As the 2013 MLS season begins to wind down, the matches and story lines of the season start to take on a greater and more dramatic feel. Here with Penalty Kicks, I cover the 5 things in MLS you should be talking about this week...
1: ESPN's Sunday Night game featuring Clint Dempsey, the Seattle Sounders, and more than 60,000 of their friends, against Caleb Porter, 1,500 members of the Timbers Army, and the Portland Timbers.
As soon as Clint Dempsey took off his sweatshirt to reveal his Sounders jersey in one of the most grotesque displays of ego stroking and anticlimactic hype MLS has ever produced, the executives at ESPN started licking their lips over the thought of having Clint Dempsey's home debut on their air. If it wasn't enough that they had Dempsey's debut, it was against the Portland Timbers, possibly the fiercest rivalry in all of MLS.
Earlier in the season with the Sounders struggling and Portland riding high, the Timbers dismantled the Sounders vaunted attack through Will Johnson and Diego Chara running the game in Portland's midfield. That was Seattle without Dempsey, and now Portland will face this task with a midfield 3 missing Will Johnson, and possibly Diego Chara and Jack Jewsbury as well.
Porter's tactical decisions and team selection will be key to Portland's success or failure, while for Seattle, all eyes will be on Clint Dempsey and the crowd. Tune in, set your DVR, or throw a viewing party for family and friends, this one has the potential to be special.
Oh, and did I mention that while sitting at 7th place in the West, that this is close to a must win for Seattle?
2: Vancouver Whitecaps FC v LA Galaxy
In the highly competitive Western Conference, 5th place hosts 4th place in what could show us who is real in the West, and who isn't. This will be the third meeting of these two sides this season, with the home team walking away with a victory on the previous two occasions. That trend would seem to favor the floundering Whitecaps, but don't count out the streaking Galaxy just yet.
Martin Rennie may be the "Tinker Man" of MLS, while Bruce Arena is the steady and solid rock of LA. The team selection each man gives us will tell us who is playing to win, and who is playing not to lose.
A side note from this match would be the recent admission of Vancouver's Daigo Kobayashi that MLS has not been as easy a league as he expected. There is no tougher test in MLS than the always professional (possible dynasty) that is the Galaxy. Coming on the back of 4-2 win against Western leaders Real Salt Lake, LA will look to push on for playoff position. Whether or not Vancouver can play the role of spoiler is yet to be seen.
3: Chicago Fire v Sporting KC
Friday night NBC Sports Network hands us the best team in the East taking on 7th place in the home team Fire. If the Fire are to take advantage of the goals delivered by Mike Magee this season, they need to push on and move into the final playoff position out East.
Tied on points and games with New York out East, while being tied on points with Colorado who has played one more match, Portland which has played 2 fewer matches, and 3 points behind Real Salt Lake who has played 1 more match out West, KC needs points to stay in the Supporters Shield race to have hopes for home field throughout the playoffs.
This is another one of those getting to be must win situations for both teams should they have any chance of achieving their playoff goals for the season.
The home fans will be hoping for something from new DP signing "El Cacha" Arevalo Rios. He and Magee need to form a partnership between distributor and goal scorer quickly if Chicago is going to make and succeed in the playoffs.
4: Chicago's Communications Director
I'll just let you read it for yourself. The following is from Chicago Fire Director of Communications Dan Lobring...
I have a confession to make. I’m a new Chicago Fire fan, having been hired to oversee communications for the club just six months ago. But according to some folks, I was also a “shitty hire.” The only professional experience (“zero soccer experience”) I have is “promoting a video game” and I do “not belong leading the Communications department.”
Additionally, I also “need to shave.” To be fair, that one is true, but my wife thinks I look weird totally clean shaven. To be fairer, all of the other statements might also be true, but I would like the opportunity to prove how shitty I am first. To be fairest of all, maybe I already have proven it six months into the job.
But I’m more interested in learning what made me a shitty hire on day one? What brought about the warm reception from a vocal few as I was introduced as a new member of the “Fire family?” My best guess is that because I work for an owner who is supposedly “cheap,” “doesn’t care,” and only sees the team as a “toy.” Or maybe it’s because I’m joining a front office staff that just “doesn’t get it” or only makes “bad decisions.”
Really? Yikes.
Want to make calls for front office firings? Find me someone who doesn’t think they could be doing their job better. Telling me I suck at my job? That all comes with the territory I guess.
Fortunately, those are the only things that I’ve read about online, or have had forwarded my way, or that I have seen on the supporter message boards (I would hate to read the non-supporter boards).
I don’t pretend to know everything there is to know about soccer, the Fire or MLS.
That was Lobring's rambling defense of himself, and an attack on fans who criticize him or the front office. If you were wondering, not only did the owner approve the rant before Lobring posted it to the Fire website, they have come out in support of their passionate director of communications.
Oh to be a fly on the wall in the stadium on Friday night. I'm kind of sad I didn't buy tickets for the game.
5: Landon Donovan wants LA to show him the MONEY!!!!!
Even the most ardent Landon Donovan supporter will admit that LA Galaxy have fair to Landon Donovan more often than not. Pre-Designted Player (Beckham) Rule, Donovan was the highest paid player in MLS. Post Beckham Experiment and Beckham Rule, there also was let us not forget a Landon Donovan Rule which led to a second DP spot. When Landon wanted to spend his winter break with Everton, LA, against their better judgement, acquiesced. When Landon wanted to take a break and get his mind right in Cambodia, again against their better judgement, LA allowed it.
Granted, they also forced him to publicly hand over the captains armband to David Beckham, of his own free will, wink wink. They got away with years of underpayment due to the salary cap, and plenty more, but overall, LA has been good to Landon.
So what does Landon do just days after Chris Klein, former teammate and current Galaxy President, tells the official MLS podcast that he wants to keep Donovan beyond his expiring contract? Donovan comes out and says that he has offers from Europe that he is considering. (He already has 6 MLS Cup titles to his name and maybe a 7th on the way, what more does he have to prove?)
Already MLS all time assist leader, to go along with his assist and goal records for the USMNT, Donovan is close to surpassing the all time MLS goals mark. He has established himself as not only the best American field player to ever play the game, but the greatest player in the history of MLS. All while looking at Clint Dempsey making at least 3 times his salary having done next to nothing in or for MLS. (Dempsey's transfer did pay for the Revs academy, something Bob Kraft is far too stingy to do himself.)
With people asking where Donovan could go, or why he would want to leave MLS now at the end of his career, Donovan came out once again and sent a message to MLS, and in particular LA Galaxy. He stated that "all things being equal", he would prefer to remain with the LA Galaxy.
We all know LA was one of three teams interested in Clint Dempsey, but the money they were willing to give Dempsey was not what Seattle ended up offering. We know LA offered a Dempsey size deal to Giovanni Dos Santos just a few months ago. We all know "all things being equal" means "MONEY".
Donovan is a Southern California kid. His family is there. His ex-wife is there. His friends are there. Its where he wants to stay, but not at the cost of losing even more money out of loyalty and comfort.
LA is used to distraction. They had the Beckham circus. They had the Ruud Gullit experiment. They had Beckham announcing he was leaving MLS before last season even ended with a trophy being raised in LA. They had Donovan finding himself in Cambodia. They are used to distraction, so this current drama should have little effect, but how this plays out will be very interesting indeed.
Will Donovan follow the money to a mid table Serie A club? Will LA show him the money despite his age and penchant for retirement? Will he give LA a loyalty discount? Will Donovan stay in MLS with a hefty raise, just not in LA? Where else would Donovan be willing to go in MLS?
One thing seems certain, Landon Donovan will be entering a higher tax bracket thanks to his next contract.
Those were my penalty kicks for 8-23-13, thank you for reading. Until next time, remember, MLS MATTERS!
Friday, August 23, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Expansion: 2 for 24
At this years MLS All-Star game in Kansas City, MLS commissioner Don Garber completely overshadowed the festivities during his annual half time interview with ESPN. With ESPN analyst "Soccer Jesus" Alexi Lalas lying in wait to spring questions on Garber over the recent HBO expose on the Chivas USA situation, Garber trumped all of that with an announcement that caught everyone by surprise. In their effort to become a "top league" by the year 2020, MLS will be expanding to 24 clubs.
The 20th MLS club, New York City FC, hasn't hired a player, a coach, found a site to play games at, or found a place to build their own stadium yet, but already Garber was looking to the future.
There was a time not that long ago where MLS was forced to contract. Having learned many lessons from the NASL experiment, MLS was prudent and frugal in their business approach, and yet the league could not support itself. The only thing that kept the league alive was the willingness of a few owners, in particular the Hunt family and AEG to own all of the clubs themselves, eating financial loss after financial loss. Having been at the helm of a failed sports league, (NFL Europe) Don Garber knew the league was in dire straits.
In a matter of a few years, under the stewardship of Garber and the support of Phil Anschutz of AEG, the league not only began to expand again, they found a path forward. Stable ownership groups willing to take losses, stable stadiums, preferably soccer specific, and the "Beckham Experiment". In a short amount of time clubs like Toronto, Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, and Montreal joined the league, creating a Pacific Northwest rivalry, as well as a Canadian one, while also pulling from the built in fan base of teams that pre-dated MLS. In many ways the new approach while seeming prudent, also had a slight smell of the old NASL to it.
While for most clubs there are plenty of butts in seats, an ever growing number it seems (MLS is one of the best attended leagues in the world) but the television numbers have remained rather stagnant. MLS is a growing niche market, but a niche none the less. While the owners have become younger and more ambitious, and more willing to part with their cash, eventually the league needs higher viewership numbers to create bigger television deals. (A deal the size of the minuscule by American standards NHL deal would see MLS teams compete budget wise with Mexican teams and beyond.) One way to do that is create bigger exposure in the southern market, or so ESPN has told MLS. In the meantime, the best way to create an influx of cash is through ever increasing expansion fees.
Over the next 7 years we can expect 4 more (5 including NYCFC) clubs to join the league. We already know that the league and ESPN want a renewed presence in the southern market. With David Beckham having a sweetheart deal in what is likely to be a Miami franchise, that leaves just 3 places open for the bidding.
While I am no fan of MLS in Miami, a horrible sports town, it seems to be happening, especially if the rumors are true that Posh and Becks are in the market for the Versace mansion in Miami. As I stated previously, not only does MLS need a solid southern presence, they also need rivalries. With Miami entering the league the nearest rivals would seem to be Washington DC. This makes me believe the second of four will be Orlando City. The team has a committed ownership group with big dreams (Kaka), a stadium plan finally on its way to approval, and a small loyal fan base which surely would grow given a step up to the big leagues. While the stadium deal still has a 30-40 million dollar hole in it, all signs point to a double Florida entrance back into MLS. And now we have 2 places remaining to reach 24.
At this point MLS is allowed to be very picky. While Don Garber never said that MLS could not expand beyond 24 clubs, he has put a limit on the openings in the future, raising the price for entrance into the league. Wealthy young ambitious owners, soccer specific stadiums, and ready made fan bases are not too much to ask. A high eight or even a nine figure franchise fee for the final clubs to join the league of 24 is not out of the question. The question becomes, where will the final two clubs be placed. Below is a quick overview of the early contenders...
ATLANTA: Pro: Southern market. The Atlanta Silverbacks are a known commodity in the soccer community. Con: Atlanta is a horrible sports town, unless that sport is American football, in particular college football, as is the case with most of the south. They also most likely would overlook the Silverbacks, and be reliant upon another NFL owner using their already built stadium and organization, not exactly the dream choice MLS should be chasing.
DETROIT: Pro: A small fan movement has begun. Con: Seemingly always bankrupt, not known as the greatest of sports towns, let alone as a soccer town.
MINNEAPOLIS: Pro: Good size market which has shown a passion for soccer in the past. Con: Again they would most likely be reliant upon an NFL owner with an already built dome stadium, not the direction MLS should be heading on their way to be a "top league".
OKLAHOMA CITY: Pro: Southern market with built in Texas rivalries. Con: No potential ownership group has been formed. The desire of the city or a fan base is not known.
OTTAWA: Pro: It would bring the Canadian presence to 4 clubs. Con: Banal Canadian city. Another northern team would make an eventual calendar change difficult.
SACRAMENTO: Pro: An ownership group has formed and is attempting to garner more investors. Built in rival for San Jose. Could be a 4th Californian club. Con: Not known as the best sports town. A rather unknown potential fan base, despite 14,000 showing up for a double header exhibition recently.
ST. LOUIS: Pro: Hot bed of soccer? Built in rival for Kansas City and Chicago. Con: No ownership group.
SAN ANTONIO: Pro: A good size market. Could make it a 3-way Texas derby. Con: No potential ownership group. The football south.
Honorable mention: Austin (Aztec presence in a Portland of the south), Charlotte (southern market), Indianapolis (midwestern rivalries), Milwaukee (midwestern rivalries), New York Cosmos (name value), Phoenix (good size media market).
It is always possible that an ownership group will appear out of nowhere. It is possible that the new Columbus Crew owner will fall back on his promise of keeping the team in the city, moving it to one of the above mentioned destinations. It is possible that Chivas USA could come into play, not just as a rebrand but a potential relocation target. It is possible the Becks in Miami rumors are just that, and Orlando City can fail to fill the gap in stadium financing.
With money coming into the league, expansion fees looking to climb, the collective bargaining agreement set to be renewed, television deals set to be renewed, and an ever expanding number of designated players, not just for the clubs in LA or NY, these are interesting times for the MLS. Will the league reach the goals Garber has set for it, having met the goals he set in the past, or are we on the road to NASL part two, another failed league expanding too far too fast spending too much money? Only time will tell.
(If you have any comments or suggestions of your own, feel free to leave a comment either here or for me on facebook. I'm sure some of you have some very interesting and passionate views.)
Until next time, remember, MLS Matters.
The 20th MLS club, New York City FC, hasn't hired a player, a coach, found a site to play games at, or found a place to build their own stadium yet, but already Garber was looking to the future.
There was a time not that long ago where MLS was forced to contract. Having learned many lessons from the NASL experiment, MLS was prudent and frugal in their business approach, and yet the league could not support itself. The only thing that kept the league alive was the willingness of a few owners, in particular the Hunt family and AEG to own all of the clubs themselves, eating financial loss after financial loss. Having been at the helm of a failed sports league, (NFL Europe) Don Garber knew the league was in dire straits.
In a matter of a few years, under the stewardship of Garber and the support of Phil Anschutz of AEG, the league not only began to expand again, they found a path forward. Stable ownership groups willing to take losses, stable stadiums, preferably soccer specific, and the "Beckham Experiment". In a short amount of time clubs like Toronto, Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, and Montreal joined the league, creating a Pacific Northwest rivalry, as well as a Canadian one, while also pulling from the built in fan base of teams that pre-dated MLS. In many ways the new approach while seeming prudent, also had a slight smell of the old NASL to it.
While for most clubs there are plenty of butts in seats, an ever growing number it seems (MLS is one of the best attended leagues in the world) but the television numbers have remained rather stagnant. MLS is a growing niche market, but a niche none the less. While the owners have become younger and more ambitious, and more willing to part with their cash, eventually the league needs higher viewership numbers to create bigger television deals. (A deal the size of the minuscule by American standards NHL deal would see MLS teams compete budget wise with Mexican teams and beyond.) One way to do that is create bigger exposure in the southern market, or so ESPN has told MLS. In the meantime, the best way to create an influx of cash is through ever increasing expansion fees.
Over the next 7 years we can expect 4 more (5 including NYCFC) clubs to join the league. We already know that the league and ESPN want a renewed presence in the southern market. With David Beckham having a sweetheart deal in what is likely to be a Miami franchise, that leaves just 3 places open for the bidding.
While I am no fan of MLS in Miami, a horrible sports town, it seems to be happening, especially if the rumors are true that Posh and Becks are in the market for the Versace mansion in Miami. As I stated previously, not only does MLS need a solid southern presence, they also need rivalries. With Miami entering the league the nearest rivals would seem to be Washington DC. This makes me believe the second of four will be Orlando City. The team has a committed ownership group with big dreams (Kaka), a stadium plan finally on its way to approval, and a small loyal fan base which surely would grow given a step up to the big leagues. While the stadium deal still has a 30-40 million dollar hole in it, all signs point to a double Florida entrance back into MLS. And now we have 2 places remaining to reach 24.
At this point MLS is allowed to be very picky. While Don Garber never said that MLS could not expand beyond 24 clubs, he has put a limit on the openings in the future, raising the price for entrance into the league. Wealthy young ambitious owners, soccer specific stadiums, and ready made fan bases are not too much to ask. A high eight or even a nine figure franchise fee for the final clubs to join the league of 24 is not out of the question. The question becomes, where will the final two clubs be placed. Below is a quick overview of the early contenders...
ATLANTA: Pro: Southern market. The Atlanta Silverbacks are a known commodity in the soccer community. Con: Atlanta is a horrible sports town, unless that sport is American football, in particular college football, as is the case with most of the south. They also most likely would overlook the Silverbacks, and be reliant upon another NFL owner using their already built stadium and organization, not exactly the dream choice MLS should be chasing.
DETROIT: Pro: A small fan movement has begun. Con: Seemingly always bankrupt, not known as the greatest of sports towns, let alone as a soccer town.
MINNEAPOLIS: Pro: Good size market which has shown a passion for soccer in the past. Con: Again they would most likely be reliant upon an NFL owner with an already built dome stadium, not the direction MLS should be heading on their way to be a "top league".
OKLAHOMA CITY: Pro: Southern market with built in Texas rivalries. Con: No potential ownership group has been formed. The desire of the city or a fan base is not known.
OTTAWA: Pro: It would bring the Canadian presence to 4 clubs. Con: Banal Canadian city. Another northern team would make an eventual calendar change difficult.
SACRAMENTO: Pro: An ownership group has formed and is attempting to garner more investors. Built in rival for San Jose. Could be a 4th Californian club. Con: Not known as the best sports town. A rather unknown potential fan base, despite 14,000 showing up for a double header exhibition recently.
ST. LOUIS: Pro: Hot bed of soccer? Built in rival for Kansas City and Chicago. Con: No ownership group.
SAN ANTONIO: Pro: A good size market. Could make it a 3-way Texas derby. Con: No potential ownership group. The football south.
Honorable mention: Austin (Aztec presence in a Portland of the south), Charlotte (southern market), Indianapolis (midwestern rivalries), Milwaukee (midwestern rivalries), New York Cosmos (name value), Phoenix (good size media market).
It is always possible that an ownership group will appear out of nowhere. It is possible that the new Columbus Crew owner will fall back on his promise of keeping the team in the city, moving it to one of the above mentioned destinations. It is possible that Chivas USA could come into play, not just as a rebrand but a potential relocation target. It is possible the Becks in Miami rumors are just that, and Orlando City can fail to fill the gap in stadium financing.
With money coming into the league, expansion fees looking to climb, the collective bargaining agreement set to be renewed, television deals set to be renewed, and an ever expanding number of designated players, not just for the clubs in LA or NY, these are interesting times for the MLS. Will the league reach the goals Garber has set for it, having met the goals he set in the past, or are we on the road to NASL part two, another failed league expanding too far too fast spending too much money? Only time will tell.
(If you have any comments or suggestions of your own, feel free to leave a comment either here or for me on facebook. I'm sure some of you have some very interesting and passionate views.)
Until next time, remember, MLS Matters.
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