MLS Commissioner Don Garber is "serious about making
the most of what he has, and he isn't laboring under
illusions," according to Jamie Trecker of ESPN.com. Last
week, Garber announced several changes to the league (see
THE DAILY, 11/18) and told Trecker, "We've got to accept
that the fans need to be trusted, and we have to capture as
many of them as we can. ... If we can't convince our
sponsors or our network people to help us with that, then we
have to do it ourselves." Trecker reports that Lego is "on
board" as a new league sponsor and New York Life "may be
next." Garber, on league sponsors: "What we have to do now
is get them more involved at the local level, doing things
like spending money on tickets." Trecker: "No one is going
to call MLS a sound investment -- yet. But it is clear that
it is willing to bury some of the past in an effort to
embrace the future" (ESPN.com, 11/22). BRANDWEEK's Terry
Lefton reports that Lego signed a one-year deal as an MLS
promotional partner as the toy company "introduces a new
line of soccer-themed products." Lefton adds that since the
contract is "not a licensing deal, MLS marks will not appear
in the sets or on packaging" (BRANDWEEK, 11/22 issue). MLS
CMO Randy Bernstein said that the league has "generated more
than" $100M in sponsorship in its first four years and its
recent renewals with Honda, Pepsi and A-B will generate
"well in excess" of $25M next season, roughly a third of the
league's annual budget (AP, 11/21).
EXPANSION PLANS? Garber cited Seattle, the Carolinas,
Philadelphia, Houston, San Diego and N.Y. as possible areas
for expansion in the next four to six years: "To do anything
less than that would be critically problematic for us. To
not be in these cities shows we can't support the league.
Our goal to have no less than 10 of our own stadiums in the
next 10 years has to happen. We need to drive our own real
estate and schedule" (Bergen RECORD, 11/21). Garber: "Right
now it's vogue to bash MLS. ... I want to get it back to the
optimistic side of the ledger" (AP, 11/21). Garber was
interviewed by ABC's Rob Stone during yesterday's MLS Cup on
ABC. Garber: "We've got great momentum through our Cup game
and into next year. ... We signed Ronald Cerritos of San
Jose [Clash] -- a tremendous signing for us and part of what
I think will be just great news as we go forward into next
year" ("MLS Cup," ABC, 11/21).
GOOD GRADES: MLS Founder Alan Rothenberg said that the
"future" of MLS has "dramatically changed for the better"
(COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 11/22). In Palm Beach, Hal Habib wrote
on Garber's new initiatives under the header, "Thumbs Up For
New MLS Chief" (PALM BEACH POST, 11/21). MLS broadcaster
Seamus Malin said of Garber, "Almost from the moment he took
office, Don was asking good questions. He wanted to learn
why the league seemed to be losing its grip on the hard-core
soccer fans" (BOSTON HERALD, 11/21). In Columbus, Craig
Merz: "Garber has taken a once-tired product and given it
new life" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 11/22). In San Antonio, Raul
Flores: "[Garber] has brought fresh blood and new life to
the league" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 11/22). But the AP's
Brian Trusdell wrote that the "perception" of the league is
"sagging." MetroStars MF Tab Ramos: "Initially, we had
great impact. The interest has been lost" (AP, 11/21).
