West - The United States of soccer: MLS and the rise of American soccer fandom

This edition first published in hardcover in the United States in 2016
The Overlook Press, Peter Mayer Publishers, Inc.

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Copyright 2016 by Phil West

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or broadcast.

ISBN 978-1-4683-1413-7

T he definitive history of Major League Soccer in America, The United States of Soccer gives the spirited in-depth account of the first 20 years of MLS, capturing the story of the visionaries who believed Americans would finally embrace the sport and the loyal fans who fulfilled that vision. Soccer journalist Phil West follows the rocky ups and downs of MLSs history, tracking its bootstrap origins prior to its 1996 launch, its near-demise in the early 2000s, its surprising resilience and growth in the following years, and its formidable rise in respectability and recognition from soccer fans around the world.

Rounding out the story are animated explorations of the origin of MLSs best-known supporters groupsthe dedicated superfans responsible for setting the tone within MLS stadiums and defining what it is to be a North American soccer fan. The United States of Soccer gives a glimpse into how MLS helped develop the massive American audiences for the most recent mens and womens World Cupspeaking at 27 million viewers for the 2015 Womens World Cup finalseven as it looks to expand its number of franchises and grow its audience in a sports-saturated world.

In this comprehensive account, West expertly merges the voices of former players and coaches, league officials, fans, and journalists to create a full picture of MLSs remarkable journey, perfect for those new to the United States top-tier league as well as for those who previously thought they knew the full story.

To everyone working to grow soccer
in the United States and Canada

T HOUGH I M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THIS BOOK, IT STARTED LIFE AS A COMPLETELY different book. In the summer of 2014, I set out to chronicle how American soccer fans experienced the World Cup, by driving to a different American city every day to experience the World Cup with American fans, no matter how long the distance between cities. (I would log 11,000 miles in a Honda Eclipse that performed valiantly throughout the journey, which would then succumb to a rainstorm-induced flood in my driveway a week after I returned home, bringing me safely from a friends birthday party before capitulating to the deluge. Such is life.) That trip was funded in large part through an Indiegogo and a Kickstarter campaign, and Im thankful for everyone who contributed, allowing me to traverse the nation and embark on a life-changing journey. The names of the contributors are proudly displayed at philwest.us/supporters, if youre curious to know more about the village it took to create that book. My dad and stepmother, Larry and Lisa West, deserve a special thanks for their generosity and support.

Also greatly deserving of thanks at the books inception: Lauren Abramo of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management, who saw enough in my initial vision to shop my idea for a book, and then to bring the mission of telling MLSs story to me, via Peter Mayer and the entire Overlook crew.

Im appreciative of all those who spoke to me in order to make the book possible, as well as the publicists and gatekeepers behind the scenes who helped connect me to them. Three in particular stand out: Rick Lawes, whose insight and encyclopedic knowledge of MLS history was essential at the projects outset; Dan Wiersema, a friend here in Austin whose important work with American Outlaws galvanized my fandom and fed my curiosity about supporters culture; and Becky Chabot, a soccer advocate with a penchant for getting things right, who graciously stepped in to read the manuscript at a crucial juncture. (Id also like to thank Paul DeBruler for reading early versions of the books first chapters between visits to Providence Park.)

I am especially appreciative of two of the most important people in my life, my sons, Noah and Lucas. Apologies that Thanksgiving 2015 was the day that Dad emerged from his writing hovel to periodically baste a turkey, and that the rest of the weekend was more of that minus the basting. Youve shown that you understand my love of soccer and that its not going anywhere. Thanks for all youve given me throughout our journey together in life, particularly this part of it.

To my wife Katie: Thank you for your boundless support, your love, your willingness to provide balance and guidance and wisdom, as well as playful snark when its called for. I knew, when we awoke far too early the day after our wedding, to successfully make the opening of the North London Derby viewing party at Finn McCools, that Id chosen wisely in choosing you.

I have one especially important thank you to offer, for an opportunity that came about as I was moving into the editing phase of the book. My interest in MLS led to my writing for MLSSoccer.com, and Im grateful for the opportunity that the websites given me to document the league Ive fallen in love with. In particular, Id like to thank Arielle Castillo, Andrew Wiebe, and Simon Borg for their guidance and insight. Ive been thrilled to draw on the knowledge Ive gained from writing this book and feel lucky to be adding to it all the time.

Of course, this book or this league wouldnt exist without the fans who have made this iteration of an American soccer league work. If youre holding this book, youve likely either attended an MLS match or youre pondering attending your first. You, therefore, deserve a thank you for the role youve playedor are about to playin making this story possible.

M AJOR L EAGUE S OCCERS HEADQUARTERS ARE HOUSED ON TWO FLOORS of a Midtown Manhattan office building, three blocks north of the Empire State Building. Exit the elevator to the offices reception area and youll see white-on-white signage with a gleaming silver MLS Cup (officially, the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy) in a clear glass case. The halls are white, but augmented with affirming bursts of solid colorfrom the current generation of MLS uniforms, logo-embossed shovels from multiple stadium groundbreakings, and photos capturing twenty years of history. Its a league aiming for the enduring inevitability of its more established siblings, such as the National Football League counting its Super Bowls in increasingly unwieldy Roman numerals or the National Basketball Associations logo featuring the silhouette of a player who was a star a half century ago. MLS headquarters is just blocks from the headquarters of the other four major American sports leagues, but theres an approachability and even an accessibility to the league that places it in a whole different neighborhood from its sterner older brothers.

The league commissioner is unfailingly affable in his public appearances, going on halftime shows for the major marquee events in his sportAll-Star Games, finals, and conference championshipsto answer questions with candor, even with gratitude to be having the conversation about soccer.

The deputy commissionerthe leagues first employee and someone who has been with it since before it was even a league, orchestrating the careful choreography of cities, investors, and TV partners to get MLS off the groundkeeps articles about how the league wouldnt make it (which his wife had framed for him) in his study. Among his fondest memories of the leagues early ascendancy: going into a bar called Froggys in Playa del Ray, California, and asking them to find the satellite signal for a market-specific broadcast of an MLS match.