MLS is Better Than MLB

It's been easy for me, a Cleveland Indians and New York Mets fan, to ignore much of Major League Baseball over the past couple of years. Why would I want to waste hours watching something that just doesn't entertain me? Used to be that the thought of a summer without baseball was equal to a day without sunshine or ESPN without a Brett Favre story. That's no longer the case, thanks to the new love of my sports life.

Major League Soccer.

Granted, I'm a little bias toward soccer as I played the sport for over a decade (darn knee) and have watched it for over 20 years. The void left by the 2010 World Cup and the craptitude of the Mets/Indians led to me watching more and more MLS, and I haven't missed MLB even a little bit since.

Why MLS is better than MLB: Length of games

Major League Baseball games go on forever. Sometimes literally. The standard Red Sox-Yankees game takes no less than six hours to complete. When you watch a regular season MLS game on TV or in person, you can guess the exact end time of the game within a ten-minute radius. The clock doesn't stop, so when the 90 minutes (plus stoppage time) is up, the game's done. It takes less than two hours to watch one MLS game, meaning you can enjoy a match on a Saturday night and still have plenty of time to go out with friends.

Why MLS is better than MLB: Price

The absolute best seats at the new Red Bull arena cost 45 bucks. Want the best seats at Yankee Stadium? Be prepared to take out a mortgage on your home. The cheapest seats at Red Bull arena are actually my favorite, as that's where the "Supporters Section" is located. MLS stadiums also offer food and drink specials during games, such as dollar hot dogs during halftime.

Why MLS is better than MLB: Fans

Other than performing "the wave" or cheering an exciting play, you're spending most of your time at a MLB ballpark on your butt. I can do that at home while watching the game on my HDTV. Sit in the right section at a MLS match, though, and you're jumping up and down, cheering, chanting and singing for 90+ minutes. Who needs the gym?

Why MLS is better than MLB: Amount of games

A Major League Baseball season is 162 regular season games. That's 81 games for you season ticket holders. Even at the height of my baseball fanaticism, I don't think I could have made it through 40 live games in a season. MLS teams play one regular season game a week, ensuring that you never get sick of your favorite squad. Like baseball, the MLS season goes from spring until fall. Unlike baseball, though, MLS games rarely (if ever) conflict with the NFL schedule. Awesome.

Why MLS is better than MLB: Action

Yes, this is the old "soccer has continuous action" argument. Baseball fans who say that soccer is boring remind me of Glee/Jersey Shore fans who tell me I'm lame for watching Smallville.

I know what you're saying. "I just can't get into soccer. Never could." Give the MLS a real shot. Attend a match if at all possible. If you're a MLB fan who enjoy the NFL and NBA, I see no reason why you can't get behind the MLS. Regardless of which team you cheer for, you'll be rooting for the underdog.

And hey, everybody loves an underdog.

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