Inside Soccer
Inside Soccer
Episode 2 - Soccer by Ives (Galarcep)
Inside Soccer spends time with one of the great builders of the game. Ives Galarcep of SBI and Soccer by Ives fame joins our host Bill Peterson to discuss soccer media, European migration of US players and coaches, effects of Covid on soccer, MLS development and more. Ives has been an important part of the game here in the US and his massive following is a testament to his expertise and connection with fans. Don't miss this episode!
Hello and welcome back. You're listening to another incredible episode of Inside soccer when your host bill Peterson inside soccer brings you a soccer fan expert analysis and opinion on the critical issues facing the game today. also bringing guests that have incredible stories and historical perspectives on the game, with soccer experience spanning 20 Rolodexes open to bring you the voices and opinions you want. Sit back at wherever you are in the world. enjoy today's episode.
Unknown Speaker :Welcome soccer fans from around the globe. Welcome to soccer Insider, where we try to bring you the best conversations about the topics that matter and a little bit of history about your favorite sport each episode. We're blessed today and I'm so excited to have our guests. He's one of the originals. He has created soccer by Ives. He has a Twitter account a Facebook account with more followers and some tea. And leagues actually. So if you're not following him at SBI, or one of his other accounts, you should probably ask yourself why he's recognized around the world for his expertise in the sport, has been doing this a long time and fits in exactly with what we're trying to do here. Find people who have been on the ground level and in the trenches and asking the tough questions, and has played a critical role in the development of the game. Here in this country I've is welcome to soccer Insider.
Unknown Speaker :Hey, Bill, how you doing? Thanks for having me on, man.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, well, truly, it's a real pleasure. And we're really excited to have you here. I've got way too many questions for 30 minutes. So it won't be rapid fire but it will be a little bit faster pace and maybe a camp fire camp, fireside chat or whatever. But I know you're you're up for the task here. And what's really important is we just get inside your head for hours. Fans, our listeners, what's going on in a world of soccer? How do you see it? What have you seen in the past? And, you know, we'll have we'll have a good time with it. So, first and foremost, let me ask this question how and why have you ended up where you are today?
Unknown Speaker :As far as covering the game, yes, yep. Yeah, it's, uh, well, that was a pretty, pretty old story. I, I'm obviously from New Jersey. And as we as most people know, New Jersey is a big soccer hotbed. And I just happen to be lucky enough to work for a small paper in New Jersey that that let me cover the game early on. And so I started covering MLS back in 1899, American soccer and just kind of getting in on that, that early ground floor and having that platform, I just kind of took it from there and being in this market in the New York market with everyone that that came through this market over the years. is just kind of was a perfect, perfect Storm of, of situations that put me in this position. And I've been lucky enough to kind of, you know, take advantage of that and build something up over the years.
Unknown Speaker :That's fantastic. And so, look,
Unknown Speaker :I've been on the other side of the table from the press for a long time and sometimes been critical and wrongly so. But a lot of times, I feel like the media and this is just general are really serving as mouthpieces for people who, you know, in some past roles I've had, I would say something, they go report it, and I'm like, wow, okay, what if I said the opposite? Would they report that to you know, and some, some of them would for sure. But, you know, how do you approach what the fans are? What role does the fan play in soccer by Ives, and you're sort of oversight of the content and the direction? What are you guys talking about when you're in a room gone? Hey, look, we need to deliver this for four For our fan base, what can they expect from you?
Unknown Speaker :Well, I think what we try to do is cover is cover the topics that that we know, American American soccer fans care about. And obviously, there's such a kind of broad spectrum of different topics. I mean, obviously, not all American soccer fans, like MLS, not all American soccer fans like European soccer. So there's such a broad range not all American soccer fans like women's soccer, so, but there are definitely so many categories in so many different groups and trying to try to strike that balance and try to find that balance of, of covering topics that that can cater to as many of those fans as possible and there's definitely no one size fits all to it. And it's not easy, obviously. It's gotten tougher and tougher, just for media to make it work as a business just because of you know, the variety of variety of reasons, but you know, for me over the years, I've always just have tried to have a sense of what what readers are interested in what they're looking for and what isn't out there already. And obviously we have way more coverage now there's way more sites and way more people trying to be media trying to be soccer media, way more than when I started. So that's kind of the new challenge now is to is to make sure that you have a you're providing something that that's that's unique in it and that it has some quality to it.
Unknown Speaker :You just touched on a number of topics, but you know, one of the things that that strikes me is in this country especially, you have so many different fan bases. I mean, you have fans of the of the domestic game here you have fans or only national team fans, you have fans of European soccer, different countries here and there. You have fans of South American teams. Is that a challenge for you?
Unknown Speaker :Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. And the thing is really at the end of the day, you can't There's no way to cover everything right? There's no way to try to try to be an expert on everything as much as there's some people out there who love to try to pretend that they try to pretend that they cover everything or try to pretend they know about every single aspect of the game. And a lot of times you can see through that stuff for me, you know, over the years, I've really tried to hone in on on the US national team, Americans abroad and obviously MLS. I've been covering MLS for more than 20 years now. So for me, those three are what I've really tried to focus on. And that doesn't mean I don't care about these other these other other topics. It's, it's just a matter of time, right? You only have only so much time in the day. And what's interesting for me is that now that we've been in the middle of this kind of this pandemic, and everything's kind of been at a standstill, I have actually had the opportunity to to cover and work on on some of those other topics that I hadn't covered as much over the years. I've been working a lot riding on European soccer over the last Three or four months and also with women's soccer. And and it's interesting and it's definitely, those are things I definitely want to get more into going forward. But that's really the challenge is like you say there's so many different categories, and there's so many different fan bases that you can try to cater to. And I feel like the people that that find those niches and that really work hard on those, like specific niches are the ones that can provide quality. And I think those you know, those folks in those outlets that try to do it all end up just not really providing much in the way of quality because you can't you can't spread yourself out. You can't try to, you know, touch on every single subject that's out there because no one just no one has resources except for maybe like super large media, you know, companies and not many are investing that kind of money right now the athletic is it in terms of major outlets that are putting real serious resources into covering the game in the US. So that's just that's really the approach that I've tried to take over the years.
Unknown Speaker :You know, it's a, it's an industry that's going through a lot of change. It's an industry that's become very accessible to pretty much anyone with a telephone or a computer and you don't know what their expertise may or may not be sometimes and so that must make it tough for a veteran, like yourself, and I totally agree I it's a real challenge to be an expert down one channel, whether it's women's soccer, European soccer, MLS, US national team, whatever it may be, and and then be able to get the critical mass you need to be successful and actually make money in the industry itself is, is in tough times. So, you know, back one back when I was working in managing teams and different things I'd get a lot of young people come in and say, hey, look, I want to work in sports. And I would say don't you know, you know, especially, I mean, kids would come in these great education's and you'd say, look, take that great education. Go get yourself a great job. Buy yourself some great tickets, and enjoy the game. I haven't seen one in years. So you know, we're down in the basement and we're doing this. And we're doing that where we're doing everything except actually sitting in a sea watching the event itself while it's happening, and so if you really enjoy sports, you should probably just figure out how you get some tickets or a television and watch them. So the question to you in this in this environment of media in general, if somebody comes up and ask you that same question, what would you tell them? Somebody said, Look, I really want to be a journalist, or I really want to be in sports media. What advice would you give them other than don't?
Unknown Speaker :Well, it's funny you asked that because one thing I've done over the years is, you know, I've really worked with with young writers and that's when been one big aspect of my site of SBI is is developing new writers and development people looking to get into the business and while I don't, I don't, I don't come out and say Don't do it. Don't Go into the business. One thing I do is one piece of advice I've been given for years and I still give is that if you're going to do it, if you're going to jump in and try to get into this business, do it by being part of something, do it by joining an organization or joining a site or joining, joining people who can actually teach you because what it comes down to is right now you're seeing so many people jump in and try to start their own things and and you know, you can respect it. From an entrepreneur entrepreneurial standpoint, you get it, but at the same time, if you're a young, aspiring writer or a young aspiring media person, young, young, aspiring podcaster videographer. Yet How are you supposed to learn? I mean, obviously, you can learn by doing but are you necessarily gonna get better and I feel like the people who really have have succeeded, especially in recent years, let's say in the past decade, are people who, who made a point to go somewhere where they could learn from people when they can learn, and obviously, it's not easy finding people who can actually teach you. And I feel like that's something that that always kind of take pride in, in how we've been able to work with and develop and improve writers. And you know, when you look across the landscape right now, yeah, there's a lot of SBI alumni all over the all over the mat. But you know, one thing I'd say for a lot of these young, ambitious and hardworking pressingly, so hard working young, young people who are jumping into this into this profession or trying to, I'd say to them, like, definitely try to find people who can help you get better. And I don't think I don't think you're seeing enough of that. And I think that's why now there's this oversaturation of sites and people trying to do things and some of them are pretty impressive. I'll say that that you know, you got some people on social media doing some, some really interesting things and and there is that generation. There's an energized generation of young people who are interested in trying to create and that's and that's great. It's great to see that the same time I think taking that energy and combining it with working with people who can help them kind of hone that I think is the is the perfect mix if the if they are really going to get to a point where they can build that into a career.
Unknown Speaker :That is incredible advice. We might have to clip that off and and have you posted for for some people who who are interested. So look, we appreciate those thoughts and comments. Let's change direction a little bit. You're listening to inside soccer. We are blessed to have SBI in soccer by Ivan's scholarship with us. He's one of the builders of the sport here in this country. You've had a front row seat to a lot of games and a lot of players and a lot of management a lot of coaches. Tell me a little bit about your thoughts right now of the number of us players that are going abroad to play good thing bad thing should more go less go How does it affect the game? Just what are your general thoughts about the player First, and then we're gonna come back and talk about coaches.
Unknown Speaker :Well, I think it's great. I mean, there's I don't think there's anything bad at all about it. I mean, I think it's, it's something that that that can only help the sport in this country is to have more to have more Americans going overseas and taking advantage of the development system over there. And that's not a knock on on this on on American soccer. It's just reality. I mean, you know, you have players from all over the world that make that jump. I mean, you don't you don't see people in Brazil, Argentina getting upset that their young players are going to Europe, right. I mean, that's just, it's just the reality that that that's the best place to develop, but not everyone has to go there to develop and that's the thing. It's not a one size fits all and while I'm definitely I love seeing that I what I don't like seeing is the idea that you have to go there. And I think there I think you've seen an improvement, especially in the last five years or so. In in what's available here and and in the US and in terms of MLS and in terms of young players having opportunities to play now because I mean 10 years ago, you didn't, it was tough it was it was tough for young players to find opportunities. There was the lower division, the lower divisions weren't as developed in terms of opportunities. MLS teams that had young players that wouldn't put them on the field, they also didn't have anywhere else to send them. And now that's different now, you know, if a young player, young players are getting opportunities as teenagers to get on the field, but if they can't get on the field with diversity, they can go down to the USL affiliate. So there is a structure in place now to help those young players get the playing time they need. But I think I think it's great to see more and more Americans make that jump over to Europe. And there's a reason why you're seeing now a generation of young Americans that that is developing that that much faster because they're going in there and it's that sink or swim environment that that just high intensity, high level of quality. And competition at that European, the European setup provides and that's why now you have this generation of young Americans between the ages of 18 and 21. Right now, that is, for me is talent that, I mean, I've been saying it for you for a couple years now. It's the most talented generation for me for my money that there's ever been in terms of in terms of potential in terms of the type of prospects that are in there right now. And now those prospects actually have to develop and become first teamers and and realize that potential but but the quality is there, the talents there and and part of the reason that's happened is because more and more young prospects have made that jumped over to Europe.
Unknown Speaker :Well, again, very insightful, and I wish more people would would understand that point of view and accept that point of view. I mean, part of the challenge I think, in this country is you know, soccer truly is a global marketplace and the rest of the world and now you know more and more Americans are part of that global marketplace, and talent moves from team to team and you know, you I've said it a couple of minutes ago, and I couldn't have said it better. You know, if a player from Portugal leaves Portugal and plays in England or Italy or Spain, they don't they don't throw their arms up and despair and say, Oh my God, this guy's killing Portuguese football. They'll cheer him. And they'll know hopefully one day we'll come back and contribute to the development of game there as well as a player or a coach or a supporter, whatever it may be. So those are nothing but good things. Two pieces of advice I've heard that really sunk in with me a few years ago, one, a very smart person told me we will never be we will never dominate the game of soccer. Until we have an American it's considered one of the best players in the world. And we're probably a ways from that, but you just never know, right? You never knew some of these other guys. I won't mention their names or we're going to be as great as they are. So I tend to agree with identity. I think we need to have some One who can light up the world stage, it's from this country, and we're starting to see more and more players. So you naturally think that the odds are getting better and better that that may happen one day, or at least one of the top five or 10 players, I think would be enough doesn't to be the number one player, I don't know how you would quantify that. And second piece of advice was, you know, we're never going to win a World Cup until our starting 11 all playing the Champions League. And that's just a fact that, you know, that competition has some of the best teams, some of the best players in the world. And if we're able to seed 11 1520 players into teams that are competing in that competition, we are we are a world force and we will give people run for their money when we come together as a national team. So I agree with you. I think it's just I think it's exciting. I think it's nice to kick back and be proud that some of these kids have gone over there and have made it and I totally agree with that. thing is a knock at all on on domestic soccer, I think it's going to help domestic soccer immensely. Because when the kids start to see these kids, you know, on Netflix or on this show or that show, or they're watching them on Saturday on NBC, you know, they're going to aspire to do that they're going to work a little bit harder than maybe they are today and, and go forward. So I appreciate the opinion now. Now, let me let me ask you about the next piece of this, which I think is also important. And that's the coaching. migration, if you will, I see a lot of people coming to the United States from other countries to coach soccer. I don't feel and I might be wrong, but I don't feel the same number or even close to the same number of Americans leaving to coach in in other parts of the world. How
Unknown Speaker :do you how do you see that? Well, it's definitely different, a different challenge. And the first thing I point to is the fact that when the The harsh reality is the the reputation of American soccer and of American coaching isn't, isn't at a good level where there are going to be a ton of opportunities, right? And so it's not it's not the same as it as it is with young players who, obviously, you're seeing more and more clubs. We're looking for Americans because you know, they, it's easy for them to go snatch up 20 or 30 prospects anywhere around the world and then try to get that one or two stars out of that group with coaching. It's a little different, it's obviously fewer opportunities. And you know, I had a chance to spend some time with Steve trundle back in November and obviously, you know, Steve was someone who spent his career playing in Europe and has a, you know, Sterling reputation in Germany. And even he still as an American is going to still face some challenges. But yeah, obviously he's working his way into that, to get that opportunity. But he's been there. He's put in two decades in Europe for American coaches to make the jump from here to go over. I mean, that's a serious leap of faith. And, you know, right now, obviously Jessie Marsh has kind of become a trailblazer in that regard and before him, obviously Bob Bradley with with the opportunities that he took. Now with Jessie Marsh, it's a little bit of a unique situation because he, you know, he was able to become part of that Red Bull system as a coach with New York Red Bulls and make the connections and show what he could do and gain the faith and trust of that global network that they have. And that was his kind of way into into that world and he's obviously making the most of it. He's obviously an incredible coach and he's, you know, he's he's blazing that trail but that's definitely an anomaly at this point. And it's it's a lot tougher for a coach right? When you when you talk about a coach, even a young coach, quote unquote, young coach who's maybe in their late 30s or early 40s to to make that jump when you talk If you have a family that has the roots here, we hear young players 17 year old player, 18 year old player like what you know, you're, you're ready to make that that leap. You don't have the things that are kind of tying you down. It's a it's a much tougher challenge for you know, coaches or people that are in that kind of age age to kind of uproot everything in on on the hope of landing something usually the coach right now when you look at the coaches, the American coaches in Europe right now you have Jesse Marsh, David Wagner overseas German American, that's a little different. And then you have the suit guard coach who's Madrazo who's from New Jersey's from Fairlawn, not far from where I'm from, you know, he obviously went to Europe at a young age as a player and planted his roots there. So he's been there for almost two decades of developing the connections and making the you know, making the ties that you that helped you get through that and Steve trendle doesn't have a job yet, but I think he will have a job. When you look at that trend. March is kind of the exception but obviously He took the Red Bull network route to get in there. So that's why it's tough. It's tough to, to expect a wave of coaches to head the other way in terms of Americans anyway. But what you definitely do need is for those coaches that get in there to actually do well, and that's going to be what slowly creates, hopefully creates more opportunities. And I know Bob Bradley gets, you know, a bunch of flack for you know, his time, it's Wednesday and how it didn't go, well. It was a disaster, whatever. But look, he took the opportunity. And it wasn't a it wasn't a great. It was definitely a faith. It wasn't a it wasn't a can't lose, it can't lose situation where Edie coach would have gotten in there and done better than he did, but at least he took the opportunity. Now, having said that, once it didn't work out, that that obviously was a strike against American coaches as unfair as that might be. But now you have Jesse March and if Marsh continues to do well, if he takes the leap to the buena Sligo, which I think most people expect to happen, he goes to the Bundesliga. He does well in the Bundesliga. If matarazzo. You know, his team gets promoted to the Bundesliga, you could have two American coaches in the Bundesliga to American born and raised coaches in the Bundesliga this time next year. And if they're doing well, all of a sudden, that is what's going to kind of change things. And that's what's going to hopefully allow for more opportunities for coaches to come over from the US and younger coaches and not just people who who've got their 2030 years in like Bob Bradley when he got his opportunity. So that's why you're not seeing a ton of American coaches jump over the year because it just aren't the opportunities there. And clubs over there. Still don't see Americans that way or definitely not coaches that way. So it's gonna be up to guys like Marsh and matarazzo to kind of show that that it's worth taking a chance on an American.
Unknown Speaker :You bring a lot of clarity, that issue and it actually makes me excited to start following them now a little bit closer and I agree with you on the Jessie piece, you know, it might have been an opportunity for him But it's coaching man if you don't win and you're not performing well, next, and you know, you'll be you'll be packing your bags. So I give him credit. I think he's done a good job and I wish him a lot of a lot of luck and a lot of goodwill. Same thing with Bob, I've known Bob a long time. The thing I love about Bob Bob is he's not afraid to take risks, he's not free to take criticism. He loves the game he wants to he wants to coach at the highest level he wants to coach the best players and he went over and made a run at it and it would have been easy for him to stay here and just be Bob Bradley domestic coach and do whatever you wanted to do. But you know, that's not that's not his makeup and I really respect that he's a tough guy. He's He's a great person and truly, truly loves this game. So hopefully we'll see more, not only in the head coaching ranks but also in the assistant coaching ranks, going over and cutting their teeth and, and hopefully coming back that in sharing some of the things they learned and you know, Again, we just become more and more part of this global marketplace, which is, is good for everyone. I was let me change gears one more time. I can feel the finish line coming. But we got a few more minutes left. You're living in New York area, tri state area, you're right in the middle of this COVID virus, it's affected your business, you've seen it affect sport. How fast do we come back? And what do you see as critical issues and coming back?
Unknown Speaker :Well, obviously we need to see what happens with a
Unknown Speaker :with a cure with a vaccine. And until until we until that happens. It's going to be tough to really see kind of a finish line to this whole situation. Because until we're back to having full stadiums and in businesses and companies in the economic side of things, getting recovering some of all that's been Last until we get to that point it's it's hard to know how long this is all going to take I mean me personally I'm a I'm an optimist and I want to say I want to believe that in the year a year from now if if knock on wood the vaccine comes through and it becomes a thing where the the virus is manageable and you know, I'd like to think that hopefully by this time next year, we're starting to kind of really get back to normal but you know that I'm also a realist and I don't see us being in the you know, come the fall where we're going to have you know, full stadiums or that sort of thing I just don't see it and for that reason, I've already kind of adjusted my expectations on on on how fast things are going to come back. Obviously it's great that MLS is gonna is gonna you know, resume play in the NFL is gonna have a tournament so it's gonna be good to see soccer in the in the US back, right because it's great to watch the bonus thing but it's also you want to see it If you want to see things kind of stepping towards returning to normal here, but the damage is obviously been done right it continues to be done and what's scary and unfortunate is the fact that that the the structure here was was vulnerable and obviously it's taken a hit now when you look especially lower divisions the USL wasn't ready for this kind of situation and now you want to see how like you know when the dust settles just what's left and how how they get that gets rebuilt, and it's sad because of the see the things were heading in a good direction. You know, for me, the too many people ignore how important the lower divisions are. And for me, I mean, I've said it, I've said it a while I like it. Everything that happened within NASL in ASL going and going by the wayside, people don't realize that it's left a void there and now, with USL getting Hit with this pandemic more maybe more than almost any other league in terms of being able not being able to recover. I'm curious to see what happens now. Because the I think the soccer in this country needs those lower divisions to kind of continue to build the sport in outside of the major markets because it's all well and good for there to be, you know, to LA teams and Chicago and New York teams. But there's so many there's so many markets, and there's so many soccer fans in this country, that you need those lower divisions to help continue to kind of cultivate that.
Unknown Speaker :Without a doubt. I mean, that's the one lesson 10 years in Europe that I lived one lesson that you know, they pounded into my head until I finally I finally submitted was until every every neighborhood every town is connected to the game, you know, you're gonna have a hard time really dominating it and I think that's one of the missing pieces and it's coming. There's a lot of people putting a lot of effort. There's a lot of people putting a lot of money into it. I salute them. I think it's great but We got to keep going. And if this affects that it's going to set the game back. I totally agree with you. I mean, it's, uh, you know, I was around a 911 in the public assembly, business sports business. And, you know, we all thought the sky was falling that and we work through it, but this is this is this is different this is much more than going back checks and, and wanting people at the gate it's going to be very interesting the decisions that have to be made by leagues by teams of how they protect the fans first how they protect their workers, how they protect their players. And you know, what happens is, what happens if four or five people on an MLS team come down with this over you know, a course of a week or something? What do you think they're going to do? They're going to just just have to live with that or that is it gonna affect the season? I mean, if you thought of that one, is it or am I just way out here on the limb?
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, that's a I mean, it's interesting. I mean, you're already starting to see Some reports. I mean, there have been a couple of players. Well, at least I know the Philadelphia union striker that that came forward saying he did. He had that he had the COVID-19. And a more recent report of an FC Dallas player. I mean, that's just reality, you're gonna have that situation that's happening in Europe. I mean, probably the Bala and a few other Ventus players and obviously the NBA dealt with that with a with a handful of players. So yeah, that's something that you're gonna have to deal with. But just in terms of how Yeah, I'm curious as to how this whole tournament in Orlando situation goes down. And I'm not a fan of it, to be honest. But I get it, I get it, I get why MLS just needs to get back into playing. And as big as this country is, it's a different proposition than than what Germany has to deal with in terms of playing behind closed doors. I mean, I get it. But yeah, I'm with you, hoping hoping that nothing crazy happens and we don't have an ugly situation. If there's if there's anything kind of comforting, or at least hopefully encouraging is the idea that when generally so far we've seen athletes, most athletes have been asymptomatic that have gotten it so not going to look we don't we don't have a situation where where a top athlete comes down with it. And actually, it really like devastates. So far we've seen even coaches, I mean, Brendan Rodgers had it and he recovered. And so hopefully, that that that continues to be the case where, you know, knock on wood, hopefully, none of the players get it, but if they do, they're asymptomatic. They can handle it. But ya know, I mean, I don't think we're going to see nor return to what we had in February. I don't think we're going to see that for at least a year, at least the year so that that's, I think people need to start accepting that and I know there are parts of the country that haven't haven't or they're living in a different reality right, and you're down in Florida. I know people in Florida have family in Florida, and I know the perception down in Florida and in other parts of the country. is different that it's not as as crazy as it is, or it's not as serious as it is. And obviously, here I am, I'm in New Jersey, I'm in North Jersey, I'm right by New York City. And this is kind of ground zero for everything. And and so maybe because of that, I've had a chance to spend way more time looking at how, how devastating this whole thing is. And I think people need to realize that, that that until that's back to normal everywhere. We can't really start thinking about American soccer and MLS and everything getting back to normal. I think we're, we're a year away from that. Yeah, that's just my opinion.
Unknown Speaker :No, definitely major challenges. And I think they will look at you know, the tri state area and Los Angeles and Seattle and other areas that were hit hard, and use the worst case scenarios to sort of find some guidance, but it's going to be at least a year until they can work through all these issues. And there's going to be some starts and stops and some ups and downs and it's going to be some interesting times for sure. So look we appreciate your time we appreciate your insight I want to ask you two quick ones here before we leave if this was December 2019 and I asked you what do you think needs to happen MLS to take it to the next level and what would your short answer be?
Unknown Speaker :So before all this before everything happened what would I have said
Unknown Speaker :um that's a good question um what what MLS needs to do well, I mean, I would I would say is is now that it's kind of there's all this talk about about merging with league at Mackey's and relationship with Megan Mackey's one thing I would say is I feel like MLS needs to focus on on the US and the US market and working focusing more on the markets here and and and and when I when I hear about First of all, I don't think we're ever going to see MLS and Leah Mackey's merge. I think that's a pipe dream. That's crazy. It's just not realistic it's never I personally think ever would happen right number one but number two I just think is as good as it is for there to be a relationship between league and Mickey's in MLS and them to do different things I can't be on his cup and and you know the all star game that's all good that's all well and good but I really feel like MLS can do more and should do more to work with the lower divisions and obviously you have affiliates now you have more and more MLS teams with affiliates in USL and I get that that's that's that's part of the process but I feel like MLS should be working more towards cultivating the game here and obviously they're doing their part but I don't know I don't want to say it gets me upset or makes me angry but I just feel like it's a little short sighted or it's a little misguided to put too much energy towards hey let's let's you know march into into the markets in Mexico and let's let's let's try to work with Mexico. When There's still so much to be done here and that's even more the case now with everything that's happened now and the devastation of the you know the pandemic here and everything that's gone on how it's going to hurt the lower divisions here. The game here needs a lot of help and MLS for me MLS should be focusing most most if not all of its attention to that and not expanding beyond into other into other countries that already have leagues and already have their you know, their fight is fine on its own they don't need they don't need a MLS so I don't know for me that that's something that I'd like to like see him let's focus more on that.
Unknown Speaker :Well, we're going to come back that's probably worth an entire episode and we can go back a long way and talk about that but we do wish MLS a lot of success and everyone else success and and getting through these times and moving forward. So I've just leave us with something leave our fans with something from from your world and maybe your past that. They wouldn't know that might bring them a little bit of humor or something to think about that you've experienced that they, like I said earlier, they just wouldn't know that it occurred.
Unknown Speaker :Well, it's interesting. When you met when you mentioned that to kind of think of a story. That one story that kind of comes to mind to me is, I feel like the first time you and I met was at soccer bowl in Atlanta. I want to say in person, I feel like that's the first time we met when the cosmos played Atlanta. And I try to remember what year that was. Exactly. But it was definitely the first Cosmos title recently in there in the modern in the modern era. And the reason that whole that trip and actually I took the trip, you know, myself and you know, I went down there, and I thought it was I felt like it was something that was worth being at down in Atlanta. Silverbacks Cosmos in the soccer ball final and just remembering that that final was, you know, was a nice atmosphere a small crowd. You know, everyone thinks about Atlanta now and Atlanta united and 70,000 fans and everything and thinking back to that, that night and I thought it was a cool night and it was great to see the kind of the cosmos lift the trophy and rekindling that that uh, that that organization in that name and and just that that day kind of stood out as for me an example of that you could feel that there was some passion there for the sport, even though it wasn't 70,000 people there, there was definitely some passion for the sport in that city. And anyone who, you know, anyone who was there that day, if you had told them, hey, if you put it in here, and MLS team here, you'll get 70,000 in the dome, and most people might not they would have thought you were crazy. Right? So for me, when I look back on that, I think, you know, there's so many markets and there's so many. There's so much potential in this country that hasn't been tapped into you. In terms of American soccer and in terms of the fans and followings and for that reason again I'm kind of a big believer in in cultivating that and cultivating those lower divisions and that that whole trip really was an eye opener and I am so glad I took it. And just to kind of give a little side note to that whole story was who's funny and I'll never forget is the fact that no one from the guys when was that gets realized that I guess they don't sell alcohol in Atlanta after a certain hour. And so obviously the cosmos wanted to celebrate their, their championship as anyone would and they couldn't find alcohol. They couldn't, they weren't all over town and, and obviously, I knew some of the cosmos, some of the cosmos players and folks in the organization so I ended up just kind of hanging out with them that night and it was just funny. Just the search for the search for some alcohol to celebrate with it. That was just it was just a funny night and a great night. You know, seeing Marco Sena you know, kind of partying at the hotel and blast listening to his music in the in the hotel lobby and you know, it was just it was just kind of a great experience just to seeing that and, you know, kind of rapid to bring it all back around. I just, I saw that night. So many things that that showed me like there's so much potential in this country. And here we are six, seven years later and obviously Atlanta is an established soccer hotbed and it's blown up as a as a soccer market. And I just feel like there's so many markets in this country that that we don't even know about yet that could be like that, that could be that successful. And hopefully, hopefully they have that opportunity to be discovered into court and to be you know, cultivated, and that's why for me, I can't wait till things get rebuilt and back to normal and we get uso reestablished and hopefully we get a good Second Division. I mean, any so I I feel like it was a big hit when I'm winning. went away for a variety of reasons, not least of which the salary issue when you're talking about second tier players and all of a sudden you go from if you're not in MLS, you can't make a living and that's a whole nother that's a whole nother episode for you. But for me that that trip was an eye opener and it showed me potential the potential of soccer in this country. So
Unknown Speaker :it was it was a great night for soccer. great night for Atlanta soccer. I think the two things that I really recall from that night and you know, we spend days getting ready for this and working all day in meetings, everything else but the cosmos bus pulls in, and somebody calls me and says they're throwing rocks at it and trying to set it on fire. It says anybody hurt? No. Well, okay, that sounds like there's a lot of passion out there, then. Get him in the stadium. Let's go. And it was, it was you know, it's not 60,000 people but the crowd was rockin and Santa comes through for him, right. So it was, it was it was it was a nice night and You know, we really enjoyed it and enjoyed everybody in Atlanta helping us there. So, you know, I am way over my time here. Uh, I was I appreciate your time. That's for sure our viewers, our listeners are going to appreciate your time. And we hope to have you back sometime but good luck with everything and getting stuff ramped back up and ICC and all the things at SBI and all the other abbreviations we got great insight, great clarity, and this was a lot of fun, and we appreciate it. Thank you very much,
Unknown Speaker :anytime,
Unknown Speaker :anytime, and I definitely appreciate you having me on. Excellent