Sepp Blatter: MLS are "struggling."

stevieg8 wrote:The point is that it's not about the American public's viewing span, many of whom use Tivo/DVRs/Adblockers online to disable commercials, but is about the businesses controlling things. The TV Networks aren't as interested in airing something that will make them less money, especially considering the large sums of money being paid for the licensing deals (see the other recent thread). Since these games are already being aired on off-channels, and the foreign ones are typically at hours of the day not usually designated for sports, the networks aren't going to push their few remaining customers into streaming by removing parts of the gameplay. That would be an absolutely mindboggling decision.

Just imagine the first time they cut away to commercial and a goal gets scored? Or two? Or a red card given? How do you deal with that? "Welcome back from the break, here's a quick recap to get you up to speed... Back to you, John"

*nod* That makes sense.

BTW, you prolly can't imagine how I got ballistic when one of those media experts went "Well, one could introduce two more breaks"... XD

MLS is suffering

I disagree with Blatter here. I dont think the MLS is as popular as some others from the states on the sites believe it is, but it does have a presence albeit not big enough.



I've said it before and I'll say it again MLS or any other league of soccer will not rival MLB, NBA, or the NFL. For the most part the sport still has a negative perception as a professional sport.

Personally I feel that we should concentrate on our talent development and focus on exporting players to the top leagues in Europe. We need to establish ourselves as a place that produces talent that can compete on the world stage. Trying to develop a league internally with a sub par talent pool wont do that. This is a bit of a generalization, but Americans wont care about a 'major' sports league if they know that the world's best players are not playing in it. For MLS to have a substantial chance at having a high profile domestically and internationally, it needs to have at least some of the world's current best players (not retirees). MLS makes it hard to do that with salary cap restrictions. Not even that the cap is a bad thing as it currently stands, but MLS clubs probably couldnt justify bidding for a Radamel Falcao, or a Mesut Ozil for example. Their prices would be too high to justify a good ROI. Yes you could improve your team, but the marketing dollars just aren't there to be made yet by an MLS 'star'.





This was a bit of a rambling post, but I guess the takeaways from it are Sepp Blatter is wrong (as usual), the US needs to produce better talent who will play in Europe (more Bradleys, Dempseys), and succeed at the NT level before the MLS can be big-time

spot on, lenear

Corrupt moron

Swanhends wrote:Corrupt moron

Oh come on, I don't agree with everything Lenear says but that doesn't mean he's corrupt OR a moron. Just a bit harsh there, bhends.

RedOranje wrote:

Swanhends wrote:Corrupt moron

Oh come on, I don't agree with everything Lenear says but that doesn't mean he's corrupt OR a moron. Just a bit harsh there, bhends.

I think he meant Blatter

B-Mac MUFC wrote:

RedOranje wrote:

Swanhends wrote:Corrupt moron

Oh come on, I don't agree with everything Lenear says but that doesn't mean he's corrupt OR a moron. Just a bit harsh there, bhends.

I think he meant Blatter

That's the joke.

I don't watch the MLS much mainly due to timezones....

But when a CB comes from the MLS to the PL and is instantly one of the best in the league then it must mean the quality isn't all that bad no?

One player can't define the whole league

Rebaño Sagrado wrote:One player can't define the whole league

Thats not a good logic.Argentinian defenders in Europe are crap but they have great defenses in their league

No matter how much money you pump into a league, if there is no real interest for football in the United States, it will never succeed.

I think that now there have been so much attemps for a long time and we can take definitive conclusion. Most of americans does not care about football. It is a fact that the FIFA has to accept.

I don't see why so many people are upset that americans are not interested in football. We are not interested in their sports like american football and baseball. Are they uspset about that? Not at all.

MLS will never succeed and never become one of the best league in the world, because it has little domestic interest and zero international interest. Case closed.

Rebaño Sagrado wrote:One player can't define the whole league

Players coming from America/the MLS have, for the most part, done well in Europe as well. I'm not going to pretend that they have been world beaters at top clubs because that's not the case, but Dempsey was brilliant for Fulham and has done well with Spurs, who are third. Donovan came into the EPL for a bit and was one of Everton's best players while he was there. Jermain Jones has done relatively well in Germany from my knowledge, and did well with the Blackburn Rovers (although he might be a different case growing up in Germany). American keepers have always been good in England and Europe- Tim Howard is one of the best in the EPL.

OLpower wrote:No matter how much money you pump into a league, if there is no real interest for football in the United States, it will never succeed.

I think that now there have been so much attemps for a long time and we can take definitive conclusion. Most of americans does not care about football. It is a fact that the FIFA has to accept.

I don't see why so many people are upset that americans are not interested in football. We are not interested in their sports like american football and baseball. Are they uspset about that? Not at all.

MLS will never succeed and never become one of the best league in the world, because it has little domestic interest and zero international interest. Case closed.

Pls give me your magic 8 ball that can see into the future. I wanna see if I'll hook up with Kate Upton sometime.

CBarca wrote:

OLpower wrote:No matter how much money you pump into a league, if there is no real interest for football in the United States, it will never succeed.

I think that now there have been so much attemps for a long time and we can take definitive conclusion. Most of americans does not care about football. It is a fact that the FIFA has to accept.

I don't see why so many people are upset that americans are not interested in football. We are not interested in their sports like american football and baseball. Are they uspset about that? Not at all.

MLS will never succeed and never become one of the best league in the world, because it has little domestic interest and zero international interest. Case closed.

Pls give me your magic 8 ball that can see into the future. I wanna see if I'll hook up with Kate Upton sometime.

Can you express your opinion in a clearer way?

Ganso wrote:hats not a good logic.Argentinian defenders in Europe are crap but they have great defenses in their league

Argentinian clubs have great defenses against SA competition. How many times do they face European competition?The Argie cb's in Europe probably looked good in Argentina.

I still can't believe we invested 3 millions into Monzon.

Rebaño Sagrado wrote:

Ganso wrote:hats not a good logic.Argentinian defenders in Europe are crap but they have great defenses in their league

Argentinian clubs have great defenses against SA competition. How many times do they face European competition?The Argie cb's in Europe probably looked good in Argentina.

Estudiantes vs Barca was the last time (if i am correct) and they took them to extra time.

The funny thing is they won with a pedro header and a chest goal from Messi.

And its not like SA teams have scrub attacks,quite the contrary

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:I don't watch the MLS much mainly due to timezones....

But when a CB comes from the MLS to the PL and is instantly one of the best in the league then it must mean the quality isn't all that bad no?

Who?

Cameron at Stoke, he's been f*cking class this season.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Cameron at Stoke, he's been f*cking class this season.

Didn't realize he was American.

OLpower wrote:

CBarca wrote:

OLpower wrote:No matter how much money you pump into a league, if there is no real interest for football in the United States, it will never succeed.

I think that now there have been so much attemps for a long time and we can take definitive conclusion. Most of americans does not care about football. It is a fact that the FIFA has to accept.

I don't see why so many people are upset that americans are not interested in football. We are not interested in their sports like american football and baseball. Are they uspset about that? Not at all.

MLS will never succeed and never become one of the best league in the world, because it has little domestic interest and zero international interest. Case closed.

Pls give me your magic 8 ball that can see into the future. I wanna see if I'll hook up with Kate Upton sometime.

Can you express your opinion in a clearer way?

You talk like you are so certain that MLS will never succeed.

It's been getting better every year. Surely you must have a magic ball that you can see into the future with if you are so sure MLS will not succeed on an international scale?

Otherwise what you say is blasphemy to me.

CBarca wrote:

OLpower wrote:

CBarca wrote:

Pls give me your magic 8 ball that can see into the future. I wanna see if I'll hook up with Kate Upton sometime.

Can you express your opinion in a clearer way?

You talk like you are so certain that MLS will never succeed.

It's been getting better every year. Surely you must have a magic ball that you can see into the future with if you are so sure MLS will not succeed on an international scale?

Otherwise what you say is blasphemy to me.

Blasphemy? Maybe it was even terrorism?

There is no real sign of progress in 20 years and even the president of FIFA is thinking that way. The MLS may have developped and it surely did, but the level of interesment about football in the United States is still completely low, despite multiple channels broadcasting matchs, despite a world cup and despite any attempt of the FIFA.

Football just won't be a big sport in the US.

Ganso wrote:

Rebaño Sagrado wrote:One player can't define the whole league

Thats not a good logic.Argentinian defenders in Europe are crap but they have great defenses in their league

Wait aren't we saying the same thing

Pls rephrase

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Cameron at Stoke, he's been f*cking class this season.

Signed him on my fantasy team today

Rebaño Sagrado wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Cameron at Stoke, he's been f*cking class this season.

Signed him on my fantasy team today

Me too