How Soccer Has Succeeded in America

It's often been said that soccer has no hope of succeeding in the United States as it must compete in a crowded sports market against the NFL and the NBA, but this notion of competition and success is simply misguided and wrong.

What makes a professional sports organization successful? Is it attendance? Is it television coverage? Is it major endorsement deals?

If so, then Major League Soccer has succeeded.

No, the attendance at MLS matches isn't as high as the NFL's, MLB's, or NBA's attendance figures, but some soccer teams bring in more fans than their NHL compatriots. In some markets, the MLS teams have higher attendances than the NHL franchises. The L.A. Kings' average attendance is somewhere around 16,000; while the L.A. Galaxy averaged 20,814 and Chivas USA snagged an average attendance of 19,840. Last year, the Chicago Blackhawks averaged about 13,000 in attendance; while the Fire averaged 14,282 fans in attendance. D.C. United outdrew the Capitals last year by nearly 5,000 fans with an average attendance slightly over 18,000. Attendance is clearly on the rise in Major League Soccer. In fact, a number of United Soccer League teams outdraw AHL franchises, especially Montreal and Rochester, which both bring in about 11,000 fans per game.

What about the television coverage issue? Most MLS matches were broadcast last season either on ESPN2's Soccer Saturday or on local/regional networks like Fox Sports West, Comcast Chicago, or MSG. This year, ESPN2 will carry Thursday night matches; while Univision networks will carry Saturday matches along with the Fox Soccer Channel, who also broadcasts the matches during the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Also on air this year, will be the SuperLiga matches between Mexican and MLS clubs on Univision. Perhaps these aren't the major networks that people often think of, but the Univision networks have the highest of ratings of any television station for the Hispanic market in America.

Then perhaps the MLS has failed to sign contracts with major sponsors. Actually, the MLS has a number of major sponsors for both the league and its teams. Honda, The Home Depot, Anheuser-Busch, Radio Shack, Gatorade, Sierra Mist, Chase Bank, and Panasonic are league sponsors, and the individual teams have found sponsors in companies like: Dick's Sporting Goods, Pizza Hut, and Toyota. Many of these companies also sponsor football and basketball teams, so if the soccer teams are being noticed by these large companies, then the MLS must be doing something right.

To understand the sports market as soccer vs. football in America is certainly a mistake, especially as the seasons only overlap at the tail end of the soccer season. The greatest competition the MLS faces is Major League Baseball, as it is the only other major sport whose season overlaps the MLS season. However, the MLS targets different markets and attempts to fill smaller venues, so again, one must ask what is the measure of success?

If it's about signing better players that will bring more fans into the game then the league has done that this year with the additions of Claudio Reyna, David Beckham, and Blanco as Designated Players. However the league also succeeded in signing a number of prominant players from Central America, which will help increase interest in the Hispanic market; as well as having signed players from the leagues in England, Germany, and Australia. With the additions of Ronald Waterreus, Conor Casey, Fred, Luis Tejada, Emilio, Yherland McDonald, Daniel Torres, Carl Robinson, Andy Welsh, and Roberto Brown, the MLS player base is looking far more solid than it has since the league's debut in 1996. The improved quality of play on the field should attract more fans to the game, as will the new SuperLiga competition between Mexican and American clubs.

With soccer being the most popular sport among America's youth and the growth of the United Soccer Leagues, which serves as a series of minor leagues in a certain sense, the future of the MLS looks bright. A good chunk of the league's teams now play in their own soccer specific stadiums which increases the quality of being a spectator at league matches, and the new media attention the MLS receives is also encouraging. All signs point to the MLS being as strong as the NHL, if not stronger within the next couple years. If comparing the MLS to other top tier sports leagues in the U.S. is the only measure of comparison, then the MLS will soon be a success. Considering the fact that the league is in its 11th season and has added three teams in the last three years, it's hard to argue against the success of this relatively new soccer league.