I don’t think these games capture hardcore fans, but it does build awareness to more casuan fans. At the very least, they’ll realize that the MLS team exists in their city. But I don’t think you win a lot of “supporters” with them. They also make a lot of money, lets be honest. Only a handful of MLS teams are actually profitable and even then, by slimmest of margins. They can’t exactly say no the payday, not at this point. It’s a bummer for the away fans though, since New York was planning to send people to Toronto and had made their arrangements. Not only that, a couple of them bought tickets to fly to Mexico City right after that game.

majice

Anyway, TFC is going to have one hell of a schedule will all the road trips and Champions League play. At least their fans will get an extra 4 home games. They’ll probably get pasted by Cruz Azul and Saprissa though.

I don’t think these games capture hardcore fans, but it does build awareness to more casuan fans. At the very least, they’ll realize that the MLS team exists in their city. But I don’t think you win a lot of “supporters” with them. They also make a lot of money, lets be honest. Only a handful of MLS teams are actually profitable and even then, by slimmest of margins. They can’t exactly say no the payday, not at this point. It’s a bummer for the away fans though, since New York was planning to send people to Toronto and had made their arrangements. Not only that, a couple of them bought tickets to fly to Mexico City right after that game.

Still, it wouldn’t do any harm if just some effort was taken not to make a mockery of your own league in the process — supporters of “genuine” European football are unlikely to take seriously a team so obviously not taking its own competition seriously, surely….

“We believe matches such as this one are key to helping establish credibility for our brand — there are still a lot of people our there (many of them soccer newbies) who only want to watch European football, claiming that it far superior. We have shown over the years that we can play against those teams, and hope to do so again against the world’s most famous sports team. This is as much about long term branding, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, as it is about trying to make money. Which is not an agenda we apologize for!”

I would argue that branding is about money to a large extent, but also very much about having a “league everyone takes seriously.” I know that rescheduling stings and does signal bush league to some extent, but the people it signals that to are the fans that are already there bleeding club colors. Everyone else is excited about “Big Name Club” coming to town. If the home team can compete those fans may take a closer look at MLS. This tactic may rankle hardcore fans but it is still a good (and profitable) way to grow soccer in North America.