ALIVE and KICKING
Major League Soccer emerges from its five-month hibernation Saturday, stumbling and blinking into the sunlight of its second season.
In many ways, this year will be more important a test for the fledgling professional league than its inaugural season, when MLS surprised many by attracting almost 2.8 million fans and producing what widely was conceded to be a better-than-expected brand of soccer.
Now comes the tough part--improving on that.
Commissioner Doug Logan confidently says the league’s goal this season is to average 20,000 fans a game, an increase of more than 10% over last year’s 17,416 average.
That expectation might be a bit optimistic, given that the novelty of the first year will have worn off and that MLS, with few notable exceptions, has not signed anywhere near enough new marquee players to attract additional fans.
The first test will come Saturday in San Jose, where the hometown Clash plays the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in the first of 160 regular-season games on the MLS schedule. The regular season runs through Sept. 28, with the vast majority of matches scheduled for weekends.
Locally, the Galaxy opens its season at the Rose Bowl on March 29 against D.C. United, the team that defeated it, 3-2, in overtime last Oct. 20 in the rain at Foxboro Stadium near Boston in the first MLS championship game.
This year’s final is set for RFK Stadium in Washington on Oct. 26.
So, exactly what has MLS done during the off-season to avoid falling prey to the sophomore jinx? A quick accounting:
--It has moved its headquarters from Century City to New York. Image, after all, is everything.
--It has signed Carlos Alberto Parreira, the man who coached Brazil to its 1994 World Cup triumph, and put him in charge of the MetroStars.
--It has acquired at least a sprinkling of additional “name” players, most notably goalkeeper Walter Zenga of Italy, defender Richard Gough of Scotland and midfielder Martin Machon of Guatemala.
--It has raised its salary cap from a paltry $1.1 million per team to a slightly less paltry $1.3 million. Sufficient to give everyone a raise but not enough to lure any stars here from Europe or South America.
--It has persuaded the powers that be at Giants Stadium in New Jersey to allow grass to return to the field in place of the plastic, at least until the playoffs.
--It has announced that expansion will be moved up a year to 1998. Teams will be added next season in Chicago and Miami, giving the league 12 teams en route to an eventual 16.
Then there is what MLS has not done in the off-season.
--It has not signed two players who would instantly energize the league, Roberto Baggio of Italy and Juergen Klinsmann of Germany. Both are unhappy with their club teams--AC Milan and Bayern Munich, respectively--and both would like to come to the United States. And, unfortunately, both are way out of the MLS price range unless they agree to some charity work.
--The league has not solved its labor problems. Currently, a player suit against the league is in its preliminary stages. The players contend that MLS’s single-entity concept violates antitrust laws. They want freedom of movement and a bigger share of the profits.
Unfortunately, what they have chosen to ignore is that MLS lost an estimated $19 million in its first season. That was less than the projected first-year loss of $22 million, but it is far from breaking even.
Many view the players’ action as a trial for other professional sports leagues that might want to try the single-entity approach as a way to control costs. The MLS players are represented by John Kerr, who works for the NFL Players’ Assn.
Logan and Kerr do not see eye to eye on this matter, as shown by Logan’s comments last week to Paul Gardner of Soccer America.
“You’ve got John Kerr, who has danced on the graves of two [soccer] leagues, out there as a self-described leader of this group of [MLS] players,” Logan said. “And I’ll tell you honestly, I’ll be damned if he dances on mine.”
The battle lines have been drawn. The fight will cost the league an estimated $1 million, according to Logan, most of it in attorneys fees.
But as MLS moves into its second season, MLS leaders realize that their real fight is not to achieve player peace or to put fans in the seats or to increase market visibility.
Their real fight is to find a lasting niche in the overcrowded American sports calendar.
And to do that the league has to reach out to an audience that has previously been largely overlooked in this country--the first- and second-generation immigrant community, especially the Hispanic community.
Last season was a promising start in that direction. Of the 2.8 million fans, 39% were Hispanic. Those fans’ knowledge of the sport and their willingness to attend MLS games gave the league instant credibility.
Soccer always has been a sport of the working people, but few have put its splintered appeal in such graphic terms as Logan did recently.
“[Soccer] is not a product for the swells,” he told Soccer America. “It is not a product for rich people to sit in a suite, on a couch that is turned away from the game, eating sushi and watching it on TV.”
So, there you have it. There will be no sushi on sale at MLS games this season.
Next year, who knows?
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
COLORADO RAPIDS
* Coach: Glenn Myernick (new).
* 1996 record: 11-21.
* Playoffs: Failed to qualify.
* Key departures: Dominic Kinnear.
* Key arrivals: Forwards Wolde Harris (Jamaica) and Paul Bravo, defender Peter Vermes, goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.
* Top scorer: Jean Harbor (11 goals, 4 assists).
* Offense: 44 goals, 1.38 per game (9th).
* Defense: 59 goals, 1.84 per game (8th).
* Outlook: A new coach, former U.S. national team player Myernick, and a new general manager, Dan Counce, arrived after a front-office purge that was the natural result of a season that ended with the league’s worst record and worst attendance. Hard as both of them might work, it is difficult to imagine the players they have signed having much impact as far as luring fans to Mile High Stadium is concerned. Last season’s 10,276 average is about what the Rapids can expect without a world-class star on the roster.
DALLAS BURN
* Coach: Dave Dir (2nd year).
* 1996 record: 17-15.
* Playoffs: Eliminated by Kansas City in the first round.
* Key departures: Forward Hugo Sanchez, midfielder Leonel Alvarez, defender Lawrence Lozzano.
* Key arrivals: Defender Daniel Peinado (Argentina), forward Peter Hattrup.
* Top scorer: Jason Kreis (13 goals, 4 assists).
* Offense: 50 goals, 1.56 per game (6th).
* Defense: 48 goals, 1.50 per game (2nd).
* Outlook: The lack of foreign stars will be felt more keenly in the stands than on the field, where goalkeeper Mark Dodd and midfielder Kreis once again should shine. The loss of Mexican striker Sanchez is no real blow, Sanchez being close to collecting Social Security. But the failure to replace Colombia’s Alvarez means Dir once again will be sending out a team to pick up the scraps left behind by the Galaxy and Kansas City. Dallas deserves better, but as a league-owned team it has no clout.
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
* Coach: Ron Newman (2nd year).
* 1996 record: 17-15.
* Playoffs: Eliminated by the Galaxy in the conference finals.
* Key departures: Midfielder Mike Sorber.
* Key arrivals: Defenders Steve Pittman and Richard Gough (Scotland).
* Top scorer: Preki (cq) (18 goals, 13 assists).
* Offense: 61 goals, 1.91 per game (3rd).
* Defense: 63 goals, 1.97 per game (10th).
* Outlook: Newman is not the winningest coach in U.S. soccer history for nothing. He came within a shutout loss to the Galaxy of reaching the MLS championship game last season and points out that the Wiz, now the Wizards, had a winning record against eventual-champion D.C. United. Defense let Kansas City down in 1996 and Newman has strengthened it with the signing of Pittman from Tampa Bay and former Scotland national team captain Gough. Kansas City is co-favorite with the Galaxy for the Western Conference title.
GALAXY
* Coach: Lothar Osiander (2nd year).
* 1996 record: 19-13.
* Playoffs: League runner-up.
* Key departures: Midfielder Jorge Salcedo.
* Key arrivals: Midfielder/defenders Martin Machon (Guatemala) and Danny Pena.
* Top scorer: Eduardo Hurtado (21 goals, 7 assists).
* Offense: 59 goals, 1.84 per game (5th).
* Defense: 49 goals, 1.53 per game (3rd).
* Outlook: Having managed to squeeze all of its stars beneath a restrictive salary cap without losing any, the Galaxy would appear to be the favorite to win the league championship that narrowly eluded it last season. But the status of goalkeeper Jorge Campos’ injured knee remains questionable and World Cup qualifying commitments will rob the team of its leading players at vital moments. Even so, the signing of midfielder/defenders Machon and Pena give the Galaxy a gritty edge that was lacking last year.
SAN JOSE CLASH
* Coach: Laurie Calloway (2nd year).
* 1996 record: 15-17.
* Playoffs: Eliminated by the Galaxy in the first round.
* Key departures: Forwards Paul Bravo and Missael Espinoza (Mexico), midfielder Jorge Rodas (Guatemala).
* Key arrivals: Midfielders Dominic Kinnear, Lawrence Lozzano and Shawn Medved; forward Chris Sullivan.
* Top scorer: Eric Wynalda (10 goals, 13 assists).
* Offense: 50 goals, 1.56 per game (7th).
* Defense: 50 goals, 1.56 per game (4th).
* Outlook: Calloway’s main objective in the off-season was to find a player who could provide the defense-splitting passes to set up leading scorer Wynalda. Hence the arrival of Kinnear from Colorado. But the loss of the exciting Espinoza and the creative Rodas means that San Jose is, on paper at least, a less-dangerous team offensively than it was a year ago. Other hoped-for signings did not materialize, although talk remains that a player from Mexico will arrive soon. It won’t, however, be the much-desired but too expensive Carlos Hermosillo.
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EASTERN CONFERENCE
COLUMBUS CREW
* Coach: Tom Fitzgerald (2nd year).
* 1996 record: 15-17.
* Playoffs: Eliminated by Tampa Bay in the first round.
* Key departures: Midfielder Adrian Paz, defender Ricardo Ibarren.
* Key arrivals: Defender Jorge Salcedo.
* Top scorer: Brian McBride (17 goals, 3 assists).
* Offense: 59 goals, 1.84 per game (4th).
* Defense: 60 goals, 1.88 per game (9th).
* Outlook: Fitzgerald’s team finished with a 9-1 spurt in 1996, sparked by the goalkeeping of U.S. national team and former UCLA star Brad Friedel and the scoring prowess of McBride. Both are back, but the Crew has done little else to improve the team, the exception being the acquisition of former Galaxy starter Jorge Salcedo. If a ballot measure passes in May, Columbus could become the first MLS team with its own soccer-only stadium. Attendance last season averaged a healthy 18,950.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
* Coach: Thomas Rongen (new).
* 1996 record: 15-17.
* Playoffs: Failed to qualify.
* Key departures: Midfielder Geoff Aunger, defenders Ian Fraseer and Mark Watson, forward Welton.
* Key arrivals: Goalkeeper Walter Zenga (Italy), forward Chiquinho Conde (Mozambique), midfielder Leonardo Squadrone and Alejandro Farias (both Argentina).
* Top scorer: Joe-Max Moore (11 goals, one assist).
* Offense: 43 goals, 1.34 per game (10th).
* Defense: 56 goals, 1.75 per game (7th).
* Outlook: The Revolution will be the league’s most improved team in 1997 and is a threat to win the Eastern Conference. One reason is the arrival of Rongen as coach, another is the acquisition of former World Cup goalkeeper Zenga of Italy. Former UCLA star Moore led the team in scoring last season despite arriving late from Germany. Once he recovers from stomach surgery, he will again be among the club’s leaders in goals, teaming with newcomer Conde, captain of Mozambique’s national team. The Argentine midfield is an interesting experiment.
NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY METROSTARS
* Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira (new).
* 1996 record: 15-17.
* Playoffs: Eliminated by Washington in the first round.
* Key departures: Defenders Peter Vermes and Nicola Caricola.
* Key arrivals: Midfielder Mike Sorber.
* Top scorer: Giovanni Savarese (13 goals, one assist).
* Offense: 45 goals, 1.41 per game (8th).
* Defense: 47 goals, 1.47 per game (1st).
* Outlook: It is difficult to be anything but pessimistic about the MetroStars’ chances in 1997, given their failure to make any significant player acquisitions. The money appears to have gone to acquire Parreira, Brazil’s World Cup-winning coach of 1994. But Parreira will find that trying to get players such as Rhett Harty and Miles Joseph to perform like Romario and Bebeto just is not possible. The good news is Giants Stadium will have grass, at least through the playoffs, Roberto Donadoni will return, and Tab Ramos should soon be back from off-season surgery.
TAMPA BAY MUTINY
* Coach: John Kowalski (new).
* 1996 record: 20-12.
* Playoffs: Eliminated by Washington in conference finals.
* Key departures: Defender Steve Pittman.
* Key arrivals: Midfielder Joao Batista Da Silva (Brazil), defender Jacek Ziobar (Poland).
* Top scorer: Roy Lassiter (27 goals, four assists).
* Offense: 66 goals, 2.06 per game (1st).
* Defense: 51 goals, 1.59 per game (5th).
* Outlook: Rongen, the MLS coach of the year, turned the league’s best record into a hefty new contract with New England, hence the arrival of former U.S. national team coach Kowalski. Not wanting to disturb a winning formula, the Mutiny will let league MVP Carlos Valderrama and league top scorer Lassiter try to repeat the success of 1996, albeit hoping for a better performance in the playoffs. The emphasis in Tampa Bay has been on trying to win more fans. Last season the team averaged 11,679 at Tampa Stadium.
WASHINGTON D.C. UNITED
* Coach: Bruce Arena (2nd year).
* 1996 record: 16-16.
* Playoffs: MLS champion.
* Key departures: Defender Shawn Medved.
* Key arrivals: Defender Arnold Cruz (Honduras).
* Top scorer: Raul Diaz Arce (23 goals, two assists).
* Offense: 62 goals, 1.93 per game (2nd).
* Defense: 56 goals, 1.75 per game (6th).
* Outlook: With RFK Stadium all to itself now that the NFL’s Redskins have moved on, Washington appears as strong as ever. Playmaker Marco Etcheverry returns to set up Arce, the league’s second-leading scorer, and Jaime Moreno. U.S. national team captain John Harkes is also back. United got off to a slow start last season but managed to win the MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup despite a .500 regular-season mark. A key test comes early with a game at the Rose Bowl against the Galaxy on March 29.
