MLS Commissioner Don Garber said that he "plans to
shorten the length of its season by up to" two months next
year, according to Steven Goff of the WASHINGTON POST, who
notes that Garber "would like the regular season to end in
late August or early September" with the championship game
played in late September. Garber: "Shrinking, condensing
our schedule is a high priority. Having a schedule that
stretches across all major sports doesn't allow us to have
any span [of time] to call our own, or at least give us the
ability to get more attention." More Garber: "We have our
most important part of the season [the playoffs] right now
getting mixed with the most important part of the season in
baseball and the excitement with the launch of football."
Garber: "It would be great for us to be a late spring,
summer sport." Garber added that he "would like to build a
stronger relationship" between MLS and the USSF, which
"often compete for the same sponsors, television packages
and ticket-buyers" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/22).
A GOOD FIT: In Tampa, Joey Johnston writes that MLS
"needs to change for growth, possibly for survival. ... MLS
needs to get noticed more often. Fewer games, less
crossover into the sports glut, probably means more
exposure." Garber, on the perception that he's "not a
soccer guy" because he never played professionally: "Did
Paul Tagliabue play in the NFL? Did David Stern play in the
NBA?" Johnston notes that Garber must first "create some
stars" in the league (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 10/22).
