The 2007 MLS season is a little over three days away from the season opener between Colorado and D.C. United. Cue the press previews-and yes, there are more of them than ever before. And in our humble opinion, MLS deserves it. Arguably no sports league around the world did a better job marketing itself than MLS in the last six months. Of course, 75 percent of that comes from David Beckham. Tack on another 10 percent for his wife.
We jest. But seriously, the media blast generated by Becks was more than MLS execs could have hoped for. “It really, truly garnered more attention than we expected,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “I think it speaks to the increasing credibility of the league.” Or the incredible influence that celebrity has on our culture.
For soccer fans there is much to be excited about: new stadiums, like Colorado’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and Toronto’s BMO Field, a new team (Toronto FC, which has already broken just about every expansion record out there) and several new stars, Beckham notwithstanding. Claudio Reyna in New York, Luciano Emilio and Fred in D.C., and the late signing of Cuauhtemoc Blanco by Chicago certainly add more talent to a league that already boasts the likes of Landon Donovan, Christian Gomez, Dwayne De Rosario and Freddy Adu. More stars may yet arrive. Indeed, the marketing corps has done its job, and now it’s time to see the league deliver. Without question, 2007 is the most important year in the league’s short history, by far.