Chronic attendance problems have left a big hole in Major League Soccer's game plan.

For five years, Major League Soccer (MLS) has rhapsodized at length about its improving quality of play, its footholds among minorities and young people and its fast-growing cadre of young talent. But to advertisers, TV executives and legions of soccer fans, none of that has mattered greatly.

The league's average draw has sunk each year to 13,756 per game in 2000. But more important than the raw number, the unmistakable downward trend has severely hampered the league's ability to craft its public image. It's far more difficult to convince sponsors that the league is a growing, thriving entity when core fans continue to show up in declining numbers.

Commissioner Don Garber insists the 2001 season, which started in April, finally will be the year MLS boosts attendance. Garber's track record at predictions is not good; he made a similar pledge last year only to be proved wrong. But Gerber has one key number in his back pocket: season-ticket sales. The league's 12 teams have combined to sell nearly 44,000 packages for this season, a record.

"We realize selling tickets and filling stadiums is a fundamental priority for us," Gerber says. "Clearly, selling more tickets will lead to many more benefits. We have to start with that. It's a very important first step."

As beneficial as ticket sales are, the league enters its sixth season still grappling with several pressing issues. MLS says it has lost more than $250 million since its inception, with no real sign of profitability on the horizon; the players' union still is appealing its antitrust civil lawsuit despite two losses in a Boston federal court last year; and sinking TV ratings resulted in ABC reducing its 2001 commitment from six games to just the All-Star Game and MLS Cup.

The issues are interrelated. Because of the league's profit-sharing system with ESPN and ABC, the low ratings have hurt ad sales in an already-soft sponsorship market and cut cash flow. The latter has prevented the league from making any changes in its salary cap. The low cap and the arbitrary exceptions made to lure foreign stars to MLS have enraged many U.S. players, particularly the rank and file.

MLS also has shown a greater interest in its players performing well overseas and commanding higher transfer fees for those who want to stay in Europe. Most notable is D.C. United forward Ben Olsen, who played well on loan to England's Nottingham Forest before injuring his right ankle in February. Nottingham showed interest in keeping Olsen full time, but the league's insistence on a record $3.5 million transfer fee killed negotiations. The possibility of Olsen playing elsewhere in Europe this summer still exists.

Garber, however, bristles at the suggestion that MLS is shopping Olsen and other stars overseas strictly in the name of revenues. The league's original business plan called for player sales to other leagues to be a regular, albeit secondary, revenue source. "We're not in the business of selling players, period" Garber insists. "Where it makes sense, we'll do it, but only in those situations."

Meanwhile, no movement is planned on the salary cap. Without some escalation soon, talented young players such as D.C. United's 17-year-old Bobby Convey and Chicago's 18-year-old DaMarcus Beasley soon could depart for the riches of Europe and remain there.

The players' lawsuit also is a thorny issue. The union failed to prove that MLS officials conspired to depress player salaries or that the league's single-entity structure violates federal antitrust laws. But an ongoing appeal continues to tax league resources. The next step comes May 9 when the two sides sit down for a mandatory mediation hearing.

"I'm hopeful we can work something out" says John Kerr, executive director of the MLS Players Association. "We are willing to resolve the differences. But there's so much clear evidence the current system doesn't work."

And although TV is not the key revenue source for MLS -- making it an anomaly in modern pro sports -- Garber is under pressure to show improvement there. "We're actually encouraged by our setup now" Garber says. "We think what we have now, with much more an emphasis on ESPN, is a good formula. Right now, we think we have a more credible story for ESPN and ESPN2."

The league is talking with the Walt Disney Co., parent company of both ABC and the ESPN networks, about a new contract; the current one ends after this season. MLS is eager to move away from the current profit-sharing plan into a conventional fee-for-rights contract that would likely guarantee more money to the league.

COPYRIGHT 2001 News World Communications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group

Insight on the News, May 21, 2001 by Eric Fisher

Soccer Digest, June-July, 2002 World Cup Records

WORLD CUP MEDALIST AND CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

YEAR CHAMPION RUNNER-UP FINAL SCORE

1930 Uruguay Argentina 4-2
1934 Italy Czechoslovakia 2-1 (et)
1938 Italy Hungary 4-2
1950 Uruguay Brazil 2-1
1954 West Germany Hungary 3-2
1958 Brazil Sweden 5-2
1962 Brazil Czechoslovakia 3-1
1966 England West Germany 4-2 (et)
1970 Brazil Italy 4-1
1974 West Germany Holland 2-1
1978 Argentina Holland 3-1
1982 Italy West Germany 3-1
1986 Argentina West Germany 3-2
1990 West Germany Argentina 1-0
1994 Brazil Italy 0-0 (3-2)
1998 France Brazil 3-0

YEAR WINNING COACH THIRD PLACE

1930 Alberto Supicci USA, Yugoslavia
1934 Virttorio Pozzo Germany
1938 Virttorio Pozzo Brazil
1950 Juan Lopez Sweden
1954 Sepp Herberger Austria
1958 Vicente Feola France
1962 Aymore Modera Chile
1966 Alf Ramsey * Portugal
1970 Mario Zagallo West Germany
1974 Helmut Schoen Poland
1978 Cesar Monetti Brazil
1982 Enzo Bearzot Poland
1986 Carlos Bilardo France
1990 Franz Beckenbauer Italy
1994 Cados Alberto Parreira Sweden
1998 Aime Jacquet Croatia
ALL-TIME WORLD CUP ATTENDANCE

YEAR HOST GAMES ATT. AVG.

1930 Uruguay 18 434,500 24,139
1934 Italy 17 395,000 23,235
1938 France 18 483,000 26,833
1950 Brazil 22 1,337,000 60,773
1954 Switzeland 26 943,000 36,269
1958 Sweden 35 868,000 24,800
1962 Chile 32 776,000 24,250
1966 England 32 1,614,677 50,459
1970 Mexico 32 1,673,975 52,312
1974 West Germany 38 1,774,022 46,685
1978 Argentina 38 1,610,215 42,374
1982 Spain 52 1,842,250 35,428
1986 Mexico 52 2,184,522 42,010
1990 Italy 52 2,515,168 48,369
1994 USA 52 3,587,538 68,991
1998 France 64 2,775,400 43,366
GOALS PER GAME, BY CUP

YEAR HOST GAMES GOALS AVERAGE

1930 Uruguay 18 70 3.89
1934 Italy 17 70 4.12
1938 France 18 84 4.67
1950 Brazil 22 88 4.00
1954 Switzerland 26 140 5.38
1958 Sweden 35 126 3.60
1962 Chile 32 89 2.78
1966 England 32 89 2.78
1970 Mexico 32 95 2.97
1974 West Germany 38 97 2.55
1978 Argentina 38 102 2.68
1982 Spain 52 146 2.81
1986 Mexico 52 132 2.54
1990 Italy 52 115 2.21
1994 USA 52 141 2.71
1998 France 64 171 2.67
TOP GOAL-SCORERS, BY CUP

YEAR PLAYER COUNTRY GOALS

1930 Guillermo Stabile Argentina 8
1934 Edmund Conen Germany 4
Oldrich Nejedy Czechoslovakia 4
Angelo Schiavio Italy 4
1938 Leonidas Brazil 7
1950 Ademir Brazil 7
1954 Sandor Kocsis Hungary 11
1958 Just Fontaine France 13
Florian Albert Hungary 4
Gardncha Brazil 4
Valentin Ivanov Soviet Union 4
Drazan Jerkovic Yugoslavia 4
Leonel Sanchez Chile 4
Vava Brazil 4
1966 Eusebio Portugal 9
1970 Gerd Mdller W. Germany 10
1974 Grzegorz Lato Poland 7
1978 Mado Kempes Argentina 6
1982 Paolo Rossi Italy 6
1986 Gary Lineker England 6
1990 Salvatore Schillaci Italy 6

1994 Oleg Salenko Russia 6
Hristo Stoitchkov Bulgaria 6
1998 Davor Suker Croatia 6
MOST GOALS SCORED, ALL-TIME

GAMES PLAYER COUNTRY

25 Lothar Matthaus (West) Germany
21 Diego Maradona Argentina
Uwe Seeler West Germany
Wladislaw Zmuda Poland
20 Franz Beckenbauer West Germany
Thomas Berthold (West) Germany
Antonio Cabrini Italy
Dunga Brazil
Mario Kempes Argentina
Jurgen Klinsmann (West) Germany
Grzegorz Lato Poland
Pierre Littbarski West Germany
Sepp Maier West Germany
Paolo Maldini Italy
Wolfgang Overath West Germany
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge West Germany
Kad-Heinz Schnellinger West Germany
Enzo Scifo Belgium
Gaetano Sdrea Italy
Peter Shilton England
Taffarel Brazil
Berti Vogts West Germany
Dino Zoff Italy
16 Roberto Baggio Italy
Guiseppe Bergomi Italy
Andreas Brehme (West) Germany
Zbigniew Boniek Poland
Jan Ceulemans Belgium
Jairzinho Brazil
Oscar Ruggeri Argentina
Sergi Zubizarreta Spain
MOST GOALS SCORED, ALL-TIME

GAMES PLAYER COUNTRY

14 Gerd Muller West Germany
13 Just Fontaine France
12 Pele Brazil
11 Jurgen Klinsmann (West) Germany
Sandor Kocsis Hungary
10 Teofilo Cubillas Peru
Grzegorz Lato Poland
Gary Lineker England
Helmut Rahn West Germany
9 Roberto Baggio Italy
Gabriel Batistuta Argentina
Eusebio Portugal
Jairzinho Brazil
Lothar Matthaus (West) Germany
Paolo Rossi Italy
Kad-Heinz Rummenigge West Germany
Uwe Seeler West Germany
Vava Brazil
ALL-TIIME WORLD CUP $TANDINGS

RANK COUNTRY GP W D L GF CA PTS.

1. Brazil 80 53 14 13 173 78 120
2. Germany/West Germany 78 45 17 16 162 103 107
3. Italy 66 38 16 12 105 62 92
4. Argentina 57 29 10 18 100 69 68
5. England 45 20 13 12 62 42 53
6. France 41 21 6 14 86 58 48
7. Spain 40 16 10 14 61 48 42
8. Yugoslavia 37 16 8 13 60 46 40
9. Russia/Soviet Union 34 16 6 12 60 40 38
10. Uruguay 38 15 8 14 61 52 38
11. Holland 32 14 9 9 56 36 37
12. Sweden 38 14 9 15 66 60 37
13. Hungary 32 15 3 14 87 57 33
14. Poland 25 13 5 7 39 29 31
15. Austria 29 12 4 13 43 47 28
16. Czechoslovakia 27 11 5 14 44 45 27
17. Mexico 37 8 10 19 39 75 26
18. Belgium 29 9 4 16 37 53 22
19. Romania 21 8 5 8 30 32 21
20. Chile 25 7 6 12 31 40 20
21. Switzerland 22 6 3 13 33 51 15
22. Scotland 23 4 7 12 25 41 15
23. Paraguay 15 4 6 5 19 27 14
24. Bulgaria 26 3 8 15 22 53 14
25. Portugal 9 6 0 3 19 12 12
26. Cameroon 14 3 6 5 13 26 12
27. Denmark 9 5 1 3 19 13 11
28. Northern Ireland 13 3 5 5 13 23 11
29. Peru 15 4 3 8 19 31 11
30. Croatia 6 5 0 2 11 5 10
31. United States 17 4 1 12 18 38 9
32. Nigeria 8 4 0 4 13 13 8
33. Morocco 13 2 4 7 12 18 8
34. Colombia 13 3 2 8 14 23 8
35. Norway 8 2 3 3 3 7 7
36. Ireland 9 1 5 3 4 7 7
37. East Germany 6 2 2 2 5 5 6
38. Wales 5 1 3 1 4 4 5
39. Algeria 6 2 1 3 6 10 5
40. Saudi Arabia 7 2 1 4 7 13 5
41. Costa Rica 4 2 0 2 4 6 4
42. Tunisia 6 1 2 3 3 2 4
43. South Korea 14 0 4 10 11 43 4
44. Cuba 3 1 1 1 5 12 3
45. North Korea 4 1 1 2 5 9 3
46. Iran 6 1 1 4 4 12 3
47. Turkey 3 1 0 2 10 11 2
48. Honduras 3 0 2 1 2 3 2
49. Israel 3 0 2 1 1 3 2
50. South Africa 3 0 2 1 3 6 2
51. Egypt 4 0 2 2 3 6 2
Names and Numbers: WORLD CUP RECORDS

8. Yugoslavia 37 16 8 13 60 46 40
9. Russia/Soviet Union 34 16 6 12 60 40 38
10. Uruguay 38 15 8 14 61 52 38
11, Holland 32 14 9 9 56 36 37
12. Sweden 38 14 9 15 66 60 37
13. Hungary 32 15 3 14 87 57 33
14. Poland 25 13 5 7 39 29 31
15. Austria 29 12 4 13 43 47 28
16. Czechoslovakia 27 11 5 14 44 45 27
17. Mexico 37 8 10 19 39 75 26
18. Belgium 29 9 4 16 37 53 22
19. Romania 21 8 5 8 30 32 21
20. Chile 25 7 6 12 31 40 20
21. Switzerland 22 6 3 13 33 51 15
22. Scotland 23 4 7 12 25 41 15
23. Paraguay 15 4 6 5 19 27 14
24. Bulgaria 26 3 8 15 22 53 14
25. Portugal 9 6 0 3 19 12 12
26. Cameroon 14 3 6 5 13 26 12
27. Denmark 9 5 1 3 19 13 11
28. Northern Ireland 13 3 5 5 13 23 11
29. Peru 15 4 3 8 19 31 11
30, Croatia 6 5 0 2 11 5 10
31. United States 17 4 1 12 18 38 9
32. Nigeria 8 4 0 4 13 13 8
33. Morocco 13 2 4 7 12 18 8
34. Colombia 13 3 2 8 14 23 8
35. Norway 8 2 3 3 3 7 7
36. Ireland 9 1 5 3 4 7 7
37. East Germany 6 2 2 2 5 5 6
38. Wales 5 1 3 1 4 4 5
39. Algeria 6 2 1 3 6 10 5
40. Saudi Arabia 7 2 1 4 7 13 5
41. Costa Rica 4 2 0 2 4 6 4
42. Tunisia 6 1 2 3 3 2 4
43. South Korea 14 0 4 10 11 43 4
44. Cuba 3 1 1 1 5 12 3
45. North Korea 4 1 1 2 5 9 3
46. Iran 6 1 1 4 4 12 3
47. Turkey 3 1 0 2 10 11 2
48. Honduras 3 0 2 1 2 3 2
49. Israel 3 0 2 1 1 3 2
50. South Africa 3 0 2 1 3 6 2
51. Egypt 4 0 2 2 3 6 2
COPYRIGHT 2002 Century Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group

Soccer Digest, June-July, 2002 by Lonnie BauerMLS will only succeed when it's able to gain a wide base of fans willing to travel a decent distance to their closest team. Professional soccer needs to set up a system much like major league baseball's farm teams, feeder clubs from which local heroes can create a fan base as they move up the ladder. I would pay to see a regional, adult, semipro soccer team.

We live in Kentucky and try to attend the two MISL games available in Nashville every season, but outside of that there is not any professional soccer within a reasonable traveling distance of our area and no loyalties to any team or players. A semipro team attached to the closet MSL or MISL team would help to foster a solid fan base without costing as much as expanding the major teams. Putting these teams in areas that are not competing in the summer with major league baseball should attract a decent following that may be able to pay expenses. Local colleges or high schools would probably be more than happy to provide facilities until others could be built.

Lonnie Bauer
Eddyville, Ky.
Actually, there is a system almost exactly like the one you've described: the United Soccer Leagues. The USL operates the U.S.'s Second and Third Divisions: the 21-team A-League and the regional D3 Pro League. It also operates a men's amateur league (the Professional Developmental League), two amateur women's leagues (the W-1 League and the W-2 League), and a youth league (the Super Y-League).

The USL, founded in 1986 by Francisco Marcos, has even had its share of success against MLS teams. The league's premier franchise, the Rochester (N. Y.) Raging Rhinos captured the 1999 U.S. Open Cup. Still, the USL is primarily a feeder league. Entering the 2002 season, there had been 361 USL call-ups and 459 MLS player loans to the Second Division league.

Unfortunately, there are no A-League or PD3 Pro League teams located in Kentucky. There is an A-League team in Tennessee, the Nashville Metros.

For more information, log on to unitedsoccerleagues.com.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Century Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group

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