Tuesdays make me hate life.
Maybe "life" is the wrong word. Instead, I'll say that I'm just hating my stinkhole job more than usual today. Damn the poor economy for making working stiffs suck it up when they know they're worth more than they're getting...
On to more more pastoral concerns (actually, I don't think I've ever been "pastoral" for one second of my existence): a series of thoughts for your Tuesday morning.
As always seems to happen, I'm full of post ideas on a day that allows me no time to do so, but I'm sacrificing for you, the soccer-loving public (did I mention that you should tell your friends and spread the word about MFUSA?).
My brain often refuses to shut down when I lay my head down on my pillow at night, no matter how tired I might be. Last night was no exception, and as I struggled to force a manual shutdown, I was instead mulling over those factors that make a sporting event "big time" (I'm differentiating this from a "big game"; the phrase "big game" is thrown around a lot, which has minimized its meaning, and although they are just different shades of gray, there is a difference).
Point of reference: This entire argument is based on the television viewer's perspective.
Without any in-depth research, I've narrowed down the list to three* essential characteristics (in no particular order):
1. Atmosphere
It's hard to call any even "big time" that doesn't have a loud, passionate, excited crowd adding that "buzz" to the air. The experience of the home audience is probably more impacted by the crowd than almost anything else. The noise and energy flowing from a full stadium is infectious, and makes any game (regardless of the viewers actually emotional investment) more appealing.
2. Stakes
There absolutely has to be something on the line for a game to qualify for "big time" status. Friendlies, no matter the opponents, can therefore never qualify. There are levels to the stakes component of course, with knockout (or playoff) matches trumping league matches.
3. National TV
I hate to give ESPN this much credit, especially as I'm still frustrated with their lack of an effort on behalf of MLS, but it's the truth. Without a national television broadcast, the game is simply another match; add the cameras, the big network name, and suddenly you have a potentially transcendent event.
Okay, so lets apply each of those elements to MLS, since this is a soccer blog and I'm trying desperately to stay on topic. How many matches in a given year of MLS are worthy of the "big time" label?
Unfortunately, the answer is: not many. In fact, there are only a few venues in MLS (currently)** that are even capable of producing the atmosphere I mentioned in #1. Off the top of my head, they are:
1. Home Depot Center
2. BMO Field
3. Crew Stadium (a little iffy on this one)
4. Qwest Field (obviously projecting, but I'll explain)
The first three choices are based on consistent track record: all three stadiums have shown that they can consistently provide the type of atmosphere necessary to create a "big time" feel, due mostly to passionate fans and sell-outs (or near sell-outs).
I've included Qwest Field because of the season tickets the Sounders have managed to sell; while the stadium will not be filled to capacity, the appearance on TV will be that of a full house.
All of this, the three factors, the sense of "big time", the impact of the match on television: it's all subjective. What I, or you, may feel is a "big time" match might not feel that way to someone else. But if there's one test to check whether or not a game reaches that epic level that sucks in TV viewers by the score, this is it:
Take a friend (or family member, or acquaintance, or some guy on the street) and set them down in front of a televised soccer match. If, in spite of their lack of interest in the game of soccer, they continue to watch, or stick with it longer than might be expected, then the match is "big time".
It's that simple.
It's that kind of appeal that MLS must bring whenever possible, whenever the national exposure of ESPN is available.
The First Kick season opener, Red Bulls versus Sounders at Qwest Field, in front of a large crowd and on national television, is the first potential "big time" match of the year. I hope more than a few non-soccer fans tune in to check it out, because it has the potential to be a great showcase for the league.
*I thought about adding the relative quality of the teams as factor four, but often that can be overlooked if the others are strong enough.
**There are cetainly other stadiums that might make the list in the future; the four listed are there because of attendance (both past and future). For example, I almost added Rio Tinto, but just couldn't pull the trigger.
I hope to return later (despite my back-breaking workload) with a hope for the upcoming season (some of you will hate me) and appeal for interaction (think podcast).
