1. I really question the NCAA’s decision to have tournament matches on MLS Cup Sunday. It is hard for a game like Akron v. SMU to get any attention when it starts at 8 pm ET and the MLS Cup coverage starts at 9pm ET. There should be no NCAA soccer matches on MLS Cup Weekend.
2. Somebody at U.S. Soccer needs to push for all national team matches to be televised. Last night’s USWNT match had a record crowd in Arizona, but it was only streamed online. Streaming online equals limited exposure. The women’s national team is still riding a wave of popularity, thanks to the Women’s World Cup and Hope Solo’s run on Dancing with the Stars.
3. Everybody is talking David Beckham now that he and the Galaxy are favorites to win tonight in the MLS Cup Final. Most likely it is Beckham’s last game in MLS as he is being courted by teams like PSG and QPR.
So was the Beckham Experiment a success? It has brought the league a lot of worldwide attention and encouraged world-class players to come to the States. And finally he has played up to the level we all expected. The first few years were a little rough, but the finish could be spectacular. Beckham has already claimed his MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award; maybe some hardware for the Galaxy would seal his legacy as one of the greats in league history.
The next step for MLS is to find a way to get superstars in their prime. And bring back the Cosmos as the 20th team. Maybe that will be the spark that we are all looking for. Wouldn’t it be great to see players like Rooney, Ronaldo, Torres, Neymar, and Messi playing on American soil?
4. We remain really positive when it comes to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. It is going to be a great event, one that will set the standard for all World Cups to come.
