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10 Good Reasons To Follow MLS

Alex Kotler

3/25/08

As football fans around the world ready for the decisive stages of the 2007-2008 campaign, another tremendous, yet stealthy, event is upon us: the start of Major League Soccer’s 13th season here in the U.S.

While critics, myself included, have consistently dismissed the MLS for its lack of quality, there are now more reasons to follow it than ignore it. In reality, the MLS does not suffer from a lack of talent, it just lacks maturity, which – like a promising footballer – needs time to develop and find confidence on the pitch. And though the signing of certain (unnamed) high profile, injury-prone players may not have converted America into a soccer-loving nation, it momentarily brought the world’s favorite sport back into the Hollywood spotlight.

Since ESPN, with all of its journalistic integrity and analytical might, cannot hold that spotlight steady to properly capture the Beautiful Game, I want to recruit you as my fourth official while I call the action over the course of this season.

Here are 10 reasons to get excited about the 2008 MLS campaign:

1. England, Scotland, and Ireland have the summer off
With the likes of John Terry and Robbie Keane on holiday this summer – far away from Austria and Switzerland – drown your sorrows over your team’s absence from the Euro 2008 tournament by turning your attention to our domestic league.

2. Not having to wake up at 7:00am on a Saturday to watch football
After five days of waking up before sunrise, it’s painful to hear the alarm ringing on a Saturday morning – even if it’s to watch a London derby. With the MLS, you can sleep in, do brunch at 2:00pm, be semi-productive, take a nap, and then watch a proper evening fixture.

3. A large number of under-recognized internationals play in Major League Soccer
With the abundance of big name players in Europe, it’s easy to overlook the respectable internationals playing in the MLS: Consider, for example, Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Mexico); Tomasz Frankowski (Poland); Luciano Emilio (Brazil); Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Argentina); Jaime Moreno (Bolivia); and Juan Pablo Ángel (Colombia), to name a few.

4. Cost, ease of going to a match
A weekend jaunt from New York to London to watch Fulham play, economizing lodging, food, and transport will run you $1,795 (per person). An afternoon day trip by bus from Port Authority to Giants Stadium to watch the New York Red Bulls will cost you $40 (per person). (Double that if you indulge in the pricy Giants Stadium concessions.)

5. Opportunity to take part in the growth of Major League Soccer
With the incorporation of the designated player rule, along with recent announcements about the league’s expansion to Seattle (2009) and Philadelphia (2010), Major League Soccer is taking swift, ambitious strides forward. These are encouraging signs of a growing fan base and financial returns on investment. Jump on now, or wait 10 years and be like those Manchester United fans who hopped the bandwagon after seeing Wayne Rooney on SportsCenter.

6. Development of young stars
Just as it was once cool to see Oasis playing at Maxwell’s in Hoboken and, more recently, David Cross doing standup comedy at Pianos on the lower East Side, there’s a prestige attached to seeing stars before they’re stars. This applies to the likes of Jozy Altidore (New York Red Bulls) and Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), breakout prospects who’ll find themselves in Europe (visa permitting) soon enough.

7. New season, new fantasy team
With Christiano Ronaldo having another dominant season, everyone in my Premier Fantasy League has captained the United winger – assuring that point differentials never change the table standings. Major League Soccer fantasy leagues are not yet so predictable, ensuring the constancy of competition. Plus, it always stays exciting when there’s a small wager involved – not, of course, that I am promoting gambling.

8. Chicks dig guys that follow the MLS
It is a statistically proven fact that fans of Major League Soccer get more action than non-fans. Or maybe I’m just hoping that this comes to fruition.

9. The season is short
Unlike the Premier League, or even La Liga or the Bundesliga which both take winter breaks, the Major League Soccer season is more of an intermezzo than a meal, lasting from late March until October. With American culture defined by its attention deficit disorder, fans can follow the entire campaign without having to pop any Ritalin. Therefore, the idea that every game matters really applies.

10. Golden Boy, not Golden Balls
Late last month, reports confirmed that former world champion boxer and promoter Oscar de la Hoya would acquire ownership interest in the Houston Dynamo. With proven pedigree, de la Hoya brings fight, flare, and formidable attention to the two-time MLS champions. This only bodes well for all of Major League Soccer, and even casts a slight shadow on that other guy on the Los Angeles Galaxy with the ownership buy-in clause in his contract – what was his name again?

Contributor Alex Kotler lives in New York. Send your comments to alex.kotler@gmail.com