Sepp Blatter Has Some Advice for MLS…

By: Daryl | June 19th, 2009

Major League Soccer can’t remember asking for Sepp Blatter’s opinion, but they got it yesterday anyway at a Confederations Cup press conference. Here’s what the most powerful man in football had to say:

“There is one big problem and officials in the US know it – that because teams did not have their own stadia in the MLS they had to use the stadia of another sport – like American football.

“Therefore, they have to play their season from March to October this is not good timing – if you compare with Europe and some other countries.”

Well, in some ways the old fella is right. I think most MLS fans would prefer to see the season run August to May. And with all the soccer specific stadia progress being made, it could be a possibility.

But not just yet. There are still too many teams either waiting (forever) for their new stadium to be finished, or with no plans in place. Right now DC United, Kansas City Wizards, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Houston Dynamo (sort of) and Seattle Sounders are all sharing stadium space with other sports.

Even if and when all these teams have their own stadia, all shiny and new, there’s still the weather to deal with. A winter break might be a necessity. Maybe even an Apertura and Clausura style system (although it sounds a lot less exciting in English – “Opening” and “Closing”).

Last but not least, it’s not just about stadia. It’s about exposure. MLS chose March to November so as not to be fighting with the NFL for TV time, a fight they could never win. Part of me thinks “who cares?” Everyone who’s too dumb to watch soccer can go watch something else. But at the end of the day MLS is a business, and they need to make sure they stay in business.

But wait, Sepp has more to say…

“On the other hand, what happens is that all your best American players play in Europe; the squad here at the Confederations Cup mostly all play in Europe. So the present situation is not the right solution for MLS. They have to adapt themselves to the main international calendar and then they can find success – but not as long as they have the present procedure.”

Go and tell that to Brazil. All but six of Brazil’s Confederations Cup squad plays in Europe, and they seem to be doing OK.

I feel slightly defensive about MLS here. Yes, things need to change eventually. But soccer in America is an odd beast, and the people that run MLS should at the very least be congratulated for staying in business because it’s not as easy to run a football league in the United States as it is in other countries (where football is the primary sport and an audience is guaranteed). So maybe Sepp Blatter should go back to doing what he does best (selling the World Cup to corporate sponsors?) and keep his nose out of Major League Soccer.

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buce

Sepp Blatter is an idiot. Even with a break during the coldest months it would be very hard to do. If he can come and play 90 minutes in Toronto in November or March I will agree that soccer should be a winter sport. Toronto, Chicago, Colorado, Salt Lake, New York, and New England will be very unpleasant to play in or watch from the Middle of November to the Middle of March. A three month siesta would still mean a largely summer season because the current season runs from April to November.
Laurie

I'm sorry that Sepp didn't discuss just MLS's refusal to recognize the international calendar and leave it at that. That particular issue is a huge impediment to American soccer reaching world class levels.

But no, he has to say that nobody good plays in MLS based on Bob Bradley's callups.

It's not true that the best Americans are all in Europe. It is true that Bob Bradley has a Europe fetish that makes him call up players who are playing in Europe regardless of whether they've actually taken the field in the past season. (It's also true that Bradley has his MLS-based "binkies" like Brian Ching and Sacha Kjlestan, who get called up regardless of form.)

It may be different with the next coach. (Who, with luck, will come very, very soon.)
Mac

A Euro-Style season would be the worst idea ever. I'd much rather watch matches in the 100+ heat we get in Chicago in August than in the -30 windchills we get here in January and February.

...Seriously, we had a week of -50 in February this year. A WEEK! What kind of winter break would allow for that?

Plus, it's nice to have footy in the summer.
Thad

leaving apart competition from other sports from august-may, I think even many huge footy fans would prefer to keep the summer schedule. I don't really pay attention to MLS until the Premier League/Champions League etc is all over and if they ran simultaneously I probably wouldn't watch MLS at all--not enough time in the week.

soccer-specific stadiums owned by the clubs are definitely a must, but not because of scheduling issues. They are a must for creating a good atmosphere at the matches and building a true soccer fan culture.
Matt

Chris- So, I am assuming you are talking about the weather in those areas. It's not exactly 70 degrees and sunny in Chicago, Columbus, Colorado, Salt Lake City, Kansas City November through March.
mlyons

Sepp might be a little over the top, but it would sure be nice if MLS would at least make an attempt to accomodate international play and the hot summer weather. Washington DC (and Philadelphia, Dallas, and Houston) are not exactly ideal places to play a hard 90 minutes in August. A split season would work out a lot better on both fronts, I think.
Bella

I read the interview and actually think he was trying to be helpful. (Clearly fifa would want a successful league in the US to boost their quest for supreme domination of the universe -- sorry, back to the scheduling conflict.)

It's always seemed to me that even avid soccer fans in the US don't understand quite how important it to players all over the world to be included in their national teams. The World Cup is the pinnacle of every players dreams and your club won't take you there.

The pool of good players we can attract is certainly going to be smaller if playing here makes international involvement less likely. PLUS, when our clubs do get international players and they spend so much of the MLS season on international duty, that kind of defeats the purpose.

As long as we keep this schedule, it might help if MLS at least took breaks for international dates, like the winter leagues do. And also have deeper rosters, like many of the teams in the other summer leagues mentioned.
chris

"It’s also interesting that Sepp didn’t mention Russia, Ukraine, Argentina, or Mexico when talking about summer schedules."

Geography, my dear friend.
Matt

It's also interesting that Sepp didn't mention Russia, Ukraine, Argentina, or Mexico when talking about summer schedules. Just enjoy your back rubs from Jack Warner with optional happy endings and keep your mouth shut, Sepp.
andersen

wasn't it 3 years ago sepp was saying how he wanted other leagues to switch to a summer schedule, much like MLS.
Matt

Ah yeah, Sepp. I can't think of anything in Columbus, Texas, the Midwest, etc that occurs in the Fall that the casual fan would choose over the MLS. Twat. Worry about your corrupt association, not the MLS. Though I guess you'd have to stop getting kick backs and hand jobs on private jets for that to happen.