It's a great move in my opinion. YouTube is a very popular source of video sharing. Anyone with an internet connection (as long as they aren't serving in the US Military in Iraq or Afghanistan) can now access the latest goals. Hopefully the programing will expand.
My only question is, why did it take so long? ¶ 9:41 AM 3 Comments
¶ 8:27 AM 0 Comments
According to U.F.L. executives, Nocera reports, the new league will emulate the old American Football League – one of whose major characteristics was revenue sharing. Each owner will put up $30 million, worth a half-interest in a team; the league will own the other half. Eventually, the plan envisions that fans will become stakeholders – because each team will sell shares to the public to raise an average of $60 million per franchise. Public ownership will reduce the pricing pressure on the teams, resulting in cheaper tickets all around.
Officials are convinced they can land decent players from the get-go, and better players later on. “The U.F.L. will be able to offer most rookies, who aren’t top draft choices, far more money than the N.F.L. would give them,” Nocera writes.
I recently lived in Colorado Springs for a year. One of the most frustrating things about living in "The Springs" was that the local paper had next to zero MLS coverage. Yeah, they'd have the occasional AP article about the Rapids (only an hour drive away) when they were at home. That was pretty much it. So, I was amused to read this in the Gazette.
OK, they did have a reporter at most of the local PDL teams home games and they did have someone cover the national team when they had a camp at the Air Force Academy so they weren’t as bad as the paper where I live now. Not a single MLS article (though the World Cup coverage was not bad) that I’ve seen even though I’m only an hour from Bridgeview.
Oh well, at least some progress is being made.
Labels: Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Media
¶ 12:57 PM 0 Comments
Those who have read my blog or my posts on BigSoccer for a while will know that I feel pretty strongly that MLS should not by playing matches on dates set aside by FIFA as International Dates. So far, no one has paid any attention to this bloggers opinion. However, the British media (ya gotta love them) have managed to create several stories related to this.
It started off positive enough. Becks has played well the last 5 months and done well enough to be considered for a recall to the England squad for a couple of matches next week. Of course, the fact that England have played like crap since McClaren took over I’m sure helped.
Now, that’s great news for LA Galaxy and MLS right? Heck, Alexi Lalas even said, "Ultimately, we look at it as a statement on the Galaxy. The fact we have a player who's been called into the English national team says a lot about who he is. We couldn't be happier for him."
Of course, all this does have its downside. Ya see, MLS and AEG (and, of course, the Galaxy) are making a mint off the signing of Beckham already. Wouldn’t it suck if he missed a few matches which sold out based on the fact that Becks would be in Green and Gold--or whatever the new colors are going to be when Becks dons the colors?
Lalas spoke with BBC Radio 5 a few days ago. In that interview, he basically said what managers like Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger say when their players are called up for meaningless friendlys in Africa or somewhere which isn’t around the corner. We’d rather he didn’t go, but it’s ultimately up to him. Or at least that’s the paraphrase I got out of it. That sounds reasonable enough. It seems t be that international coaches usually talk with club managers and try to work something out that works for everyone involved.
Now the British hacks (gotta love ‘em) started “finding” all kinds of interesting stories. The Daily Mail seems to think he could go to Newcastle (or Spurs, or Everton or Blackburn) on a three-month loan. No need for a vacation or rest or anything. Of course, the article is pure speculation. There are no real quotes from anyone involved. But sometimes fiction sells more papers.
So, back to the first point, Beckham being recalled for England. It seems someone in the British media decided to go to FIFA and get a quote from them about Lalas preventing Becks from joining England for games this fall.
"The same rules apply for everybody," a FIFA spokesman said. "For all national associations, for any club, for any player.
"Players must be released for friendly or competitive games if they are on the international calendar and the required notice is given.
"The only difference in competitive and friendly games is regarding the time frames. All players are equal."
Like I said above, it's no different than anyone else. I still don’t think Alexi ever said he wouldn’t let Becks join England. He simply shared his frustration at the business issue this creates for him.
So, what are the matches in question?
| England | LA Galaxy | ||
| 9/8/07 | Israel | 9/8/07 | Colorado |
| 9/12/07 | Russia | 9/13/07 | @ Chivas |
| 10/13/07 | Estonia | 10/13/07 | Toronto |
| 10/17/07 | @ Russia | 10/18/07 | New York |
| 11/21/07 | Croatia | 11/21/07 | MLS Cup Final |
All the matches are at the HDC so that shouldn’t be a huge problem…well, except for the Cup Final.
So, back to my first point, why does MLS still schedule matches (especially the MLS Cup Final) on International weekends? They used to say it was because of stadium availability. Honestly, I’m having a difficult time believing that one now that over half the teams now have their own stadiums…and that percentage is growing. Of course, events like the X-Games get to bump matches, but that’s another topic.
MLS/AEG has no one but themselves to blame here. They over promoted and over promised with Becks just like everyone did when Freddy Adu joined the league. When will they learn?
Of course, they weren’t as outrageous as Harrisburg, but that’s a whole new level…guess it work, they sold the match out. Anyone know when the 3rd draw is?
Just one last thought, at the start of the season in 1999, LA were performing poorly. My belief at that time (well, still) was that coach Octavio Zambrano was putting together a team which was built around Luis Hernandez who wasn’t arriving for a couple of months. Before Hernandez could show up (we know the story there) Zambrano was replaced by Sigi Schmid.
I hope Frank Yallop isn’t counting on Beckham's arrival improving LA that dramatically. Otherwise, McClaren won’t need to worry about Lalas wanting to keep Golden Balls when they face Croatia. But wouldn’t it be what MLS deserve, if LA makes the MLS Cup final and not being able to have the leagues most influential player cuz he has to play a match in London the same day. C’mon on Garber, you are still running MLS like it’s a second-tier league. Forget about NFL, NBA etc. You should focus more on other soccer leagues and schedule appropriately. Otherwise, you be creating more messes.
Labels: David Beckham, England, LA Galaxy, MLS, MLS Cup
¶ 12:17 PM 1 Comments
The whoring of the team is going to cost them by the playoffs. it's all well and good that LAG and AEG are raking in the money needed to sign Beckham...however, what good is it if the team misses the playoffs again?
So, for the 1,638th time, put a team on the field which will win consistently, and the fans will show up. How much longer until AEG have gone to this well too many times? ¶ 1:49 PM 4 Comments
The last few years have been tough on the NHL. They expanded quickly...too quickly. They had a sweet TV deal which is now a thing of the past and they seem to be fighting to maintain their foothold in most of the US. Currently, the national TV deal they have is with VERSUS...a channel I only watch in July--Tour de France. Unless you are a big fan, chances are you haven't seen much NHL on TV this winter.
Even with all that, it seems things have reached an all-time low. For all the complaining posters on BigSoccer have done over the years about games being delayed or preempted for other events, ESPN hasn't done anything like this to any MLS game for a long time.
Some interesting points from the blog post I liked to above.
Several months back the NHL and NBC agreed to an over-the-air network extension along terms that where similar to the current – no money down, pay as we want to agreement (Call it what it is – community theatre – we’ll pass the hat around revenue generating plan).
Mmm....kinda makes the time-buy coverage MLS used to have look a little better.
Television ratings for Game 7 of this year’s Stanley Cup finals dropped 21 percent from the final game of the National Hockey League's last championship series two years ago.
Ouch!
By comparison, the first game played by the United States in the World Cup soccer tournament was a much bigger ratings hit. The June 12, 3-0 loss by the U.S. team to the Czech Republic earned a 2.4 cable rating on ESPN2, which translates to 2.14 million viewers. What made it more impressive is that the game was played at noon Eastern Time on a Monday, when many people are at work.
Which I'm betting is a large part of the reason why MLS is now getting paid for their content.
Amazing as it may seem, Red Wings and Ducks 40 percent of the homes in Detroit and Anaheim respectively have been unable to access Versus and therefore watch their teams pursuit of Lord Stanley – par for the course for the Tier II National Hockey League. And for the NHL – you reap what you sow – the only real issue who needs to be held accountable for the shame the NHL is saddled with as the league gets ready to host its championship.
It really seems like NHL has made some very poor decisions and are heading in the wrong direction. I've a feeling contraction (remember when MLS got rid of Florida?) isn't too far away.
Of course, even if MLS were considered now more popular than NHL, that's still not saying to much considering the current situation the NHL is in. But it's still a step in the right direction for MLS and soccer. ¶ 1:27 PM 0 Comments
Labels: Red Bull New York
¶ 10:43 PM 0 Comments
Rumor has it that they are/have been/will be talking to MLS about adding content as well.
Now for the catch. It's still in beta and you hafta be invited. But, here's the good news, I can invite people. All I need is your email address and I can send you an invite to check it out. So, either email me or leave it in the comments below if you're interested. ¶ 11:21 PM 0 Comments
The MLSPU gave out a list of all the players salaries a couple weeks ago. Don Garber made some interesting comments about the difference in salaries. At the time, I thought they were a bit out of line. He's hardly comparing apples to apples here. The union then responded with a solid argument. There's no denying that the lower players are working for nothing. If nothing else, part of this can be addressed by giving those players under $30k a playing bonus of $1000 or something like that each time they play for the first team. However, the whole thing makes me think everyone is posturing for a new CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) which will need to be worked out sometime in the next 2 1/2 years.
What is it with all the investment by American Investors in British clubs? At least the ManUre style protests aren't involved of late. I thought the Glazier takeover would kill ManUre...sure didn't seem to hurt them this season. So close to the darn treble.
It's funny. I remember back in the 70's comparing the experience of going to Portman Road for an Ipswich game and to Jack Murphy Stadium (as it was then known) for Padre and Charger games and comparing how different the experiences were. Lately tough, the experience in England seems to becoming more Americanized. Corporate Boxes, better game concessions etc. are vast improvements in ways of generating income for teams in England. When ManUre and the Yankees announced their big marketing deal a few years ago I figured we'd see more cross over. We probably have and I just haven't been paying attention. But you'd have to think that with the advent of DVRs that American sports would want to find ways to market their sponsors in-game more. Give it time. There's money to be made all around. Just make sure you're willing to shell out the bucks as a consumer.
On a similar note, it looks like the G14 will soon be expanding. What a very American way of forming things...giving the clubs the power rather than a central governing body. Let the owners vote on decisions. Personally, I believe they will continue to bring in more teams until they are large enough for a league in each country and then will allow the top teams from the remaining leagues in each country to replace the bottom clubs in the big league. The champion will be decided by a competition run concurrently with the regular season made of of teams who finished well the previous season...not too unlike the current format we have. Actually, until Ipswich are invited, I could care less.
Amando Guevara is gone. Will his attitude be missed?
I hafta admit, as an LA fan, I'm happy to see Xavier heading to the HDC. He should shore up the backline very well...and I'm thinking his look/style will be right at home in LA. With all the extra matches LA will be playing the second half of the season, they need all the help they can get.
Yet another MLS team has their shirt sponsored by a company I've never heard of. Money is money I guess...and hey, maybe they'll get me as a customer if I ever need paint. At least they aren't some pyramid scheme.
OK...ten years ago I could see some big name playing in an All-Star game even if they don't play much (Luis Hernandez) but Beckham? C'mon. Then again, I never watch the All-Star game so who cares. Besides, the whole thing just reads like someone trying to create a story outta nothing...sounds like the British tabloids.
BMO Field is falling down, falling down, falling down...ok, that's not funny. With the speed it went up, I guess things like this could happen. Thankfully, it seems no one was hurt and everything has now been taken care of. I finally got to see a TFC game last week(?) and gotta admit, the seat cushion flinging was quite amusing.
I've know Dan Loney for several years (first met him at the MLS Cup Final in Columbus) and enjoy his writing a great deal. However, I'm not buying this scoop. Of course, I didn't believe he actually sez it's the "Galaxy" logo anywhere.
I guess it's a good thing for Chelsea they don't read the local Ipswich paper. I can't believe I paid $25 to watch that match. It wasn't that great IMO. I wish Chelsea had scored in the first half so things might have opened up more in the second half. Oh well, at least we got to see the new Wembley in action.
WooHoo...no PPV needed to watch the Copa America. I'm really glad it was GolTV who got the broadcast rights. I know they'll do a great job. Of course, ESPN will probably now wanna make sure they hold the rights next go 'round.
When Kreis announced his career change the other week, I knew it was just a matter of time before he was no longer #1. I know some are pointing out that a large number of Moreno's goals were spot kicks but he still finished them.
Wow, I got married in '03. We spent our honeymoon at resort just south of Playa Del Carmen--an hour south of Cancun. I remember talking with a couple of the guys who worked there about local teams (they'd noticed my Galaxy jersey--poor guys were Luis Hernandez fans--and I'd been hoping to see at least a lower league match if possible--if the wife allowed it) but their response was pretty negative. All the teams near them sucked (or words to that effect) They were all Chivas, America or Cruz Azul fans. Well, guess they have a team now. Actually, I'm thinking this is a good move. Getting away from the crowded Mexico City (sharing the massive Azteca) will help with a new identity for the team. Also, yeah, Cancun is a tourist spot (and an awesome one at that) but it's a rapidly growing city. if Atlante put down some roots, they should grow a decent fan base...and who knows. Beyond that, I now have added incentive to try and talk my wife into a Mexican vacation.
When did the Romario reaching 1000 goals jump the shark? Seriously, he's hardly even playing now. Yet, he's hanging onto the hope of reaching the mystic number. Why not wheel him on for a penalty in a meaningless match then sub him off after he takes the shot and hope it's all over. He was a great player in his day...but now it's just becoming a joke. UPDATE: Looks like he got it today. Too bad FIFA sez he needs another 71 though. He'll be playing with a walker if he's ever gotta get that many more.
Bored yet? Ok, I'll try and post more in the next couple of days.
Labels: Amando Guevara, Atlante, Copa America, G14, GolTV, LA Galaxy, Manchester United, Media, MLSPU, New York Yankees, Romario, to FC, Toronto FC, TV, Wembley
¶ 9:46 PM 0 Comments
The MLS all-time leader in goals scored retires from playing and just takes over for the departing (forced out?) John Ellinger? Wow. Oh and the GM, Steve Pastorino looking for a new gig as well.
Well, something had to happen eventually. They can't go on as the worst team in the league forever...oh yeah, Toronto are now playing.
Labels: Real Salt Lake
¶ 2:33 PM 0 Comments
The guy is a talented player. Hopefully he'll do better in Toronto. It's good to see Nagamura heading back to LA...too bad it's with the goats.
UPDATE: Perhaps it's not happening. However, LA Soccer News is pretty reliable so I'm guessing it was negotiated and something put a stop to it. Either way, something is up with Guevara and Priki...I just know it.
Labels: Amando Guevara, Chivas USA, Toronto FC
¶ 6:13 PM 0 Comments
