MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced various "changes"
to the league yesterday, including the "elimination" of the
shootout and the "shortening of the season" by nearly two
months, according to Alex Yannis of the N.Y. TIMES, who
reports that other "major" changes "involve the realignment"
of the 12 teams to three divisions from two and the
referee's "designation as the official timekeeper." The
changes "would revert [MLS] to virtually all the rules used
throughout the world." Garber: "We have to go back and
shore up our existence with the core soccer fan. ... There
was a negativity buzzing among the hardest-core fans" (N.Y.
TIMES, 11/18). Garber: "Our core audience has spoken and we
have listened" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/18). In Boston, Frank
Dell'Apa writes that Garber has "moved quickly to make his
mark on soccer" and he "appears to understand that simple,
subtle changes can have profound effects" (BOSTON GLOBE,
11/18). In Hartford, Jerry Trecker writes that MLS' changes
will "bring its game into line with the rest of the world"
(HARTFORD COURANT, 11/18). In K.C., Pete Grathoff: "The
Americanization of soccer is coming to an end" (K.C. STAR,
11/18). In Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Brousseau: "[MLS] made
radical changes vowing to return the game back to the fans"
(SUN-SENTINEL, 11/18). USA TODAY's Peter Brewington: "MLS
has been hurting despite a pleasing, fast-paced product on
the field." Garber, on eliminating the shootout: "We do not
want a contrived device to end our games" (USA TODAY,
11/18). But in Miami, Greg Cote writes, "Shootout fans are
outraged. Both of them" (MIAMI HERALD, 11/18).
GETTING ITS KICKS ON THE TUBE: Garber also announced
that ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports will combine to televise
"Soccer Saturday," a series of 28 games on national TV over
19 consecutive Saturdays from March 25 to August 19. ESPN2
will show 17 games -- 14 in prime time -- ESPN will televise
six and ABC Sports will air five. ESPN2 will also present a
weekly Monday night one-hour highlights show at 11:00pm
(ESPN). ESPN VP Steve Risser was pleased with Garber's
initiatives: "The MLS is young. It is still in a growth
pattern" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/18). In L.A., Grahame Jones
reports that "negotiations are ongoing" between MLS and
Univision, which has shown a game of the week each Sunday in
past seasons. Jones writes that Univision "will probably
continue" to air MLS games (L.A. TIMES, 11/18).
DATE CHANGE: In Columbus, Craig Merz reports that next
year's All-Star Game set for July 13 at Crew Stadium "has
been changed" to July 29 (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 11/18).
SEARCHING FOR A DIFFERENT GALAXY: In L.A., Grahame
Jones reported that a new stadium "appears much closer to
becoming a reality" for the Galaxy. Team Investor/Operator
Philip Anschutz's "vision" for a new soccer stadium is a
"little more grand" than the $28.5M stadium built for the
Columbus Crew. Team President Tim Leiweke: "Ours would not
be just for MLS. Ours would also be for international
[games], so we'd want to build something that is more of a
showcase for soccer." Leiweke, on the team trying to "find
a way to attract a broader audience" to fill stands:
"Clearly, the game works here. ... We just have to figure
out a way to spread this passion" (L.A. TIMES, 11/17).
