From 2,000 aspiring young soccer players, “Sueño MLS” is down to its Final Five.
For the next two weeks, they will train with the Chivas USA first team and its under-19 team, with a contract awaiting the winner. Goalkeeper Aldo Iñiguez (20) will train with Chivas USA’s regular roster and developmental players. Jorge Flores, Abraham Garcia (both 17), Carlos Ruiz and Miguel Sanchez (both 18) will work with the under-19s.
The winner will be crowned March 25 on the Univision program “República Deportiva” whose host, Fernando Fiore, has thrown his exuberant self into the promotion.
“This is just one example of the types of things we can do with a Spanish-language broadcast partner,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber. “That’s why it was so important for us to get back on Spanish-language television.”
A regular Sunday afternoon MLS game will air on TeleFutura, an subsidiary of Univision, which will be the primary broadcaster for the SuperLiga series this summer.
“Sueño MLS” may be more gimmick than game, but it gives the league a whole new look to an audience MLS must attract. The product on the field has to sell itself, yet a little flash and pizzazz can’t hurt.