Commissioner Don Garber: 'It's been a very good year' for MLS
SI interview with Don Garber
Commissioner Don Garber: 'It's been a very good year' for MLS
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
As much as I may disagree with a few things he has said, he does have passion to make this league work. Sucks that we have to play teams like Columbus and New England three times a year, and potentially not play teams like the Galaxy at all.
Toronto will play LA once next yearOriginally Posted by mastermixer
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
I've always been impressed with 'The Don'...
I was lucky enough to have a conversation with him during MLS Cup Weekend in Toronto and loved his passion, ambition, knowledge, and just the way he carried himself during the media events, and at the social events that weekend...
Of course there's things I don't agree with (unbalanced schedule, allowing teams to have non-SS stadiums etc etc) but he's in it for the long haul, and wants to grow the league as big as it can get...
"...Money wasn't tight, but it like, it wasn't right..."
From the article:
SI.com: Is it possible you may have some teams not playing each other at all in the regular season next year?
Garber: Yeah. Just by the fact it'll be unbalanced. That's possible
this is interesting :
The same guys looking to purchase 80% of MLSE... hmmmm...SI.com: There have been reports that you're about to sell 25 percent of SUM for up to $150 million to Providence Equity Partners. What are the chances of that happening -- and that the money could go back into investing in players?
a ha ha heh he hoo.. ha
"SI.com: There have been reports that you're about to sell 25 percent of SUM for up to $150 million to Providence Equity Partners. What are the chances of that happening -- and that the money could go back into investing in players?"
http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/...af-sports?bn=1
Interesting. Dunno exactly what to make of that
Edit: Ha, beat me to it
this :
SI.com: You're on the board of U.S. Soccer. Are you OK with U.S. Soccer voting for Blatter in June's presidential election?
um. Sepp was the only candidate.
actually, 3 times
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...chedule-format
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
one Toronto relevant question
SI.com: Toronto is spending $20 million on a youth development academy. Who are the other leaders in the league at this point when it comes to youth development investment?
Garber: This is a new endeavor for the league, but the amount of energy behind this throughout the league is growing exponentially. Toronto's commitment is almost unprecedented. I think it shows their belief in this sport and their desire to really create a top-tier professional soccer club. While they haven't achieved as much success on the field as they would like, their fans should know MLSE is committed to being best in class on the competitive side of things. New York is doing an incredible job. They're embarking on finalizing a plan for a training facility and academy that will be a similar type of financial commitment. They've got a very good academy, one that's developed one of America's most promising young players in Juan Agudelo. Philadelphia is doing a good job. So is Dallas, which more homegrown players on its roster [6] than any other club. L.A. is getting deeply engaged in the business. I don't think there's any club that's not focused on development. But clearly there's a handful that have been more aggressive than others.
fantastic interview, garber has a remarkable understanding of the game. it's interesting to hear his thoughts on the new KC stadium in relation to other SSS and how the KC was able to rapidly increase it's fanbase as opposed to dallas and colorados slow build.
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