The MLS

[The People's Peep]

All around the world, soccer/football is known as the beautiful game. It is the most famous sport in the world and it has some of the most famous teams and stars the world has seen. But in the United States, we care more about baseball, football, hockey, and basketball. We have a soccer league, Major League Soccer, but it is really nothing close to even the lowest leagues in other countries.

So with many americans on a soccer high from the 2010 World Cup, you would think that it would help the MLS. But much like 4 years ago, it seems that american are only willing to watch the World Cup and not become a regular soccer fan. The MLS will try to take advantage of the spectacle that is the World Cup, but its tough.

Along with trying to capitalize on World Cup fever, the MLS has also tried to bring in big stars to increase attention. The failed experiment that was David Beckham in Los Angeles was one attempt and now there are reports that French striker Thierry Henry could be on his way to NY. The league even strays away from regular all star games. Instead of having two conferences face each other, the league makes a team comprised of the best players league-wide and has them face a big international team such as Chelsea, Everton, and Manchester United.

Over the last few years, I have become more interested in soccer. I occasionally watch the Premier League in England and watch the MLS every now and then. As a growing soccer fan, I would like to see the MLS elevate its status to the level of leagues like the aforementioned EPL, La Liga in Spain, and Serie A in Italy. So I ask all of you:

What can the MLS do to increase the amount of soccer fans in America?
What should the MLS do to elevate itself to the likes of the EPL, La Liga, and Serie A?
Is there any hope for soccer in America?

 

[Dave]

What can the MLS do to increase the amount of soccer fans in America?

What the MLS needs to do is realise that it is not special. It is not some super sport that deserved to work differently than the rest of football. Now, don’t get me wrong, I actually know very little in regards to how the MLS is conducted on a weekly basis but I am sure that they do not have transfers between clubs for cash, Rather, they trade draft picks… Is that right? Either way, I think it just needs to try and focus on being like every other football league in the world and try to minimise the confusion that is felt by fans outside of the US.

It may not be confusing to you but I am a hardened football fan and I can’t make head or tail of it and I assume that this scenario is mirrored by a lot of football fans from outside of the US.

What should the MLS do to elevate itself to the likes of the EPL, La Liga, and Serie A?

I would assume that the MLS needs to focus on brining in some fans and creating some atmosphere. At thr end of the day, the MLS is very much the 4th* sport in America and if you like football, you are probably in the minority of Americans. What I think the MLS needs to concentrate on is getting fans into the grounds. Reduce ticket prices and put deals on for families to get through the gates and people will start to enjoy what they are doing. Without fans, everything is dead in the water and that is what sets the very best leagues apart from the rest.

Each of the leagues you have listed have fans that are committed to the plight of their respective teams and care about what is going on therein. The English Premier League is probably the best league inb the world and it is all due to the fans who come to the games and pay their money for top quality talent to come to their teams.

Is there any hope for soccer in America?

Probably not really.

I don’t intend to come across as mean but there just seems to be very little support for football in America and without that, the game really can’t grow. However, my hope is that the performance of the national team will get more people interested in the game and it will continue to grow. If it doesn’t then I would assume that there is no point in flogging a dead horse any longer.

*5th sport...

 

[People's Champ]

In all honesty Dave, soccer isn't even the 5th sport in America. Americans just don't give a rats ass about soccer. The World Cup generated some interest but only because of nationalistic pride, if nothing else. The real problem is that the guys who play in the MLS aren't even near the best in the world. If there are any they're playing in Europe or South America, somewhere where soccer is huge.

My theory is Americans like sports that a) they're the best in, b) is different than everyone else in the world. I believe in a more but b is true as well, I've seen it. Because we have inferior players than everyone else (as seen in the World Cup), nobody cares. Oh I left one major fact, which kinda ties in with b and that is soccer is not an American sport. It wasn't started here but rather adopted. That makes a huge difference.

So thru all my rambling, the point I'm trying to make is, soccer will never be a mainstream sport here. No matter they try to do, it will never get to the point of where its as big as the leagues in Europe. I can see how it can be exciting to watch, but unfortunately it will catch on here.

 

[The People's Peep]

My theory is Americans like sports that a) they're the best in, b) is different than everyone else in the world. I believe in a more but b is true as well, I've seen it. Because we have inferior players than everyone else (as seen in the World Cup), nobody cares. Oh I left one major fact, which kinda ties in with b and that is soccer is not an American sport. It wasn't started here but rather adopted. That makes a huge difference.

I understand what you're saying, but in some time, we could become very good. Lets say that this year, there are millions of kids watching the World Cup. They all love what they see. They want to score goals, slide into ball, and most importantly, win the World Cup. So these young kids start playing soccer at young ages and stick with it. The problem that America has is that after some time, kids forget about soccer. It is actually the most popular league sport for kids, but they stop playing around high school.

So all of these kids stay with soccer, become the best players that the country has, and becomes competitive with the rest of the world. At this point, we would be one of the better teams in the world and Americans would start caring.

The only problem that the MLS would have in this situation is that the Man U's and Real Madrids of the world would be all over these guys. The MLS would need to do something to convince the great American players to stay and play for them.

So it really is going to be tough, and if it were to happen, it would take some time. But there is some hope for the MLS and soccer in America.

 

[People's Champ]

I understand what you're saying, but in some time, we could become very good. Lets say that this year, there are millions of kids watching the World Cup. They all love what they see. They want to score goals, slide into ball, and most importantly, win the World Cup. So these young kids start playing soccer at young ages and stick with it. The problem that America has is that after some time, kids forget about soccer. It is actually the most popular league sport for kids, but they stop playing around high school.

So all of these kids stay with soccer, become the best players that the country has, and becomes competitive with the rest of the world. At this point, we would be one of the better teams in the world and Americans would start caring.

The only problem that the MLS would have in this situation is that the Man U's and Real Madrids of the world would be all over these guys. The MLS would need to do something to convince the great American players to stay and play for them.

So it really is going to be tough, and if it were to happen, it would take some time. But there is some hope for the MLS and soccer in America.

I get what your saying, but the problem is when kids get to high school, if they have any talent, are pushed to play football or basketball. If their goal is to try and make it in professional sports, then they are told basketball and football are where the money and fame are at. My cousin used to want to play soccer growing up, but once he got to high school, he was pushed to play football. And he did. He's quite good too. But it goes to show that if Americans in general don't care about soccer outside of the World Cup, then its never going to get big.

And I doubt that if millions of kids watched and loved the World Cup all of them would stick to it. Its been 17 years since the MLS was founded and it hasn't gotten any bigger over that time. I don't think a World Cup (which has been around a lot longer) that comes every four years will be enough to convince kids to stick around and play soccer when the NFL and NBA reign supreme.

 

[The People's Peep]

I get what your saying, but the problem is when kids get to high school, if they have any talent, are pushed to play football or basketball. If their goal is to try and make it in professional sports, then they are told basketball and football are where the money and fame are at. My cousin used to want to play soccer growing up, but once he got to high school, he was pushed to play football. And he did. He's quite good too. But it goes to show that if Americans in general don't care about soccer outside of the World Cup, then its never going to get big.

Theres another problem then. The MLS has so many things going against them right now.

One thing I would suggest if many of the players leave soccer to play football, would be to sign players at younger ages. Start getting kids signed to play for MLS team at like 17 or 18 years old. Basically, they need to beat the other sports in getting to the player. They could also convince them that in the other leagues, they're just another player. In a league pretty much filled with average players, the player could be a star in the MLS. In the NFL or NBA, there are plenty of great players and they would only be an average player. There has to be someway to convince kids to stay with soccer.

 

[People's Champ]

What you suggest are all good ideas. A problem is that kids aspire to be the best and feel they are the best. You have to have that mentality if you want to succeed in sports. So I don't think they go into playing thinking that they are just going to be average players. They may turn out that way, but don't into it thinking that. So the thought of best the best football, basketball or even basball player is more enticing than being the best soccer player. In order to get kids to want to play soccer they need to make it a popular sport. Try bringing in talent from outside the U.S that isn't past his prime I guess would help. But honestly, I'm not sure where you would start.