MLS

[RadioHead84]

Does anyone keep track of the MLS at all? Any of you actually go to a game? I just recently got into it and I have to say its pretty fun to watch and see Americans play soccer.

I've been practicing at the park a lot and every time I go I end up practicing for like 45 mins and then kicking the ball around with like half the little kids in the park(where are their parents, I don't know). Seems like kids enjoy it.

Basically I think there is hope for USA soccer...

Do you?

 

[RKS]

Originally posted by: RadioHead84
Does anyone keep track of the MLS at all? Any of you actually go to a game? I just recently got into it and I have to say its pretty fun to watch and see Americans play soccer.

I've been practicing at the park a lot and every time I go I end up practicing for like 45 mins and then kicking the ball around with like half the little kids in the park(where are their parents, I don't know). Seems like kids enjoy it.

Basically I think there is hope for USA soccer...

Do you?

That's kinda creepy.

I have been to a few Columbus Crew games and it's much more family friendly than an NFL game and even a World Cup Qualifier/ National Team game.

 

[Svnla]

I went to the FC Dallas vs. NY Red Bulls last Saturday (7/4). I went to a few games before (when they were the Dallas Burn).

It was fun and cheap. I got a ticket at the end zone, first row for $20 and free parking plus free firework after the game. Try to get a similar ticket at pro football stadium and don't let me start at the parking fee.

 

[oiprocs]

I should go. I enjoy it enough.

Up up and away to see the Galaxy play!

 

[Synomenon]

As a military brat, I grew up with soccer since we were always stationed overseas. I hope it gets more popular here in the US. It's the only sport I can actually watch on TV. Playing it was fun as well. I wish I could still play.

 

[xSauronx]

I love soccer, but I dont watch the MLS stuff. Euro teams/leagues are more interesting to me. EPL is what I pay most attention to, and I watch Serie A and Champions stuff now and again.

 

[Udgnim]

don't enjoy watching the MLS on TV

the skill level in the european leagues are much higher and more enjoyable to watch.

 

[summit]

Originally posted by: Udgnim
don't enjoy watching the MLS on TV

the skill level in the european leagues are much higher and more enjoyable to watch.

watch serie A match of the 10-20th place teams tell me they are more skilled than mls or any team not named barcelona or real madrid in la liga mls has way better averaged talent.

 

[Udgnim]

Originally posted by: Summit

Originally posted by: Udgnim
don't enjoy watching the MLS on TV

the skill level in the european leagues are much higher and more enjoyable to watch.

watch serie A match of the 10-20th place teams tell me they are more skilled than mls or any team not named barcelona or real madrid in la liga mls has way better averaged talent.

I should have been more specific. I basically just watch the Premier League.

 

[RadioHead84]

Yeah its the same response I get from my foreign friends that have lived here for a decent amount of time. They say its just boring to watch.

You know what...even if it is...the only way it will get better is if we support it.

 

[Auggie]

A few things:

Sir Alex Ferguson has said that in his estimation, MLS over the last two years has been about on par with the League Championship (2nd tier English league)... which is a huge compliment coming from him, and means that our domestic leagues are improving nicely.

The economy and market is already in place overseas for the large football leagues and contracts. No matter how good MLS can play, once a player gets to be a certain skill, if they really are world class, they will be picked up by an overseas team, because they can afford higher contracts and the play is already at a high level there. And MLS all-star would be foolish not to take any European offer that had a possibility of actual field time.

This means that: 1.) it will be decades before our own domestic leagues can ramp up and gain enough financial clout and history to even begin to compete with EPL and Serie A (not to mention even the "lower" European leagues like Protugese, Dutch or French leagues) for good players. BUT 2.) it also means that our own American talent (Onyewu just signing with AC Milan is a good example of this) will eventually penetrate European leagues more and more, eventually giving us better and better national teams with more players training and playing at the highest levels.

Overall, I love supporting the MLS because it's just GOOD to have a domestic league. Some of the games are horrible, but then again, some of the games in the EPL are also very, very boring (specifically, I remember watching a Tottenham game I think they were playing Aston Villa... but this game was just terrible, terrible - no passing, no possession, just speculative long-field clears to the other half hoping for a lucky possession and score). So check your elitist preference for foreign league play at the door, go in and enjoy a nice night of soccer.

They say that the US-Spain and US-Brazil games on ESPN broke some kinds of non-World Cup viewership... soccer is starting to become prominent here in the US. Beckham (that stupid asshole), and recently Kaka and C.Ronaldho's transfers to Madrid all made headlines in US news media outlets. I think good things are coming in the next few decades.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: RadioHead84
Does anyone keep track of the MLS at all? Any of you actually go to a game? I just recently got into it and I have to say its pretty fun to watch and see Americans play soccer.

I've been practicing at the park a lot and every time I go I end up practicing for like 45 mins and then kicking the ball around with like half the little kids in the park(where are their parents, I don't know). Seems like kids enjoy it.

Basically I think there is hope for USA soccer...

Do you?

It's fun to watch americans play beer pong too... But I don't see it being a successful professional sport in America any time soon.

 

[RadioHead84]

Originally posted by: Auggie
A few things:

Sir Alex Ferguson has said that in his estimation, MLS over the last two years has been about on par with the League Championship (2nd tier English league)... which is a huge compliment coming from him, and means that our domestic leagues are improving nicely.

The economy and market is already in place overseas for the large football leagues and contracts. No matter how good MLS can play, once a player gets to be a certain skill, if they really are world class, they will be picked up by an overseas team, because they can afford higher contracts and the play is already at a high level there. And MLS all-star would be foolish not to take any European offer that had a possibility of actual field time.

This means that: 1.) it will be decades before our own domestic leagues can ramp up and gain enough financial clout and history to even begin to compete with EPL and Serie A (not to mention even the "lower" European leagues like Protugese, Dutch or French leagues) for good players. BUT 2.) it also means that our own American talent (Onyewu just signing with AC Milan is a good example of this) will eventually penetrate European leagues more and more, eventually giving us better and better national teams with more players training and playing at the highest levels.

Overall, I love supporting the MLS because it's just GOOD to have a domestic league. Some of the games are horrible, but then again, some of the games in the EPL are also very, very boring (specifically, I remember watching a Tottenham game I think they were playing Aston Villa... but this game was just terrible, terrible - no passing, no possession, just speculative long-field clears to the other half hoping for a lucky possession and score). So check your elitist preference for foreign league play at the door, go in and enjoy a nice night of soccer.

They say that the US-Spain and US-Brazil games on ESPN broke some kinds of non-World Cup viewership... soccer is starting to become prominent here in the US. Beckham (that stupid asshole), and recently Kaka and C.Ronaldho's transfers to Madrid all made headlines in US news media outlets. I think good things are coming in the next few decades.

I agree with pretty much everything you said there...it will be a good long time. Some people say US will never be good, but in like 15-30 years I can see a mass improvement....and then from there some real competition.

I don't know if it will ever be possible to have premier players play in USA instead of going over the Europe....even end game when USA is making really good players. I am thinking about other global sports and I can't think of a sport that has two leagues that are about the same money/skill output.

Like Japan has a great baseball league..it is really popular over there and they have some really good players. But no matter how good they get, they will send their good players to the USA. I can see the MLS getting to the point of the Japanese baseball league. They won the World Baseball Classic, but the MLB will always be the big show. But the interesting part of that is...no one cares about the WBC(well I do..but most don't)..its all about the MLB...while in the soccer world..the world cup is everything.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: RadioHead84

I don't know if it will ever be possible to have premier players play in USA instead of going over the Europe....even end game when USA is making really good players. I am thinking about other global sports and I can't think of a sport that has two leagues that are about the same money/skill output.

i dont see it happening, either, not for a long time. the competition isnt as good, even if the pay is; see David Beckham, a good player with a good history. He was given a huge contract to play in LA but would rather play in Europe. Longer seasons and more exposure to better talent keep him in form to be on the England World Cup team.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: Auggie
A few things:

Sir Alex Ferguson has said that in his estimation, MLS over the last two years has been about on par with the League Championship (2nd tier English league)... which is a huge compliment coming from him, and means that our domestic leagues are improving nicely.

The economy and market is already in place overseas for the large football leagues and contracts. No matter how good MLS can play, once a player gets to be a certain skill, if they really are world class, they will be picked up by an overseas team, because they can afford higher contracts and the play is already at a high level there. And MLS all-star would be foolish not to take any European offer that had a possibility of actual field time.

This means that: 1.) it will be decades before our own domestic leagues can ramp up and gain enough financial clout and history to even begin to compete with EPL and Serie A (not to mention even the "lower" European leagues like Protugese, Dutch or French leagues) for good players. BUT 2.) it also means that our own American talent (Onyewu just signing with AC Milan is a good example of this) will eventually penetrate European leagues more and more, eventually giving us better and better national teams with more players training and playing at the highest levels.

Overall, I love supporting the MLS because it's just GOOD to have a domestic league. Some of the games are horrible, but then again, some of the games in the EPL are also very, very boring (specifically, I remember watching a Tottenham game I think they were playing Aston Villa... but this game was just terrible, terrible - no passing, no possession, just speculative long-field clears to the other half hoping for a lucky possession and score). So check your elitist preference for foreign league play at the door, go in and enjoy a nice night of soccer.

They say that the US-Spain and US-Brazil games on ESPN broke some kinds of non-World Cup viewership... soccer is starting to become prominent here in the US. Beckham (that stupid asshole), and recently Kaka and C.Ronaldho's transfers to Madrid all made headlines in US news media outlets. I think good things are coming in the next few decades.

basically what the MLB does to players from japan/taiwan/latin america, and NBA does to europe.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: Auggie
A few things:

Sir Alex Ferguson has said that in his estimation, MLS over the last two years has been about on par with the League Championship (2nd tier English league)... which is a huge compliment coming from him, and means that our domestic leagues are improving nicely.

The economy and market is already in place overseas for the large football leagues and contracts. No matter how good MLS can play, once a player gets to be a certain skill, if they really are world class, they will be picked up by an overseas team, because they can afford higher contracts and the play is already at a high level there. And MLS all-star would be foolish not to take any European offer that had a possibility of actual field time.

This means that: 1.) it will be decades before our own domestic leagues can ramp up and gain enough financial clout and history to even begin to compete with EPL and Serie A (not to mention even the "lower" European leagues like Protugese, Dutch or French leagues) for good players. BUT 2.) it also means that our own American talent (Onyewu just signing with AC Milan is a good example of this) will eventually penetrate European leagues more and more, eventually giving us better and better national teams with more players training and playing at the highest levels.

Overall, I love supporting the MLS because it's just GOOD to have a domestic league. Some of the games are horrible, but then again, some of the games in the EPL are also very, very boring (specifically, I remember watching a Tottenham game I think they were playing Aston Villa... but this game was just terrible, terrible - no passing, no possession, just speculative long-field clears to the other half hoping for a lucky possession and score). So check your elitist preference for foreign league play at the door, go in and enjoy a nice night of soccer.

They say that the US-Spain and US-Brazil games on ESPN broke some kinds of non-World Cup viewership... soccer is starting to become prominent here in the US. Beckham (that stupid asshole), and recently Kaka and C.Ronaldho's transfers to Madrid all made headlines in US news media outlets. I think good things are coming in the next few decades.

basically what the MLB does to players from japan/taiwan/latin america, and NBA does to europe.

...and the NFL does to the CFL.

 

[setphen1]

The main thing that I see holding back the MLS is the lack of competition with other leagues. There is the Supercup with the Mexican League but its not really in the forefront of the MLS. Think about what the Champion's League does for European leagues. Promotes competition between leagues and thus raising the level of play in all of them. Unless there is that level of competition between all of North America the MLS will always be a feeder league to the European main show. The money will eventually be there but the competition may not be.

 

[RKS]

Originally posted by: setphen1
The main thing that I see holding back the MLS is the lack of competition with other leagues. There is the Supercup with the Mexican League but its not really in the forefront of the MLS. Think about what the Champion's League does for European leagues. Promotes competition between leagues and thus raising the level of play in all of them. Unless there is that level of competition between all of North America the MLS will always be a feeder league to the European main show. The money will eventually be there but the competition may not be.

Superliga

CONCACAF CL

 

[zerocool84]

This is America. MLS will never get popular. We have waaaay too many other sports. Baseball, Football, Basketball, Golf, Tennis, MLS will never get popular. There are times it gets more media coverage than usual like this past month and the UA team winning but unlike other countries, we have many more sports we already consider super popular.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: RKS

Originally posted by: setphen1
The main thing that I see holding back the MLS is the lack of competition with other leagues. There is the Supercup with the Mexican League but its not really in the forefront of the MLS. Think about what the Champion's League does for European leagues. Promotes competition between leagues and thus raising the level of play in all of them. Unless there is that level of competition between all of North America the MLS will always be a feeder league to the European main show. The money will eventually be there but the competition may not be.

Superliga

CONCACAF CL

not the same. CONCACAF and Super Liga dont have anywhere near the kind of talent or diversity that euro clubs have. Euro leagues are usually tiered into 2 or 3 tiers of skill level for leagues, where last-place teams get relegated to a lower league, and first and second place teams get moved to a higher league.

In addition, mid-level and higher level teams routinely play one another in a variety of leagues giving lots of teams opportunity to test their skill against more experience/skilled teams, which gives them experience to draw on in order to improve their play.

This isnt really possible with a handful of mediocre and good teams, when none of them are great and nobody seems that inspired to change their traditional style of play.

MLS games and players just arent that interesting to me, so I dont follow them. If I lived in or near a city with an MLS team, Id sure go watch and try to enjoy it. But since I cant, when I watch a game, I want it to be a good one...so I watch the euro leagues

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: xSauronx

Originally posted by: RKS

Originally posted by: setphen1
The main thing that I see holding back the MLS is the lack of competition with other leagues. There is the Supercup with the Mexican League but its not really in the forefront of the MLS. Think about what the Champion's League does for European leagues. Promotes competition between leagues and thus raising the level of play in all of them. Unless there is that level of competition between all of North America the MLS will always be a feeder league to the European main show. The money will eventually be there but the competition may not be.

Superliga

CONCACAF CL

not the same. CONCACAF and Super Liga dont have anywhere near the kind of talent or diversity that euro clubs have. Euro leagues are usually tiered into 2 or 3 tiers of skill level for leagues, where last-place teams get relegated to a lower league, and first and second place teams get moved to a higher league. Nevermind the number of teams in each league. EPL has 20 teams, I dont pay attention to the lower leagues since they dont get any play on tv.

In addition, mid-level and higher level teams routinely play one another in a variety of leagues giving lots of teams opportunity to test their skill against more experience/skilled teams, which gives them experience to draw on in order to improve their play.

This isnt really possible with a handful of mediocre and good teams, when none of them are great and nobody seems that inspired to change their traditional style of play.

MLS games and players just arent that interesting to me, so I dont follow them. If I lived in or near a city with an MLS team, Id sure go watch and try to enjoy it. But since I cant, when I watch a game, I want it to be a good one...so I watch the euro leagues

 

[palswim]

Originally posted by: RadioHead84I don't know if it will ever be possible to have premier players play in USA instead of going over the Europe....even end game when USA is making really good players. I am thinking about other global sports and I can't think of a sport that has two leagues that are about the same money/skill output.

Huh? Besides the Premier League/La Liga/Serie A/Bundesliga?

 

[edro]

I play in leagues and pickup games 2 days a week.
I usually make it to 1-2 Columbus Crew games per year.

Columbus won the MLS last year, but are off to a horrible start.
I don't follow them too much because they are rarely on TV.

Yeah, I am more of a fan than most people here in the city.

 

[xSauronx]

i just saw the chelsea schedule for the US Tour, damn but I wish i was near enough to see one of these

Chelsea vs. Seattle Sounders
Saturday, July 18th

Chelsea vs. Inter Milan
Tuesday, July 21st
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)

Chelsea v AC Milan
Friday, July 24th
M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, Md.)

Chelsea vs. Club America
Sunday, July 26th
Cowboy Stadium (Arlington, Texas)

Id love to seem them play one of the Milan teams :-/

 

[Zugzwang152]

I read some Beckham story on CNN that some MLS players make $12k per year. They are a long ways off from prominence in this country. Even MMA is way ahead of soccer in the US.