Confed Cup Result Positive for MLS?

[Inswingingwingman]

Do you think that the good showing by the US team which had a bunch of MLS players will have a postive effect on the league and thus reflect well on players considering coming to TFC or the MLS?

I thought it was an entertaining game, personally I don't wan't the US to win anything but.......worked out in the end.

Oh and that grass field was shite. It looked like they cut grass from someplace and just threw it on the pitch, lots of dirt visible on high def and the grass floated around the air.

[flatpicker]

I was also thinking about this during the game.
Several MLS players in the lineup... certainly can't hurt the exposure of the league.

[Nuvinho]

Dentinho will now want to play in MLS ;)

[OneLoveOneEric]

The only people this will be visible to are people that already watch MLS.
An average fan watching this game wouldn't have seen beyond Kaka and co.

[kodiakTFC]

World Cup is where it matters but listen, all of you should be fans of USA soccer. Any press for them is great for us, if they do well and gain interest it will reflect in Canadian media as well.

[Redcoe15]

World Cup is where it matters but listen, all of you should be fans of USA soccer. Any press for them is great for us, if they do well and gain interest it will reflect in Canadian media as well.
And the CSA will find some way to screw the pooch, as always.

[carefree_cfc]

I think it's positive for MLS but i think its even bigger for American Soccer in general. Seeing these front page full spread headlines on si.com and espn.com can only mean good things for the future of the game in america. And the more the USMNT is followed, the more mls will be followed so the trickle down effects will inevitably be beneficial for us. American's are obviously patriotic people, so when the US shows it can compete (and win) against the worlds top teams, the people will follow and eventually the press will too. but this is a good start.

Maybe De Guz watched and said "wow, MLS must be great...i'll join TFC now"

[Dub Narcotic]

As long as we don't tell anyone that New Zealand had a strong MLS flavour too! Let's just pretend that Boyens plays for Wellington of the A-League.

[Inswingingwingman]

As to the comment that most people don't know MLS, but the players the world over will know, and there are advantages to being in North America for some players, for example if you speak English and have to choose to play in 2nd tier places where language is a problem..well you might look to the North American soccer scene, or MLS in particular. I just thought the tournament had to turn a few heads of players from other countries who now may view us as a valid option.

[DichioTFC]

I think the biggest outcome of the US squad wont be the promotion of the MLS on a global stage, but the clubs of the world looking to pick up MLS players in the future.

It would be nice, however, if the MLS received global attention as a result...

[Waggy]

Well when the US started subbing in the 2nd half, how many people around the world said "Colorado Rapids, what the fuck is that?!" That could be the biggest contribution of the whole shebang

[Yohan]

Well when the US started subbing in the 2nd half, how many people around the world said "Colorado Rapids, what the fuck is that?!" That could be the biggest contribution of the whole shebang
You meant Goat Turds (aka Chivas USA) ;)

[Waggy]

No when the last sub came in, not the goat fuckers, they were 20 min earlier. Cant remember who it was right now (I dont follow MLS neeeaaarly as closely as you do haha) EDIT: Conor Casey

Also not sure if any of you are Bill Simmons fans, but he basically did a live blog of the game on twitter, kicking off with

sportsguy33 (http://twitter.com/sportsguy33)OK, soccer - after 4 decades of talk, here's your chance to finally make a legitimate dent in the USA. We're all watching.

[Yohan]

No when the last sub came in, not the goat fuckers, they were 20 min earlier. Cant remember who it was right now (I dont follow MLS neeeaaarly as closely as you do haha)

Also not sure if any of you are Bill Simmons fans, but he basically did a live blog of the game on twitter, kicking off with

sportsguy33 (http://twitter.com/sportsguy33)OK, soccer - after 4 decades of talk, here's your chance to finally make a legitimate dent in the USA. We're all watching.
oh. Conor Casey sub.

[Shakes McQueen]

It lent legitimacy to "soccer" on this continent, so I guess it had some residual positive impact on the league too.

Tons of people in Europe see the sport as theirs, and scoff at silly North Americans and their "soccer", so I'm sure knocking off Spain, and almost doing the same to Brazil made for a nice wake-up call and "fuck you" to those people.

I'd be curious to know what the TV ratings were in the US, for the final.

- Scott

[Yeoman]

the rain delayed nascar race had higher ratings, i will bet on that :(

[Soldeed]

Definitely positive for the North American game and MLS.

S.

[BuSaPuNk]

I think it's positive for MLS but i think its even bigger for American Soccer in general. Seeing these front page full spread headlines on si.com and espn.com can only mean good things for the future of the game in america. And the more the USMNT is followed, the more mls will be followed so the trickle down effects will inevitably be beneficial for us. American's are obviously patriotic people, so when the US shows it can compete (and win) against the worlds top teams, the people will follow and eventually the press will too. but this is a good start.

Maybe De Guz watched and said "wow, MLS must be great...i'll join TFC now"


You also have to wonder how much of this exposure was only because they made the final. Now that they blew it and lost is ESPN and SI going to continue to follow the USNMT? How much coverage will be given to the Gold Cup??

I say not much. We will always be a joke leauge until we start to follow like the other leauges in the world and not play on days of International play.

[Nomad]

I don't think this exposure will have an affect on the perception Europeans and football players have on this league. I think it does have a positive affect on American fans and start to legitimize their own players. The Americans generally don't like anything unless they are the best so this is a step in the right direction for gaining more mainstream media exposure and having more casual fans going to matches.

[Roogsy]

US soccer is on the upswing. They are making real progress.

It is incredibly sad, disappointing, frustrating, angering, frightening to know and witness that the CSA is dropping the ball. The gap between the US and Canada will only get bigger if the CSA does not get on it's horse and start making progress with the Canadian program. We are in exactly the same place we were 2 years ago, 5 years ago, 10 years ago. If it weren't for TFC and CONCACAF basically gifting Canada a spot in the CCL, we would literally have not made any progress at all since 1986.

[CretanBull]

^ Amen

[hodgkiss]

the crap part about this is that if canada had beaten the us from the gold cup in 2007 (we lost 2-1on a controversial call - atiba hutchinson scoring and they ruled it offside and would have tied the game) so that could have been canada today playing against brazil!

[Kaz]

the rain delayed nascar race had higher ratings, i will bet on that :(
That's only because inbreed Nascar fans don't have the attention span or the cognitive ability to handle anything but watching cars driving on a road sized race track. Footy is much to complicated and confusing with all the right turns players make.

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

dont think it will be that positive...America over acheived at this tournament,like Canada did when they won the gold cup, a lot of
luck was need by both sides......if the USA could get to the World cup final then maybe the league will gets its credit...want to see how the USA
handle this major collapse during the gold cup

[TFC USA]

I really don't know if US soccer is on the upswing.

I've been suckered into this for far too long. Whether it was the 2002 World Cup run, or beating Brazil in '98, or this Confed Cup, we've always disappointed when it counted the next time around.

Was Greek soccer on the upswing after they won Euro 2004?

We could be looking at a case of a dark-horse team that overachieved.

[FluSH]

I really don't know if US soccer is on the upswing.

I've been suckered into this for far too long. Whether it was the 2002 World Cup run, or beating Brazil in '98, or this Confed Cup, we've always disappointed when it counted the next time around.

Was Greek soccer on the upswing after they won Euro 2004?

We could be looking at a case of a dark-horse team that overachieved.

I'll say the US was considered a joke amongst CONCACAF countries 10 years ago... now... it's one of the dominant forces in the region along with Costa Rica... and it's Mexico that finds itself struggling...

[CretanBull]

I really don't know if US soccer is on the upswing.

I've been suckered into this for far too long. Whether it was the 2002 World Cup run, or beating Brazil in '98, or this Confed Cup, we've always disappointed when it counted the next time around.

Was Greek soccer on the upswing after they won Euro 2004?

We could be looking at a case of a dark-horse team that overachieved.

I get where you are coming from, and I don't think that America has "arrived" quite yet but I'd be pretty confident that things are on their way up. The quality of the MLS (league wide) has improved over the past few years despite the fact that it's expanded (often that dilutes a league). Also, there are more Americans playing in Europe than ever before - for good teams, in good leagues. Most promising is that while the older guys are starting to fade (the Clint Mathis era of players) they are being replaced by players who look like they have the potential to be even better.

I'll trade ya, our shit program and lack of money for your great program and huge investment :D

[Inswingingwingman]

We have a program?

[CretanBull]

^ Yeah, its run out of some guys basement in Sudbury or something....

[Pookie]

I think it is a positive result.

If anything, it provides a bit of a counter punch to the argument that the quality of play in this league is leaps and bounds behind that of top flight leagues.

Accept the MLS for what it is, a developmental league that will have a difficult time retaining (rising) star players over a longer period of time.

That said, as demonstrated, on any given night, players in this league are capable of playing a great game. And without the insane salaries we can actually afford to go and watch.

[Nodoubtguy]

I think it's not so much about the MLS players on on the pitch but the exposure for US Soccer. When it's front page on newspapers and sports sites, its a good think for the game.

[Yeoman]

That's only because inbreed Nascar fans don't have the attention span or the cognitive ability to handle anything but watching cars driving on a road sized race track. Footy is much to complicated and confusing with all the right turns players make.

ouch hey now i watch nascar from time to time, more of an F1 man though. but giving up on that because of the stupid rules coming into play.
though i will give you credit for the footy remarks.

[Carts]

It lent legitimacy to "soccer" on this continent, so I guess it had some residual positive impact on the league too.

Tons of people in Europe see the sport as theirs, and scoff at silly North Americans and their "soccer", so I'm sure knocking off Spain, and almost doing the same to Brazil made for a nice wake-up call and "fuck you" to those people.

I'd be curious to know what the TV ratings were in the US, for the final.

- Scott

I should be getting the ratings report any time now...

I'll post'em here...

Carts...

[giambac]

Do you think that the good showing by the US team which had a bunch of MLS players will have a postive effect on the league and thus reflect well on players considering coming to TFC or the MLS?

I thought it was an entertaining game, personally I don't wan't the US to win anything but.......worked out in the end.

Oh and that grass field was shite. It looked like they cut grass from someplace and just threw it on the pitch, lots of dirt visible on high def and the grass floated around the air.


Confed Cup is a meaningless tournament.

how many people were watching it?
what was the tv audience for this tournament.? it just a waste of a tournament and FIFA's attempt to get more $$$$.

No one really cares for it or how the USA did. USA would never do as well in a meaningful (i.e World Cup) tournament.

[nobodybeatsthewiz]

Confed Cup is a meaningless tournament.

it may not mean much, but "meaningless" is the wrong word for it at this point, given no confed champ has gone onto win the next world cup ;)

[Beach_Red]

Confed Cup is a meaningless tournament.

how many people were watching it?
what was the tv audience for this tournament.? it just a waste of a tournament and FIFA's attempt to get more $$$$.

No one really cares for it or how the USA did. USA would never do as well in a meaningful (i.e World Cup) tournament.

Never say never.

The US may have a long way to go, but there's no reason they can't, if they want to. The more media coverage there is for soccer i the US, the more Americans will be interested.

[giambac]

it may not mean much, but "meaningless" is the wrong word for it at this point, given no confed champ has gone onto win the next world cup ;)

that my point. it is meaningless. history shows that anyone can win this tourney yet when it realy counts (i.e World Cup), the Confed champs are no where to be found.

teams, countries don't care about the Confed Cup. italy, spain are proff of that....

[Carts]

TV Ratings...

2:30-4:30 CBC had 190,000 for the live final... 10,000 for the overnight replay...

2:00-5:50 NASCAR on TSN had 277,000...

1:00-4:15 SNET Blue Jays/Philly had 359,000

Carts...

[Yohan]

that my point. it is meaningless. history shows that anyone can win this tourney yet when it realy counts (i.e World Cup), the Confed champs are no where to be found.

teams, countries don't care about the Confed Cup. italy, spain are proff of that....
so, Brazil decided to play because they were bored? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[giambac]

so, Brazil decided to play because they were bored? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

they played because they got $$$$.

it's a nothing tourney other than getting some $$$$.

Means nothing in the soccer world.

Used as a showcase for the host country (South Africa) to see if they can host the real tournament nest year. That's it. nothing more

[giambac]

TV Ratings...

2:30-4:30 CBC had 190,000 for the live final... 10,000 for the overnight replay...

2:00-5:50 NASCAR on TSN had 277,000...

1:00-4:15 SNET Blue Jays/Philly had 359,000

Carts...


point proven.

the fishing channel got more viewers......;)

[nobodybeatsthewiz]

history shows that anyone can win this tourney yet when it realy counts (i.e World Cup), the Confed champs are no where to be found.


i see your point and do agree, somewhat.

but i guess you're right. confed champs (post king fahd cup):

- brazil (3)
- france (2)
- mexico

[Big Bruva]

Did more good than bad but it was the Confed Cup which most likely means way more to the US team than Spain, Brazil etc, US wouldn't come close to Brazil if it was the WC etc

[Inswingingwingman]

Geez, lots of people are just NEGATIVE.....

The point is, the US beat some good teams. The US is in North America. You bet that players in other countries who thought the entire North American soccer scene was some sort of joke. Some of them may now give it second thought.

And

Confederations Cup Final TV Ratings




Total Futbol (http://miamiherald.typepad.com/total_futbol/2009/06/miami-no-1-tv-market-for-usbrazil.html) found an interesting tidbit. Miami - Ft. Lauderdale pulled a 5.67 for the USA-Brazil final, number one in the nation. Quite an interesting fact since nobody seems to think that South Florida is a soccer market.



This proves that soccer fans are here in our area. Now it’s just a matter of someone figuring out how to get those people off their couches and into a stadium to see our local pro team.



Top 10 US Markets:



MIAMI-FT.LAUD 5.67

Las Vegas 4.28

New York 4.23

West Palm Beach 3.65

Hartford/New Haven 3.64

Atlanta 3.5

Richmond 3.46

Washington DC 3.45

San Francisco 3.35

San Diego 3.30


And in comparison....
While attendance figures have dipped slightly this season against a backdrop of a national recession, television ratings for Major League Baseball are holding steady, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
The average rating for all teams through May 24 was a 3.2, no different from the same period last season, according to The Nielsen Company.





As to the above, all the Confed Cup ratings for the markets involved exceed the average baseball ratings throughout the US of EH.

[Big Bruva]

Good for the MLS coz the league will get a lil bit more notice but Football will only go so far in North America.

Brazil, Spain etc wanna win when they play but Confed Cup does not mean too much to them.

[Inswingingwingman]

Well, that's funny I read that all of Brazil went beserk...parties in the streets, etc...

Google me up some facts that they thought it was meaningless...

[Big Bruva]

Well, that's funny I read that all of Brazil went beserk...parties in the streets, etc...

Google me up some facts that they thought it was meaningless...

Like i say every team wants to win every tourny they enter, wether it even comes close to a WC i doubt it.

My team won the league cup last year then beat Quebec in the Ontario v Quebec Cup and we celebrated like crazy for different reasons, nowhere near like winning the Ontario Cup though.

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

Confed Cup is a meaningless tournament.

how many people were watching it?
what was the tv audience for this tournament.? it just a waste of a tournament and FIFA's attempt to get more $$$$.

No one really cares for it or how the USA did. USA would never do as well in a meaningful (i.e World Cup) tournament.


not meaningless at all...it gives the world cup organizers a chance to see where they need to improve...And South Africa still has a way to go before next years World Cup. Security, the quality of the pitches, crime
transportation all need to be addressed. The tournament brings champions of each football confederation to see who is the best
and is more enjoyable to watch then some world cup matches..
the stanley cup is a meaningless tournament...the best team is the top team with most points and seasons end...not the hot team after a quick 6 week sprint...the stancley cup is a nhl cash grab all about the $$$

[Big Bruva]

not meaningless at all...it gives the world cup organizers a chance to see where they need to improve...And South Africa still has a way to go before next years World Cup. Security, the quality of the pitches, crime
transportation all need to be addressed. The tournament brings champions of each football confederation to see who is the best
and is more enjoyable to watch then some world cup matches..
the stanley cup is a meaningless tournament...the best team is the top team with most points and seasons end...not the hot team after a quick 6 week sprint...the stancley cup is a nhl cash grab all about the $$$

lol pretty sure Giambac meant meaningless to the top nations that enter it.

[Shakes McQueen]

the stanley cup is a meaningless tournament...the best team is the top team with most points and seasons end...not the hot team after a quick 6 week sprint...the stancley cup is a nhl cash grab all about the $$$

So then, by that logic, any cup or league that decides it's winenr from a playoff format, is just a pointless cash grab.

MLB, NBA, NHL, and every Champions League.

Since, of course, you have to remember that CL participants are determined through domestic league placement.

And I highly doubt most actual NHL players would call the Stanley Cup playoffs a "six week sprint". It's an absolutely grueling endurance test, with games every other night, and most players are broken down wrecks by the end, nursing multiple injuries, cuts & bruises.

Your logic defies... logic.

- Scott

[Shakes McQueen]

Did more good than bad but it was the Confed Cup which most likely means way more to the US team than Spain, Brazil etc, US wouldn't come close to Brazil if it was the WC etc

Wouldn't come close?? It's not like the United States has the 347th best team in the world.

I think Brazil has a much better team, but I also think that the US could beat them, on the right day.

Fulham defeated Manchester United this season, in the thick of the EPL title sprint, and Man Utd. were a far better team. Plus it was a very meaningful game.

Any team can lose on the right day. Spain certainly looked pretty upset at losing to the Americans.

- Scott

[Canary Canuck]

I've seen the sentiment all over the place since Sunday that somehow Spain and Brazil were not trying and the US would get destroyed 10-nil in a "real" game in the World Cup when it matters. In 2002 they beat Portugal and made the quarterfinals where they lost to Germany 1-0 in a game where Torsten Frings should've been sent off for an intentional hand ball on the goal line. In 2006 they didn't get out of their group but they played eventual champs Italy to a 1-1 draw with only 9 men. Even to this day you still hear Mexican fans talk about the US as a pathetic little team that can't hold a match to El Tri even though the US have completely dominated Mexico for the last 8 years. Every US win is a complete fluke and the ever more rare Mexican victory is hailed as proof the US still sucks. I know there's a lot of pride among the footy snob but it's time to admit the yanks are not as bad as people love to make them out to be.

[ochos]

^^^ agreed. Just because it's not the most beautiful brand of football, doesn't mean it's not effective

[TFC247]

Brazil, Spain etc wanna win when they play but Confed Cup does not mean too much to them.
You do realize you're sounding like a typical eurosnob with the above statement right? Following your logic, if confed cup is not taken seriously, then why bother playing Euro, or Copa America. Or why bother playing any tournament besides World Cup?

It's one thing to say "you" have no interest in Confed Cup, but to speak on behalf of Brazil, Spain, or any other participating country for that matter, as if you're somehow all knowing, is a typical snobbery.

You would have more credibility on your claim if you come up with any factual evidence other than just pulling out a baseless claim out of thin air just to satisfy your ego. For example, if I were to debate if some Concacaf teams are taking upcoming Gold Cup seriously, one of the things I would look at is their roster. Because it usually is the first major sign of their intent. Then I can make a factual claim whether Canada is taking it seriously or not.

It's true Confed Cup is not as prestigious as World Cup, but it's a flawed logic to say it automatically means teams will not take it seriously.

If we should not value the matches played in confed cup, then why did everyone made such a big deal out of Spain's unbeaten streak before the tournament, which even had some real "meaningless" friendlies sprinkled in between? Oh I see, it only matters when it favors your view, but as soon as it hurts your ego you immediately downplay it. Again, typical textbook snobbery.

[Inswingingwingman]

Well I've learned a lot here.
1. Only the world cup is a cup, the others are trinkets and trifles.
2. It's all about cash, there is no passion.
3. That for the most of the US, the tv audience was larger for the final than for the average baseball ratings, meaning Americans are giving up on baseball but would rather watch NASTYCAR.
4. If we win this tourney some day, no one will care due to the cash grab element.
5. peephole heresabout cummunicate on a nasty level, using baad spellin an' grammer.