MLS All Stars’ Dwayne De Rosario, center, of D.C. United, holds the trophy with teammates after defeating Chelsea FC 3-2 in soccer’s MLS All-Star game, Wednesday, July 25, 2012, in Chester, Pa.On Wednesday night, Major League Soccer held it’s 17th All-Star Game
at PPL Park just outside of Philadelphia. A record crowd, and a TV
audience on ESPN, saw the MLS
All-Stars defeat the reigning European champions, Chelsea FC 3-2.
As I watched, I heard former U.S. international and ESPN analyst
Taylor Twellman say this was the best All-Star format in American sports.
I thought about it and had a hard time disagreeing.
A few years ago, debating which All Star Game was the best was no
chore at all. Few would argue that Major League Baseball has stood
alone as the only major sport worth tuning in to. While there are
pitching changes every inning or so and the winner of the glorified
exhibition game, unfortunately, decides home field advantage in the
World Series, the game itself doesn’t change much. Gone are the days
of Pete Rose barreling into Ray Fosse at home plate but for the most
part, the game is the same. Pitchers still throw hard and players
can still play the game hard and play solid defense, unlike in the
NHL, NBA and NFL All-Star Games.
However, as much as I enjoy baseball’s Midsummer Classic, in recent
years, Major League Soccer has overtaken them on my All-Star Game
priority list.
Full disclosure: I am a fan of all sports (with the exception of
NASCAR — and not for lack of trying). While I’ve spent a lot of my
career broadcasting and writing about soccer, I get just as excited
about an intriguing NBA or NHL game as I do about an MLS or European
soccer game. (e.g. I skipped the Roma vs. Liverpool Fenway Park
friendly in favor of watching the Tigers/Indians game on Wednesday)
Side note for non-soccer fans: MLS launched in 1996 and has grown to
19 teams, and is stronger than ever. Last year, the league surpassed
the NHL and the NBA in league-wide average attendance (granted, MLS
stadiums are bigger than NHL and NBA arenas, but still…). TV
audiences are slowly growing and a recent
study by ESPN shows the sport’s popularity is expected to
continue to grow as kids from this generation are growing up with a
professional soccer league here in the U.S. and more soccer on TV
than ever before. (Who would have thought 20 years ago a major
network like Fox would show a live regular season English Premier
League game?)
Chelsea FC’s Romelu Lukaku, right, drives the ball past MLS All-Stars’ Carlos Valdes during the second half of soccer’s MLS All-Star game.Since MLS doesn’t have a long history to draw from, the format has
changed a few times, starting with East vs. West, dabbling in the
USA vs. the World during the 1998 World Cup year and then having the
All-Stars face off with outside opponents like the U.S. National
Team (2002) and Mexico’s C.D. Guadalajara (2003). After one last
East/West battle in 2004, the league decided to go back to finding
an opponent to come in to play the best of MLS and the format has
remained since.
Beginning in 2005, when U.S. internationals Brian McBride and Carlos
Bocanegra brought middle-of-the-table English Premier League side
Fulham FC to Columbus to play the All-Stars, the league has made it
their goal to put the league’s best players on the field against
some of the world’s best teams, or at the very least, against teams
from some of the world’s best leagues.
Celtic (Scotland), West Ham United (England), Everton (England), and
Manchester United (twice) have all taken part and this year, Chelsea
FC, made their second appearance in the annual exhibition game. The attendance and interest for the All-Star Game continues to grow and if TV ratings are any indication, the current format looks to remain in place.
Here are the reasons why the MLS All-Star Game is superior:
A ROOTING INTEREST: US AGAINST THE WORLD
Sure, you’re (probably) not a fan of LeBron James, but you’re cheering for the USA at the Olympics, right? I thought so. One of the great things about international play in any sport
(Olympics, Ryder Cup, World Cup etc.) is that everyone comes
together for one common cause. Sure, a lot of people don’t like
LeBron James, but when he puts on those red, white and blue colors
at the Olympics, he’s representing our country and (most people) put
their hatred of the Miami Heat aside for a few games and cheer for
the good ‘ole USA.
The MLS All-Star Game does the same thing. MLS fans, no matter what
team they support, and casual fans, can all get behind the MLS
All-Star team in an “us against the world” situation. Soccer isn’t
king in the United States like it is in most other countries, and
since the league is relatively new, Major League Soccer has always
been the underdog when it comes to soccer.
The NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB don’t have any real competition with any
foreign league, but MLS does in a big way. The league is constantly
trying to prove itself to the rest of the world and to “soccer
snobs” here in the U.S. What better way to do that than to play
against some of the best teams in the world or against a team from
one of the powerhouse leagues? It seems like even the casual sports
fan could get behind the underdog U.S. league playing against a
foreign power from another country.
COMPETITIVE GAME
There is a lot of pride at stake when it comes to the MLS All-Star
Game, which makes the games competitive. The foreign club doesn’t
want to lose to the “inferior” American team, and the MLS players
want to prove they belong on the same field as some of the world’s
elite. Some players see this as a way to get the attention of some
overseas clubs.
Manchester United goal keeper Edwin van der Sar signs autographs following a training session for the 2010 MLS All-Star Game. A record 70,728 fans watched Manchester United defeat the MLS All-Stars 5-2 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Gone are the days of the 9-4 East vs. West-style contests where even
an NFL Pro Bowl participant would be ashamed of the defensive
display. The games are still relatively high scoring and
entertaining (only three of the 10 MLS vs. opponent games have
failed to surpass two total goals.), and while defenders aren’t
going in with studs-up tackles, they also don’t want to get beat, so
there is a real effort on the defensive end.
NOT THE SAME OLE, SAME OLE
In the other sports, it’s almost always the same. East vs. West, US
vs. World, AL vs. NL. The NHL had their “pick teams” approach and
that was interesting, but for the most part, it’s the same ole, same
ole.
For MLS, aside from Manchester United and Chelsea, who have both
been the opponent for the All-Star Game twice, it’s a different team
every year. This gives MLS fans a chance to see the players they
voted for face off against new teams and new superstars. Variety is
the spice of life.
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