Its Time For Many Soccer Fans To Stop Drinking the Kool Aid

no kool aid Its Time For Many Soccer Fans To Stop Drinking the Kool Aid

U.S. soccer is at a crossroads in this country. In what has been the most successful year in the history of the sport in the United States, based on the millions who got caught up in World Cup fever this past summer, it's sad that both the U.S. men's national team and Major League Soccer weren't able to capitalize on the buzz created by the 2010 World Cup.

After the high of the incredible win by the United States men's national team against Algeria and the nail-biting loss to Ghana in extra time, soccer fans in the United States have had to deal with:

  • The on-again-and-off-again discussions with Jurgen Klinsmann until the inevitable decision by Sunil Gulati to renew Bob Bradley's contract, against the will of the majority of U.S. soccer fans,
  • The 12% decrease in TV ratings for Major League Soccer during the regular season on ESPN despite record high TV viewing numbers for the World Cup,
  • A joke of a MLS playoff system where the fifth place team played the seventh place team in the final in a stadium that was half empty before the final whistle was over, and
  • The worst TV ratings for a MLS Cup in the history of Major League Soccer, since the league began in 1996.

    • The World Cup "Bounce" that many predicted the USMNT and MLS would enjoy fell flat on its face after the tournament. The USSF made the wrong decision in renewing Bradley's contract and sticking with the safe bet instead of picking a man who would have taken the national team to the next level. Major League Soccer, meanwhile, did well in attracting large attendances to its games but failed miserably in the department that mattered the most, on the television screen, where they generated a mere 748,000 viewers on ESPN (a 0.44 rating).

    And based on Don Ga! rber and the MLS owners decision to expand the number of teams entering the playoffs next season from eight to ten, the move feels like a slap in the face of many soccer fans in the United States when the reality is that it's a decision that few people agree with. Ignoring the U.S. soccer fans is not what MLS should be doing right now, but it sure seems that way.

    At the same time, dark clouds are on the horizon as it appears the 2022 World Cup is on the line with Qatar and Australia mounting late surges that may end up taking the tournament away from the favored United States. If this happens, and it's entirely possible especially if Sepp Blatter wants to leave a legacy behind by being the first FIFA president to bring a World Cup to Africa and the Middle East or Australia, the U.S. may not see a World Cup on its shores to 2030 at the earliest especially if China gets it in 2026. All eyes will be on Zurich on Thursday, December 2nd when the winning bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments are announced.

    My hope and dreams are that Gulati and Garber will make the correct decisions to grow the sport in this country. But judging by their actions post-World Cup 2010, I'm filled with disappointment and lack of leadership. Meanwhile, many U.S. soccer pundits and fans continue drinking the Kool Aid thinking that MLS and U.S. men's national team are heading in the right direction. Yes, there have been some positives but there's a reason why MLS Cup TV ratings are the lowest in history and there's a reason why a paltry crowd of less than 9,000 attended the US friendly against Colombia in October. It's time for USSF and MLS to be smarter about their business decisions and to realize how they're holding back this game in this country. Let's hope they begin to see the light.

    Lastly, on behalf of MLS Talk, I'd like to wish you and your loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving Day. Thanks for your support.

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