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A Major League reinvention

For decades soccer has struggled to gain footing in America, but a booming Latino population has given the MLS a fighting chance.

By SEAN FARRELL

Don Garber is learning Spanish, with an eye on holding on to his current job. A native New Yorker, Garber is the commissioner of Major League Soccer, a position in which he has come to appreciate the value of bilingualism.
“Our positioning for MLS is the league for a new America,” says Garber, 50. “Today, our country is made up of people from every other country in the world, and as more and more people come to the U.S. and establish citizenship and live the American Dream—and most of them are coming from soccer-loving countries—[it creates] a great opportunity for us to develop a fan base that’s not necessarily the traditional American sports fan that the other leagues are competing for.”
Part of the strategy of going after that audience involves high-profile imports from other countries. David Beckham, MLS’ biggest name, drew attention to the league when he signed on to join the Los Angeles Galaxy. A Saturday Night Live sketch referring to Beckham’s arrival joked that the Galaxy “apparently exists,” noting how his arrival gave the team notoriety it had lacked.
Beyond Beckham’s big splash, the MLS has added more and more talent—particularly Latino stars—as it continues its determined and cautious growth plan. Juan Pablo Angel left Aston Villa of the English Premier League to join the New York Red Bulls.
“I came here with a very open mind,” Angel says. “I think the league has been underestimated from all over the world and the level of play here is a lot better than people think it is. It’s much tougher, much stronger, players are more physical, in general I think the level of play is very good.”
Garber, a former NFL executive who became commissioner in 1999, explains that the MLS grew to the point that its fans, particularly Hispanics, were hungry for a more competitive league. “We are spreading our wings a bit to go after the soccer-savvy consumer who is a fan of the game internationally and who is far more connected to the bigger name players,” Garber says.
Mexican star Cuauhtémoc Blanco of the Chicago Fire, along with Angel and Beckham, is also among league’s “Designated Players.” It’s a select group that each MLS franchise is now permitted to sign beyond the league’s tight budget constraints. Each team is allowed to sign one designated player, as well as trade for another team’s unused spot, for a maximum of two designated players on any team.
“At the end of the day, people want to see good games, good players,” Angel says. “The first-time spectators, when they go to a game, they want to see a good show.”
Beyond the field, the league claims that 45 percent of its employees are bilingual, and 35 percent of its fan base is Hispanic.Former Colombian star Wilmer Cabrera is typical of the makeup of the MLS executive offices. Cabrera is the league’s manager of fan development.
“It’s wonderful to have Beckham over here,” Cabrera says. “It’s a great asset and it’s a big, huge impact for the league. But, having said that, most of our fans, most of the people that follow professional soccer in this country are from Latin American backgrounds, so we have this kind of passion, and when we can see our players, our style, on the field, we can feel more identified, and we obviously are going to support the league and learn a bit more about it.”
The league is also adapting to new platforms to attract audiences. The reality TV show Sueño MLS, for example, led to the discovery of 17-year-old Jorge Flores, who subsequently made his professional debut with Chivas USA.
“The richness of the environment here is driven by the Latino focus that we have within our staff and that helps to drive the way we think, and I could see someday soon that you’ll see a Mexican American as commissioner, a Colombian American as commissioner. I can’t see any reason why that wouldn’t happen at some point soon,” Garber says. “That’s why I’m studying Spanish as quickly as I can.”
The league is currently involved in discussions with 12 potential expansion markets throughout the United States and Canada.
The 2007 expansion team Toronto FC has sold out all of its home games at its brand-new, soccer stadium, BMO Field. The San Jose Earthquakes will join the league next season, and two more expansion teams will be added by 2010.
Garber says that the MLS is well aware of the experiences of the North American Soccer League. Comparisons of the Beckham signing have been made to the ill-fated 1970s professional soccer league’s ultimately wasted initiatives in introducing Pele and Franz Beckenbauer to an American audience.
Garber adds that there are plenty of other “fledgling leagues” that have come and gone and provided lessons on what not to do in order to stake out a lasting business.
“We believe that this is a sport and a league that will be evermore popular as the days and years go on, and all we need to do is be sure that we’re managing to this population that is increasingly connected to the game,” he says. “So I’d rather go about it cautiously and ensure we’re here with good decision-making as opposed to trying to go after it too quickly. I’m convinced that you can’t wish to have the league be more popular. You’ve got to earn it, and that’s going to take time.”
So far, the strategy seems to be working. Beckham’s Galaxy jersey is currently the top seller in the world. Even without including it, MLS jersey sales are up 280 percent. Diversity may be partly responsible, as the MLS draws its players from a 53 different countries, even more than the NBA. Furthermore, the concentration of Hispanic players makes the league a popular partner for corporate sponsors looking for a distinct entry into that booming market.
“We have a very robust commercial sponsorship business with great blue chip companies that believe in the sport and believe in the opportunity to sell more of their products by associating with the league, our players and our teams,” Garber says. “I believe the key driver of that interest is that we are a key gateway to the Hispanic market here in the U.S. for them, and they’re able to connect with this very passionate Hispanic audience through the sport that is near and dear to their heart.”