues. In actuality, the majority of football fans here would kill to see MLS follow the template seen in the rest of the world.

Actually Onslow, I would say that most MLS fans would love to see a single table format with relegation and promotion.

The issue there however is twofold.

1) In trying to expand MLS, they are looking for owner/operators in the various cities they'd like to move into. It would be hard to tell an American MLS franchise operator that "yes, you're buying into the top league but you could drop out of it." That wouldn't fly with anyone looking to invest the initial 40M fee.

2) The 2nd tier and 3rd tier leagues here get really no publicity whatsoever except in their local markets. If a team like my Dynamo were relegated, they'd be finished because no one would want to come to see them play teams like the Rochester Rhinos, Charleston Battery, or worse, Chattanooga FC... In short, they'd lose their fan base and the team would inevitably be moved to a city that could support it.

 

[Jondi10]

Personally, I think they should establish an agreement with the stronger USL clubs and bring a promotion/relegation element into their set-up as quickly as possible.

That is exactly what I've been thinking. Even with the new teams they're bringing into the league they're taking from USL teams, like the Seattle Sounders. With so many cities already having established USL teams it'd be perfect to team up with them to create a "new" system for us Americans. A lot of us have said they need to merge up with the USL yet they just don't listen.

 

[TX Bill]

I think as time goes on, they'll continue to find ways to promote the USL (old A-League) and PDL leagues under the MLS banner in terms of an overall football association.

I just think that the MLS brass right now are concentrating on promoting the top level and boosting the quality of play, attendance, TV ratings, etc....

 

[Jondi10]

2) The 2nd tier and 3rd tier leagues here get really no publicity whatsoever except in their local markets. If a team like my Dynamo were relegated, they'd be finished because no one would want to come to see them play teams like the Rochester Rhinos, Charleston Battery, or worse, Chattanooga FC... In short, they'd lose their fan base and the team would inevitably be moved to a city that could support it.

Yeah, but then it'd help improve coaching/coaching strategy, scouting, looking into academies. And most important put more pressure on teams to do their best and find the best players knowing that if they slump then they're going down. It creates more excitement. That's why I fell in love with football so much. It's not just about getting into the playoffs to win a trophy. It's a fight for your life. If you can establish yourself a fan base that love the sport they won't leave you.

 

[Onslow]

Actually Onslow, I would say that most MLS fans would love to see a single table format with relegation and promotion.

I worded it very poorly. I was referencing the people who run MLS. My apologies.

Good points. But the blow could be softened by significantly reducing the $40 million entry fee and doing one of two things:

1. Establish revenue sharing across whatever pyramid system created. That assumes, however, that revenue exists for the clubs to share (which in this economy may not be the case).

2. Create parachute payments for the club or clubs getting relegated.

What I have in mind for MLS is something something similar to the Dutch pyramid: two leagues with promotion-relegation in place.

 

[Maverick]

this is America, people do not want a single table system

playoffs run this country and I think if the MLS goes the system route that would hurt the sport, not help it