Thierry Henry: Meet the MLS 2010

Today will be the big media introduction in New York of the MLS' biggest signing since David Beckham: French striker Thierry Henry. As far as media events go, it won't hold a candle to the extravagant Los Angeles Galaxy welcome of Beckham. Given the failure of the overall Beckham Experiment, this is a good thing.

The timing of Thierry Henry's arrival to the media cosmos that is New York City would have been alright except for a couple of sports items from the last few days: 1.) The humiliating exit of France from the 2010 World Cup and 2.) The death (and corresponding media frenzy) of Yankees' owner and svengali: George Steinbrenner.

Major League Soccer had the right idea. This Henry signing has been in the works for over two years now. The month-long 2010 World Cup was going to be a temporary boost and would need to be followed very soon after with something to keep those Americans who watched the USA in South Africa at pubs across the country focused on soccer.

Henry's play here stateside will be far more indicative than any 100° MLS All-Star Game friendly against a European power like Inter Milan or Tottenham Hotspurs. If he leads the league in goals by the time the playoffs start, we'll know for certain what most people suspect - that the quality of play league-wide holds no candle against any of the main European leagues.

If he's less successful, it will be a dud locally for New York's Red Bulls - a club with a new Soccer-Specific stadium to attract fans to: Red Bull Arena (named after Bruce Arena?).  But something that the Red Bulls do have going for them: new, pre-economic downfall ballparks CitiField and Yankees Stadium that have out priced a lot of NY-area sports fans in these more dicey economic times. It's not quite the same thing that happened in Seattle with the loss of the NBA Supersonics and the hugely successful arrival of the Seattle Sounders FC. But it is a backlash trend that will further the MLS' popularity 14 years after its inception. After that whole LeBron James ego-fest that we all endured here stateside, soccer might be a nice balm for a lot of disappointed Knicks' fans.

All of this will be forgotten once the Jets and Giants begin their NFL season.

For Thierry Henry, after a difficult World Cup qualifying experience (Hand of Gaul against Ireland, anyone?) and a season on the bench in Barcelona, he will bask in the relative anonymity that he will experience on the road in places like Salt Lake City, Kansas City and Frisco, Texas. Pelé's soccer savior descendants continue their plight in the United States of American Football. Vive le fútbol.

Drew Carey, Pubs & the MLS

Happy birthday to Soccer-Point blogger, Otto Gol! As an inexpensive birthday gift to him, Soccer-Point is posting this video of the new Price is Right host, raconteur & soccer enthusiast Drew Carey. This video shows him arriving at a local Seattle pub to announce his participation in the ownership of the Seattle expansion MLS team, Seattle FC.

This is where MLS has the chance to trump most other pro sports in America. If you can connect to the average fan sitting in their local, then you’ve established a strong local connection that will never fade.

Drew Carey’s a great face for soccer in this country because he’s just so darn American. His enthusiasm for the sport is American. His humor is American. He’s the perfect fan ambassador.

Our FC Dallas would be wise to make these kinds of connections locally as well. I don’t know if the Hunt Sports Group folks understand that well enough. Their pedigree is an NFL one. And what works for the NFL might not fit the MLS.

So here’s more free advice for the Hunt Sports Group folks looking to improve season ticket sales. Host evenings at Trinity Hall, the Dubliner, the Londoner, the White Rock Sports Bar, the 1^st & 10, Fox Sports Grill, etc. You can meet the fans in person. Send the GM. Send Steve Morrow. Send whomever. But start meeting the fans in the places where they’re likely to be found: barstools. Give out bumper stickers, t-shirts, & schedule magnets. Make them feel like they're part of the team.