U.S. CUP NOT MEASURING UP TO WORLD CUP; MLS' CHALLENGES

     "A lackluster and underfunded promotional campaign handled
by U.S. Soccer" made it difficult to produce a crowd larger than
the 22,578 who turned out for the U.S./Nigeria U.S. Cup game on
Sunday, according to Gus Martins in the BOSTON HERALD.  Foxboro
Stadium Manager Brian O'Donovan thought the "spirit" of the crowd
made up for the low attendance.  O'Donovan:  "It wasn't a
disaster, but it was a little disappointing" (BOSTON HERALD,
5/13).  O'Donovan also commented in the BOSTON GLOBE that these
type of events require a "buzz at the grassroots level" to make
them successful and he is optimistic MLS will have that kind of
attention (Frank Dell'Apa, BOSTON GLOBE, 6/13).  But in
Philadelphia, Bob Ford writes that MLS will suffer by starting
its season "in the deep shadow cast" by the '96 Olympic Games
(PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 6/11).