hairykipper Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Does anyone know if BT sports still has the rights to Major League Soccer (MLS 2014). Enjoyed watching the 'Red Bulls' when I was on holiday so kept up with MLS 2013 when I returned. It is football - just not as we know it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David W Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Scroll to the bottom... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairykipper Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 Thanks for that. Good to see that there will be plenty of evening kick-offs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonksy+HisChristianParade Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I'm a massive fan of Montreal Impact - they have Italian stars Matteo Ferrari and Marco Di Vaio playing for them. According to their website they're playing their first few games at the Olympic stadium before playing the rest at Saputo - not that it matters that much given that they're right next to each other. 20,000 tickets already sold for the home opener as well, not bad at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairykipper Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Very impressive for a team who were only founded in 2010. I take it Saputo is a soccer only stadium? The game I saw on holiday was the Red bulls at home to Montreal. It was a top if the table clash with NYRB winning (4-0 I think). Amazing atmosphere and not once in the 2 and a half hours at the stadium did I hear a swear word. When was the last time you could say that about a Scottish game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonksy+HisChristianParade Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Yeah Saputo is soccer only. The Olympic is much bigger so I'm assuming they're anticipating large crowds for the first few games (one of which is against NYRB). I can't say I'm too bothered about swearing at games, I usually do it myself. One thing which did impress me was the marketing of the teams in the MLS and the efforts they make to get kids involved. For instance, outside the Whitecaps stadium they had free face-painting, meet the players, video games and a kick about in the street with a man on stilts (?). It's also possible to buy beer in the stadium which is a massive money spinner for the club as loads of people buy pints at the price of $16 each. Folk love merchandise in general as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme P Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Does anyone know if BT sports still has the rights to Major League Soccer (MLS 2014). Enjoyed watching the 'Red Bulls' when I was on holiday so kept up with MLS 2013 when I returned. It is football - just not as we know it! Agree with you there. I live in midwest of America so I have been to a few Sporting KC games. Any games I have witnessed, both teams do try play the game but it is just not as fast as the European way and the technicality of the game is still nowhere near Europe (except your Henry, Cahill, Marquez etc) however it is forever improving and is still entertaining in a different way. Teams still rely on athleticism but that has been the American way for success over the years in all sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairykipper Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 As long as they concentrate on bringing on local North American talent and don't bring in too many foreigners, MLS will be a success. True, until that local talent comes good the league will not be as strong as the big European ones. But If the huge amount of youngsters playing soccer can be translated into onfield talent MLS could quickly become one of the worlds strongest leagues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme P Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 its got a lot of potential you're right. More and more players who are playing in North America are now making the national team so that is an obvious start. More and more money is being put into youth football as the demand for it is the fastest growing sport out here but sadly that is not at the early stages where it is usually a parent coach who has no knowledge of the game apart from " my kid wants to play it" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairykipper Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Although it is a relatively young league it could still teach the Scottish set-up a thing or two. Marketing in particular is something that it seems very slick at. As Bonksy points out the match day experience is way more family orientated. The atmosphere in the ground is just as enthusiastic but not so abusive as in UK. Marketing away from the ground also looks slick. Particularly the unified kit store on the MLS website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairykipper Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Possible Red Bulls friendlies against Arsenal and Rangers. http://tinyurl.com/n4umeyu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audaces Fortuna Juvat Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Yeah Saputo is soccer only. The Olympic is much bigger so I'm assuming they're anticipating large crowds for the first few games (one of which is against NYRB). I can't say I'm too bothered about swearing at games, I usually do it myself. One thing which did impress me was the marketing of the teams in the MLS and the efforts they make to get kids involved. For instance, outside the Whitecaps stadium they had free face-painting, meet the players, video games and a kick about in the street with a man on stilts (?). It's also possible to buy beer in the stadium which is a massive money spinner for the club as loads of people buy pints at the price of $16 each. Folk love merchandise in general as well. Not at that fecking price I wouldn't? Was at Toronto a few years back and the beer was quite reasonably priced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairykipper Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Think the beer at NY was less, about $7. The price if the home or away tops was steep at around $130. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonksy+HisChristianParade Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Not at that fecking price I wouldn't? Was at Toronto a few years back and the beer was quite reasonably priced. Me either. Mental prices. I was at a Toronto Raptors game recently and the beer was similarly extortionate. I've never been to TFC though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairykipper Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 MLS new season - Matchday One. Chumps v Champs? Seattle Sounders v Sporting Kansas City - 8pm, BT Sport (website and app only). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumigoo Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I've been to an MLS game. I went to see LA Galaxy take on Chivas at the "Home Depot Center" (now the "StubHub Center") I thoroughly enjoyed the outside of the stadium experience, there were lots of stands giving away free stuff and there were a few games for people to take part in for free bottles of Coke and stuff, we could definitely learn from this! I did want to buy a kit but f**k me they are expensive! I got a really smart Adidas Galaxy t-shirt though. Inside the ground the food selection was great and you could buy beer at a reasonable price, plus again there were lots of things going on in for kids and stuff. The football itself was horrific. The atmosphere was decent but not the kind of atmosphere I enjoy at the football, there was no intensity at all. Beckham was playing there still and the noise from the crowd every time he got the ball was just embarrassing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme P Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I've been to an MLS game. I went to see LA Galaxy take on Chivas at the "Home Depot Center" (now the "StubHub Center") I thoroughly enjoyed the outside of the stadium experience, there were lots of stands giving away free stuff and there were a few games for people to take part in for free bottles of Coke and stuff, we could definitely learn from this! I did want to buy a kit but f**k me they are expensive! I got a really smart Adidas Galaxy t-shirt though. Inside the ground the food selection was great and you could buy beer at a reasonable price, plus again there were lots of things going on in for kids and stuff. The football itself was horrific. The atmosphere was decent but not the kind of atmosphere I enjoy at the football, there was no intensity at all. Beckham was playing there still and the noise from the crowd every time he got the ball was just embarrassing. Agree wit you there. The atmosphere is good but its a complete different atmosphere compared to back home. Some of the songs are cringe worthy! But like a lot of sports in America, its a family/ friend, fun day out orientated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairykipper Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 Matchday one: Seattle v Kansas watched by almost 40 000 people. Based on the prices mentioned above, that's a hell of a lot of beer money. Kenny Miller scored two for Vancouver against NY Red Bulls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarraJag Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Hopefully Chivas have a good season, cant really see it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairykipper Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 Chivas in a bad way. Not sure about the MLS buying them, seems strange. Imagine the SFA stepping in to buy one of the Scottish clubs who were in financial trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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