Soccer, In; MLS, Out

Water will find its level, and the American tide remains low.

by E. James Beale

About two-and-a-half weeks ago, the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team spent about two-and-a-half hours inside Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa, unsuccessfully attempting to avenge their 2006 loss to Ghana. Roughly 8,000 miles away, all of Philadelphia — and if it was not "all," judging from the overflowing bars, packed apartments and near-universal red, white and blue wardrobes, it was close — joined 20 million other Americans shouting for our nation, cheering for our side and cursing Ricardo Clark.

That's a lot of people, and it wasn't even the World Cup's high-water mark: The championship match last Sunday between Holland and Spain drew 24.3 million American viewers. In the meantime, the Cup dominated water-cooler conversations.

All of this means one thing: The endless question, "Is soccer ever going to make it in America?" can be answered. Yes. Soccer can, will and has made it in America. Association football is now as American as combination Pizza Hut/Taco Bells. When Paul the Psychic Octopus becomes a household name, soccer is here to stay.

Major League Soccer (MLS) — and with it, our local chapter, the Chester-based Philadelphia Union — is another matter.

The first major impediment to MLS success is simple: talent. Americans want the best. Roger Federer has more American endorsements than Andy Roddick, Usain Bolt has more American fans than any national sprinter, and the top European leagues, like England's Premier League, Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A, are all more popular here than MLS. Last month's exposure to top-level international soccer has increased that divide. The World Cup brought a demand for the type of quality play that can only be supplied in Europe. Casual fans, suddenly armed with favorite players to follow, will trail Andrés Iniesta to Barca, Wesley Sneijder to Inter Milan, and Americans Landon Donovan and Tim Howard to Everton. The tournament gave Americans a new set of favorites, and they're all overseas.

Meanwhile, no Union player so much as made a World Cup roster. Their best player, Congolese Striker Danny Mwanga, speaks openly about his desire to play in France. Why? Because that is what successful MLS players do. Under pressure to prove their talent against top-flight competition, make serious money (the average MLS team is worth a little less than 40 percent of Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer fee), and gain the international experience National Team officials covet, American stars aren't stars in America for long. Don't be fooled by the several big names the MLS has drawn, either — David Beckham, Freddie Ljungberg and now Thierry Henry — as all are seen worldwide as heading into the final stages of their careers.

Water will find its level, and the American tide remains low.

Star power isn't the only reason new soccer fans turn to Europe. It is literally easier to watch a Blackpool F.C. game from your couch than it is to see the team bearing your own city's name. Thanks to big-money-partnerships between top European leagues and the ESPNs of the world, foreign sides are getting easier to track. The big networks now have quality games to feed us, and a financial incentive to make sure we dig in. After ESPN recently shelled out $408 million for limited broadcast rights for the Premiership and an undisclosed amount to air La Liga, coverage is assured. If you want to see Union "stars" like Sebastien Le Toux and Fred and can't make it out to PPL Park in Chester, you're probably streaming the game online. No one invites buddies over to do that.

The way the Union exists now — in a minor league, with a passionate message-board fan base and no other followers to speak of — is a fine place to be. But without strong corporate backing and truly elite stars, they're also far closer to their ceiling than most close to the league care to admit. Big events like the World Cup aren't going to help — they're going to drive away successful National Team players and their hard-won fans with them.

So while soccer in America has, is and will take off, also realize that American soccer leagues won't be coming with them.

E. James Beale swears he's big in Europe. E-mail him at e.james.beale@citypaper.net.