Once again, the Los Angeles Galaxy plan to host the UEFA League Champions for a friendly in August.
And once again, the MLS misses the entire problem with U.S. professional soccer:
No one cares.
It’s just that simple. Sure, bringing Inter Milan to play MLS squads will bring big crowds to L.A. and Dallas for two games, but that doesn’t make up for the fact that the MLS title game almost gets pushed off ESPN2 for Trick Pool.
The MLS needs to build a product for the people who are going to watch, and those people aren’t in America.
So guess where they should look?
Hint: It starts with an E and rhymes with syrup.
The market is already there. Europe loves soccer almost as much JaMarcus Russell likes cake. Do you know what my German cousin wanted as his No. 1 souvenir from his only trip across the pond? A David Beckham GALAXY jersey.
The only time Californians put “David Beckham” and “Galaxy” in the same sentence is, “The only thing that could hurt our state’s economy more is another David Beckham contract with the Galaxy.”
So the MLS should take note and take advantage. Send the friendly to Italy. Inter Milan practically sells out every game, so even ...