I know what you're thinking:

You're thinking that I never talk European soccer in this space, and you're a little confused as to why I would bring up Fox Soccer Channel's recent purchase of the U.S. rights for the UEFA Champions League.

Let me explain.

After the jump of course.

I recently (in fact, only a few moments ago) watched the president of Fox Soccer Channel outline a fairly audacious plan for those newly acquired right; those plans include distribution of Champions League matches across various Fox outlets, online distribution of those matches (a la ESPN 360), and an HD version of Fox Soccer Channel to roll out by the end of 2009.

Big time stuff, and all of it is exciting for Americans who love the biggest of European club tournaments. I'm certainly among those, and I'm happy to hear about the changes that FSC will be making. Outlets for soccer in the U.S. are few and far between, and FSC in HD sounds like a dream come true.

But a question at the back of my mind continues to nag...

Where does MLS fit in with all of this?

Will our domestic league suffer because more and more of the European game is available to fans who are quick to dismiss MLS anyway? What about those people who might not yet appreciate the game, but could be enticed to follow soccer by FSC's distribution of Champions League matches? Would those same people embrace Major League Soccer, or reject it out of hand as so many, including some individuals involved with FSC do?

I realize these are difficult questions, ones without clear answers.

I'm probably just overreacting; although it sounds like FSC is making the Champions League the centerpiece of the network's offerings, that does not necessarily mean that they will neglect their coverage of MLS.

It just means there is one more think to compete with, one more thing that will make our domestic competition pale in comparison.

Share your thoughts and let me know what (if anything) you think this means for FSC's relationship with the American version of the game.