| Show Salt Lake gives soccer a Real chance J S k i if iv ir v r f 1 ky 1 J y a m In the past other sports have captured the hearts of America Now soccer has its chance Thomas Stuyvesant Contributing Writer F When Major League Soccer made its debut in 1996 there were only a select selects few who thought it could survive Altho ih the e I ay eI enormously pO popular l ar o f- f and l t p proved roved t tg tobe o b V bean ari economic l t 4 ic wonder f in in in t the fan crazy i iii Jim i European markets markets' of It Italy ly and and l England n gland there was no room for soccer in the football dominated arena of American sports Placing professional soccer in America was like placing Ben Affleck in a budget big-budget film film- it just wouldn't work But it has And so too will Real Salt Lake Major League Soccer has had its struggles It hasn't competed competed com com- with the Big Four in terms of financial success or fan base But what makes a league successful Hockey had its run in in the Wayne Gretzky era but couldn't put a single player play play- er on the ice in the 2005 2004 season Baseball has been falling from public grace from the strike-shortened strike season of 94 to the steroid-driven steroid asterisk season of 04 What's wrong with basketball Two vo words Kobe Bryant And although football has the best head on its shoulders of the group youth participation figures of 2004 2094 suggest that wont won't last very long According to the National Sporting Goods Association the percent change in youth participation in sports like basketball basketball basket basket- ball golf and football in 2004 were down from the corresponding corresponding corresponding corre corre- figures of 2003 whereas soccer participation had risen 22 percent I realize that youths arent aren't paying for tickets tickets tickets tick tick- ets to go see professional games but if their interest in these sports is declining dont don't you think that their parents parent's willingness willingness will will- to shell out exorbitant amounts of money to take them will decline too So why will Major League Soccer thrive in Utah Enter year old Freddy Adu the face of American soccer Although not a member of Real Salt Lake he is certainly a major reason could flourish for years to come All I spoke to have listed one major reason as to why will fail they wont won't be able to generate a fan base Are you kidding me If the LA Galaxy can thrive in the land of plastic surgery and Jack Nicholson then certainly Salt Lake a city boasting the highest per capita youth soccer participation tion in the nation can support a Major League team All these fresh-faced fresh Freddy Adu wannabe's begging their parents to take them to Rice Stadium on Saturday nights will get the ball rolling for what figures to be one of the more successful successful successful suc suc- suc- suc franchises in Utah Youth Soccer Association already accounts for a generous percentage of season ticket holders and if continues to dazzle at home the rest will follow When you combine owner Dave Checketts' Checketts deep pocket book an expansion team consisting of Olympians Clint Mathis Eddie Pope time all-time leading goal scorer Jason Kries standout goalkeeper DJ Countess and hungry fans looking for something fresh to cheer for after the J Jazz's disappointing dis- dis pointing appointing you have a a. a recipe for success 1 Although may never be the cash cow our beloved American sports rt leagues have been in the past believe me SL is here hereto to stay |
