This year is the 45th anniversary of the North American Soccer League (NASL), the first widely-recognised association football league in North America and the precursor of today’s MLS.
Major League Soccer Pitching for Even More Popularity in 2013
This year is the 45th anniversary of the North American Soccer League (NASL), the first widely-recognised association football league in North America and the precursor of today’s MLS. Back in the late 1960s, the NASL couldn’t even hold onto a midweek daytime broadcast contract with CBS due to poor viewing figures, and even well-known teams were forced to play in run-down arenas unfit for their peers in baseball and American football. Fast forward to the present day however and soccer in the United States is almost unrecognisable.
Since the MLS was formed 17 years ago, the bosses have repeated some of the same old tricks but avoided the mistakes of the past. For example, legends Pele and Beckenbauer brought notoriety to the NASL’s New York Cosmos back in the mid-70s. For a second it seemed that this flash of interest might last, but by the 80s interest had dried up and the NASL folded. 30 years later David Beckham and Thierry Henry signed big contracts to play out their careers in the states, but they also helped to encourage home-grown talent and raise the league’s profile abroad. Beckham may now have moved to France but his legacy and ties to MLS remain strong.
One clear result of this is the standard of playing, which has dramatically improved. They no longer have to rely on imported European legends in the twilight of their careers, with established names like Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard enjoying great careers in the English premier league while Landon Donovan’s star shines at home for LA Galaxy. Although MLS is unlikely to ever reach the heights of La Liga or Serie A, the fact is that soccer has been hugely popular with under-18s for many years now. Rather than watching these young players switch to a higher-paid sport or move abroad for better prospects there is now a career path on their own doorstep.
Choosing soccer is still not a good choice for young sportsmen who want to make millions. Beckham and Henry aside, most MLS teams can’t compete with the salaries offered by European clubs. However, with so much competition overseas and the delicate economic situation at home we will no doubt see young, talented athletes choosing soccer, happy to have a job at all. Also there has been a surge in the number of teams; there are now 19 in the league with a 20th expected soon. If this carries on, they may have to introduce the division system with promotion and relegation, which will already be familiar to soccer fans outside the US.
The big coup is the fan reaction, and in terms of spectators MLS is making serious waves. Amazingly, it has overtaken the NHL in terms of average crowd per game with 18,733 to 17,455 for the 2012 season. TV ratings aren’t quite what they should be, with a slight reduction over the 2011 season, but the broadcast deals are still in place and being renewed for seven-figure sums. It’s even evident from the sports betting sites that have seen a steady increase in MLS betting over the past 5 years.
Prop betting in particular has enjoyed a boost. To understand what prop betting is, consider any other element in a game of soccer on which you could place a bet, apart from the final score or the handicap; who will score first, how much a particular player will score, assists, shots on goal, or even how many minutes of extra time are awarded. This type of gambling works well with soccer and has long had been a mainstay in Europe, but until recently has held niche appeal for bettors in the US.
Soccer has carved out an identity in a country where not many people believed it ever would. It started as a joke sport for girls, but has matured into something the Americans can take seriously; in turn, their league is finally starting to be taken seriously in the footballing motherlands. If the MLS can hold onto its loyal following and keep numbers steady still the 25th anniversary then we might start to get used to it as the fifth pillar of American sports. If they keep rising, and the right people start to get involved, then we might even see a US national team in a World Cup final during our lifetime. The flying pigs might even sing The Star-Spangled Banner.
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