- Keith Hickey

Slumps are strange animals. When you're in one, you throw everything you have at it, and it seems like nothing works. It gets to you. It eats at you. It consumes you. It keeps you up at night. Then all of a sudden, something clicks, and it goes away.

For the Red Bulls, that something was a journeyman Limey striker who spent most of his career bouncing around the lower leagues of English soccer. Luke Rodgers orchestrated New York's first win since the season opener with two goals and an assist to help star teammate Thierry Henry get his first of the season.

- Jason Davis

We don't really know yet if John Rooney can play on an MLS level. Those of us familiar with the league aren't familiar enough with the younger Rooney to make a proper judgement, and even if we were, it would be only be speculation until he steps on the field in a meaningful game. Rooney isn't Thierry Henry or Rafa Marquez. Only his last name is famous. He'll have to prove himself before we can buy that New York didn't draft him just for his famous last name. The starting position is a cynical one.

San Jose shocked New York 3-1 at Red Bull Arena last night, thanks to a pair of goals from Bobby Convey and a well placed header by Chris Wondolowski.  Despite playing at home with a 1-0 aggregate lead, New York came up short against a determined Earthquakes team.  The Red Bulls controlled much of the game and a majority of the possession, but defensive lapses ultimately doomed them.

by Jason Davis

In the universe that is New York City's soccer culture, gravitational pull is not a matter of new stadiums, flashy signings, or success on the field.  It's a matter of history.

It must be tough being a highly paid professional athlete.  Sure, the money and fame seem nice, but when your every move is analyzed, criticized, and scrutinized, living a normal life must be nearly impossible.  One misstep, one mistake, one action that could be perceived as evidence that your commitment is lacking or that you're not holding up your end of the social contract, and BOOM, the world falls down upon your head.

Rafa is escorting JPA to the big game

It's Wednesday.  The epic showdown of East vs. West, The Big Apple vs. La-La Land, Wall St. v. Hollywood, etc., etc., so on and so forth, is just two days away.  With fifty-ish something hours to go, let's take a look at how the hype machine is fairing, shall we?

That string of characters in the headline of this post that starts with the pound sign is called a "hashtag".  A hashtag is an identifier inserted in messages on Twitter to help make topics easily searchable.  "#LAvNY", as I'm sure you've figured out, is the hashtag being used for the upcoming clash between the Galaxy and Red Bulls at the Home Depot Center on Friday night.

The takeaway story from last night's hard-fought 2-2 draw between FC Dallas and the New York Red Bulls was not what is should have been.


It wasn't the play of Dallas, down a man after Brek Shea's idiotic challenge on Chris Albright earned him a red card in the 29th minute. It wasn't the late own goal Jair Benitez put in to gift the Red Bulls a draw. It wasn't the exciting play of Eric Alexander, who scored Dallas' second. It wasn't Mehdi Ballouchy's goal in his Red Bull debut, it wasn't the once-in-a-blue-moon crowd at Pizza Hut Park, and it wasn't Juan Pablo Angel's odd benching to start the match.

How many DPs does it take to score a goal in Bridgeview? More than five apparently, since that was the number of high-priced players who graced the field at Toyota Park in the Fire's scoreless draw with the Red Bulls.


Henry, Angel, and Marquez all played and played well for New York, though Henry was forced to come off before the end of the first half with a groin injury. Even without their DP power in full force, New York looked like the better team; Mac Kandji missed several good chances, including a Kamara-esque whiff with the ball inches from the line, keeping the Red Bulls from winning a game that was there for the taking.


Chicago was less dangerous, but had their moments. Nery Castillo made his Fire debut in the second half, and though he was clearly rusty, his skill was evident. He'll eventually make a difference.


Though the game ultimately disappointed with the goalless scoreline, it was entertaining throughout; even with en explosion of DP signings this summer, a game like that won't happen often. One can only hope any MLS holdouts that tuned in found the value in the game despite the lack of balls in the net. The 21k+ on hand at Toyota Park were vibrant and engaged, the teams created chances, and the TV presentation was solid. It wouldn't be fair to view that game as a tipping point for MLS TV ratings or casual interest, but it wouldn't be wrong to think it helped on both fronts.


Despite the star power on display, the man getting most of the attention today is Chicago's unknown rookie keeper, Sean Johnson. Johnson played brilliantly, and saved a point for Chicago by keeping New York out of the net with great saves and quick thinking. One game hardly makes a star, but Johnson raised his stock dramatically in the minds of many; after slipping in the draft due to a poor combine performance, his play is even a bit of a surprise. We might have come for Henry, Angel, Marquez, Ljundberg, and Castillo, but some of us stayed for Sean Johnson.


Both the Red Bulls and Fire will need a bit of time to full integrate their new parts. Last night was just a peek at the immediate future for each; provided their stars stay healthy, both will be forces down the stretch. Marquez's quality is evident. Henry is Henry. Angel is the best pure scorer in the league. Ljundberg has enough juice left to make a difference for the Fire, and Castillo is a supremely talented player in need of game minutes to slough off the rust. Both teams will be fascinating to watch for the rest of the season.


Despite the scoreline, the league's first 5 DP game didn't disappoint. Of course, the casual fan is left to wonder why all that star power couldn't find a single goal.

Editor's Note: MFUSA writer Vlad Bouchouev attended the Red Bulls unveiling of new signing Rafa Marquez today at Red Bull Arena.

by Vlad Bouchouev

What a fantastic few weeks it has been for MLS. It hasn’t been the most active transfer market around the world but it certainly has been frantic by MLS standards. Kudos to MLS and its teams for being smart and proactive during this window.


The signing of Rafael Marquez is significant on many different levels. First, it is the first time a MLS team will have three Designated Players on their roster; with that in mind the Red Bulls have now surpassed the Galaxy as the league’s highest profile club. And although it may seem that the Red Bulls are now setting the bar with the big-name signings, MLS commissioner Don Garber explained that this is in no way a message to other clubs to begin signing Designated Players. The Red Bulls are simply trying to help the league by elevating themselves to a new frontier.

Secondly, Marquez’s signing is a direct marketing ploy to attract more Hispanics and Latinos to MLS games. Garber also confirmed this at Marquez’s press conference, explaining that it was in New York’s best interest to sign a player that would be able to reach out to the area’s large Mexican-American community.


Thirdly, it was now the confirmation that MLS is being taken seriously in Europe. Players like Marquez and Alvaro Fernandez could have more or less easily found a European team for which to play. Specifically in Marquez’s case, the Red Bulls had to fend off European giants Juventus to get the signature of the Mexican captain. On a basic level, players are beginning to treat MLS clubs with respect approaching clubs like Juventus. Not only is there an influx of talent in the league, but these players are by no means “washed-up”; as Marquez indicated earlier today, “I have not come here to finish my career. I am only 31 years old.”

Whether or not the recent signings will be an ultimate success is not yet clear. But let’s face it: anytime big clubs around the world make multi-million dollar signings there is some heavy risk involved (Wow, I’m already starting to call the Red Bulls a “big club”). However the league is trying very hard to make “tactical” signings and not just waste money. Like Red Bulls sporting director Eric Soler explained, “When you build a soccer team, the most important things are the things on the pitch, but you need the right personalities as well. That has been a huge consideration for the NY Red Bulls.” As a fan of the MLS, you couldn’t be happier to hear that -- we’re blessed that club are not just signing egos (like some notorious clubs do overseas) but top-class professionals that will gradually build up this league. David Beckham was signed mainly as a marketing tool to promote the game. Cuahutemoc Blanco, Nery Castillo, and now Rafael Marquez were signed to attract the Hispanic and Latino populations. Blaise Nkufo and Mista were signed as quality under-the-radar players. Yes, there have been a few unsuccessful big-name signings like Denilson and Luis Angel Landin in recent years, but every team is going to have a few bad signings every now and then. What is positive is that it seems that the league is learning from their mistakes, as well as mistakes from its predecessor, the NASL.


It’s great time to be a fan of American soccer. So if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon, I urge you to do so. As for the Red Bulls, they've likely reached the level of most hated team on MLS for all the right reasons. Finally, a little bit more zest in this league! It should be one fantastic finish to this already historic season.

Check the punchable smile.

Rafa Marquez is officially a Red Bull today. Bully for them, I suppose, but trouble for the rest of the league. Major League Soccer's New York team is finally starting to act like a New York team. The collection of slightly-worn talent they have in Jersey is damn impressive all things considered.


If you already hated the Red Bulls (Hi, DC United fans!), nothing changes. The acquisition of Marquez might add a pebble to the mountain, but since you're already calling them "Energy Drink" or "Dead Bulls" or any number of other humorous insults, your life hardly changes. For some though, and particularly MLS fans either unattached to a natural Red Bull rival or simply ardently behind the USMNT, today will likely tip you over the edge. The hated Rafa Marquez, lining up for the New York Red Bulls. That's reason enough to throw out the mini-fridge you bought back in college.


And what if you're a USMNT supporter that also happen to be a Red Bull fan? I'm pretty damn sure you're conflicted, or have at least wrestled with the questions presented by Red Card Rafa lining up for your team. "Club v. Country" takes on a new meaning when your country's A1 villain signs on the dotted line for your club. If you're able to compartmentalize the two, or even get to a place where you put Rafa's misdeeds out of your mind, more power to you. I'm not sure I could do it.


Now that RBNY is throwing cash at big names, playing in a state-of-the-art venue that puts the rest of the league to shame, and has the national media's attention, they're clearly the Evil Empire of Major League Soccer. As close to being the Yankees of soccer as the rules allow, that's the Red Bulls. I might even draw a parallel between "Handball" Henry and Alex "Roids" Rodriquez. Or I could use Marquez in the same comparison, with Henry being a slightly less-despicable Yankee. New York, where teams we hate are made.


I'm laying it on pretty thick, but don't think the switch wasn't just flicked for some previously-ambivalent fans across the country. That's what signing a Mexican legend/villain will do in the nation of El Tri's most hated rivals. Sure, those US fans might be balanced out or overwhelmed by Mexico fans in the States, but the point stands. A lot more people hate the Red Bulls now.


But "Evil Empire" is already taken, and soccer needs to be unique. We can't borrow the name from the Yankees and slap it on the Red Bulls, they've yet to win one title. The Red Bulls need their own insidious moniker, one that sums up all of their recent flashy ways. This is MLS, land of the conservative payroll, and New York is rocking the boat something fierce. We need to label this menace.


Get at it, my brain is failing me at the moment, but I'll hopefully have something in the comments shortly.


Image borrowed from NewYorkRedBulls.com

It really couldn't have gone better for Thierry Henry and the Red Bulls last night. Sure, it would have been nice to actually win the game, but in the end losing hardly matters. Henry played, shone, and scored. Red Bull fans have to be giddy with the anticipation of letting the Frenchman loose on unsuspecting MLS defenses.


Henry didn't look slow and he didn't look rusty. The New York attack was naturally focused through him, and though that might eventually lead to an imbalance that could hurt them, it's hard to imagine any other tact. There's enough talent in the lineup in other places to make the Red Bulls supremely dangerous when Henry is on the field.


Because man, can he finish. His goal was a perfect example of that fact; after Lindpere made hay on the right, Henry got just enough of a touch to steer the cross to the far post. A thing of beauty, it wasn't. Effective? Completely. Henry will score goals in this league (duh) and he will likely score some pretty ones. But New York will benefit most from his ability to put the ball in the net no matter the "beauty" of it all.


As I wrote before the game, Henry's debut was everything Beckham's wasn't. That doesn't mean the effect will be bigger, or that Beckham's poorly handled debut for the Galaxy didn't have it's own unique positives. But Henry brings a different type of attention, and because he scores goals for living, he will inevitably show up in more places more often for what he does on the field rather than what he does off it.


Henry took the PATH train to Red Bull Arena last night without telling anyone that he was going to do so. That speaks volumes about the man's love for that town and his understanding of what being here means. He might be a cheat, but it's hard to argue that his being here isn't good for the league.

Remember the summer of 2007? MLS had finally signed a big time player, and though David Beckham was clearly past his prime, he brought real star power to the league for the first time. We didn't know yet that Beckham's first year and a half would border on disaster, that Beckham would be looking for ways out of LA in subsequent winters, or that the vaunted "Beckham Effect" would fade so quickly. Amidst talk that he was just here to increase his star everywhere but the field, Beckham landed on American shores to pied-piper the masses toward the beautiful game.


Except he was injured when he got here, and when he did debut, it was in a meaningless friendly on a still-gimpy ankle. Ill-advised to say the least, it was clear at the time that the Galaxy (with Frank Yallop only a puppet) pushed Beckham onto the field for the cameras and the crowd. From a playing perspective, almost everything that could have gone wrong, did.


Tonight, the biggest name to cross the Atlantic since Beckham will make his own debut in an MLS shirt. Thierry Henry will face his old Arsenal rivals Tottenham at Red Bull Arena, and indications are that the Frenchman's debut will go off without a hitch (barring an injury - let's hope I'm not a jinx). Beckham's arrival was big news followed by injuries problems and disappointing play; Henry's, even if his play is mildly disappointing, can't possibly be anything but a thousand times better.


I'm not big on these friendlies during the season, but I am looking forward to seeing what should be a mostly-full stadium respond to Henry. I'm not sure how much we should expect out of him in terms of quality play, but the moment should be excellent.


Make no mistake: There's a sideshow element to Henry's arrival, just as there was for Beckham. But there's also a sense that the league has grown up a lot over the course of the last three years, and Henry being here is a different kettle of fish. The hype isn't there for Henry the way it was for Beckham, but for most of us that's a good thing.


If you want to watch the game tonight, it will be on FSC and streamed through Veetle for free. Veetle requires that you download a plugin, but the picture is excellent. The site will also have the other games in the "tournament."

It's finally here...Thierry Henry announcement day. Kinda. It's in the New York Times, so we know it's real, and after all the nonsense, acknowledgment is step one. No more beating around the bush. No more games, no more subterfuge, and no more clever marketing. The Red Bulls have an aging, cheating, France-disaster contributing (because they're ALL contributors, Anelka-like petulance or not) all-time great striker on their hands, and dammit if he isn't going to help them fill up that beautiful new building of theirs.


I imagine it's like freaking Christmas for Red Bull fans. I'm happy for them. I can put my cynicism on hold for the moment, because tough the timing is unfortunate, I have high hopes for what TH14 can bring to Le Toreaux Rouge. On the field, provided he can adjust quickly to the MLS style of play, he will score goals. Off the field, he will be the highest-profile ambassador for the league since you-know-who, and hopefully with a clearly picture of how he will compose himself.


He already has a leg up on Beckham because his arrival does not coincide with an injury. Henry will debut in a friendly and not in the league, but that's neither here nor there for the moment. Playing in America's media capital will give him ample opportunity to play league pitchman in his likable way, and while I'm reserving judgement on New York's chances to win it all until I see Henry make them markedly better, his arrival brings a rich new element to the rest of the campaign.


Rumors of a third DP landing in Harrison are swirling now. With Angel, Henry, and another possible name player, New York will suddenly live up to their rightful status as big market behemoth. The checks and balances of caps and playoffs make it extremely unlikely that they can run away with a title, but I am reveling in the silly nature of it all.


Even if the revised DP rules make little difference beyond New York and New Jersey, installing the mechanism for the richer teams to separate themselves, even if it's only in fading star power, is a step in the right direction.

by Vlad Bouchouev

After chasing Thierry Henry’s tail for nearly a year now, the NY Red Bulls are set to sign the Frenchman within the coming weeks. Henry once looked like the ideal candidate to fill a designated player slot in New York, but I’m afraid this is no longer the case. The issue lies in a number of things that just have not gone in Henry’s favor.


As a brief background, Henry has been expressing his interest in playing in the States and his appreciation for New York City for a few years. Once Henry transferred to FC Barcelona in 2007, many began to speculate that the Catalan club was his last pit stop before the Big Apple. He is also one of the most decorated French players of all-time. Having had some of the most dynamic partnerships on the field with legends like Zinedine Zidane and Dennis Bergkamp, Henry has been no stranger to success. As a result, his undisputed legacy seemed to have been locked as a legend of the game - that is until things began to turn sour.


Barcelona seemed to have always been just a bit too crowded for a player of his age. With players like Messi and Eto’o, Henry struggled to get a lot of playing time there. That was the first of several obstacles to a smooth end to Henry’s career.


Then came the big one: the infamous handball against Ireland in the second leg of the 2010 World Cup Qualifier playoff. The controversy was huge. The Football Association of Ireland launched a formal complaint to FIFA seeking to replay the game. Although the complaint was rejected, the damage to Henry’s legacy was done. Nasty headlines were published across the world describing Henry as a “cheat” and death threats soon came after. Even the President of FIFA, Sepp Blatter, described the move as “blatant unfair play.” The whole thing got blown out of proportion. Henry never meant to “cheat.” It was clearly a natural reflex to handle the ball and the play was missed by the referee. Henry helped France qualify for the World Cup but never did he try to cheat his way in. That’s just not him. Regardless, Henry’s reputation was no longer the same.


Seven months later, karma came around and slapped the French team in the face. The French national team fell into shambles at the 2010 World Cup after head coach Raymond Domenech dismissed starting forward Nicolas Anelka from the team and the rest of the team threatened to boycott the rest of the tournament. The team finished the tournament with 0 wins, 1 tie, and 2 losses. To top it off, France had themselves further embarrassed after Domenech refused to shake the hand of the host country’s head coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, after their 2-1 loss to South Africa. Bottom line, even though Henry was in the background of all of these events, he was still a part of it all.


Assuming the deal goes through, Henry will no longer be bringing the excitement to New York City that once seemed so appealing about him. Instead, Henry will look to use MLS as an escape from everything that he has experienced in the past year or so. And unfortunately most Red Bull fans aren’t as keen on him as they once were. Although he still is Thierry Henry, his reputation has been tarnished and excitement levels in New York City have fallen. With Juan Pablo Angel slowly coming back into form, some people don’t even want Henry to come.


Personally, I welcome Henry with open arms as I don’t blame him for anything that has happened. He obviously will not have the same effect on the MLS as David Beckham, but he will definitely bring in a little bit more quality to the league. And at the very least, we can still expect him to sell a few shirts and score some goals.

There's now a preponderance of evidence that the long rumored move of Thierry Henry to MLS, and specifically the New York Red Bulls, is all but done. While the signing is a massive coup for New York on the field, the arrival of any Designated Player will inevitably lead to analysis of his larger effect beyond how many goals he scores. Henry will be the first since Freddie Ljungberg, and the biggest since Beckham, to focus scrutiny on the league both from abroad and from domestic soccer fans who rarely pay attention to MLS.


Henry's signing, after the back-and-forth dance of rumors, whispers, and denials, means that MLS clubs (at least in the biggest markets) can actually follow through on major signings; one player doesn't represent a sea change necessarily, but it does indicate that big stars aren't always using the league as leverage to get new contracts in Europe. It helped get the deal in place that Henry is an admitted Amero- and NYC-phile, but even those factors don't take away from the gravity of the signing for the league and the club.


Unlike David Beckham's arrival back in 2007, Henry's coming to the States brings a player with a proven pedigree who is still young enough that he could not easily be called "washed up". Sure, Henry was marginalized at Barcelona, but the greatness of that team and the quality of players they possess mitigate the effects of his leaving because he couldn't get a game. Henry is just thirty-two, and though there's no way to paint him as in his "prime", he's by no means ancient. He did make France's World Cup squad, after all, and will arrive in the U.S. following the tournament.


Unlike with Beckham, there shouldn't be the stigma that Henry is headed to America to build his brand, take up acting, or enjoy a semi-retirement. Some of that is thanks to the slowly growing reputation of MLS, and some of it is due to Beckham's own experience here. Even if the nicest thing the European football community says about MLS is that it didn't "ruin" Beckham, since he likely would have made the England World Cup team if he hadn't been injured, that's something. Henry will join a significantly different MLS than Beckham did back in '07, with expansion ramping up attention, new stadiums in New York and Philadelphia, and a muted "boom" environment that he will only help spur on.


Henry isn't a sideshow. He's fan of New York (the city) with solid ties to the States in the sporting world and a genuine passion for growing soccer in America. Where Beckham comes off as manufactured and plastic, Henry projects a likable, genuine quality that will endear him to American soccer fans. Without the overkill hype of Beckham's arrival, and keeping in mind that his profile outside of the sport in the U.S. is much lower, Henry might actually be able to do more long term good for the sport and the league than his English contemporary.

Allow me to introduce Vlad Bouchoev, a student at Carnegie Mellon University with a passion for soccer who is dipping his toes into the MFUSA waters with a piece on the Red Bulls and their new stadium attendance struggles. - JD


by Vlad Bouchouev

New York, New York. A city with nearly 10 professional sports teams. A city of over 18 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area. The world capital so to speak. Yet somehow the New York Red Bulls still manage to not sell-out their newly built state-of-the-art stadium. The question cannot be as simple as to whether or not soccer is popular in New York City, because NYC has a plethora of foreigners who have a passion for the game. Just last week the new Giants Stadium hosted a sell-out crowd of 77,507 for the Mexico-Ecuador match. Likewise, every summer we see sell-out crowds in New York's American football stadium when world-class soccer teams come play there, either against other international visitor or the local NY Red Bulls. So yes, there are soccer fans in New York City.


So then maybe this brings up the great ole’ New York City sports fans’ complaint of the horrid location of the Meadowlands and how commuting to the stadium takes away any motivation to see their team play. Well my friends, have no fear because Red Bull Arena is here. You hate driving? Don’t want to spend your entire day in traffic? Take the train. You can literally take the train from as far away as Princeton or Long Island, make it to the stadium in a little over an hour and not have to pay the ridiculous $15 parking fee. Sadly, I still don’t think that the commute has been the underlying problem. Attendance figures in the past two NY Red Bull game have only risen by about 4,000 people, bringing this year’s average to a little over 14,000 people. This is not including the barely sold-out NY Red Bull home opener against the Chicago Fire since the team was still riding the “Red Bull Arena-awe-effect” at that point. Remember, the new stadium seats 25,189 so we’re still looking at a stadium that is a little over half-full.


This almost leads us to my last point: competition in a big city market. In a city that boasts the historic NY Yankees and NY Mets, two football teams, a world-famous Midtown arena that sells out any team that plays inside, and the NJ Nets, NJ Devils, and NY Islanders (who even when they struggle seem to steal away some sports fans and bring them to their games), there just seems to be little room for the NY Red Bulls. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to take my beloved NY Red Bulls away from this city. But I am hinting on the fact that maybe cities like Seattle, which have one less “big-4” (football, baseball, basketball, hockey) sports team than other large U.S. metropolitan cities may hold a formula for success for MLS. Granted, I know that argument will be shot down by the likes of the LA Galaxy fans (who live in a city that has more than 4 professional sports teams), Philadelphia Union fans (who even with the “big-4” in their city manage to get 30,000+ to their games), or Salt Lake City folks (who with only the Utah Jazz, don’t get numbers nearly as comparable as the Seattle Sounders at the Real Salt Lake games). Then again, I don’t really consider Salt Lake City a large U.S. metropolitan city. Bottom-line, the NY Red Bulls need to prove that they are a worthy competitor in the NYC sports market. Similar to the way the New York Cosmos did a couple of decades ago…


Ah, that’s more like it. The New York Cosmos. Could that be the missing piece of the puzzle? Were they doing something right that the NY Red Bull franchise has overlooked? Let’s flashback to way before my time, 1976. The Cosmos crashed out of the playoffs that year losing to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. At that point, the world’s greatest player ever, Pele, had been on the Cosmos for two years, and the “Soccer Bowl” was yet to be won. Attendance increased by a mere 8,000 people from the previous year. Thus, Pele initially had only a marginal “Beckham-effect.” The next year the Cosmos loaded up on more world-class players like Carlos Alberto, Franz Beckenbauer, and Giorgio Chinaglia and saw attendance skyrocket to a very steady 45,000 pace for the next several years.


The Cosmos then won a few championships but soon after ran out of money and folded. So what conclusions can we make about all this? Well, money is power. If you have the money (which the Red Bulls do) spend it, bring in high-end players, and fans will gradually flood the stadiums to not only see the talent of the players but to also see their team succeed. If you would like to grind out success from your team, feel free to go about this way. But here's another thought: Maybe it’s the brand that New Yorkers don’t support, not the game. If there’s one thing that stays away from American sports, it’s commercialization. You don’t see advertisements on your American sports jerseys; you see the name of the city, the name of the team, and the logo. In the case of the Red Bulls, the whole franchise is named after an energy drink that doesn’t even have an association to New York, and the logo on the New York Red Bull jersey is the actual logo of the Red Bull energy drink.


So New Yorkers: would you attend if your team’s name was the Cosmos? Perhaps we’ll find out if the MLS sticks another expansion team somewhere in Queens, NY and names it something more evocative. Will fans attend if the Red Bulls stock up their team with big-name players and dominate the rest of the season? Perhaps we’ll find out after the Red Bulls get Theirry Henry, Ze Roberto, and Raul, and go on to win MLS Cup. Until then, the case of the Red Bull franchise in New York City is just as much of a mystery as the Shroud of Turin. One thing is for sure: the Red Bulls have to continue building their name. The MLS is an investment. The NY Red Bulls is an investment. The arena is an investment. Professional soccer in the US may never reach the same popularity level as in Europe, but if it will, it will take time.

Major League Soccer has been out of balance for the last few years. Yes, there's salary cap and roster restriction-mandated parity, a reality that frustrates some even while it guarantees a majority of the league's teams have a chance to win a championship each and every season. And yes, small or non-existent margins mean that many clubs are hesitant to tip the scales for themselves the one way they can, with the designated player rule.


But in the areas of flash and hype, the attention-grabbing, headline-stealing, PR-directed battle for status and awareness, MLS has been tilted dramatically to the West.


The LA Galaxy are a "flagship" MLS franchise because they inhabit the country's second largest market. They have deep-pocketed owners, a first class stadium, and the will to spend money to "grow their brand". This has manifested itself in the signing of one of the world's most visible players in David Beckham and the resulting firestorm of notoriety that followed. In the contest for headlines and mainstream coverage, the Galaxy are winners by a wide margin. No one else in the league, even those few clubs that have signed designated players like Seattle and New York, come close. Add the small detail that the Galaxy have the league's best American player in Landon Donovan, and Los Angeles has garnered the lion's share of interest from the non-soccer segment of the American sports community, the gossip industry, and observers abroad.


Let's consider it a good thing then, that the New York Red Bulls appear on their way to balancing the situation. Finally out of the crumbling, ill-fitting, club-crippling Giants Stadium and settling into Red Bull Arena, New York has all of the prerequisites for an American club looking to make a name for themselves.


Big market? Check.


Owners with deep pockets? Check.


A first-class venue? Check.


And the willingness to spend doesn't seem to be lacking either, with news coming down last week that the Red Bulls plan to buy a third designated player spot as is now allowed by MLS rules. Since New York currently has just one DP in striker Juan Pablo Angel, it's seems safe to assume that they'll be splashing the cash on big name talent as early as this summer.


Perhaps the signings won't bring the club on-field success, though early returns on the Hans Backe/Eric Stover era are positive. That aforementioned parity can be a bitch, excuse the expression, and it will take more than a few aging European stars to bring the Red Bulls their first championship trophy. That hasn't kept the team from making grand pronouncements on their intentions, claiming they can win it all as soon as next year.


The universe, even the American soccer version, needs balance. Attention in all forms is good for a growing league like MLS, and it doesn't matter that the Galaxy and the Red Bulls dominating the headlines by spending more than anyone else is akin to two Darth Vaders doing battle in a maelstrom of footy evil for rest of the country. Perhaps it's not yin and yang, but it does represent progress; the two cities of Los Angeles and New York are connected to one another throughout the history of American sports, and there's no reason that shouldn't be true in soccer. No club should run ahead unchallenged for profile supremacy, and it's about time New York's club took its rightful place as a leading light in Major League Soccer.


Major League Soccer will be better with a New York team acting like a New York team. It looks like that time has finally come.


Sure, it's distasteful when the richest teams get all the attention and outshine teams that "do it right" or are able to win despite a small-market handicap. But villains grow passion in direct opposition; if people love to hate New York (which some already do) the way so many already love to hate LA, that's a massive victory for MLS.

Philly v. New York: It started at the SuperDraft

The strength and growth of MLS over the course of the next two seasons will be built solidly upon two geographic pods; with the Northeastern corridor filling up and opening two stadiums, and the Northwest set to come online in full force in 2011, America's soccer identity will come more from rivalry than ever before.


It starts this season, with Red Bull Arena giving hope that New York will have a vibrant stadium atmosphere coupled with the addition of Philadelphia to the league. Philly, in each and every sport, is the city the rest of the Northeast loves to hate. DC United is an immediate natural rival. New York is a step beyond, and the Union-Red Bull clashes in 2010 should be rife with the usual vitriol and aided by a significant away-support element. It will matter little how good either team actually is, and though the matches won't be traditional local derbies, they'll be on par with anything the league has seen to this point.

Red Bull Arena changes things

Philadelphia lives to hate New York, and New York isn't too fond of Philly; like death and taxes it's a certainty, and you can bet that dynamic will manifest itself, perhaps even more explosively (but let's hope not too explosively) in the culture of soccer.


Down the road in DC, the fans are bristling for a shot at the newcomers. United's tradition is a proud one, and though their fortunes have taken a downward turn the last few years, you can bet that La Barra Brava and the other United die-hards are anxious to show the upstarts how it's done. Union-United matches will have almost as much heat as the New York-Philly showdowns, and should swell attendance in the Washington home version. Hundreds (if not more) Sons of Ben in DC to cheer on their boys while the Barra and Screaming Eagles throb with the passionate energy they always bring sounds like a goose bump inducing event if there ever was one. Mark your calendars.


Though DC, Philly, and New York will form a triumvirate of rivalry unmatched until 2011, New England and Toronto will add their own elements to this geographical collection of clubs. The Toronto fans travel, New England is within spitting distance, and the league will benefit from the proximity of two brand new stadiums to passionate fan bases around the region. A confluence of events makes the Northeast, with the potential for New York to take a major step forward in attention in the media capital of the country, a major factor in Major League Soccer's continued development.

United's support set the standard

In 2011, we'll get to see how the Sounders-Timbers rivalry, with the bonus of Vancouver's involvement thrown-in, translates to the bigger stage of MLS. If 2010 proves to be as successful as it can be, then the addition of the Cascadia dynamic will only heighten the excitement, depth of passion, and expanding level of attention the league will have leveraged through the Northeast in 2010.


If MLS is to draw more television viewers to their product, they need full stadiums, loud crowds, and intense, playoff-style atmospheres. No matter the quality of play, a soccer match is always more intriguing on television if it is accompanied by those factors. There's no reason to believe that 2010 won't be a new high-water mark for games of that caliber, with 2011 ready to amplify the gain.