Q&A with the SA Editors: March 20, 1998

Nick Hoogstraten

Bethesda, Md.

Since it’s probably unlikely the U.S. men’s national team will advance to the second round of the World Cup on the basis of more points, what are the first few tie-breakers which determine who advances between teams with the same number of points?

Pete Bailey: These are the factors used to determine which teams advance to the second round. 1) goal difference 2) goals scored 3) head-to-head result 4) drawing lots.

Mt. Pleasant, Mich.

What is going on with Umbro? I have been told that they are closing up shop in the USA. Is this so, and if it is, then what will their absence mean to MLS, USISL, all of the college teams sponsored by Umbro, and their sponsorship of the NSCAA? It is hard to imagine that there will be no more soccer clubs — youth or college — wearing Umbro uniforms.

Paul Kennedy: Umbro recently sent a letter to its creditors, notifying them that it intended to pay them and that it was closing down its manufacturing operations. Most people within the U.S. market believe that Umbro will cease to exist as we know it and its sponsorships will end. That would mean an end to its many sponsorships, which would have a big impact on American soccer. These include: MLS (Miami and referees); its interest in the USISL; its NSCAA sponsorship; college and club sponsorships. As noted recently in Marianne Bhonslay’s “From the Field” column in Soccer America, many companies have overextended themselves in the U.S. market. Bottom line: They can’t afford, or justify, the level of their sponsorships. If Umbro were to leave the market, there would be no replacement at the same level.

Siloam Springs, Ark.

What were the TV ratings for MLS Cup ’97? You may have posted it on your site, but I missed it. I remember the ratings for ’96 were something like a 1.6.

Pete Bailey: The MLS Cup ratings were similar — about 1.4 for both years. The Miami-D.C. United telecast on ABC this past Sunday also drew a 1.4 overnight rating, not bad considering it was up against the NCAA basketball tournament. MLS officials have said they’d by happy with an average rating of 1.0 or 1.1 on ABC regular-season telecasts. By the way, the U.S.-Paraguay match on March 14 garnered a 1.3 rating.

Athens, Ga.

Why do both MLS and the A-League use a playoff system that’s both different from most international competitions as well as different from the regular season point system? The persistent use of shootouts and the even more ludicrous “mini-games” in the A-League if the teams are tied after two games makes a travesty out of two legs of 90 minutes each. Has anyone ever asked MLS or A-League officials if they would consider the Mexican league playoff system (two legs, home and away, draws stand, and the last tiebreaker is the team with the best regular season record), or even using the league’s point system in the playoffs (three for a win, one for a shootout win) with the last tiebreaker the better regular season record? This way, each team would get a home date, they could be scheduled more timely than they are now, all games would fit into a two-hour TV slot, and we’d be spared “non-soccer” tiebreakers at the end of games.

Ridge Mahoney: Every country has different playoff systems: For promotion, England has a two-leg elimination round, then a one-game final. In Switzerland and Sweden, the teams in the top half of the top division play a championship mini-league schedule, with points from the first phase carrying over. Mexico uses yet another system. Should MLS also split its season into two championships just to make more teams happy? On the other hand, Argentina runs two championships per season, but without playoffs. As an American sports league, MLS officials decided on a best-of-three playoff format, so as to reward the team with the better regular season record an additional home match. I like this better than the Mexican system, and prefer it to the absurd mini-games, which to me, should have died with the NASL. And to its credit, MLS kept the soccer tradition of a one-game final, and instituted sudden-death so at least a title won’t be decided in a shootout. World Cup 1994 was a great tournament, but the title was decided on penalties. Under the MLS system, games must be won, and although I’m no fan of the shootout, I’d rather not have playoff games end in ties — too anticlimactic. I did ask some MLS people why a shootout win counts the same as a regulation win in the playoffs, and their logic was each result should count equally, and if a team won the first game in regulation, all it had to do was finish tied at the end of 90 minutes to win the series. This might seem fair, since it did win the first game, but the intent is to encourage more open play rather than a “pack the back” mentality that we all know is the norm in such situations. Playing a match to a conclusion, regardless of the method, is also much more compelling for the “neutral” audience watching on television. And I also like the third game where the winner takes all. Many of sport’s most dramatic moments are the final games of playoff series in basketball, baseball and hockey. Of course, sudden-death overtime would be a much better alternative than the shootout. I can’t see any American league allowing a playoff series to be decided on regular-season record. You can reject the concept of playoffs outright, but to an American audience, playoff matches played to a conclusion bring drama, resolution, and excitement. And as much as a farce as it was, that first playoff game — in fact, the entire series — between the MetroStars and D.C. United in 1996 was riveting.

Logan, Utah

I am a member of a committee over the adult leagues here in Logan, and we are currently looking for possible sponsors to help buy land and develop a soccer training facility for the northern region of Utah. Who are some people that I might talk with regarding this proposal? Also, where can I find imformation on how to prepare the grounds (i.e. what layers of soil would make the best footing for the fields) and blueprints of training facilities that have already been made that are successful? I would like to note also that of the studies that I have read, Utah ranks as the highest youth participation percentage with respect to population, and the Cache Valley area of northern Utah has the highest concentration of soccer players overall than anywhere else in the nation. I hope that sponsors are considering this when they look at where they ought to expand USISL and MLS teams. The University ambiance draws some of the best club team players in the western states, and USU’s club team has had a national ranking for at least eight years (the last time I played for the club).

Paul Kennedy: You should contact the U.S. Soccer Foundation for information on its grant program (202-496-1292). It will unlikely fund all of your needs, but a well-written grant, along with solid plans, may result in some funding. As far as information on grass and facilities, you should try your own university. Many rec departments will have courses on field management.