Will ESPN's Gamble on the World Cup Pay Off?

original photo: news.haverford.edu

ESPN pronounced this week that its investment in the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the largest it has ever made on a single sporting event, with the sports broadcaster hoping to improve viewership by 25 to 50 percent over 2006's coverage.

Quoted in the Financial Times, ESPN Executive Vice President for Content, John Skipper said, "We’re pulling out all the stops to make sure people pay attention to the game, because we’re convinced that when they pay attention they’re going to fall in love with the game."

In other words, ESPN and ABC (both of which are owned by Disney) have taken it upon themselves to spread the good word about Soccer to an infamously hostile general public in America.

But will it work and what will it do for the long-term popularity of soccer?

During the 2006 World Cup in Germany - the first time all 64 world cup matches were available in the United States - ABC saw a 103 percent increase from 2002 coverage, while ESPN saw an increase of 150 percent and ESPN 2 saw an increase of nearly 67 percent (NY Times 2006 World Cup Blog).

So adding another 25 to 50 percent on these numbers, it seems like soccer (or at least the Wolrd Cup) has been making astronomical strides over the last 8 years. But if you'll allow me to crunch some more numbers, the growth seems a bit more measured:

• There are roughly 112 million TV households in the US
• A 25 percent increase in ESPN's coverage alone would amount to 1.7 million households, a mere 1.5 percent of all households.
  
• The Super Bowl, by comparison, draws half of all TV households

The bottom line? Even if ABC/ESPN meets its goals of increasing World Cup viewership by 50 percent, it will still be a poor showing for the world's biggest sporting event during a notoriously slow time for sports coverage in the United States.

Despite all the saber rattling, soccer still has a long way to go in the United States. The best thing that can happen for the sport is for the US Men's National Team to have a good run.

A Friend of Mine Doesn't Like the 2010 USMNT Jersey

The time is soon drawing nigh when all of us soccer fans descend upon the online stores and pick out our official gear for the World Cup. A scarf, a flag and - more than likely - the kit of our home country. With our trifecta of gear most of us will be ready to down a few beers and start yelling at the TV come the second weekend of June.

And therein with the third part of that ensemble lies a problem: A friend of mine doesn't like the new US Men's National Team jersey.



It's not that it's an ugly jersey, it's just not his cup of tea. To be completely honest, he doesn't wear "sashes" well. Unless he's the mayor of a thoroughly charming 19th century town, he doesn't really see why there should be a sash on ANYTHING.

So what does this friend of mine do? Is he a bad fan if he buys a US scarf and say ... the Australian National Team Jersey? You know, to show some multilateralism in his international soccer fandom?

10 Things to Watch this MLS Season

The 2010 Major League Soccer season kicks off this weekend and here are the top 10 things to watch for as the teams return to the field:

10. Robbie Rogers



With all eyes on the "bubble players" vying for seats on the plane to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa in just a few months, it's now of never for Rogers. If there was a season for Rogers to start living up to his two-footed potential, it's now. If he does, it will be impossible for anyone to keep their eyes off this dynamic midfielder.


9. The Sons of Ben



For some reason, I'm fascinated with this year's new kids on the block, the Philadelphia Union. However, they did not make the best showing during the opening game of the season at Seattle's Qwest Field last Thursday. While the fan base and support is fantastic now, this season will be rocky and in the end, it will be a fascinating litmus test for future expansion franchises who may not see as much first season success as the Sounders.


8. Houston's recovery



With the loss of Stuart Holden and Ricardo Clark, there are a lot of people wondering where the goals will come from. On the other hand, some feel it will be a "groundbreaking season" for the Dynamo. It'll just be hard to tell if that ground will be positive or negative.


7. New York's revival



The opening of the New York Red Bulls new arena has got the players, management and fans speculating on just how much the franchise will improve this year. Combined with the excitement surrounding the signing of Ibrahim Salou, New York may be the rising star to watch this season.


6. Roger Torres



If anyone stood out for the Philadelphia Union, it was 18 year old Colombian sensation, Roger Torres. While he is only on loan from the Colombian team America de Cali, if he can make a home for himself in MLS, he will certainly become one of the league's stars


5. Toronto FC



Toronto FC is overdue for a breakout season. And with the pending introduction of Vancouver's MLS franchise in 2011, now is as good of a time as any for Toronto to step up and bring some pride to Canadian soccer.

4. The Seattle Sounders' Playoff Run



After the Sounders met and exceeded expectations last year with a US Cup win in their inaugural MLS season, this season, the Green Army is demanding more of their team: an MLS cup. There is no doubt that if the Sounders can combine their tremendous fan support and talent, a spectacular cup run may just be in the works.


3. Fan Attendance



Ok, so it's kind of a "No Shit, Sherlock" bullet point, but it's easily overlooked and this list is long, so lay off. The long-term viability and legitimacy of the league depend on these numbers and also on the TV deals with FOX and ESPN.


2. The World Cup Break



There are two important things to watch while the MLS takes a break during the World Cup in June: 1.) The TV viewership for both the US games and the final itself and 2.) The performance of MLS players. Both are important to the success of MLS and the future of soccer in the United States.


1. Landon Donovan



Donovan's spectacular loan stint at Everton FC had fans of the blue half of Merseyside begging for him to stay. But now that Donovan is back with the Galaxy with only months to the World Cup kicks off, many people are wondering about his future and harboring a measured optimisim that he will produce a prolific performance in South Africa.

US Soccer Identity: Confused or Just Rebellious?

Photo Credits: Unknown

When I find myself watching soccer games in an American bar, I almost always have the following conversation with one of my fellow patrons:

Patron: "What are you watching?"

Me: "Soccer."

Patron: "Who's playing."

Me: "[Team A] and [Team B]."

Patron: "Oh .... So how did you become a fan? Did you play as a kid?"

And there it is, the one pet peeve I have as a soccer fan in America: I am constantly having to justify and explain why I enjoy and follow the sport. But do I really have any room to complain? No matter how many times die-hard fans argue to the contrary, many Americans are convinced that soccer is un-American and that being involved in soccer past the age of 12 is something to be explained. This makes for - if nothing else - a frustrating sense of identity in American soccer fans.

So when Jason Davis of Match Fit USA began musing this morning on his Twitter account about Americans ceding their soccer identity to British announcers, it got me thinking: Is the American soccer identity one of a crippling inferiority complex or just a rebellious adaptation of the world's sport to the American experience?

On one hand, you have the exquisitely passionate groups of fans like Sam's Army and American Outlaws, the Hudson Street Hooligans, Emerald City Supporters, Screaming Eagles and so on and so forth. While they support the subersive "Sixth Sport" (after American football, baseball, basketball, hockey and NASCAR), they are inherently American in their zealous fandom. Painted stomachs, foam fingers, tail gating and other staples of American sport have made their way into US Soccer. The fans have taken their passion as Americans and applied it to their sport, their team, their way of life.

On the other hand, we have the Soccer Mom syndrome which is unavoidably bound with the perception of the sport in the US. Over 90% of all American kids under the age of 10 are shepherded back and forth from practice and games by the infamous Soccer Mom. Soccer is a safer sport. It's far easier and cheaper to equip kids for it ($10 shin guards and an old plastic milk jug filled with water). And in the words of Dave Egger, it tolerates a fascinatingly high level of incompetence in the early years. But by the age of 10, 98% of those kids have dropped the sport to move on to the "real sports." As such, we find ourselves in a peculiar situation: A majority of Americans between the ages of 20 and 30 have played soccer in their life, but were never pressed to take the sport "seriously" or with an respectful consideration.

And then - if all of this wasn't creating enough confusion for the average soccer fan in America - there's the international stigma placed on American soccer. Many American fans are convinced we're "doing it wrong." The best soccer is played in any country BUT the United States. And the inability of the "average American" to understand the beauty and value of soccer in a global context is just another source of beleaguered frustration.

In light of all these contradictions, it's easy to see why the identity of the soccer fan is a prfoudnly confused one. We love our game, but with a genuine knowledge of the game comes the inevitable realization that our leagues, players and teams just aren't the best on the continent, let alone the world. This can be a tough fact to swallow when we are brought up in a sports culture and a country which places an fanatic emphasis on being "the best."

An inferiority complex is inevitable, but the passion continues to grow. And at the end of the day, that's all soccer is really about.

Why No MLS Strike is a Good Thing

Photo: AP

The second extension of Major League Soccer's collective bargaining agreement expired last night at midnight and still no agreement has been reached.

When the player's union agreed to extend the current agreement back at the end of January, whisperings of a strike began to surface. While the previous CBA did not allow for a work stoppage or a lockout, when both sides let it expire last night, the possibility of a player's strike became a real possibility.

But when it came time to strike, the players were faced with two shocking facts: 1.) The centralized control of the league gives them little room to work with and 2.) The public did not widely support the desire for a strike.

What it all boils down to is that the MLS is at an important crossroads in its life and these negotiations are signs of unavoidable growing pains. The league is currently looking to divest its interests in club ownership and "One owner, one club" system. In this system, each team would have specific rights to developmental players and expansions would be made easier. All of this would contribute to an economically stronger league with teams in lucrative markets across the continent vying for a piece of the action.

With this in mind, it is not that hard to see why a player's strike would be foolish and potentially devastating for the league. Without the economics or the popular support backing them, the players could be shooting themselves in the foot. If the league succeeds, the players succeed and only then will they have the leverage they need to improve their CBA.

The best way to support the players' plight and help them improve their rights to self-determination? Buy season tickets. Buy their gear. Put your money where your mouth is and show the league that the players are worth every penny.

UPDATE: Gil goes to Wizards

The AP is reporting that the Kansas City Wizards have won the rights to US U-17 star Luis Gil.

I will refrain from making any "work his magic" jokes.

Link to Sports Illustrated article:
http://ping.fm/wXgCT

MLS Nabs US U17 Star from Arsenal, But Will They Know What to do With Him?

photo credit: www.ISIphotos.com

According to the Steven Goff over at the Washington Post, the MLS has signed US U17 international Luis Gil (pictured above) in the face of competition from European clubs of no lesser stature than North London's Arsenal FC.

Gil will be assigned to a team through a lottery on Monday. The lottery will be weighted in favor of teams at the bottom last season's table.

So not only did the MLS steal a promising future US international from a team internationally renowned for its outstanding youth system, they are more than likely going to give him to one of the league's worst teams.

I smell another botched career in the making.

To be frank, the MLS has a terrible track record when it comes to developing young players. And now that the MLS reserve system is gone, it seems the track record will only get worse.

If anything, it provides an unnecessarily steep learning curve for the star players who make the unavoidable move to European clubs. Although initially hailed as the savior of American soccer, Freddy Adu is still struggling to prove his international prowess.

"But what about Jozy Altidore," I hear you yell at me. Yes, he spent two successful years with New York, but he has struggled since to find the proper footing in European club football. While Altidore is liking life with Hull City FC, scoring only one goal in 19 appearances may not be enough to keep both he and his club in the Premier League.

On the other side of the argument, you have West Ham United's Johnathan Spector. Signed at the age of 17 by Manchester United after less than a year with the Chicago Fire's youth team, Spector has had a quiet but successful career as a defensive workhorse in the Premier League and at the international level.

Don't get me wrong. I want US youth players to do well. I want them to become the stars I know they can be. I just don't think the MLS is equipped to give them the challenge and discipline they need. The bottom line is that the MLS should stick to the development model it does best, signing college stars, and leave the art of youth development to the clubs that have the money, coaching staff and experience to do so.

When it comes to the future international success of MLS youth players, it's a fine line between a Jozy Altidore and a Freddy Adu, and even longer odds. So while I'm excited to see Gil's MLS debut, I'm slighted worried about yet another brilliant young player whom the league may never fully develop.