With the NBA currently in a three-month lockout, there may already be one beneficiary to the on-going feud between NBA millionaires and billionaire owners—Major League Soccer. According to Examiner.com, MLS attendance hit an all-time high of 17,870 surpassing the NBA’s 17,319 and the NHL’s 17,126.
The NBA has not been helped by the lockout, or the fact that attendance has been declining the last two years—2009 and 2010—only to see attendance rise 1% in 2011. Since its inception in 1993 as part of the United States bid to host the 1994 World Cup, MLS has grown from ten teams to 18 teams in both the United States and Canada.
Popularity and growth of soccer in the United States share the same dynamic of NFL football in Los Angeles—both are huge markets with untapped potential. MLS is not the first professional soccer league in the United States—the American Soccer League (1921-1933) and the most-recent modern-day professional soccer league, the North American Soccer League(NASL) which ran from 1967-1984—due to these soccer pioneers, the MLS is clearly in a much better position to succeed.
The NASL had its own stars, Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff to build and market around and teams such as the Los Angeles Aztecs and New York Cosmos as marquee franchises. What the MLS has done is successfully market and tap into the suburban and Hispanic communities by expanding to areas such as Texas in FC Dallas and California with the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA.
One area that the NBA has failed and that the MLS has really succeeded in is the Pacific Northwest.
The MLS would debut teams in Portland and Vancouver in 2010—The Timbers and Whitecaps—respectively, while the leagues share franchises in Portland, the MLS has been able to successfully fill the void left by the NBA in both Seattle and Vancouver. While the NBA has the likes of mega-stars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose to market, the MLS has also managed to build and market itself around soccer icons such as David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Theirry Henry.
Beckham, famous worldwide during his soccer playing days for world-famous sides, Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Tottenham would ink a record deal—to much fanfare— with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Donovan, the leading scorer and captain of the US national team would go on to star for EPL side Everton during a three-month loan. Henry, who was captain of EPL side, Arsenal and La Liga side FC Barcelona would sign a deal with the New York Red Bulls.
Is soccer—or futbol—here to stay in the States?
Or will it forever be followed by the stigma of being a pre-dominantly suburban sport followed mostly by international college undergrads and found in obscure soccer pubs?
Based on MLS’s outstanding TV partnerships and media coverage by FOX Sports, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, TeleFutura, Univision, TSN, TSN2 and GolTV Canada, MLS may just be here to stay.
If a soccer game in the Pacific Northwest can draw over 64,000—that does not involve USA vs Mexico—between Seattle and Real Salt Lake for Sounders goalkeeper Kasey Keller’s final game—are any indication, soccer may be more than just a once-in-every-four years national bandwagon trend.
The new-found love of soccer in the States was so evident that Fox and Telemundo outbid ESPN by $1 billion dollars for the broadcasting rights to the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
While the upstart MLS may not ever be able to challenge the big two—baseball and football—in the hearts of American sports fans anytime soon, the fact the soccer is already the number three sport should speak volumes all by itself.
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NASL was not the first professional soccer league in the US. The American Soccer League (1921-1933) was the first successful league [i.e. there were predecessors to this league too] only to be done in by the Depression. They held matches in the NYC area that had 30k show up. Soccer was played mostly by first-generation Americans of immigrant families and often shared a stadium with the baseball team.
You can learn something new every day.
Kej,
Thanks for the correction on the ASL, even I MISSED that one and I’ve been a huge soccer fan for years! Allow me to clarify and correct myself by stated that the most recent modern-day professional soccer league in the States is the NASL. Thanks again.
The Seattle Sounders play in the Seahawks stadium and led the league in attendance with 38,495 fans on average,
Nick,
Very true! and since coming into the MLS have been among the top in attendance. Great support for soccer in the PNW!
Well done, MLS, although, the league has a long way to go in terms of quality and structure.
Get rid of the stupid conferences, get rid of the playoffs, the ball, Jabulani Adidas, is the worst ball in human history, work with NASL and USL on promotion/relegation, move to a fall/spring schedule with a winter and summer break…and Don Garber is NOT the man to take the league to the next level…
Ivan,
Thanks for the feedback and I agree about the Jabulani ball, it is terrible! (there is a reason why it got so many complaints throughout the WC!!) I agree with getting rid of the conferecnes and personally I’d like to see some form of merger/partnership with the Superliga, I’m excited for Montral in 12, and hopefully Cleveland in 14! Thanks again!