By L.E. Eisenmenger - BOSTON, MA (Nov 18, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- The Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake didn't kick into high gear until the end of the season, but it's no real surprise they meet in the MLS Cup final. The combinations of players, coaches, stadiums, and marketing show these clubs built ships to survive bad weather and win races. Click to continue reading...

By L.E. Eisenmenger - BOSTON, MA (Nov 16, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Angelo Bratsis is a FIFA referee inspector dealing with the challenges Major League Soccer referees face moving into a higher level of play. As MLS grows, so does the pressure on the officiating. Amid much criticism, MLS referees cope with player dissent, designated player issues, and annual MLS and US Soccer directives that sometimes result in public outrage at game-changing decisions. Click to continue reading...

By L.E. Eisenmenger - BOSTON, MA (Nov 4, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Fenway Sports Group (FSG) recently penned a deal with Fulham to find a jersey sponsor for the London-based EPL team. Seeking an ambitious six million pounds annually, FSG intends to connect Fulham with a US-based corporation with global marketing needs in the United Kingdom, Europe, and particularly Asian markets, where the EPL recently experienced explosive growth. Click to continue reading...

Just picked this article up from USSoccerPlayers.com from the pitchinvasion.net twitter feed, and it's an interesting read. The opening line certainly corroborates what I've been sensing in my recent foray into the cultural side of North America's professional league:
"In August, Major League Soccer ticket sales dipped over 4% overall and dropped double digits up to 34% for six franchises while nationwide sales for international matches skyrocketed. Click to continue reading...

By L.E. Eisenmenger - BOSTON, MA (Oct 19, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- In August, Major League Soccer ticket sales dipped over 4% overall and dropped double digits up to 34% for six franchises while nationwide sales for international matches skyrocketed. That should be enough of an indication that MLS needs to rethink what marketing to adults means. Click to continue reading...

Boston Pro Soccer Examiner L.E. Eisenmenger has a Vancouver stadium update, courtesy of her interview with Vancouver Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi. BC Place won't only get a roof, he says, it...

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First of all, let me say sorry for the lack of updates this week. I've gone into full site design mode here for this place and for another couple project that I am working on for other folks.

And on that note I will also be heading out of town early this weekend for a long weekend in Austin for the Austin City Limits music festival.

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By L.E. Eisenmenger - BOSTON, MA (Sep 29, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- After the first season success of the Seattle Sounders, the USL-1 2008 Champions Vancouver Whitecaps FC have a hard act to follow as they prepare to enter MLS as a 2011 expansion team. The Vancouver ownership group consists of Greg Kerfoot, Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett, and Steve Nash. Click to continue reading...

A friend of mine, L.E. Eisenmenger who writes for SoccerLens and the Examiner wrote a very interesting piece on the idea of youth transfer fees in the US? The article talks about how youth clubs should be given part of the transfer fee if a player was developed by a youth club, then picked up by an MLS youth club or MLS Academy team, and eventually sold to a foreign club.

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In case you have missed anything, here are some recent links with Chicago pro soccer mention:
WPS expansion draft
• John Howell, Bleacher Report: Red Stars lose two subs to Philadelphia in WPS first expansion draft
• Beau Dure, USA Today: Philly looks strong in WPS expansion draft
• Jeff Kassouf, The Equalizer: Grading the WPS expansion draft
Chicago Fire player development
• L. Click to continue reading...

By L.E. Eisenmenger - BOSTON, MA (Sep 2, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- In a move towards Major League Soccer developing its own talent, the League now requires clubs to create youth programs. That includes fully subsidized Under-16 and Under-18 Developmental Academy teams for each club. How the individual clubs choose to implement that system is up to them. Click to continue reading...

By L.E. Eisenmenger - BOSTON, MA (Aug 26, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- SuperLiga stirs up controversy whenever the Mexican-US tournament surfaces in conversation or on a blog. There are discrepancies between what SuperLiga claims to be and how some pundits and fans see it. Though no one should be arguing that the games can't rise to the occasion, it's also clear that SuperLiga attendance isn't close to what it should be. Click to continue reading...

The idea of a 'manager' in most cultures of professional soccer or football is all-encompassing, really a combination of the job description of a 'head coach' and 'general manager' here in our American sports.
Major League Soccer sees most of it's teams employ both a 'Head Coach' and a 'Technical Director', and L. Click to continue reading...

In the second installment of our two-part feature on Technical Directors in Major League Soccer, L.E. Eisenmenger speaks with Paul Bravo of the Colorado Rapids, Brian Bliss of the Columbus Crew, interim head coach Peter Vermes of the Kansas City Wizards, and Mike Burns of the New England Revolution about what their clubs currently do with player development and what they would like to see from MLS. Click to continue reading...

By L.E. Eisenmenger - BOSTON, MA (Aug 17, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Over the past four years, several Major League Soccer clubs have gone with technical directors. What that job title means varies by club, bu there are a few things usually held in common. A technical director scouts and works with MLS to sign talent, manage the salary cap, negotiate new contracts with players or their agents, and oversee the academies. Click to continue reading...

The always excellent L.E. Eisenmenger of the Boston Pro Soccer Examiner has a nice little interview with Costa Rican international and Revolution defender Garbriel Badilla up at her blog. Included...

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There's plenty of talk about how tapping into the Hispanic fanbase is key for MLS success in the competitive world of professional sports. Though besides some translated American news Hispanic coverage of MLS is slim. Inasmuch Jose Miguel Burgos, 26, took up the mission. Chilean-born, Chicago-based Burgos is the man behindf MLS en Espanol, a [. Click to continue reading...