The love-hate relationship American soccer fans have with ESPN is legendary. The sports
television behemoth (and I'm not sure even that word captures how much ESPN bestrides the world of
American sports in the 21st century) is at once derided (too dumbed down in its coverage; too
focused on the Beckham-cam) and desired (ratings are picked over with a Bigsoccer-sized toothcomb;
HD coverage is drooled over) by fans for its coverage of the sport.
With all the news about the CBA out there these days (ok, a few stories Romero, Denz) I thought
that a key point would be the key areas where the Players and League disagree. Some of these may
have compromises, some will not. There will be points where one side or the other will get their
way.
The main issues where the Players and League disagree are the following -
- Guaranteed Contracts
- Free Agency
- Club Autonomy
- Salary Floor
- Developmental Players
The secondary issues that are not necessarily CBA related (ht to denz again)
- Salary Cap
- Designated Player Slots
- Allocation
This isn't necessarily going to be another series of stories, but I think that the topics might
build on each other.
It's the time on the calendar when we take a look back at the year that was. We will have a few
of these retrospectives over the next week, but the big story in American Soccer for 2009 was the
introduction of the Seattle Sounders to MLS. The crowds kept coming (they grew), the local media
coverage remained oustanding, and the Sounders continued to perform on the field.
photo credit: stella_gonzales2003
Jamie Carragher has now called for "character" to be shown in Anfield after another disappointing
loss by the Reds this weekend. Like the title says, I don't mean to harp on Liverpool but this is
a club that not too many years ago won the Champion's League in a shootout and now they can't seem
to buy a goal.
When England recently announced the potential host cities that will host games if that country
is awarded the 2018 World Cup, one stood out: Milton Keynes. The MK Stadium that would host games
is home to MK Dons, among the most controversial teams in England. MK Dons are controversial, of
course, because they are the first "franchise" club in that country.
Christmas has come early for George Gillett and fellow Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks' finances are
also set to get a much needed boost.
Gillett banked a tidy £180million profit this week after his sale of Montreal Canadiens to the
Molson brewing family was approved by the National Hockey League.
Big Story
A couple of months ago, we discussed the ongoing problem of the lack of coverage of MLS in American
sports journalism, a problem only likely to get worse as print media digs its own grave (this was
prompted by Richard Whittall's excellent discussion of the crisis).
The huge windfalls that George Gillett and Tom Hicks, the co-owners of Liverpool, will collect from
the sales of their American sports properties could be pumped into the English soccer club,
according to English press reports.
'Under-fire Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez could be handed substantial transfer funds next month
thanks to a cash windfall for American co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks,' reports the Daily
Express.
With J Hutcherson -- My big picture contender for yesterday's number one thing I expected to happen
over the last ten years that didn't? The English Premier League remains a 20-team league playing 38
games. In the era of the never-ending season in North American sports, I thought there would be a
push back across the Atlantic.
It's not enough for the promotion/relegation zombies to beat on MLS, but now they want the other
major American leagues to implement it?
Relegation
Pittsburgh Pirates. Kansas City Royal. Cleveland Browns. Detroit Lions. (gulp) New York Knicks. In
all the major American sports, cheap owners, poor personnel decisions and general ineptitude has
lead to a handful of perennial losers with virtually no motivation to improve due to monopolies of
the major sports leagues.
In the first of my series looking at draft prospects that are likely to be in the 8-14 range,
and generally on offense, I start with Andre Akpan. Not because he was Mike Fucito's teammate for a
few years, nor because his coach played with Taylor Graham at Stanford, but because in one of the
first mock drafts of the year Soccer by Ives had him listed 11th.
Success in American sports can have many different implications and meanings. For those faithful to
the New York Yankees, a season without bringing home another World Series ring is unacceptable.
Every single Detroit Red Wings supporter come... Read more
The sooner I get your little ones hooked on NSC, the sooner soccer takes over the American sports
landscape... or something like that. - Greg Seltzer
The CBA or Collective Bargaining Agreement between the MLS Players and the league itself has yet
to reach a new contract. The negotiations have not got off to a good start as the players will want
some significant changes, especially an increase in the salary cap. While a lockout would have
disastrous consequences for both sides, it should not be counted out as its happened in other
American sports leagues.
At the beginning of September, Chris Rolfe announced that he would be leaving the Fire in
January to join Danish club Aalborg BK. Rolfe, who tried to negotiate an extension with the Fire
for two years before signing with Aalborg, said his decision to leave MLS was motivated by a few
things - one of which was money.
