Can MLS continue to grow in popularity this season?

Agreed, the MLS will be a major when some of the top players on the world are American and the MLS does not need to rely so heavily on foreign talent.

I think we are 10 years away. I’m very optimistic, I’ve never seen a younger generation of Americans so excited about the game of soccer. “American Soccer’s Golden Generation” are 5, 6 7, and 8 years old right now. ( I’m coining that phrase.) 😉

These kids have been able to watch the Messi’s and the Ronaldo’s etc. on TV and idolize them. No other American generation has had that kind of fandom.

That’s right, David, and Graham. The League will only become major when it is able to get some of the world’s best players who are either still in their prime, or maybe haven’t even reached it yet, to play for years in the States.

I think that is still some decades off from this point in time.

It’s fantastic to see the game grow here in the US, and MLS along with it.

David, about that part where you were confused with why games weren’t allowed to end in draws, that was actually due to an attempt to draw more attention to the league and sport in general, and is somewhat similar to what the NHL did for hockey around 10 to 15 years ago (they used to allow ties as well). While that was replaced by bringing Designated Players, that particular idea of a game-deciding shootout still lives on at the high school level, as whenever one school plays another from the same region set (much like how the college level sports are divided into conferences), region games that are tied at regulation’s end go to extra time, then to a pk shootout, where the spot kick that wins that also counts as the game winning goal. It’s a very. . . American thing to do, never settling for a tie.

As for soccer’s popularity here, a long time ago it actually was second place, behind baseball (. . . . how. . . ?) for the most popular, but the Depression just about killed it off completely. Now, it’s back in the fight, challenging basketball and hockey for third place. Shouldn’t be but another decade or so before it moves up to challenge baseball for contemporary time’s second place spot. Sadly, the other football (which, though I never played it competitively, I still love- I am from the South after all!) will always be the most loved sport here in the States.

And the league? Even though it’s continuing to grow, it will never be as good as the European leagues, especially the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga, and you can probably throw in Ligue 1 and a couple more in that list. It’s gonna be a long time before we can bring in some of the world’s top players- who aren’t at or above the age of 30- to play in the league.

Another negative note- and you’ll question at first why I consider this negative- is that it’s bad for the top American players to be here. Why? They need to be improving their game in one of the aforementioned leagues in Europe. In order to draw more attention to soccer in general, the MNT must continue to improve both at the individual player level and the team level. I’m sorry, but Donovan was a bit of a failure there as his only abroad success was his loan stints for Everton. Now, we can’t afford to have Bradley, Altidore (well, in his case, maybe to get his goal scoring boots back on before returning to Holland), Dempsey, and Mix, etc., etc. playing here if we want the NT to get better.

Here’s my reasoning for this: when it comes to Team USA, it’s stuff like our Dream Team of ’92 for basketball, and the Miracle on Ice in ’80, that capture the nation’s imagination. If anything, the interest in basketball and hockey rose after those successes. The same must be done for soccer. And I just don’t think it can be done if our top players (Howard being one of the exceptions) are all Stateside.

. . . .did not mean to go on such a long post. . ..

The MLS can eventually become a top world class league..however with the signings of over the hill players from the EPL Is a bad move and will not advance the clubs who are supposedly signing them.After all why buy these guys, then loan them back with out even playing them, this is not showing respect either to the us players or the supporters of the clubs involved.
Personally I have seen enough US talent to suggest that they can be good enough to compete against anyone given time and patience.

From what is can see The American Youth are far more into and educated about soccer than previous generations.

I went to LA Galaxy’s opener and it was a very enthusiastic atmosphere, I live in LA so we are interested to see Gerrard come to the city this summer.
At the very least he will enjoy the weather and the anonymity Los Angeles brings.

The turnout/#’s for opening weekend of the MLS were very strong. 7 of 10 opening weekend games were sold out despite poor weather on the East Coast. With the slightest bit of interest, North America has the recourses to support the large payrolls needed to sign the top players. Having more and more stars in the league will create a snow ball effect and it’s just a matter of time before the MLS is one of the top 3 leagues in the world.

Couple reason I think it will continue to grow:
I have recently adopted the game do to my son being obsessed with the sport. As a kid I wasn’t into soccer, maybe because growing up I could not watch it on TV so I couldn’t see top quality teams play. But now because of cable TV, my Son knows all the players and can see the best play by being able to watch European football in the US. ( An English friend says we get more games on TV than The Brits do, because of “blackouts” in the UK) .

A lot has come out about head injuries and the dangers of American Football in recent years (nasty stuff). Because of fear of head injuries, American parents ( Like myself ) are now trying to steer their kids away from Football and are now supporting youth and club soccer ( Baseball is too slow for kids now days) . Because of this I believe The States will soon start turning out a large amount of top notch “home grown” talent that the MLS will surely benefit from. I also think the US will be an International power in the next 10 years.

The turnout/#’s for opening weekend of the MLS were very strong. 7 of 10 opening weekend games were sold out despite poor weather on the East Coast. With the slightest bit of interest, North America has the recourses to support the large payrolls needed to sign the top players. Having more and more stars in the league will create a snow ball effect and it’s just a matter of time before the MLS is one of the top 3 leagues in the world.

Couple reason I think it will continue to grow:
I have recently adopted the game do to my son being obsessed with the sport. As a kid I wasn’t into soccer, maybe because growing up I could not watch it on TV so I couldn’t see top quality teams play. But now because of cable TV, my Son knows all the players and can see the best play by being able to watch European football in the US. ( An English friend says we get more games on TV than The Brits do, because of “blackouts” in the UK) .

A lot has come out about head injuries and the dangers of American Football in recent years (nasty stuff). Because of fear of head injuries, American parents ( Like myself ) are now trying to steer their kids away from Football and are now supporting youth and club soccer ( Baseball is too slow for kids now days) . Because of this I believe The States will soon start turning out a large amount of top notch “home grown” talent that the MLS will surely benefit from. I also think the US will be an International power in the next 10 years.

From what is can see The American Youth are far more into and educated about soccer than previous generations.

I went to LA Galaxy’s opener and it was a very enthusiastic atmosphere, I live in LA so we are interested to see Gerrard come to the city this summer.
At the very least he will enjoy the weather and the anonymity Los Angeles brings.

The MLS can eventually become a top world class league..however with the signings of over the hill players from the EPL Is a bad move and will not advance the clubs who are supposedly signing them.After all why buy these guys, then loan them back with out even playing them, this is not showing respect either to the us players or the supporters of the clubs involved.
Personally I have seen enough US talent to suggest that they can be good enough to compete against anyone given time and patience.

It’s fantastic to see the game grow here in the US, and MLS along with it.

David, about that part where you were confused with why games weren’t allowed to end in draws, that was actually due to an attempt to draw more attention to the league and sport in general, and is somewhat similar to what the NHL did for hockey around 10 to 15 years ago (they used to allow ties as well). While that was replaced by bringing Designated Players, that particular idea of a game-deciding shootout still lives on at the high school level, as whenever one school plays another from the same region set (much like how the college level sports are divided into conferences), region games that are tied at regulation’s end go to extra time, then to a pk shootout, where the spot kick that wins that also counts as the game winning goal. It’s a very. . . American thing to do, never settling for a tie.

As for soccer’s popularity here, a long time ago it actually was second place, behind baseball (. . . . how. . . ?) for the most popular, but the Depression just about killed it off completely. Now, it’s back in the fight, challenging basketball and hockey for third place. Shouldn’t be but another decade or so before it moves up to challenge baseball for contemporary time’s second place spot. Sadly, the other football (which, though I never played it competitively, I still love- I am from the South after all!) will always be the most loved sport here in the States.

And the league? Even though it’s continuing to grow, it will never be as good as the European leagues, especially the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga, and you can probably throw in Ligue 1 and a couple more in that list. It’s gonna be a long time before we can bring in some of the world’s top players- who aren’t at or above the age of 30- to play in the league.

Another negative note- and you’ll question at first why I consider this negative- is that it’s bad for the top American players to be here. Why? They need to be improving their game in one of the aforementioned leagues in Europe. In order to draw more attention to soccer in general, the MNT must continue to improve both at the individual player level and the team level. I’m sorry, but Donovan was a bit of a failure there as his only abroad success was his loan stints for Everton. Now, we can’t afford to have Bradley, Altidore (well, in his case, maybe to get his goal scoring boots back on before returning to Holland), Dempsey, and Mix, etc., etc. playing here if we want the NT to get better.

Here’s my reasoning for this: when it comes to Team USA, it’s stuff like our Dream Team of ’92 for basketball, and the Miracle on Ice in ’80, that capture the nation’s imagination. If anything, the interest in basketball and hockey rose after those successes. The same must be done for soccer. And I just don’t think it can be done if our top players (Howard being one of the exceptions) are all Stateside.

. . . .did not mean to go on such a long post. . ..

That’s right, David, and Graham. The League will only become major when it is able to get some of the world’s best players who are either still in their prime, or maybe haven’t even reached it yet, to play for years in the States.

I think that is still some decades off from this point in time.

Agreed, the MLS will be a major when some of the top players on the world are American and the MLS does not need to rely so heavily on foreign talent.

I think we are 10 years away. I’m very optimistic, I’ve never seen a younger generation of Americans so excited about the game of soccer. “American Soccer’s Golden Generation” are 5, 6 7, and 8 years old right now. ( I’m coining that phrase.) 😉

These kids have been able to watch the Messi’s and the Ronaldo’s etc. on TV and idolize them. No other American generation has had that kind of fandom.