Can the MLS Do It?

http://www.examiner.com/soccer-in-national/soccer-attendance-overtakes-nba-now-no-3-sport-usa

It seems that soccer is ready to take off in this country every time there is a World Cup, men's or women's. It started in 1994 when we hosted the World Cup and then the MLS was formed. I remember when the women won in '99 soccer had arrived, but it really hadn't. Then came the men's team run to the quarterfinals in 2002, and they almost knocked off Germany to reach the semis and the country was on fire, but yet the MLS continued to struggle. It seemed the country was more caught up in rooting for national pride than they were in the sport itself.

So can the MLS actually make it as a league and make soccer relevant on a national level. It seems that they finally are making serious strides. ESPN now has deals with the MLS to carry a game of the week. In a big surprise the MLS now averages more fans per game than the NBA, although to be fair stadiums are much larger. Seattle Sounders average nearly 40,000 fans per game, an unbelievable number for soccer in America. In fact, the MLS is actually in the top 10 soccer leagues around the world in terms of attendance.

The problem is that our best players usually leave to play in Europe. Two of our best national team players Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard both play in the EPL. In fact, almost our entire national team play in the premier leagues overseas. The one recognizable star who plays in the MLS is Landon Donovan. The amount of money and the competition in Europe is still too hard to pass up. MLS teams have to offer huge sums of money to get stars from other leagues. The Galaxy and Red Bull have managed to do this (both large market teams in LA and NY) by acquiring Beckham, Keane, Marquez, and Henry, but more teams will have to get in on the act. Somehow teams must offer a package attractive enough to keep our best players or to get young stars from other countries. The best starting point is to develop soccer fans across the nation at a young age, give them a watchable product in the MLS, and to fill stadiums every game. I think it can and will be done, and the MLS might just make it yet.

Kyle Hughes KIN 577