MLS Weekend Review – March 25-27
Before we get into the weekend’s games, there is a bit of news today.
Jon Busch, waived last week by the Fire, has reportedly signed with the San Jose Earthquakes.
He’s a quality keeper, but the Earthquakes’ issues, I think, would be better addressed by adding some defenders.
Now, for the week that was:
Thursday, March 25
Seattle 2, Philadelphia 0
Friday, March 26
Colorado 1, Chivas USA 0
Saturday, March 27
Columbus 2, Toronto 0
Kansas City 4, D.C. United 0
FC Dallas 1, Houston 1
Real Salt Lake 3, San Jose 0
New York Red Bulls 1, Chicago 0
Los Angeles 1, New England 0
Storylines
Landon Donovan was back in a Galaxy shirt and was, as he usually is in MLS, the best player on the field in the Galaxy’s 1-0 win in their home opener. … The Red Bulls opened their new stadium with a win that was really more impressive than the 1-0 score line might indicate. … The new-look D.C. United was, well, ugly in a 4-0 loss to the Wizards and a loss to Colorado in its home opener has to go down as a disappointment for Chivas.
16 Responses to MLS Weekend Review – March 25-27
I thought most of this weeks action was great. If they can keep putting out an attacking product like many of the teams did this weekend, I think growth will do better this season.
A side note. I think because the new website has not yet put the MLS 2010 TV schedule up that you should add it as a page or whatever like the epl talk counter part. Anyway thats it.
Seattle till I die…or until Detroit gets a team!
I love it…..
I am a Sounders fan and I probably like you, yet I am hoping you are not a Sounders fan for very long
Overall, I thought the quality of play was intense and especially sharp (for the first game of the season). As well, it’s great to see such large and noisy crowds at the games (except for Columbus, for some reason). I am relatively new to MLS, and I’m loving it. And I get the sense that I’m picking up on it just as everyone else is, too. Thank God this league didn’t strike. I can sense it’s well on its way up.
i think you need to be more concern about Dallas then Columbus. 13000+ isnt great but its not horrible when you look at Dallas (barely 8000).
Right. I didn’t get to catch the Dallas game, so I hadn’t realized they had a poorer showing at the stadium.
Oh, and good luck to Busch! The Fire will miss him, but I’m glad to see he didn’t have to wait around too long before finding a spot.
I thought RSL and KC were the beasts this weekend!
My goat’s defense looked horrible, but then I saw San Jose and realized it’s not that bad.
RSL , KC and New York look to be improved based on early performances. Can’t believe what happened to DC and TFC (thought they would come out guns ablazing uner Preki).
You’re forgetting that Mo Johnston is a clueless idiot who gave Preki a thin squad 30% filled with useless defenders and forwards.
I think Chicago was missing the leadership of Busch on Saturday. It may take sometime before an emotional leader is found on the pitch for the Fire. In my mind Seattle looked great and maybe hard to beat this season. I think both RSL and Colorado are going to be tough to beat.
Looking forward to next week after a solid opening weekend.
Isn’t McBride that leader? I know Busch was one, too, but they still got that old guy patrolling the top of the pitch.
I think the biggest problem is that De Los Cobos didn’t put out the correct 11 to start with.
But I agree about Seattle. They’re the team to beat this year.
McBride is more of a quiet leader off the field if you ask me. Love the guy btw. Busch would get things pumped up on the field. Blanco especially late in the game would move things along when you where behind.
Collins John came into the game late since he missed practice during the week so you may see him a full 90 this week. Nyarko looked great but couldn’t connect at the end. I was encouraged that the new defense looked ok.
Go Fire
Seattle is the team to beat !!!! YES.
I disagree however I think that Seattle was able to score goals against a Philly team that was new, but we will see against a team that packs its it in and is a little better. I might be praying for Blaze soon.
I say Columbus is still the team to beat, inspite of only a handful of great fans caring…..
Red Bulls are gonna be scared on Saturday. Last year has nothing on this years crowd.
LA Galaxy has talent and a coach who rarely gets out coached.
Not looking too good for my goats this Thursday.
^ up the MLS ^
san jose was overcapacity for its home opener… people were standing in the aisles. albeit its capacity is small.
SUM faces competition in bid to renew Mexican soccer deal
BY TRIPP MICKLE STAFF WRITER
Soccer United Marketing may lose the
crown jewel in its portfolio of soccer properties.
The marketing agency’s contract to represent
the Mexican national soccer federation
(FMF) in the US. expires at the end of the
year, and several other companies, including
Traffic Sports Marketing, the Cardenas
Marketing Network and others, have expressed
interest in the business. SUM has
booked men’s national team games and sold
US. sponsorships for the Mexican national
soccer team since 2003.
The Mexican federation met a week and
a half ago in Mexico to discuss the future
of its business in the US. and other matters.
Sources familiar with the meeting said
Mexican federation officials unanimously
voted to award US. representation rights to
Traffic, which is headquartered in Brazil
but has operations in Miami. The company
sells the rights for Cop a America in the
US. and owns a second division soccer
club in Miami. Soccer United Marketing has represented the Mexican national soccer federation in the U.S. since 2003. Its deal expires at the end of the year.
Traffic’s offer is valued in the high seven
figures annually plus revenue-sharing opportunities
that could make it even more
lucrative to the Mexican federation. SUM’s
current contract affords it the chance to
match the offer, the sources said.
SUM officials declined to comment. An
FMF official did not reply to multiple emails
seeking comment.
SUM annually distributes proceeds from
its event management and sponsorship
sales to MLS’s 16 owner-operators. Losing
the Mexican national team, which is one
of SUM’s biggest revenue streams, would
cut into that distribution.
The Mexican federation is expected to
announce who it will partner with in the
US. after the World Cup. If the Mexican
federation severs ties with SUM, the decision
may be as much a political decision
as a financial one.
SUM, which is the marketing arm of
MLS, also represents the US. Soccer
• I MARCH 22 -28 , 2010
Federation. After decades of losing consistently
to Mexico, the US. men’s team
has begun to challenge Mexico’s pre-eminence
in North America. The US. is 9-1-2
against Mexico on American soil in the
last 12 meetings. Their competition also
extends off the field, where a battle has
begun for Mexican-American players like
Jose Torres, a Texas-born midfielder who
could have played for either team but chose
the US.
The on- and off-the-field competition
has led the Mexican federation to question
whether it should be sold alongside
its rival in the US., sources say.
The Mexican national team has been
a huge success for SUM. The team regularly
sells out football stadiums around the
country. A friendly against New Zealand at
the Rose Bowl last month drew more than
90,000 spectators.
SUM also has been able to leverage its
partnership with the Mexican national team
to sell sponsorships for other properties in
its portfolio. The marketing agency often
bundles Mexican national team sponsorship
with MLS, the grassroots soccer tournament
Futbolito, Chivas de Guadalajara
and other properties. Recent renewals with
corporate partners like Budweiser were
package deals in which Anheuser-Busch
bought rights to the Mexican national team,
MLS and other properties together.
The initial agreement with the Mexican
federation in 2003 helped SUM branch
out from the TV rights business, where it
owned World Cup rights in the US., and
into the event and sponsorship business.
MLS remains SUM’s highest-grossing property
today, but the Mexican national team
is second and sponsors reportedly spend
more than $5 million annually to associate
with the event.
SUM has been a critical part of MLS’s
value proposition for potential owner-operators.
When Red Bull bought a team in 2006
in a deal valued at more than $30 million,
Garber said the purchase not only validated
the league but also SUM. Purchases like
that helped drive expansion prices to their
current level of $40 million.
Senior writer Bill King contributed to
this report.
For updates on the MlS labor situation,
visit sister publication SportsBusiness
Daily at http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com.
A story in the March 15-21 issue
should have made clear that “The
Tournament,” a reality show that
stars Chad Ochocinco, is produced by
Jurna Entertainment and 51 Minds,
not Octagon.
http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com I Street & Smith’s SpDrtsBusiness.JOURNAL