Reviews of MLS's inaugural season continue. In U.S. NEWS &
WORLD REPORT, Toch & Mulrine write, "So far, MLS remains a very
healthy baby," with the league "nurturing marquee names the
Madison Avenue way" through trading cards, action figures and a
planned Saturday morning cartoon featuring MLS players (U.S. NEWS
& WORLD REPORT, 10/28 issue). But the L.A. TIMES' Grahame Jones
writes on ESPNET's SportsZone that "those in charge of selling
the league, the so-called marketing wizards, have come up empty."
Jones: "MLS should be jumping all over its equipment
manufacturers and other sponsors to do more than they have been
doing. ... try to find a San Jose Clash jersey or a Columbus Crew
cap or a Dallas Burn T-shirt. You don't have a prayer of doing
so." Jones suggests MLS could increase its base through
magazines, books and videos as well as other visible
merchandising efforts ("SportsZone," ESPN, 10/22). In his L.A.
TIMES column, Jones asks, "Why did 34,643 trek to Foxboro Stadium
for MLS Cup '96 ...? Could it be that MLS has been correct all
along in its belief that there is a vast, untapped sports
audience out there waiting for the right product?" (L.A. TIMES,
10/22).
GM IN TAMPA: MLS Commissioner Doug Logan appointed MLS
VP/Corporate Sales Nick Sakiewicz to Mutiny GM, replacing the
recently dismissed Farrukh Quraishi. Sakiewicz will try to turn
around attendance in Tampa, which was next to last in the league
(TAMPA TRIBUNE, 10/23).
