Despite a rather rocky relationship at times, Major League Soccer's success is inextricably tied to that of the United States Men's National Team's. When the Americans are good, when they show up on ESPN in a positive light with feature stories and recaps of compelling victories, it naturally follows that the county's top professional league should reap some of the benefits.
This is a heady time for the National Team. With two extremely poor performances to lead off the Confederations Cup in South Africa, Bob Bradley's side has suddenly reversed their fortunes. After beating Egypt by three needed goals to give themselves a a chance to progress past the group stage, the Americans then shocked the top ranked and virtually unbeatable Spaniards with a 2-0 victory on Wednesday. The result was so unexpected, and the team's performance so impressive, that it immediately set off of barrage of "American soccer has arrived" commentary in both expected and surprising places.
Whether those sentiments are true or not, and it's my belief that they aren't as one victory can rarely effect change on a large scale no matter how impressive, the logical assumption is that the sport will receive a bump in exposure. If the United States can pull a second straight stunner and beat the vaunted Brazilians, a team that crushed them 3-0 only a week and a half ago, the "Summer of Soccer" will truly live up to its name. A first ever FIFA trophy, even in the lesser-known Confederations Cup, should give the sport some heat during a lull in the American sports calendar.
The obvious question, and it's not the first time it's come up, is whether or not MLS is positioned to take advantage. The American league is fighting an uphill battle for respect, even among fans of the sport in its own country, something that may limit its ability to leverage the USMNT's success. A disconnect exists in the minds of many adherents of the game here between the world stage of international soccer and the domestic nature of MLS; small salaries and weaker play lead many to simply ignore the league. Juxtaposed against the enormous payrolls and world-class quality of European competitions now readily available on television, MLS looks poor, and nothing the USMNT does can seem to change that perception.
But Major League Soccer's success is built on small building blocks. Even a slight increase in exposure is a win for the league. As long as missteps are avoided and the connections between the National Team and MLS are highlighted, it should be able to glean positives, be it in media attention, television ratings, attendance, or all three. Casual fans may even take a peek at the league now; intrigued by what's happening South Africa, and spurred on by the innate desire to root for the USA against the world, the hope is that they'll migrate some of their new found interest to MLS.
If any truth has been revealed over the course of Major League Soccer's short existence, it's that the US Men's National Team and its fortunes are the true barometer of national interest in the sport of soccer. Beyond the millions of youths playing the game and the long standing programs at both the high school and college levels exists a segment of soccer-mad individuals who have proved elusive to the professional league. Simply put, and as Don Garber recently noted, MLS must do a better job of attracting those who know and love the game but refuse to buy into to its American incarnation. These fans adopt foreign clubs as their own, avidly following them through whatever means possible while ignoring their local clubs; for them, a sniff test reveals that MLS simply isn't good enough.
National Team success won't change that perception on its own. A larger interest in the sport from casual fans and the mainstream media, however, even if it is ephemeral in nature, might give the league enough of a push to gain some traction with the Eurosnob element. Another foot in the door has been long in coming, and with MLS expanding rapidly, increasing its national footprint and adding passionate fan bases that only improve its sometimes depressing atmospheres, now is the time for the boon of American success internationally to be turned into domestic headway.
Let's hope Garber and his staff are working around the clock to figure out ways to turn the recent USMNT results in their favor. Opportunities like this don't come around often, and while we might expect professional soccer to become the hot fad of the summer, nothing can be taken for granted. A fickle American public is often intransigent in their resistance to the game, though it's clear that a new and emerging group of passionate followers are lined up waiting to turn an unexpected run of historically significant results for the USMNT into a step in the right direction.
MLS must make a move, and make it now. Marketing efforts to this point have been far from impressive, and rarely stand out on their own. Tied to Bob Bradley, a former MLS head coach, and the USMNT, they might just have a chance at some success.
Jason Davis pens a weekly column for MLS Daily every Friday. He can be found seven days a week at his very own site, Match Fit USA - Examining The State Of American Soccer.
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