ESPN purchases MLS broadcast rights in 8-year deal

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The difference between now and the early 80s is night and day. Despite your anecdotal observations and media-fed editorials there is a massive difference between then and now.

Back then they decided the best way to build the house was start with the roof. Since before 1994, the development arm of US soccer has changed dramatically and actually worked on the foundation.

There was a linking up with the German federation to help develop the youth system. What has happened is the dramatic improvement in coaching at the grass roots level, a big increase in facilities (including funding), and the creation of higher level feeder leagues throughout the pyramid of play that push players towards the top (ie college ranks, A-League, Olympic Development Programs, various development leagues). Additionally, the training of the top youth players has followed the same plan that the top nations use. Take a look at the results of the international youth teams and you 'll see the dramatic improvement.

The number of American players in Europe continues to increase, and relative success internationally shows the improvement in the US game. This success didn't exist in the 80s but it does now. The US has been to every World Cup since 1990. England hasn't, and when they have been there, the US has had arguably more success.

I freely admit that the numbers playing the game at the youth level are somewhat irrelevant. Soccer is a great participatory sport because it's cheap and easy. But the popularity in watching the game has increased and will continue to improve with the ability to watch the international game (domestic leagues) with greater ease. This translates to more players who want to reach as high a level of play as possible, and with the sustainability of the MLS they now have somewhere to aim if they can't quite make it in the EPL, Italy, etc, etc.

Did you read the link provided by TT about the overall tv deal? They're also poised to sign a deal with Fox the extends beyond just MLS games. Sure, ESPN is spending less than they would if they were covering hockey, but don't fool yourselves. They didn't just pick the sport out of a hat and decided to go with it.
go onto ESPN.com and count the soccer articles in the general section vs the hockey articles. Have you seen a single Nike hockey ad? The Womens' hockey gold was a paralel to the womens' world cup victory, which gets the hyperbole? Do a search on "no one cares about hockey" and see how many hits you get.

Yeah our great developement got us 4 shots on goal. We've heard the same line for years and it hasn't bore out substancial results.

Have you paid attention to what a joke ESPN is lately, I doubt they have a system as accurate as picking out of a hat.

The NHL is still out rating and outdrawing soccer. This is with less promotion, a worse tv deal and more games in a week.

Fact is "The rest of the world calls soccer football" and "Soccer is the most popular sport in the world" is not winning the sport converts. It's just annoying people.

And let's be frank, soccer is popular in most countries because they are too poor to afford anything else.
 

HF2002

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go onto ESPN.com and count the soccer articles in the general section vs the hockey articles. Have you seen a single Nike hockey ad? The Womens' hockey gold was a paralel to the womens' world cup victory, which gets the hyperbole? Do a search on "no one cares about hockey" and see how many hits you get.

You seem to be comparing hockey to the MLS, and all I've done is explain why I think your little "where have I heard that before :shakehead" routine is off the mark.

Yeah our great developement got us 4 shots on goal. We've heard the same line for years and it hasn't bore out substancial results.

You're judging a whole program based on 3 games? Come on.

There are so many traditional soccer countries that would love to have the success the US has had since 1990. Besides, it all depends on what you consider a success. It's naive to think the US can win the World Cup any time soon, but they continue to make great strides despite your 4 shot analysis. Finishing in the top 8 in 2002 was a substantial result. In 2002, the defending champs from France didn't score a goal.

2006 didn't meet with the same results because they were in the dreaded Group of Death. They were horrible against the Czechs, tied Italy and lost 2-1 to Ghana. But it was their presence that added to the title of the Group of Death.

And as any fan of any sport can tell you, the result of a game doesn't always tell the whole story. You can play a great game and lose, and you can play a lousy game and win.

Have you paid attention to what a joke ESPN is lately, I doubt they have a system as accurate as picking out of a hat.

No, I haven't, because I get all the hockey fix I need right here in Canada.

The NHL is still out rating and outdrawing soccer. This is with less promotion, a worse tv deal and more games in a week.

According to the numbers provided in this thread, the NHL barely edged out the MLS in '05/'06. Considering the MLS was buying airtime, I think that automatically makes their tv deal worse.

You'd hope the NHL would be ahead of soccer in the ratings competition. The NHL has been around for 80+ years and is an established entity that's a $1 billion industry, or so they say.

Fact is "The rest of the world calls soccer football" and "Soccer is the most popular sport in the world" is not winning the sport converts. It's just annoying people.

Are those statements supposed to win the "sports converts"? Of course not. Actual growth in viewership of all professional leagues, increased sponsorship and funding, youth participation and the stability of the MLS will do that it won't happen overnight. If you and Jim Rome are annoyed change the channel.

And let's be frank, soccer is popular in most countries because they are too poor to afford anything else.
:dunce:

Maybe in part, but that's ridiculously ignorant. It's very much a component of the cultural fabric everywhere else in the world. Like hockey is in Canada or football in the US.
 

South Florida Canuck

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Even though I like soccer (I watch some of the Euro leagues) I'm sick of them trying to force it down the throats of the American public. It will never, i repeat, NEVER catch on here. You know why? Because Americans like their sports to be fast paced with frequent amounts of scoring. No American is going to sit through a game that ends in a 0-0 tie. Its the same reason why hockey was losing viewership here. The New Jersey Devils clutch and grab style was stinking up the game and turning fans off in droves. If FIFA or whatever governing body REALLY cared about promoting the sport here, they would change the rules. Get rid of that stupid offside crap. There is nothing I detest more than watching a player on a breakaway, score a goal, only to have that goal called back due to offsides. Absolutely revolting! There are some other things i can think of but i wont go into right now. At least the NHL saw this as a problem and attempted to clean up the sport. Soccer needs to do the same
 

chiavsfan

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soccer is pretty much as good as hockey anyway

I think I am going to vomit. Hockey is leaps and bounds more exciting, and I think it takes more skill to stay on your feet and control a little frozen rubber disk, while getting hit from one side, and being dragged down from behind.

Soccer has become the whiny diver sport...did you watch the World Cup? Someone would get their shoelace stepped on, and would go down like they were hit by a bullet. And it wasn't just once or twice...it was the entire tournament
 

South Florida Canuck

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I think I am going to vomit. Hockey is leaps and bounds more exciting, and I think it takes more skill to stay on your feet and control a little frozen rubber disk, while getting hit from one side, and being dragged down from behind.

Soccer has become the whiny diver sport...did you watch the World Cup? Someone would get their shoelace stepped on, and would go down like they were hit by a bullet. And it wasn't just once or twice...it was the entire tournament

LOL!! :biglaugh:
 

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You seem to be comparing hockey to the MLS, and all I've done is explain why I think your little "where have I heard that before :shakehead" routine is off the mark.
30 years now and we've had two leagues go under and a wobly third out there.



You're judging a whole program based on 3 games? Come on.
Well a joke #5 ranking, 2 advances in the last 4 world cups, Italy scoring as many goals forus as we did, being over 50 years removed from our signature victory.

There are so many traditional soccer countries that would love to have the success the US has had since 1990. Besides, it all depends on what you consider a success. It's naive to think the US can win the World Cup any time soon, but they continue to make great strides despite your 4 shot analysis. Finishing in the top 8 in 2002 was a substantial result. In 2002, the defending champs from France didn't score a goal.
I'd consider contending a success.

2006 didn't meet with the same results because they were in the dreaded Group of Death. They were horrible against the Czechs, tied Italy and lost 2-1 to Ghana. But it was their presence that added to the title of the Group of Death.
Yeah stuck fear into their hearts

And as any fan of any sport can tell you, the result of a game doesn't always tell the whole story. You can play a great game and lose, and you can play a lousy game and win.
Thanks to the low scoring and lack of shooting, which makes it a tough sell.



No, I haven't, because I get all the hockey fix I need right here in Canada.
Trust me it would dampen your enthusiasm.



According to the numbers provided in this thread, the NHL barely edged out the MLS in '05/'06. Considering the MLS was buying airtime, I think that automatically makes their tv deal worse.
Still ahead and paid attendence easily tops the MLS, which is a greater indicator of involvement with the game as opposed to just flipping on the channel.

You'd hope the NHL would be ahead of soccer in the ratings competition. The NHL has been around for 80+ years and is an established entity that's a $1 billion industry, or so they say.
We're nearing 40 years on soccer leagues here and they've dropped like flies.



Are those statements supposed to win the "sports converts"? Of course not. Actual growth in viewership of all professional leagues, increased sponsorship and funding, youth participation and the stability of the MLS will do that it won't happen overnight. If you and Jim Rome are annoyed change the channel.
It's been a decade, hardly a night and 12 years since our return to the world cup.

:dunce:

Maybe in part, but that's ridiculously ignorant. It's very much a component of the cultural fabric everywhere else in the world. Like hockey is in Canada or football in the US.
Not entirely. China, India, Japan, Pakistan all have a sport above soccer on the heirachy.

Outside of Europe it's mainly countries below the poverty line (i.e. all of Africa and Latin America).
 

Mitchnesses

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I know a lot of people here in Southern California are watching the MLS more and more. Both LA teams Chivas USA and the Galaxy draw great crowds and get decent ratings when shown on the local Fox Sports channels. I just don't know how MLS is doing attendance and ratings wise outside of So Cal.

As a recent fan, I'm glad that ESPN picked up MLS. Still wished they had NHL. Hoping OLN will improve its coverage of the NHL. Remember this was OLN's first season. THe NHL coverage wasn't that great when ESPN first had it.
 

TheDanceOfMaternity

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Yes it's pathetic how ESPN is being immature in avoiding the NHL, but man it seems like all they have is crap on there now. Farckin' darts? Poker? woohoo!!! Major upgrade over hockey which wreacks of 60 minutes of law defying boredom in comparison. ESPN doesn't show any of the top four sports in context besides baseball. The rest is shown on sportcenter, and honestly why does the NCAA get better treatment anyway. No need to appeal to 20 year-old frat house party culture that much.

Am I the only one who actually thinks they're running out of ideas?
 

South Florida Canuck

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I know a lot of people here in Southern California are watching the MLS more and more. Both LA teams Chivas USA and the Galaxy draw great crowds and get decent ratings when shown on the local Fox Sports channels. I just don't know how MLS is doing attendance and ratings wise outside of So Cal.

So Cal is much different than the rest of the country. You guys have a huge Mexican population which increases its fanbase and popularity there. Mexicans like soccer. They thought putting a team in South Florida would attract the Latin fanbase here, but since South florida's latin community mainly consists of Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Dominicans which are all primarily baseball countries (why the Marlins dont draw here is another story altogether) The only large latin community here that might be interested in soccer are the Colombians. Soccer failed here and it will fail in other cities around the countries. I have nothing against the sport itself, like I said, i like to watch the EPL, but I really really wish they would do something to imrpove scoring much like the NHL did
 

Stevedude530

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The NY Red Bulls have drawn two games with crowds higher than 11,000. 1 was a game that featured an international doubleheader. The 2nd was the home opener, with Shakira and Wyclef Jean performing and all kinds of stunts.

Since then, they've barely made it past life support.
 

da_pope*

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Well nothing good and alot of Bad can come out of this for NHL.
With ESPN playing the games it just might start catching on.
 

OG6ix

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I find it funny that hockey fans are threatened by the MLS. You would never see NBA/NFL/MLB fans threatened by the MLS.
 

HF2002

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30 years now and we've had two leagues go under and a wobly third out there.

I've stated my reasons why I think the US continues to get better and your argument is that other leagues have failed. And the MLS is wobbly? They're stronger with this new deal than they were without it.

Well a joke #5 ranking, 2 advances in the last 4 world cups, Italy scoring as many goals forus as we did, being over 50 years removed from our signature victory.

Well the current rank of 16th is quite good. 5th was inaccurate. France didn't score one goal in 2002.

Still ahead and paid attendence easily tops the MLS, which is a greater indicator of involvement with the game as opposed to just flipping on the channel.

Again, this has nothing to do with my belief that the US is greatly improving at soccer, but I won't disagree with this.

We're nearing 40 years on soccer leagues here and they've dropped like flies.

Didn't you just say 30 years?

Outside of Europe it's mainly countries below the poverty line (i.e. all of Africa and Latin America).

Wow.
 

CaptBrannigan

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As a fan of both soccer and hockey (and the NHL and MLS) I'm surprised at the number of people who bash the MLS as an inferior, worthless league and then cry when the same is said of the NHL and hockey in the US. If you look at what the leagues were designed for (one being a developmental one for homegrown players, one being the top league in its sport in the world) it's easy to see which one is more properly placed in the US sporting scene, and it's not the one on ice.
 

South Florida Canuck

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Yes it's pathetic how ESPN is being immature in avoiding the NHL, but man it seems like all they have is crap on there now. Farckin' darts? Poker? woohoo!!! Major upgrade over hockey which wreacks of 60 minutes of law defying boredom in comparison. ESPN doesn't show any of the top four sports in context besides baseball. The rest is shown on sportcenter, and honestly why does the NCAA get better treatment anyway. No need to appeal to 20 year-old frat house party culture that much.

Am I the only one who actually thinks they're running out of ideas?

poker and darts? yikes!! Thats pretty scary. Whats even scarier is how that garbage is getting decent ratings (although i guess its not really hard not to, when they run those damn poker tournaments 24/7) Even worse is ESPN classic. You would think that they could show some old school hockey (I remember them showing the Pens winning their second cup complete with commentary from Mike Lange) I turn it on a few days ago, and what do i see? Freaking 2004 poker!!! This is classic? Freaking poker from 2 years ago?!? absolutely pathetic!!! What a joke ESPN has become
 

mr gib

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go onto ESPN.com and count the soccer articles in the general section vs the hockey articles. Have you seen a single Nike hockey ad? The Womens' hockey gold was a paralel to the womens' world cup victory, which gets the hyperbole? Do a search on "no one cares about hockey" and see how many hits you get.

Yeah our great developement got us 4 shots on goal. We've heard the same line for years and it hasn't bore out substancial results.

Have you paid attention to what a joke ESPN is lately, I doubt they have a system as accurate as picking out of a hat.

The NHL is still out rating and outdrawing soccer. This is with less promotion, a worse tv deal and more games in a week.

Fact is "The rest of the world calls soccer football" and "Soccer is the most popular sport in the world" is not winning the sport converts. It's just annoying people.

And let's be frank, soccer is popular in most countries because they are too poor to afford anything else.
" And let's be frank, soccer is popular in most countries because they are too poor to afford anything else. "

thats a good one

http://www.footballtickets.com/uefa-champions-league-soccer-tickets.html
 

jkrdevil

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Apr 24, 2006
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" And let's be frank, soccer is popular in most countries because they are too poor to afford anything else. "

thats a good one

http://www.footballtickets.com/uefa-champions-league-soccer-tickets.html

Well there is a difference between afford to play the sport and afford to go watch it live. Soccer is real cheap to play all you need is a ball and something to mark off a goal with.

Also do not forget that most countries don't have the sporting options as the US and Canada does. They don't have baseball, football, and to a lesser extent basketball and Hockey. That also attributes to soccer’s worldwide popularity.
 

mr gib

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Well there is a difference between afford to play the sport and afford to go watch it live. Soccer is real cheap to play all you need is a ball and something to mark off a goal with.

Also do not forget that most countries don't have the sporting options as the US and Canada does. They don't have baseball, football, and to a lesser extent basketball and Hockey. That also attributes to soccer’s worldwide popularity.
sorry that was cheeky - i know what you mean
 

OG6ix

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Soccer is the world's sport... hockey? Not so much. Basketball is #2 in the world in terms of participation, but baseball and hockey are growing. Football will never catch on outside of north america.
 

Year of the Shark!!!

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The reason why the MLS is being pronounced a "garbage" league by many people in the United States is in a large part that most of our good/great athletes are playing other sports and thus the talent level of the MLS is not on par with the European leagues.

Does that mean that all of those athletes choose other sports over soccer when deciding on what to persue in the future? Certainly not!

The problem is that, many kids in the United States who wish to one day play soccer professionally are unable to do it due to economic factors. The best chances for a kid/talent to be discovered is through a club team that travels and participates in various tournaments around the nation as well as overseas and eventually is seen by some colledge scouts and or even european league scouts and signed. However, club teams are expensive and the ones that do travel extensively, both nationally as well as overseas, are all but plentifull and close in proximity.

As a result, many inner-city, mainly latino and other immigrant kids stemming from soccer-playing countries who are extremely talented, are unable to pay those expenses thus their talent that might have gotten them to the MLS is just wasted.

Recently, I have read an interview with the MLS chairman or president of some sorts who was commenting on the upcoming TV contract as well as the future of the league. In it he mentioned that the league will implement a European-based youth system for all its clubs beginning in 2008 (I believe) that will be funded, to a large degree, by the TV contract money.

Now, all the teams will have a youth system set up ranging from the U-9 to U-21 which will enable all those kids who have not been able to afford club teams so far to participate. This will bring about a huge influx of talent into the league in the near future making it more exciting and eventually attracting players from Europe to come over and play in the MLS.

This is what the NHL neads to do as well. The league needs to set up a fund and allocate money into it that will be used for building hockey rinks in and around its respective team cities and markets. Then the teams themselves, need to implement some sort of youth system in which they cover most of the expenses of a season (rink maintenance but not hockey equipment). Playing hackey is very expensive and many can't afford it who have the desire to play. This will generate a larger fanbase as well as increase awareness and viewership in those respective markets.
 

Foy

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Here's what I don't understand, with all these soccer games on, how am I going to be able to watch the 2003 World Series of Poker 14 times per year?
 

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