With J Hutcherson
Shocked looks all around, at least from the other side of the Atlantic as the exchange rate between the pound and the dollar begins to slide to more reasonable levels and England starts working through their own housing devaluation. For those that remember, the biggest names in North American sports business have already let us know that the downturn in the American economy isn't an issue and professional sports are "inelastic."
For whatever reason, MLS commissioner Don Garber was part of that collective high-five, even though Major League Soccer hasn't been around long enough to know what general financial issues will do to pro soccer. The other leagues know better, and can all point to times when they just weren't as relevant as they would've liked.
Yes, the contemporary era believes all games should be as close to capacity as possible, any and all sponsorship rights are valuable, and corporate partners and municipalities will continue to spend on their products. Could be, as unlikely as it seems.
In classic pro sport fashion, the response hasn't been to retrench and evaluate. Instead, it's to raise prices across sports in the same market. Hello New York sports fans. The relative bargain that was NY baseball is about to adjust for new venues, along with the National Football League.
Lead and follow, with the major English clubs still lining up to copy that NFL model.
In most of our lifetimes, clubs could win Europe operated like a small business. The creation of the Premier League might have been step one, the move to publicly traded clubs step two, but the big break came with moving fully towards North American sports business. Chief Executives in replace of club secretaries, the decreasing role and influence of the manager on the business side, selling every conceivable sponsorship, expecting broadcast rights revenue to more than pay for any increases, and so on.
Unfortunately for the EPL in particular and English soccer in general, they missed the key step to truly maximizing revenue. Hard cap the payroll and don't guarantee any salaries. That's what makes it so surprising that any NFL owner chose to buy into Premier League soccer. It's close to the model they're comfortable with minus the direct cost control.
With the EPL already running a few years behind whatever new business strategies look like they're working here, we can also expect a delayed response if the North American sports market starts to shift. Some EPL pundits are already talking about lessening avenues for credit, but the real issue is what it's always been. The willingness of corporations and people to pay.
Most of us realize that sports enthusiasm ebbs and flows. You're into a team or even a league for a few seasons, life happens, and you move on to something else. Operating as if your base will remain fully committed to your brand is naive at best. Nobody gets that, not even the cliche of being born into it that is English club soccer.
If that were the case, it doesn't lead corporations to throw money at pro sports teams like there's a direct link to sponsorship and increased revenue. There is a very good chance that the basic tenants of contemporary sports business will be shown up as a fad sooner than later.
Even as it happens, the Leagues not immediately impacted will be convincing themselves it won't affect them, not really. After all, when you create a world in your best interest, things only change for the better.
On TV
CONCACAF Champions League preliminaries on Fox Soccer Channel and TeleFutura: Harbour View - UNAM Pumas at 8pm. Galavision for Deportivo Jalapa - San Francisco at 10pm.
UEFA Cup on Setanta: FC Midtjylland - Manchester City at 10:15am. Sudamericana on Fox Sports en Espanol: Atletico Minerio - Botafogo at 1pm, Gremio - Inter at 6pm, and Catolica - Olimpia at 8:30pm. All Times Eastern
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Europe
Monte Carlo or bust for Chelsea, United and Spurs as high stake transfers loom -- from The Daily Mail: The Chelsea chief confirmed the Blues are looking to trim the squad in light of imminent arrival of Robinho.
Peat steps in to halt slide into anarchy -- from The Herald's Darryl Broadfoot: "It was not doing anybody any good, so I decided to get involved."
Arsenal give McClaren's men a goal masterclass -- from The Independent's Sam Wallace: Come the end of the game last night he was back to praying that the scoreline would not get too embarrassing.
We will sign stars on my terms, says Mark Hughes -- from The Times' James Ducker and Russell Kempson: “I am mindful of where the club wants to go and I have been kept fully informed of that, but if I feel a player can't make an impact on the team, it doesn't matter who he is, he won't be coming."
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Americas
Proud Carver thrives where Gullit flailed -- from The Guardian's Shaka Hislop: Carver has been true to his word, being his own man, and the game is better for it.
Crew should act now, give Schmid a new deal -- from The Columbus Dispatch's Michael Arace: Schmid has rebuilt with care, and with an eye on long-term benefit.
Cooper optimistic about MLS bid -- from The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Tom Timmermann: Signs are promising for St. Louis.
FC Dallas' Rocha, coach settle dispute -- from The Dallas Morning News' Diego Aparicio: Hyndman also claims that Rocha isn't moving enough forward into the attacking third.
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