Something for Franek: Putting exciting, winning product on the field is key, Columbus {futbol fans} say Hmmm... sorta like Cincinnati sports fans. But let's look at the record... if he hadnt gone to a single game in 05 and 06 that means the Crew ending up top of the table in 04 meant nothing to him, because they werent playing the sort of game HE wanted to see. Never mind they were playing the best soccer they ever had, and were NOT just lumping it up... so there must be SOMETHING else.
Soccer America had a whole issue about the hispanic community in US soccer and what the federation is doing to get more Mexican-Americans into organized club soccer.
I spent two years here in San Antonio watching the MLS market itself as a relocation or expansion site. We had a very willing mayor the first year -- a year in which MLS acted as if it would be bestowing upon San Antonio the cachet of Major League City by agreeing to honor us with an expansion franchise. MLS then decided that having a new franchise in Los Angeles was more of a money spinner -- even if that francise was in essence a minor league Mexican League affiliate. Our mayor at the time was a Latino who was still a weekend park soccer player. Thanks, MLS The next year, MLS came back to us with a bit less attitude and offered us the possibility of getting the Kansas City franchise. This time, they put almost all of their media blitz energy into convincing us that soccer was only of real interest to hispanics and, as a city with more than 50 percent Latino population, it would be a great this and a fantastic that. This, despite the fact that. like the 50 percent non-Latino population, hispanics in this area are SA Spurs first and everything else way down the list. San Antonio's new mayor -- an elderly Anglo businessman -- listened to the "soccer is for hispanics only" pitch and decided to pass. If our experience down here is representative of MLS thinking as a whole, there's a whole lot of trouble brewing nationally. I mean at the time, the Spurs featured Tony Parker -- a very close friend of Thierry Henry and a soccer fanatic -- and Manu Ginobili -- who hobnobs with Argentina's soccer elite during the off-season. There is no evidence that MLS even thought about piggybacking their overtures down here with our championship franchise or two of the biggest local heroes forever. The Houston name change fiasco last year convinces me that they still don't have a clue about how to create and reinforce local interest. Is this because like a lot of other folks who live in either NY or LA, they don't have a clue what the rest of the country is like?
What? I thought 1836 was decided upon by the fans among a list of possible names put together by the guys running Houston; and a local politician (with a TV station threatening boycott) got the name to be changed. So the guys running Houston changed it to a different name, they won a championship and everyone seems pleased. What does that have to do with MLS? For what it's worth, I don't think MLS has got it right in NY...except it wasn't so much MLS but the guys running the team being bad at it. The MetroStars got a lot of things wrong. Like DC United, they looked to South and Central America for players to bolster their roster; but unlike DC, they'd get really bad players and the team would play poorly. A rationalization for this was "hey, this guy will bring in the ________ crowd." Of course, the players couldn't draw an extra dime. Why would anyone go out and see a bad team play? Now that NY Red Bulls have started well this season, more people are coming to games and there's a general excitement for the season among those who know about it (marketing the team...still needs work). My point is that all of the problems MetroStars has and what RBNY is now dealing with is of their own creation; MLS can't force the team to be good or force the team to market well.
Don's being touchy-feely on that !836 thing... as I recall the hubbub originated with the local hispanic version of Jackson/Sharpton seeing a way to get himself some face-time. The hispanic population didnt really care. That he might have actually saved Houston some marketing problems is beside the point... because we dont REALLY know. Onward: NY found a way to alienate just about everyone over the decade, so I suppose concentrating on pissing off the fewest people is a good thing. What REALLY was laughable about Chivas is NOT the MLS' appraoch... it was the OWNER statement "NOW you'll see some REAL futbol!" while stocking the team with Chivas Guadelajara rejects.. AS IF! No... I call these guys out. What it REALLY boils down to is that many of these 'fans' are either elitists or homers, for the most part. If you caould magically bring up the entire Boca Jr roster and have them playing as Anglo's some of them would STILL find a reason to complain. Like back in 97' I spied a business associate watching a Crew game and went up to talk to him. He was big in Youth Select and HS soccer in the area. first thing out of his mouth: "My HS team could beat these guys! And I mean the Girls' team." Oh, yeah... no overblown hyperbole or expectations -take your pick- THERE!
Oh, this is good. I have an article brewing related to parts of this. Still have to open up the brain bucket and pour it out onto paper though.
Actually, ['fog and Op] the fiasco I referred to was the fact that the fans had selected a name with some historical significance and a unique [for this league] style, and -- in fear of losing hispanic support [the only support MLS believes exists in this part of the nation] -- putting pressure on the franchise to find something less "offensive" ['cause NY knows better than Houston, you know]. In other words, 'fog, you got it exactly 180 out -- but who's surprised about that?
Gee... I cant figure out HOW I missread that! The Houston name change fiasco last year convinces me that they still don't have a clue about how to create and reinforce local interest. Is this because like a lot of other folks who live in either NY or LA, they don't have a clue what the rest of the country is like? ..since your view on it is so obvious!
Very good post Don. MLS is in a constant rut of two steps forward one step back. Its frustrating as a fan. Some of the sh!t the league does is indefensible. Theres no excuse for it.
Did I get something wrong here? My understanding that it was the team owners - not "NY" or MLS - who changed the team name because of the threatened boycott: I know MLS has a lot to improve with respect to anything - but the 1836-to-Dynamo thing wasn't a MLS deal, as I understand it. Given that the team seems to be well supported, I think it's a minor issue (and the name is still unique - how many teams in any sports in this country are called "Dynamo" anyway?)
Red Bulls attendance is crap. Just a little over 10,000. As for San Antonio, they could use a USL club. I think they could average over 7,000 and would have a very loyal following. I like the USL a lot, I feel like it has more spirit.
