US Professional sports team allows fans to vote to decide to retain GM or not.

[|Zach|]

Thought this was interesting. Could you imagine?

http://www.soundersfcvote.com/

The Sounders will hold the first general manager vote in U.S. professional sports.

What is the vote?
Sounders FC season ticket members will be asked to vote "retain" or "lack of confidence" for the current Sounders FC general manager.

What does a retain vote mean?
A vote to retain the general manager is a sign of approval from the season ticket members of the direction of the team.

What does a lack of confidence vote mean?
A lack of confidence vote signifies that season ticket members are not pleased with the job of the general manager and direction of the team.

Why should season ticket members vote?
The vote provides an opportunity for season ticket members to make their voice heard and increase their credibility. Sounders FC season ticket members have the opportunity to set the tone and lay a foundation for future season ticket members.

This is an unprecedented vote in U.S. professional sports and the vision of Sounders FC owner Drew Carey.

Who is eligible to vote?
All 2012 Sounders FC season ticket members, designated season ticket holders and anyone who has paid the $125 alliance membership fee prior to October 7, 2012.

How many votes does each season ticket member receive?
One vote per seat. For example, if a season ticket member has two seats, they will have two votes.

If a season ticket member has appointed any individuals as a "designated season ticket holder" this fan will receive one vote.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by billay

No my original point stands nobody really cares about the MLS in this town. You'd be hard pressed to walk into a place throughout KC and hear anyone talking about SKC.
.

I don't know what people are talking about in this town, but I do know SKC has a shitload of people going to their games.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

It has zero comparison to AA baseball. None. There is no metric to support that.

And you are just simply wrong about SKC. I see gear in Westport and around KC all the time...it is everywhere especially with folks are age.

They average more people in attendance than there are seats in the stadium. For the upcoming game there are cheap seats going for as much as 160 on the secondary market.

It is fine to not like it but there is no reason to be a lie about any of it. Even though it seems that is your "thing" on this board.

You see hipsters in Westport wearing SKC gear that means literally NOTHING. SKC is what? the 4th page in the sports section on a good day?

They have good attendance because it's a brand new stadium and there's not much to do in Kansas City. Even the Missouri Mavericks sell out sometimes. Big deal?

Lying? The MLS All-Star game is comparable to a Triple A baseball all star game. You're the one who's lying.

[KCUnited]

The Hanshin Tigers is probably the more appropriate comparison.

[Reaper16]

Billay (and CC), I see that you are using "major league" to mean "the top league in the world." That works in America, where the sports we play tend mostly to be played by Americans.

Soccer is so thoroughly the dominant sport worldwide that you have many, many top-flight leagues. The Champions League tournaments help to suss out which league is stronger at any given point. If MLS is Double A then Serie A or Bundisliga is Triple A, and that isn't fair.

tl;dr: there isn't a single biggest soccer league, so your metric is ****ed.

[CoMoChief]

Until Soccer gets popular enough for mainstream, it will be a niche sport in the USA.

Billay does have a point....you really don't hear a lot of regular sports guys that talk about SKC. Those that do are generally soccer fans. Most people just don't like soccer. Just about any guy can name off 10 NBA, MLB, of NFL players....you'd be hard to find regular Joe Blow sports fan at a bar that can name off 10 MLS players...esp those who aren't named Beckham or Donovan. It's just not big yet....prob won't be for another 10-20 yrs.

[whoman69]

I'd hate to be that GM. He would have to politic to keep his job. Sounds like the owner is abrigating his responsibility.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Billay (and CC), I see that you are using "major league" to mean "the top league in the world." That works in America, where the sports we play tend mostly to be played by Americans.

Soccer is so thoroughly the dominant sport worldwide that you have many, many top-flight leagues. The Champions League tournaments help to suss out which league is stronger at any given point. If MLS is Double A then Serie A or Bundisliga is Triple A, and that isn't fair.

tl;dr: there isn't a single biggest soccer league, so your metric is ****ed.

Would you call the MLS a top-flight league? I certainly wouldn't. Hell some of those guys only make like 28,000 a year.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by billay

Would you call the MLS a top-flight league? I certainly wouldn't. Hell some of those guys only make like 28,000 a year.

This all came about because it is being compared to AA baseball. And that is simply a dishonest uninformed comparison.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

This all came about because it is being compared to AA baseball. And that is simply a dishonest uninformed comparison.

It's pretty accurate to compare the MLS to minor leagues. It certainly isn't anywhere near the best soccer talent in the world and the asking the public to vote on firing the GM is a gimmick that minor league teams would use. So ChiefsCountry is right in that aspect.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by billay

It's pretty accurate to compare the MLS to minor leagues. It certainly isn't anywhere near the best soccer talent in the world and the asking the public to vote on firing the GM is a gimmick that minor league teams would use. So ChiefsCountry is right in that aspect.

It is pretty telling you are using ambiguous terms to avoid being painted into a corner without actually saying anything substantive that means something.

This is an argument you can't even support yourself.

The Sounders average 42k a game. Which AA baseball team would you compare them to? Please...be specific.

You have already swung and missed on your statements about selling out bc there is nothing else in KC...newspaper coverage...all kinds of stuff...this is fun.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

It is pretty telling you are using ambiguous terms to avoid being painted into a corner without actually saying anything substantive that means something.

This is an argument you can't even support yourself.

The Sounders average 42k a game. Which AA baseball team would you compare them to? Please...be specific.

You have already swung and missed on your statements about selling out bc there is nothing else in KC...newspaper coverage...all kinds of stuff...this is fun.

Actually you completely avoided part of my argument because it was convenient for you. They might sell out now because everyone loves a winner but also because they play in an impressive brand new stadium and there's not much else going on. How many times did they average 20+ k at Arrowhead? Most nights that stadium was a ghost town when they were playing.

What no counter argument on the talent level of the MLS? Not surprising.

Perhaps you can answer why I make more than some of these players playing in an awesome professional sports league?

Then after you answer all those questions maybe you'd like to tell us why such a popular sports league only got a 0.8 rating for it's championship game. Hello?

[qabbaan]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

This all came about because it is being compared to AA baseball. And that is simply a dishonest uninformed comparison.

The MLS sides might be competitive in League One in the UK, wouldn't you say? It's hard for me to see them competing in the Championship.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by billay

Actually you completely avoided part of my argument because it was convenient for you. They might sell out now because everyone loves a winner but also because they play in an impressive brand new stadium and there's not much else going on. How many times did they average 20+ k at Arrowhead? Most nights that stadium was a ghost town when they were playing.

What no counter argument on the talent level of the MLS? Not surprising.

Perhaps you can answer why I make more than some of these players playing in an awesome professional sports league?

Then after you answer all those questions maybe you'd like to tell us why such a popular sports league only got a 0.8 rating for it's championship game. Hello?

You still can't even begin to compare it to what you have been comparing it to AA baseball because that has no merit. You are moving the goal posts. Even so...

The TV element is the only one that is still getting there. And lets be absolutely clear. I am not here saying it is more popular than MLB or NFL or anything like that. There is a lot of flux in the TV situation because of how unique the soccer viewer is in relation to viewers of other sports. The structure of the championship game has been changed this year which will be an interesting experiment in the promotion of that game. More than anything consistency will help the league. Expansion is on the table right now and when those numbers get settled (my understanding is the league would like to settle at 26 teams) that kind of consistency will foster improved TV deals and viewership. There is a ton of growth that is needed in regards to TV. The fee for an expansion team for the MLS right now 100 million dollars.

The talent of the league has vastly improved over say...the last 4 years. Young up and coming Europeans see it as a good place to play because of the financial stability the league affords them. If you are playing in Italy, Argentina, Greece, Spain....you are just hoping you get your paycheck and that the go through the bank. You see that with our French All Star defender Collin to our new guy Oriel Russel who is just 20 years old and just came from Barcalona's system.

EPL talent has found a place in this league all you have to do is look Keane and Cahill right now in New York as well as Henry. EPL teams are also looking to the MLS and grabbing its players.

Right here in Kansas City one of our midfielders turned down an offer to go to the EPL so he can finish out his season here...you will see him make that move after our season is done. National team talent is all over the MLS from around the country.

The league has changed since the Wizards were in Arrowhead. It has changed a whole lot. The product on the field is completely different than when soccer was being played in Arrowhead league wide.

But how much time should I really spend countering fake arguments I never made am I right?

The salary structure of the league is for controlled growth. As such when you are a rookie they own you...for two years you will come at a pretty low salary. When you earn your first contract the money comes in. Of course for the really good guys that happens really quickly.

[qabbaan]

Originally Posted by billay

Then after you answer all those questions maybe you'd like to tell us why such a popular sports league only got a 0.8 rating for it's championship game. Hello?

Because its played on Sunday afternoon in the fall?

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by qabbaan

The MLS sides might be competitive in League One in the UK, wouldn't you say? It's hard for me to see them competing in the Championship.

My guess is somewhere in between those two leagues if you average them out. Guys that have been coming to the MLS from the EPL don't exactly run roughshod through the league. The guy who will score the most goals....far and away the most goals this year is an American. English league guys that come to the EPL indicate they think it is on par with the Championship though I am skeptical. Maybe the best of the MLS could hang. Who knows.