"Major" soccer league avoids strike
Good news for soccer fans -- the American "major" soccer league and its players have reached an agreement and called off a strike that was set to take effect on Thursday, the league's opening day. Not-so-good news for Portland taxpayers, who are ripping up PGE Park for soccer, is the prognosis for the league's finances. Here's the president of the league this morning:
Garber said Seattle and Toronto were the only profitable MLS teams last year.Funny thing, I don't remember a lot of "perhaps" when that guy was in Portland selling the stadium deal."We also collectively agreed that we need to grow our television ratings and attendance," Garber said. "Perhaps five years from now we have a league that's operating with all teams at a profit."
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Comments (12)
Great News!
worth noting: Seattle and Toronto are the two teams most like that of the upstart Timbers next year: both the Sounders and TFC play in soccer specific stadia located in their respective downtowns, both are recent additions to the league, both have passionate fan bases, and for what its worth neither of those teams had the same sort of support in the minor leagues that the Timbers currently enjoy.
/just sayin'
Posted by ambrown | March 20, 2010 1:52 PM
You do realize not being able to make money in JY, Chicago, LAX might not augur well for a "major" league?
Jusi sayin' also.
Posted by Steve | March 20, 2010 2:01 PM
Portland will have a successful franchise, but if there's no league, there are no games. And there's a strong likelihood that this league won't make it to the next threatened strike.
Posted by Jack Bog | March 20, 2010 2:18 PM
JY? Really? Stay classy there . . .
Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | March 20, 2010 2:34 PM
"JY? Really?"
Thank you for pointing out my mistake. Meant NY. I guess you could include Dallas and Pheonix also since that rounds out the top 5 metros in the US.
Trying to to build a franchise by being popular in smaller venues is OK for AA baseball. I realize Toronto is large, but the NBA wouldn't implode without it and they seem to be surviving without Seattle.
Posted by Steve | March 20, 2010 2:55 PM
Wait, America was wasting time watching Northern Iowa beat Kansas and they didn't break in to tell us the soccer strike was averted? What's wrong with this country?
Posted by Bill McDonald | March 20, 2010 4:58 PM
Since Steve alluded to Dallas, I have to point out that the MLS Dallas franchise reported a profit in 2007/08. This is noteworthy for those of us who track these things because Dallas is bascially run with the same level of expertise as the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards.
Posted by Roger | March 20, 2010 5:29 PM
"This is noteworthy for those of us who track these things because Dallas is bascially run with the same level of expertise as the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards."
OK, since they are all losing money which franchises are run better then?
How much of Dallas' profit was due to franchise fees that got split among owners?
Posted by Steve | March 20, 2010 8:57 PM
I doubt MLS will be around in 5 years. I don't see a big time TV contract anytime soon, and with the small crowds they attract (red bulls new stadium has 25K seats???) how are they going to survive?
PDX got sold a bill of goods and PGE will be sitting empty in about 48-60 months. Another example of the ineptitude of Sam and Randy...
Posted by Burk54 | March 20, 2010 10:56 PM
I don't see a big time TV contract anytime soon
No kidding.
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Posted by Jack Bog | March 20, 2010 11:12 PM
US viewership for the 2006 World Cup Final was 16.9 million. More than the NBA Finals and about even with the NCAA Basketball Final and the World Series of that year.
Posted by Gazza | March 22, 2010 8:58 PM
When we're posting about the World Cup, we'll let you know. Right now we're talking about MLS, whose TV audience is 300,000 -- and that's for a "good" game.
Posted by Jack Bog | March 22, 2010 10:57 PM