Soccer Time

With the end of the NFL season and the pending onset of another boring summer of baseball, the only fun left is soccer. (The Suns and Coyotes stink right now, so the NBA and NHL playoffs don't offer much solice). MLS doesn't start until April, but the good news is that we'll have a pro game in Phoenix on March 14 -- Los Angeles Galaxy v. Chicago Fire. On paper this is an excellent matchup. Galaxy has Beckham and Fire has Blanco. But at this point it seems unlikely that Becks will even show.

Get your tickets now HERE.

An All-Star Game Worth Watching

Some facts are well-established. Like, All-Star games suck. The NFL Pro Bowl is a half-speed farce. Major League Baseball tried to put some life in its all-star game by awarding the winning league home field advantage in the World Series. It didn't work. Perhaps the worst all-star game of all is the NBA's version of a super-star scrimmage. The NBA version feature absolutely no attempt by players to play hard. The games suck.

But Major League Soccer has stumbled onto a system that works. The games are exciting, well-played, and perhaps most important, it is clear that the players are going all out. Tonight's MLS All-Star game (at shiny new Sold-Out BMO Field in Toronto) was a perfect example. MLS prevailed 3-2 over West Ham United of the English Premiere League in a close, exciting game full of excellent play, great shots, and hotly contested possession. For five years now, MLS has pitted its All-stars against top professional teams from the world's top leagues. For 5 years MLS has won those games, and for the most part the games have been quite good. Regardless, they are worth watching --which automatically makes them better games than the all-star shows put on by NFL, MLB, and NBA. The NHL occasionally tweaks its all-star format, and its North America v. Europe version of its all-star game improves the product. But this "us vs. them" set up used by MLS is clearly superior. The players really care about the result. League pride is on the line.

Such a set-up obviously will not work for baseball or the NFL. But the NBA should consider an NBA all-=star team v. a world team or the olympic champs or something similar. As a kid I remember watching with interest when the super bowl champs (Pittsburgh in 1979) took on a college all-star team. Now that was fun. Too bad the NFL would never try something that interesting now.

Regardless, skip the current all-star formats and make sure you tune in for next year's MLS All-star game. You won't be disappointed.

Super Superliga

You probably have missed some great soccer as "Superliga 2008" is well underway. Superliga pits the top four MLS teams against the top four Mexican League teams in a "league" much like the Champions League in Europe. To my surprise, the soccer has been excellent. These matches are well-attended (in comparison to MLS matches) and hard-fought. It is clear that the Mexican League teams care as much about winning as the MLS teams do. This makes for some brutal play and tough contests. What is more impressive is how well the MLS teams are doing. Most soccer fans assume the Mexican League is superior to the USA's Major League Soccer. Top to bottom, I suppose they are right. But Superliga proves that the top MLS teams are on par with the best of Mexico.

Last night was a perfect example. Two excellent 1-0 games that featured hard tackles, tons of effort, and fast play. In both cases the MLS team won. Chivas USA beat Santos 1-0 on a nice header by Razov. Earlier the New England Revolution went to 2-0 in league play on a 1-0 victory over Pachuca. Read the game stories HERE. The only downside is that the games are a little hard to find --as they are only on Spanish-language TV. Telefutura is showing the games here and the channel is available on cable and the dish.

This kind of well-attended, well-played soccer bodes well for soccer in America and reflects the huge growth in the skill level played by MLS.

Pro Soccer Comes To Phoenix

The Phoenix Metro Region ("Valley of the Sun") is very large --about 7 million people. Yet we have no pro soccer franchise. Part of that is the glut of pro teams around Phoenix, and another part is the crazy hot summers we have here. Basically MLS soccer would require some sort of dome or retractable roof --which is expensive and disfavored by MLS.

The good news is that Steve Nash is interested in getting involved in MLS. The trick is convincing him to bring the team to Phoenix. No doubt he is more interested in NYC or Canada, but he owes us, right?

Regardless, Phoenicians have two big soccer events to look forward to this month.

First, our local semi-pro team, the Arizona Sahuaros have qualified for the U.S. Open Cup. The Cup is the oldest American soccer tournament and is open to all pro and club teams. The fun is when one of the "AAA" teams beat MLS teams --which usually happens once a year or so. The Sahuaros play the USL's ("AAA" soccer) Seattle Sounders on June 10 at Grand Canyon University. Read the write-up HERE. This is a great opportunity for the Sahuaros to represent Phoenix soccer and to attract investors. Moreover, it will be a fun event. Read more on the Sahuaros intersting history HERE. Go Sahuaros!

An even bigger event was just announced as well. On June 25th, Chivas dG of the Mexican League will take on the New York Red Bulls of MLS at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. Read the article HERE.





This is a huge opportunity for "Phoenix Rising" and others who want an MLS team for Phoenix, to demonstrate our passion and interest in high-level soccer. Phoenix Rising is organizing a supporters group for the game HERE. I doubt that Chivas will send their top side, but it is still Chivas, even though it is an exhibition game. It should be a blast.

A Blueprint for UFL "success"

Something called the United Football League (UFL) has announced it will be playing professional outdoor football in the FALL of 2009 in cities that do not have NFL teams. What sets the UFL apart from this history of failed NFL rivals is that it has a number of experienced NFL folks at the helm and a number of big-money backers set up as owners --including Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

UFL Commisioner Michael Huyghue has recently announced some of the league plans including 4 West Coast teams (out of the 8 the league plans to have at opening kickoff). (UFL Access has everything you could want to know about the UFL and more.) The UFL plans to play on Friday and Saturday nights --so as to avoid direct competition with the NFL. Allegedly, several networks are interestedin televising games --and clearly a legit TV contract is the make-or-break aspect of this league.
But the most intersting and promising factor to me is Huyghue's statement that they plan to recruit MLS owners and use MLS Soccer specific stadiums for the UFL teams. In order to succeed, the UFL must create demand for tickets. This requires a good product (and the UFL plans to go after NFL 2nd stringers and the like --so the players should be better than, say, what the XFL had), good promotions, good community ties. But it also means that tickets should be worth something and that season tickets should actually benefit the purchaser. This means that tickets should be scarce. In a start up league, playing in huge stadiums is a losing proposition. It means tickets have no scarcity and the atmosphere is dead and empty. This is what hurt the NASL and the XFL (to some extent) that the WLAF's attempt to play in the USA back in '91.

Playing in MLS Stadiums achieves two important goals: 1) Fans get a state-of-the-art stadium experience (which delivers a message of a quality product); and 2)Tickets will be limited to the size of the smaller MLS stadiums. No cavernous 50,000 seat holes here. Just 16k-25k stadiums --which means sell-outs and a demand for tickets (is possible). This is essential, because sold out stadiums create excitement which breeds a fun, festive atmosphere.

Given the unserved NFL market goal, Los Angeles and Las Vegas (to be owned by Mark Cuban) are obvious picks. Huyghue said markets would also likely include San Francisco and Salt Lake City, Utah. Orlando is a strong East Coast contender, while San Antonio, Texas, appeals to the Hispanic fans that the UFL plans to court aggressively. (thanks to UFL access)

The XFL's Las Vegas Outlaws did well at Sam Boyd Stadium and the UFL will play there as well. But the other teams should look to the MLS stadiums.

Here's a list of MLS Soccer-Specific Stadia. The UFL should look there as a starting point for Utah, L.A., and other non-NFL markets.

Good Soccer

Granted, since MLS is in early pre-season, Houston and LA will not be at their best. Or even close. But its about time MLS started pushing the international tournments as they do in Europe.

Update (2/19): ESPN is reporting on David Beckham's arrival in Hawaii for the "Pan-Pacific Championship" games here.

Update (2/26): LA Times reports here that the future of this tournament is in doubt. Lousy crowds and awful field are just a part of the problem. Its a cool idea to bring teams from MLS, Japan, and Australia to Hawaii for a Pacific Ocean Tournament, but alot needs to be done to make it work.

"Nashing" our teeth for soccer...

The LA Times reports the following:

By Grahame L. Jones, Los Angeles Times staff writer
February 20, 2008
Steve Nash could walk into any Major League Soccer
club today and make the starting lineup within a few weeks, but the
soccer-loving NBA star's passion lies across the sea, like so many others.
He might play basketball for the Phoenix Suns, but Nash's soccer heart is
with Tottenham Hotspur, the English Premier League club better known simply as
Spurs. Talking to England's Guardian newspaper, Nash predicted that he one day
would have a role toplay with the 126-year-old London club.
It won't be
about trying to make money, Nash said, separating himself from American
investors who have taken over several of England's leading teams.
"Unlike
them, I've been a passionate supporter all my life," Nash said. "My parents are
from North London and so it's not like I'm some Yank who wants to make a profit
out of football. I don't care about making money. I just want to see Spurs
succeed. If I can help, that's great."
Nash, a Canadian who recently
invested in the Women's Professional Soccer league that launches in the U.S.
next year, is a close friend of Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and director of
soccer Damien Comolli. "They know how much the club means to me," Nash said.
"But at this point it's more a friendship than a business partnership."

COME ON STEVE! We need MLS Soccer in Phoenix. You make your money here and you live here half the year (we know your heart is in Canada and NYC, but throw your desert fans a bone), so BRING SOCCER HERE! It would take a tiny portion of your vast wealth to bring a MLS team here and put up a stadium (say at the Fairgrounds --wouldn't that be cool!).


via videosift.com

Bitter Twellman: Don't Dwell, Man!

MLS runner-ups New England Revolution (owned by Bob Kraft of Patriots fame) has an outstanding player in Taylor Twellman. Too bad Taylor re-upped with the Revs for $300k a year --as now Europe has come calling with offers of big transfer fees. To Taylor's frustration, MLS/Revs (depends on who you ask) keep turning down the millions for the rights to Twellman's services as a striker.
Espn covers it here.

I feel bad for the guy --rare is the opportunity to play for big money and big glory in the English Premiere league. I almost don't blame him for whining about it. Almost. The Revs showed faith in the guy by signing him to a big (for MLS), longterm contract last year. Now he wants out. But too bad. Good for MLS for keeping one of stars it developed ---the league needs to keep guys like Twellman in order to build its product. If only my Columbus Crew had done that years ago when they let Brian McBride go to Fulham...

Anyway, ol' Taylor needs to quit whining and concentrate on playing better for the US National Team (where his performance is up and down).

1/15/08 UPDATE: Soccer America says basically the same thing here in comparing Twellman's plight to Eddie Johnson's relative "freedom" to pursue Europe. Did Twellman have a "trigger clause" in his contract that would have set him free?

MLS KC Wizards are Moving (Sort of)

Read the MLS K.C. Wizards' press release here.

It looks like the half-empty NFL Chiefs stadium is a thing of the past as the Wizards finally get smart and move to a smaller stadium. The good news is that SSS (soccer specific stadiums) have done quite well for MLS (See Toronto's success at the gate this year as an expansion team). The bad news is that the Wizards are playing for two years in a crappy minor league stadium in Kansas until their SSS is complete. Check out the picture below.
This is not good. Right now it holds about 6k, and they plan to expand it to 10k. But the problem is that it will be bush league and may have trouble luring folks across the river into the Kansas side. But if they can lure the crowds then they should do quite well because it will create something that hasn't existed in the 10 years the Wizards have been around -- more demand for tickets than supply. This could put them in good position for a big crush for tickets when they move into their new stadium in 2010. At least here's hoping...

Wow -Arena Done in New York

Bruce Arena is stepping down after just one year as coach of the New York Red Bulls of MLS. Amazing. MLS has tried to produce a winner in New York for over a decade now, and Arena is one of the best coaches ever produced by the USA. Clearly there is more to this story and I look forward to finding out the scoop. But here is the LA Times story.
Red Bulls were disappointing this year but they have some great young players and show promise. If only Bruce hadn't wasted so much money on Claudio Reyna...

Chicago Fire knocks off DC

DC United Came into the 2007 MLS playoffs as one of the favorites to win it all (I picked Houston). Too bad they ran into a hot Chicago Fire team (get it?) that had to win a bunch of games at the end of the season just to sneak into the playoffs on the last day (shades of the Colorado Rockies). Last night's game was great --the kind that even soccer-haters could enjoy. The Fire upset DC in game one by a 1-0 score on a last minute goal in injury time. Last night they were up 2-0 at half time only to watch DC roar back to make it 2-2 near the end. The last 5-10 minutes of the game were fantastic as DC kept surging forward to get the goal that would win it.

"The last 3 minutes were like 35 minutes," captain Chris Armas said. "You're almost out of gas. You're fighting. Give them a lot of credit for the push, and give our guys credit for holding them off." S.I. story here.

But it was to no avail as Chicago barely held them off for a 2-2 tie --which gave them a 3-2 advantage on aggregate. Sorry DC, better luck next year. The good news is that we get to see more of "evil" Blanco as he pushes Chicago towards the title.

Enjoy the highlights: