MLS Commissioner Doug Logan was "especially peeved" at
broadcast partner ESPN, which "accepts advertising dollars
from the league but failed to mention" DC United's win over
Brazil's Vasco de Gama in the InterAmerican Cup Saturday in
Miami, according to Bob Luder of the K.C. STAR. Logan said
MLS sent ESPN a tape of the game, but, "Perhaps they were
too busy filming one of those nice, slick promos they do, or
they were getting their tuxes fitted for the ESPY's." Logan
also said that MLS "would not sit quietly while our
constituency and fans are ignored" (K.C. STAR, 12/9).
Logan: "This was a big news story, and I don't know what
it's going to take to wake up the American media. I'm damn
angry" (Michelle Kaufman, MIAMI HERALD, 12/9). Logan said
sports editors "ought to hang their heads in shame." On his
decision not to be "polite" to the media anymore: "I'm going
to the ad managers, the circulation directors. They may not
feel it immediately, but they will feel it" (AP, 12/9).
Logan: "For some series of unknown reasons, we have managed
to achieve our success in splendid secrecy in this country"
(Bob Foltman, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/9). Logan also expressed
"disappointment" in the game attendance of 7,283: "South
Florida continues to be an enigma in regards to drawing an
audience for a match like this" (MIAMI HERALD, 12/9).
MLS SCHEDULE: MLS will kick off next season with four
games on March 20. The regular season will end October 10
and the MLS Cup will be "pushed back" from October to
November 21. Of the 159 games MLS will have on Friday,
Saturday or Sunday, 136 will be on Saturday (AP, 12/9). In
Tampa, Bill Ward writes that the increase in weekend dates
"is a league-wide trend," with 83% of the '99 schedule
falling between Friday and Sunday (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 12/9).
