The 2025 Season

[mostonmike]

I know you are all looking forward to the 2025 MLS season which gets underway this weekend. The 10 year worldwide TV deal with Apple TV means that virtually no-one in the world will be watching. It’s a big shame because the league was starting to gain some respect in Europe but is now receding back to anonymity.

The good news though is that memorable 2022 CONCACAF Champions League win by the Sounders gained them qualification for the controversial but potentially massive new FIFA World Club Cup in the summer. Basically a club version of the World Cup has seen massive debate about player welfare giving some players another 3 to 7 games after a long 9 month season.

FIFA want this competition to broadcast for free and DAZN appear to have worldwide rights so must make sure it is widely available, it could actually be decent to watch.

Games against Botofogo (Brz), Paris St Germain and Atletico Madrid should finally give us a chance to see what the standard of the MLS.

This has been mostonmike, your football correspondent. I will keep you posted.

[mostonmike]

So the controversial and unpopular FIFA Club World Cup has reached the semi final stage.

The Sounders didn’t make it to the knockout / playoff rounds after these group stage results

Mon, Jun 16 L 1-2 to Botafogo
Thu, Jun 19 L 1-3 to Atlético Madrid
Mon, Jun 23 L 0-2 to Paris Saint-Germain

Tough draw, Madrid finished 3rd in the Spanish league and Paris became European Champions for the first time after winning the UEFA Champions League in May.

At least it wasn’t an embarrassment unlike Auckland City FC who lost their first game 10-0 to Bayern Munich then 6-0 to Benfica.


It the MLS, the Sounders are sat in 5th in the Western Conference just after the halfway stage of the regular season, so in a good spot for the playoffs. I have watched precisely zero MLS this season so far, I might catch some of the playoffs which are around the same time as the baseball playoffs.


And finally. If you are ever discussing MLS with random British people, you can say “Phil Neville is manager of the Portland Timbers now” and they would be fascinated by that odd fact. He was coach of Inter Miami, for whom legend Lionel Messi plays, until his mate David Beckham sacked him. That can be your follow up survival fact if you are questioned about how shit US soccer is.

[Bil522]

Mike, thanks for trying. It was easy to get into the Sounders a few years ago....most of the games were on TV. Now it is on Apple + and few if any even bother any more. Noticed that even the crowd size has been going down. I can tell you that any available field in the greater Seattle area is being used to play soccer, until 11pm on most nights, so the people are into the game, just not the Sounders as much. Why don't owners think logically...put it back on over the air TV...It is like a 2hr commercial for your product.

Anyway, thanks again for trying

[mostonmike]

Mike, thanks for trying. It was easy to get into the Sounders a few years ago....most of the games were on TV. Now it is on Apple + and few if any even bother any more. Noticed that even the crowd size has been going down. I can tell you that any available field in the greater Seattle area is being used to play soccer, until 11pm on most nights, so the people are into the game, just not the Sounders as much. Why don't owners think logically...put it back on over the air TV...It is like a 2hr commercial for your product.

Anyway, thanks again for trying

You're welcome. I would think "soccer" and the Sounders is really popular with the kids. The average age of MLS fans is 37, similar to the NBA. NFL average fan age is 47 and MLB is 53.

The average age on this forum is about 74....

I agree about failing to spread the game through free tv exposure. It might stop the progress that was being made before the Mapple TV deal