The expansion Chicago Fire defeated the DC United 2-0
to win the MLS Cup in front of 51,350 at the Rose Bowl in
Pasadena yesterday. In Chicago, Bob Foltman writes that the
Fire completed "arguably the most successful opening season
for an expansion franchise in American sports history"
(CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/26). On ESPN.com, Tony Schenk reports
that MLS "can't be too disappointed" with yesterday's crowd,
which is the second-best of the three MLS Cups, trailing the
57,431 for '97's Cup at RFK Stadium (ESPN.com, 10/26).
PAUL REVERE SAYS, 'MLS IS COMING': During his state-of-
the-game address on Friday, MLS Commissioner Doug Logan said
the '99 MLS Cup will be played at Foxboro Stadium. Logan:
"We considered Tampa, but we only have a one-year deal (at
Raymond James Stadium) and I didn't want to take a chance on
that. There were also strong bids from Washington and San
Jose. But we loved the hospitality in Boston in '96"
(BOSTON GLOBE, 10/24). MLS will end its season three weeks
later next year as its final will be held November 14 in
Foxboro. Logan: "It's tough to sell our championship on the
heels of the World Series" (USA TODAY, 10/26).
SEASON IN REVIEW: Logan: "This season, out of our 192
matches, 31 had attendances of over 20,000, but we didn't
have any of those huge events that drew 90,000 or 67,000
this year." Logan, on TV ratings: "Our combined games [on
ESPN/ABC] had a 0.9 rating, and when we factor in playoff
games and the MLS Cup, we think it will be in excess of a
1.0 with a good, solid, young male demographic." Logan
added, "Next year, our focus will be on improving attendance
in New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Miami and San Jose"
(STAR-LEDGER, 10/25). Logan added that the league plans to
improve its TV and scheduling strategy by having each team
in action on the league's opening weekend next year and by
scheduling more weekend games in both the regular season and
playoffs (ESPN.com, 10/25). Logan was interviewed on ABC
during the second half of the MLS Cup on Sunday. Logan: "I
think we've had a very exciting third year. ... We're poised
for next year to be even bigger and better." Logan, on
MLS's decision to reduce the number of foreign players on a
team from five to four: "We think the American players are
ready to take that fifth roster spot and what we'll do is
use that same money to maybe get a little better quality
international player" ("MLS Cup," ABC, 10/24).
IS LEAGUE HEADING IN RIGHT DIRECTION? In Chicago,
Jeanie Chung reports that, despite the success of the Fire
franchise, "there might be dark clouds on the horizon" for
MLS. The nine games broadcast on ESPN this year drew a .44
rating, down 10% from last year and representing about
324,000 homes. The 21 games on ESPN2 drew a .21 rating,
representing about 124,000 households. But Logan believes
that '99 "could be a bellwether year for the league," as
there will be no Olympics ('96) or World Cup ('98)
competition for the league (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/26). In
San Diego, Mark Zeigler wrote that "judging MLS after three
years is a complicated issue." While average attendance has
dropped 17.8% since its inaugural season, the "quality of
play has increased noticeably" and the value of the league's
franchises has also increased. Zeigler added that the '99
season "will be the first without a major distraction"
(UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/25). In DC, Michael Wilbon wrote, "After
20 years of trying to carve out its niche in American
sports, professional soccer still can't take its shoes off,
put up its feet and feel at home." Regarding MLS's
complaint about the lack of media coverage of the league,
Wilbon wrote, "Until people who grew up playing soccer
become editors and news directors, Logan and MLS people
asking for more expansive coverage are fighting a losing
battle." Also in DC, William Gildea: "MLS has an uncertain
future. But this can be said: It is trying to grow the game
soundly, which takes time. ... The slow race is on: Will
American players grow up to be household names before MLS's
money runs out?" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/25). In L.A., Grahame
Jones wrote that MLS's "problem" is that it "is competing
for a small slice of a pie that by and large already has
been dished out." Therefore, the game "needs" to be
"radically different" (L.A. TIMES, 10/25).
THE COVERAGE: ABC earned a 1.2/2 preliminary overnight
for Sunday's game, down 33% from the 1.8/4 it received for
Rapids-United in '97. The championship game drew a game
story in only the nation's top market newspapers. On ESPN's
early "SportsCenter" last night, MLS Cup received 1:11 of
coverage 13:35 into the broadcast, after the second
commercial break. Highlights of three NFL games led the
show, followed by highlights from the NASCAR Dura-Lube/K-
Mart 500 and the National Car Rental Golf Classic, which
received 1:41 of coverage. On the late "SportsCenter,"
after ESPN's NFL game, MLS Cup highlights ran 19:30 minutes
into the broadcast behind the NFL and NASCAR (THE DAILY).
