Forbes magazine’s recent evaluation that the average National Football League team is worth one billion dollars is already out of date, writes Gideon Haigh. The days of perpetual increases in the value of sporting franchises are likely over “and things may never be this good again.” While a team like Manchester United can cope with […]
Monthly Archives: October 2008
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Bin Hammam’s 39th Game U-Turn
When English Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore announced his now infamous ’39th Game’ plan to an unsuspecting world earlier this year, it was nice to hear a high-ranking FIFA official for once condemn outright such a ludicrous and nakedly cynical cash-generating scheme. At the time, Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed bin Hammam denounced the […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: Soccer America Men’s Top 25
No. 7 Louisville travels to No. 10 South Florida Friday in the NSCAA Game of the Week on Fox Soccer Channel (8 pm ET). Three other Top 25 matches take place this weekend: Duke-North Carolina, on Friday and Georgetown-Connecticut and UC Santa Barbara-UC Davis on Saturday. For Soccer America Men’s Top 25 results and schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: Soccer America Women’s Top 25
Top-ranked Notre Dame puts its perfect record on the line on Friday when it travels to No. 16 Georgetown, one of three other unbeaten teams in the Top 25. Pac-10 action begins for No. 2 Stanford, No. 3 UCLA and No. 5 USC. For Soccer America Women’s Top 25 results and schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Surprises in first men’s RPI
Defending champion Wake Forest is the top-ranked team in the first RPI index the NCAA released this fall. St. John’s and Louisville of the Big East are No. 2 and No. 3, while unbeaten Loyola (Md.) of the MAAC is the surprise at No. 4.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Carolina win streak reaches eight games
Freshman Brittani Bartok scored on a header in the 83rd minute to give No. 6 North Carolina a 3-2 win over No. 13 Boston College Thursday night in a wild ACC match at Fetzer Field.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
RISING STAR: Omar Gonzalez
SOCCER AMERICA profiles 6-foot-5 Omar Gonzalez, the Maryland junior. Gonzalez is one of the most imposing players in college soccer. He’s a key player in the Terrapins’ bid for a third national championship.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS TV Schedule
New England, which has clinched a playoff spot, travels to Kansas City, which remains in the hunt even if it loses. … FC Dallas could move into the playoff zone with a win over Toronto FC. … Chivas USA could clinch if it wins in San Jose and FC Dallas and Colorado fail to win. … Colorado plays at Los Angeles, which will be eliminated with a loss. … Columbus will be regular-season champ (Supporters’ Shield winner) if it wins at Chicago, which can clinch a playoff spot. … Playoff-bound Houston hosts struggling D.C. United, which needs a win but won’t be eliminated with a loss. … For all this week’s TV Schedule, standings and leading goalscorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Concacaf teams aim for Hexagonal berths
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Five of the six berths in next year’s Hexagonal could be determined with two games to spare. Saturday’s World Cup qualifiers could make most of the remaining games in the Concacaf zone moot.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
RSL ties Red Bulls in ‘royal’ setting
[MLS] Just about everything — the setting, the mood, the noisy sellout crowd, the stakes — fell into place for a memorable evening Thursday as Real Salt Lake christened its new Rio Tinto Stadium with a crucial match against Red Bull New York.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“[The San Jose] Earthquakes will benefit from the training and coaching models of Tottenham, who currently sit bottom of the Premier League.”
— Britain’s Sky Sports describes the “strategic partnership” between English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes that was announced on Thursday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
What’s at stake for USA against Cuba?
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Can the USA really prove anything by beating Cuba Saturday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN Classic, Galavision) in their qualifying match at RFK Stadium? For at least six youngsters, the game provides an important opportunity.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
World Cup 2010 Qualifying TV Schedule
Fourteen World Cup 2010 qualifying games, including the USA-Cuba match in Washington, D.C., will be televised on Saturday. Other games of note include Scotland-Norway, Germany-Russia, Romania-France and Jamaica-Mexico.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Last dash to qualify in Africa
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] African World Cup qualifying concludes its first stage this weekend, with 17 of the 20 places in the final group phase still up for grabs.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Europe begins crucial double dates
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] European qualifying for South Africa 2010 is still in its early stages, with no team having played more than two games. Nonetheless, the next two qualifying rounds over the coming week could set the tone for the remainder of the campaign.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Refocusing the Player Development Model
Having been involved in soccer in the USA since 1967, I have had the pleasure of seeing it grow beyond anyone’s expectations. The shear number of players is staggering to say the least. FIFA stats indicate that the USA now leads the world in registered youth players.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: Soccer America Men’s Top 25
No. 7 Louisville travels to No. 10 South Florida Friday in the NSCAA Game of the Week on Fox Soccer Channel (8 pm ET). Three other Top 25 matches take place this weekend: Duke-North Carolina, on Friday and Georgetown-Connecticut and UC Santa Barbara-UC Davis on Saturday. For Soccer America Men’s Top 25 results and schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NAIA: Women’s National Rankings
After five straight weeks in the No. 1 spot, Martin Methodist fell to No. 4 in the NSCAA/adidas NAIA women’s rankings when it lost to Tennessee rival Lee, 2-1, on Saturday. Lindsey Wilson moved into the No. 1 spot, and Lee climbed to No. 2. Azusa Pacific is No. 3. For all the NAIA women’s rankings …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: Soccer America Women’s Top 25
Teams in the Soccer America Women’s Top 25 kick off play this week on Thursday with five ACC teams in action. The big match pits No. 6 North Carolina against No. 13 Boston College. For Soccer America Women’s Top 25 results and schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
INTERVIEW: UCLA’s Christina DiMartino
SOCCER AMERICA interviews UCLA All-American Christina DiMartino, one of the country’s top playmakers. The U.S. international is the oldest of a family of soccer-playing sisters. Gina is a sophomore at Boston College. Victoria is a member of the U.S. girls under-17 national team. Jaclyn is a member of the ‘Region I ’95 ODP pool.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NAIA: Men’s National Rankings
With wins over Walsh (3-2) and Point Park (10-0), Rio Grande remained No. 1 in the NSCAA/adidas NAIA men’s rankings. Following a 4-0 loss to Azusa Pacific and 0-0 tie with Vanguard, Fresno Pacific fell from No. 2 to No. 12. Lindsey Wilson took over at No. 2. For all the NAIA men’s rankings …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: UConn slump continues
Unbeaten UIC drew a record crowd of 2,438 for its 0-0 tie with last year’s Men’s College Cup runner-up Ohio State. The only Top 25 team to fall was Connecticut, which lost for third time in four games when it dropped a 1-0 decision at Providence. For all the Top 25 news ….
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Key players absent in middle of playoff race
[MLS] TFC is last in the Eastern Conference but again ranks No. 1 among MLS teams in players called for international duty as league coaches prepare for crucial games. Toronto isn’t in the same absurd position as it was during the last FIFA international fixture window, when no less than nine players were summoned and it fielded one of its scouts and a few other short-term emergency signings in a 3-1 loss to Chivas USA. But it will be missing five players this time around to play Dallas on Saturday. Several other teams, including the Los Angeles Galaxy, have been hit call-ups for World Cup qualifying as they aim for playoff spots.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Faltering Brazil, Argentina look to assert themselves
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] With South American qualification set to move beyond the halfway stage over the coming week, Paraguay is the surprise group leader, while Brazil and Argentina have made mediocre starts.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Real Salt Lake unveils Rio Tinto
[MLS TV SCHEDULE] For the grand opening of Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, a state-of-the-art, $110 million, 20,000-seat soccer-specific stadium, Real Salt Lake hosts the New York Red Bulls. Both teams are barely inside the playoff zone. For all this week’s TV Schedule, standings and leading goalscorers …