Now You Can Enjoy The World Cup Without All That Extra Soccer
Major League Soccer will not play league matches during the two-week group stage of next summer’s World Cup in South Africa.
Okay, fine. If teams are going to be without star players, and if you believe (as I do) that MLS’ product suffers by comparison when you watch high-level international play and then watch an MLS match, not a bad move.
They’re also going to play a balanced 30-game schedule, with each team playing each other team home and away, just like In The Rest Of The WorldTM.
But here’s what MLS is not going to do:
1. Go to a single table standings setup. Two more teams come along in 2011 and perhaps more after that. A 20-team league playing a balanced 38-game schedule isn’t an option for us.
2. Switch their schedule to fall-to-spring, again just like ITROTWTM. That’s a non-starter. Oh, you can play soccer in winter weather. Nobody’s going to go watch it, though. Don’t tell me about the Germans and the Brits - they like soccer and British winters are more temperate than, say, Chicago or Foxboro.
When MLS launched, it made a number of mistakes in hopes of “Americanizing” the game and giving it broader appeal in a nation that, it was feared, wouldn’t embrace the game’s traditions. Among those mistakes were the shootout, silly team names and uniforms, a clock that counted down and (after a few years) overtime to attempt to decide tied games.
All of those things are gone now.
Are you happy?
Those of you who have been whining about all this stuff for years, are you happy now?
Is there anything else we can do for you, or, after all of these changes are made, will you just find some other reason not to support your domestic league?
EDIT: I don’t know if there’s a connection, but it’s interesting that this wasn’t announced until after the US Men’s National Team had clinched at least fourth place in World Cup qualifying, meaning they’ll at least make a playoff for a spot in South Africa.
Tags: MLS, people who drive me nuts, Rant, soccer
September 16th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
So we’re getting ponies next, right?
Has there even been a noticeable drop in attendance or TV ratings during the last few WC’s? Or when the league has matches on FIFA dates? IIRC, the Galaxy had mutiple sellouts when both Donovan and Beckham were off on NT duty. I don’t mind this in regards to my team possibly losing players for a few less matches, but all this really does is add more midweek matches and maybe reduce the number of whiny posts on BS. Advantage: push; there are no winners here…
September 17th, 2009 at 6:10 am
I like the trademark on ITROTW.
My only small gripe is they really need to finish the season in early September so to not get more tuned out by football. If you really want my full opinion let me know, and I will expand.
As a Univ. of Tennessee fan, good luck on Saturday. I hope to all hope that we can beat the 29.5 spread. After the Spurrier revolution in the SEC, I didn’t think I would ever see UT be a 4 touchdown dog to anyone.
September 17th, 2009 at 8:00 am
BTW, there was an attendance uptick (of about 5%) during France ‘98, but major downturns during the ‘02 and ‘06 Cups, when soccer fever was at its usual quadrennial high in this country.
You’re not going to be able to play during a World Cup that we host (’18 or, more likely, ‘22). Next time in Brazil the time difference will be just an hour from New York. Might as well get used to standing down for two weeks now.
My point is that it’s not really going to do anything to IMPROVE the league, rather it’ll just be cosmetic and appease a very small subset of the potential fanbase, and those people will find some other reason not to watch, like conferences or playoffs or the lack of pro/rel.