The Rise of the MLS

[Viperar 16]

Well it all seems to be going well for the MLS. Beckham has driven new life into it. ESPN is now giving the MLS tons of air time, and Philly is now moving forward to have a team of their own, which is strongly backed by Gov. Rendell, and right now the galaxy vs ny redbull game has drawn close to 70,000 people, which is just 10,000 short of sell out at giant stadium.

Has it finally arrived? I hope so

[Lou_Siffer 1]

I dont wanna come off as de-railing soccer, because i do watch the World Cup...but honestly i still wouldnt even think of watching the MLS. I think the Beckham stuff is pretty much a novelty that will wear off soon.

[Viperar 16]

ive kinda been thinking that too, since the pele and beckenbauer hype has worn off too. But i just see too many things happening now, with so many teams getting new stadiums. It seems like a snowball effect this time, something that has already gotten rolling.

[Heaton 1]

Flavor of the month.

[Viperar 16]

its been more than a month that this has been happening, but your knowledge of this is spectacular

[Kp-Wings 3]

Hah. The MLS will never be popular in the States. Same goes for the sport in general.

This whole Beckham thing is pretty overblown. I mean, just because he's a big name in Europe means he'll instantly make the sport popular? I doubt it.

By the way: has anyone ever heard Beckham talk? He sounds like either a 10-year old girl.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

ive kinda been thinking that too, since the pele and beckenbauer hype has worn off too. But i just see too many things happening now, with so many teams getting new stadiums. It seems like a snowball effect this time, something that has already gotten rolling.

I just have a hard time seeing the American public getting behind a sport where we arent even close to being the best at. Hockey is the closest thing you'll find, but Canada's our neighbor so its not the same thing at all. Watching the MLS, I would feel like im watching an Independent league baseball game or something. Or NFL Europe would be another good example. I could never watch that knowing the players are second rate talents and nothing but 4th stringers in the NFL. The only thing i can possibly see giving the MLS a big jumpstart is if the U.S. team were to make it to the finals of the next World Cup. That would certainly help legitimize the league.

If im not mistaken, Beckham's not even the best player in England right? Isnt it that Wayne Rooney? (going off my limited FIFA '07 knowledge, England's my team on that )

[BlakChamber 8]

They've been saying soccer is the next big thing in America since I was 5 years old (1985) and played youth soccer. Still hasn't happened.

Beckham will help, and so will ESPN pimping the product, but soccer will never be more than niche sport in the US.

[Viperar 16]

I just have a hard time seeing the American public getting behind a sport where we arent even close to being the best at. Hockey is the closest thing you'll find, but Canada's our neighbor so its not the same thing at all. Watching the MLS, I would feel like im watching an Independent league baseball game or something. Or NFL Europe would be another good example. I could never watch that knowing the players are second rate talents and nothing but 4th stringers in the NFL. The only thing i can possibly see giving the MLS a big jumpstart is if the U.S. team were to make it to the finals of the next World Cup. That would certainly help legitimize the league.

If im not mistaken, Beckham's not even the best player in England right? Isnt it that Wayne Rooney? (going off my limited FIFA '07 knowledge, England's my team on that )

Beckham has incredible leadership capabilities, and hes kinda a media *****, which could be good and bad for helping out the sport.

No hes not best skill wise, England's best striker right now is probably rooney you are right. But I think there are better players on England like midfielder Gerrard or defenseman John Terry, but thats not the point.

I guess the chances are pretty low and you make a good point Lou. But what if the MLS wasnt always 2nd line talent anymore. Thats what the possibility of having players like Beckham, Angel at NY, and Blanco at Chicago fire have done. Theyre all big name players.

In case you are wondering, Angel is a columbian striker that also played in the premier league same time as Beckham. And Blanco is a mexican international star that moved over here from the mexican league. We can only see what happens in the next seasons.

[Jwo 7]

MLS will become popular when it can rate up with the other top leagues in quality of play.

[darko99 0]

My guess is that soccer will alway battle the WNBA for that sixth spot behind MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL and NASCAR.

Soccer is too much like hockey without the ice and hitting....two of the things that make hockey so great. I've tried to watch soccer, I just can't get into it.

[Viperar 16]

no offense meant to hockey, because i love hockey too, but i think soccer is getting rolling and will probably draw more attention than hockey. It already does come World Cup time.

[BlakChamber 8]

no offense meant to hockey, because i love hockey too, but i think soccer is getting rolling and will probably draw more attention than hockey. It already does come World Cup time.

Of course soccer is going to draw more attention world wide than hockey. That's not exactly a bold statement.

As far as passing hockey in the US, maybe, but its going to take more than Beckham to do it. Hockey may be far from, say football and baseball for popularity in the US, but its still a ways a head of soccer.

[betterREDthandead 58]

Hockey fans will pooh-pooh soccer at their own risk. Flavor of the month, indeed. I didn't think MLS would survive when it first appeared on the scene, but survive it has. And it's grown - in popularity, in revenue, and in legitimacy.

Personally, I'd be all over MLS if it had a team in Detroit. I suspect there are quite a few others, in large cities all over the country, who feel the same way.

[Viperar 16]

Yeah i completely agree Red, some of the teams could be placed better, i know a team in miami for instance would flourish due to the hispanic population in the area. I think a team in detroit would work too.

Hope everything is well abroad

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Beckham has incredible leadership capabilities, and hes kinda a media *****, which could be good and bad for helping out the sport.

No hes not best skill wise, England's best striker right now is probably rooney you are right. But I think there are better players on England like midfielder Gerrard or defenseman John Terry, but thats not the point.

I guess the chances are pretty low and you make a good point Lou. But what if the MLS wasnt always 2nd line talent anymore. Thats what the possibility of having players like Beckham, Angel at NY, and Blanco at Chicago fire have done. Theyre all big name players.

In case you are wondering, Angel is a columbian striker that also played in the premier league same time as Beckham. And Blanco is a mexican international star that moved over here from the mexican league. We can only see what happens in the next seasons.

Even if the MLS became stocked with with international talent, I still dont think it would do much. A similar case can be made for the influx of european talent weve seen in the NHL, as that hasnt exactly been beneficial to increasing viewership. I would say its actually hurt it if anything. Its going to take the American team doing something very good in the World Cup to get people here to care and put soccer on the map. Right now, its just viewed as that sport we're no good at. For the MLS to really succeed, that has to change.

[Guest jaytan]

Soccer's too boring and too foreign to really catch on with most Americans now, but the fact that so many people have been playing youth soccer for over a generation now, combined with the US men's national team's increasing competitiveness (and maybe the women's dominance) and the ability to see decent quality games locally and high-quality games on TV might help.

When you factor in all the immigrants coming in from Latin American countries that love soccer, it's probably only a matter of time before the MLS is a somewhat competitive and respected league.

But I don't think Beckham will do it on his own.

Either way, I can't stand it.