http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJeCL2ig9Hs#t=1407
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Did that Scottish guy just say the last Ballon d'Or winner was American?
Ah that makes sense.. I'll admit I was half listening. This is really hard to sit through though: Between the echoing questions and Garber's smug dismissiveness, I'm barely hanging on here.
I mean, right now he was asked about rules transparency and he goes into a big jerk off about the Timbers. He then goes on to say "yeah, we change the rules as we go along".
What a joke. He is literally Vince Mcmahon.
Neil Davidson wasted his opportunity to ask a good question... oh well
Pretty disappointing Q&A session. No real info, except MLS spends about 20 mil per year for youth academies, and MLS and USSF is working together with a plan to produce better USMNT players.
No mention of half the teams losing money or the chivas debacle, no real hardball questions from journalists except the oregon reporter asking about the bad tv ratings.
What a mess this years playoff schedule is, no wonder why they have trouble getting traction on TV ratings.
I was listening to a podcast can't remember which one but they said the issue with the schedule in the playoffs this year was because of TV. Leauge had nothing to do with the gaps in the conference finals and now. Was the only time they would play on TV apparently.
Ya, TV really worked out well during the run in. LOL, one week where you finish a home and home series, start another then take a two week FIFA break, then another week before the final.
It was interesting for viewers having the opening round so cramed but all that momentum was lost on everyonw when you have to break out your smartphone to look up next dates. Its not appealing for any casual fan that wants to see more.
And that's the problem. They should be making it easier for the casual fan to tune into the games.
They have to make a set time for games on certain days. So you will always know on Saturdays there's games at 1,4,10:30 ect. Makes casuals more intuned to tune in if there is a set schedule.
What with Ottawa getting an NASL start next season it was interesting to hear them mentioning Atlanta, San Antonio and Minnesota as possible MLS expansion targets as they currently have working NASL franchises.
Lots of talk about expansion ... not so much about MLS franchises that are not doing so well.
I guess this means that the concept of promotion/relegation is good and dead as far as North American football is concerned.
I think having NASL franchises promoted makes it easier to implement a promotion/relegation. These are cities that were able to (successfully?) sustain a franchise when it as not the top tier, and their fanbase has grown considerably since. They may be in the best position to sustain a drop from MLS to NASL if promotion/relegation came into place - now they would just need to play their way back into MLS. Attendance would fall, but I assume it would be higher than before they joined MLS. But could NY, LA, Houston, Dallas say the same? Or dare I ask - Toronto?