Major League Soccer

Been a passive fan of the MLS for a few years now, with Toronto FC the side I chose to 'follow'. Earnie making the move across the pond meant that I would try and watch even more games this season, starting last night with the launch of the new campaign.

It's incredible just how many household(ish) names now ply their trade over in Major League Soccer. Take yesterday's game between Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto for example where we had Earnshaw, Miller, Ephraim, Reo-Coker, Eckersley and Lee (as well as manager Ryan Nelson) all involved.

The reason for creating this thread was in the hope that I'm not alone in watching this "below average quality" league?


AM I?!

I dont watch it myself but i will be checking in on toronto now.

How did Earnie play?

Are the games broadcast anywhere or streamed?

Do they keep referring to it as soccer? Because that winds me up. We invented football first! Make up your own name for your game!

I'm mildly interested in it, though if I were to get into an American sport, it would probably be american football. I've enjoyed it when I've watched it.

Slumdog's Son™ wrote:Do they keep referring to it as soccer? Because that winds me up. We invented football first! Make up your own name for your game!

"Association football" was so named to distinguish it from rugby football.
"Soccer" originated in England in the 1880s as an abbreviation of "association". I guess the yanks went with this to more easily distinguish it from American football (how else could they tell them apart?)

Well that clarified it Tonks, thanks!

Kamuza wrote:How did Earnie play?

He looked okay. Obviously hasn't had much game time over the past couple of seasons, but he looked promising. He started as the out-and-out striker and got a few shots away at goal. Toronto are a poor side, so he will struggle to get into double figures this season.

I'm pretty sure all the games are streamed, I certainly always seem to find a Toronto one when looking. Either way, all highlights are up on the MLS website the following morning.

LA Galaxy - Chicago Fire on ESPN tonight at 10.

It's a retirement ground for some of the best players in the world. From a spectators perspective that's a good spectacle, but the quality of football approaches pub standard sometimes. There's a reason so many former stars play there - the American sides are te only ones stupid enough to still be forking out massive amounts of money for them.

The American public just aren't interested. Thierry Henry couldn't make them interested, neither could David Beckham. They just don't get a sport where 3 or 4 goals is considered high scoring.

Football is not a commercially attractive prospect for American businesses when compared to NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. These are the 'big four' sports but they have frequent breaks or pauses that lend themselves to advertising far more than football/soccer does.

This means football/soccer won't be pushed into the mainstream as much

Has anyone seen the documentary on the New York Cosmos called Once in a Lifetime? It's a fascinating and absorbing story of how they tried to build football in America but mostly about how the Cosmos became huge for a while. Some interesting names and personalities including Giorgio Chinaglia, the Italian born, Cardiff bred ex Jack.

Well worth a watch though the documentary is split up on YouTube over many videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=673t1hJ6bbI

Didn't George Best play for them? Or was it one of the other New York franchises?

What sort of crowds do they get?

Colonel Cardiffi wrote:What sort of crowds do they get?

Americans, mostly, I should think.