"In 10 years, MLS will be a top League, we have a Harvard business plan" Don Garber

[AtlGamecock3307]

Originally Posted by Kaka

I though we were talkin mls no nba

I hate it in the NBA too, the NBA is terrible until the playoffs btw, but they grew a pair of balls and made a rule to outlaw it from now on.

[BleedsGarnet]

When the average hooligan is tougher than the players, it will never catch on

[AtlGamecock3307]

Originally Posted by Cocks and Canes

Actually they did not say the same thing 10 years ago, and with the recent influx of top talent (Beckham, Henry) they are miles ahead of where they were back then.

Awesome joke by the way bro

Top talent? Ha. The reason Beckham and Henry came is the one thing that will ever give the MLS a chance at being a "top league". MONEY.

Those two got paid for what hey used to be not what they are today. They have to go out and pay more for the elite players now (not the elite players from 2001). That is the only way they ever challenge the English Premier, Spanish, or any other league for that matter. They cant keep giving monster paychecks to players past their prime to make a farewell tour if they ever want to be a top leauge.

[Kaka]

Originally Posted by AtlGamecock3307

Top talent? Ha. The reason Beckham and Henry came is the one thing that will ever give the MLS a chance at being a "top league". MONEY.

Those two got paid for what hey used to be not what they are today. They have to go out and pay more for the elite players now (not the elite players from 2001). That is the only way they ever challenge the English Premier, Spanish, or any other league for that matter. They cant keep giving monster paychecks to players past their prime to make a farewell tour if they ever want to be a top leauge.

mls has a salary cap

[2000grad]

They need to get younger top talent

[cocknblue]

Originally Posted by Cocks and Canes

They never discuss the NHL either and it's a top league, although with the lockout right now it may decline.

The MLS is on the rise but I do not think it will ever reach the status of a top European league or compete with the MLB and NFL.

Agree....I enjoy soccer, but the MLS is a far cry from the BPL or other European Leagues. That doesn't mean it can't be successful...just not as dominant as the MLB or NFL.

[I Bleed Garnet]

People forget the NBA gets better ratings than the MLB.

Baseballs viewership is decreasing while NBA is increasing.
This isn't about what league is better, but what is becoming more popular.

And nothing will pass the NFL

[CockTail]

The MLS has to continue to do what it has over the past five years, and that is to cater to THEIR fans and not worry about being all things for all fans. The best teams in MLS also have the best atmosphere becasue they are soccer fans not just sports fans. If they continue to do that, the sports fans will come to them, they won't have to try to shove MLS in peoples' faces.

What destroyed the NASL was they tried to grow to fast and threw around to much money and never developed their fan base. The MLS has to continue to work its niche market and allow it to grow on its' own. More young kids today play soccer than any other sport, in 10-20 years that will mean something.

Ten years ago an MLS thread would have had maybe 5 responses, now we have about as many as who was hired at KY, now that is progress.

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Soccer fans always have something they believe will lead to a boom in the US. Many years ago it was that soccer league they started in the early 80s(or late 70s), then it was supposed to gain interest several years back when the United States had the World Cup, then David Beckham came(and few outside soccer & Hollywood cared), then it was the 14 year old guy Freddi Adu(or something like that).

None of these moments have made soccer a major sport in the United States. In the U.S. it's a sport played by our 2nd tier athletes and little kids. If you are fast, strong, and have skill you play basketball, baseball, or football in this country.

What will help soccer's population more than anything in the U.S. is the growing Latino population.

[Emery]

Originally Posted by LakeMonticelloCock

Soccer fans always have something they believe will lead to a boom in the US. Many years ago it was that soccer league they started in the early 80s(or late 70s), then it was supposed to gain interest several years back when the United States had the World Cup, then David Beckham came(and few outside soccer & Hollywood cared), then it was the 14 year old guy Freddi Adu(or something like that).

None of these moments have made soccer a major sport in the United States. In the U.S. it's a sport played by our 2nd tier athletes and little kids. If you are fast, strong, and have skill you play basketball, baseball, or football in this country.

What will help soccer's population more than anything in the U.S. is the growing Latino population.

These things are changing though, I think you hit it in that the hispanic population is booming and the popularity of soccer among young adults and kids is still increasing too.

Couple that with the fears of concussions and all the new studies regarding football and more parents will push kids to soccer over football.

[LakeMonticelloCock]

The problem MLS, any new sports league, or an expansion franchise in a major sport has is that there aren't generations of people who grew up pulling for that team. It's the reason the Carolina Panthers still haven't caught on in many parts of the Carolinas.

There is no pride in a new franchise or league and most people have spent years investing money into another sports franchise. It's very hard for a 30 year old to just drop his sport teams and attention for something that is new just b/c it happens to be in his city.

I really think the soccer people would get the sport to grow more if they started investing more of their efforts in college soccer. This way you at least have a familiar athletic team you are cheering for. I know many people who don't care about soccer, but will keep up with the Gamecocks soccer team just b/c they love USC. Of course Title IX pretty much kills college soccer among SEC programs

[Flameout12]

Tough competetion and lots of Americans just don't watch any sports at all.

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Originally Posted by LakeMonticelloCock

Soccer fans always have something they believe will lead to a boom in the US. Many years ago it was that soccer league they started in the early 80s(or late 70s), then it was supposed to gain interest several years back when the United States had the World Cup, then David Beckham came(and few outside soccer & Hollywood cared), then it was the 14 year old guy Freddi Adu(or something like that).

None of these moments have made soccer a major sport in the United States. In the U.S. it's a sport played by our 2nd tier athletes and little kids. If you are fast, strong, and have skill you play basketball, baseball, or football in this country.

What will help soccer's population more than anything in the U.S. is the growing Latino population.

More TV channels help too. Still, if you are a big time athlete in HS you are going to play football or basketball b/c that is what is cool. Friday Nights you are in the spotlight. Very few peopel turn out for a HS soccer game Some communities around the state like Chapin & Irmo do support the sport, but most are football & basketball crazy.

I do remember going to the Virginia-South Carolina game in 2002. Prior to the game Virginia had a pregame video called "The Adventures of CavMan" Cavman was getting whipped by a flying Gamecock(yep, I'm serious) and all the sudden some UVA soccer guy showed up on the video. The fans went crazy and the soccer guy kicked a ball that hit the flying Gamecock and it exploded. This video was awful, but it showed how popular soccer is at UVA

[Emery]

They also need to learn from NASCAR. They had a surge of popularity and overplayed their hand trying to bring in new viewers while neglecting the niche fan.

MLS needs to solidify the base and with other things mentioned before in 10 years I wouldn't be surprised at all if the viewership was on par with MLB.

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Originally Posted by I Bleed Garnet

People forget the NBA gets better ratings than the MLB.

Baseballs viewership is decreasing while NBA is increasing.
This isn't about what league is better, but what is becoming more popular.

And nothing will pass the NFL

MLB does a poor job marketing their athletes. You don't even have to watch sports, but when Lebron or Kobe is on a commercial you know who they are. Everyone knows Peyton Manning and I'm sure even those who hate sports knows who the "Discount Double Check" guy is.

I guess even soccer had their guy with Beckham. I've never watched a full game(or is it match) of soccer in my life, but I could identify that man.

I'm not sure there is a MLB player today that has that kind of recognition. Jeter maybe, but if he walked by me in the mall I'm not sure I'd know him.

Even NASCAR has Gordon and Dale Jr, who most every American at least knows.


Hockey and MLB are the worst at this. If a Hockey player came in my house in his full uniform I would have no idea who he was.

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Originally Posted by Emery

They also need to learn from NASCAR. They had a surge of popularity and overplayed their hand trying to bring in new viewers while neglecting the niche fan.

MLS needs to solidify the base and with other things mentioned before in 10 years I wouldn't be surprised at all if the viewership was on par with MLB.

I don't see it passing the MLB in 10 years b/c they don't have the NY Yankees or anything close to them. I think the MLS could pass your games between the Royals and Twins, but you aren't overtaking MLB anytime soon b/c the Yankees are far too strong. Take away the Yankees, Cubs, Cardinals, and Boston and you almost have a niche sport.

[usc90grad]

The only way soccer overtakes the NFL, NBA, etc is if we have a massive influx of people coming to the US from other countries like Mexico.

Oh wait.

[Emery]

Originally Posted by LakeMonticelloCock

I don't see it passing the MLB in 10 years b/c they don't have the NY Yankees or anything close to them. I think the MLS could pass your games between the Royals and Twins, but you aren't overtaking MLB anytime soon b/c the Yankees are far too strong. Take away the Yankees, Cubs, Cardinals, and Boston and you almost have a niche sport.

Even with the major teams, the viewership has been a steady decline since 1986. The question is what is the cellar? in the 2000s the world series numbers held pretty stable but the past decade again saw a drop.

I think with the booming latino population, the increase in interest with young adults, and having a diffuse popularity in major cities where the highest latino population is will at least put MLS on the same level as MLB.

[Spurrier_Superior_One]

Didn't MLS say when they had Freddy Adu (sp) and David Beckham that MLS would take off? How did that turn out? MLS is like the NHL its not an American sport, and only a small percentage of Americans follow them. If I were a soccer fan I would rather watch EPL, the only soccer I watch is the FIFA.

[Emery]

Originally Posted by Spurrier_Superior_One

Didn't MLS say when they had Freddy Adu (sp) and David Beckham that MLS would take off? How did that turn out? MLS is like the NHL its not an American sport, and only a small percentage of Americans follow them. If I were a soccer fan I would rather watch EPL, the only soccer I watch is the FIFA.

MLS attendance is up to about 19 000 per game which is 3000 increase since Beckham. They expanded from 12 teams to 19. Phili spent 120 million on a new venue. Seattle averaged crowds over 40 000.

They need to work on TV exposure and trying to find a way to break into the viewership of sports fans but otherwise I think they are actually building this league the right way...a ground up building process not overreaching and trying to solidify a niche fan base.