Comments on: Phoenix Monsoon to Play in 2011 … In Some League … In Some Division

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:47:16 +0000

Peter C,

Thanks for the info, but the name is still pretty silly. At least there is some history to the Lakers as well as the Jazz name although both of those organizations should have had a renaming of their respective teams. I guess I should ask my aunt about the monsoon season there in AZ since she lives near Phoenix.

By: Peter C

Peter C — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 15:00:24 +0000

Chris,

In case no one has already informed you, here is a primer on the Arizona Monsoon season.
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/twc/monsoon/monsoon_NA.php

Beats the Lakers of LA, have they figured out they’re not in Minneapolis anymore. Or the Jazz of Utah. You get the idea.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 21:00:02 +0000

They need another name besides the Monsoon if they really want to be taken seriously. Come put a little more thought into creating a name and getting a team in Phoenix.

By: Brian Quarstad

Brian Quarstad — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:27:14 +0000

The Mexican league is well established and play a different season. They are just starting their season and take a break. In fact they have two seasons with two championship trophies for league play. Apertura is the winter season and the Clausura in the summer. (Opening/Closing)

There has been some talk in the past about some sort of combined play between MLS and the Mexican Primera. I don’t think you will see that happen for a long time if ever, but it’s nice that we finally have a CONCACAF Champions League.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/tables?league=mex.1&cc=5901

By: Soccer Boy

Soccer Boy — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:15:46 +0000

I am curious to now if there has been any effort to bring some of the Mexican teams in the “North American”/MLS umbrella. I am ignorant of the Mexican professional structure, and it is my understanding that they are well established, but it would be good from a fan base standpoint and having people actually show up to matches. I am assuming that they are well attended. To me it is just funny that you have a group called the “North American Soccer League,” and they have no precense in Mexico.

It seems to me that there are always cheap flights into the main “tourist” Mexican towns. However, travel again is a factor.

Just a random thought.

By: ERic

ERic — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:27:56 +0000

@Jason — actually, it was because they got tired of their teams being knocked out of Europe right at the start of the season. Playing their play-in games in pre-season shape got frustrating. So they switched to a summer schedule with the hopes of going farther in Europe.

Haven’t noticed if that’s worked out for them or not. Which suggests that it probably hasn’t.

As a side benefit, it may put them in less competition with hurling and Gaelic football.

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:51:43 +0000

It’s not impossible to do a Euro-style season, but realistically you’d need a lengthy winter break (probably 2 months at a bare minimum) like the Germans and Eastern European leagues do (IIRC from Football Manager, Poland’s winter break is 3 months). So you’d need to decide if such a lengthy break out of the soccer public consciousness is worth aligning with the European calendar.

Of course, not all European leagues play a “Euro-style” season. Ireland, Russia and the Nordic countries (with the exception of Denmark) all play in the summer. Ireland switched to summer about 10 years ago, specifically to get out from under the English league’s shadow.

By: Soccer Boy

Soccer Boy — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:27:51 +0000

I really do not see a “European” season scheduling working in North America. If you look at where the teams are located, it honestly would not be fun watch the Stars out at the Nessy during November, December, January, February or March. I have never been to Edmonton, but I also think it would be terrible! On the other hand, it would be fun being outside watching a Tampa FC match during these same months.

I guess you also have to ask why we have to do everything like the Europeans? They can have their season, and we can have ours. My solution for Las Vegas is a domed stadium.

By: ERic

ERic — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:23:56 +0000

Regarding the Euro-style season. Yeah. The eternal problem of this country.

Really, we should be two countries.

Because while it’s impossibly hot in some places in the summer, it’s also impossibly cold in the other places in the winter. So much so that the summer is still the better of the two options.

Though if we keep having summers like this one (and the winters get milder), then it might make sense. But I’m going to avoid going further into discussing Global Climate Change.

By: fotbalist

fotbalist — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:46:54 +0000

I’m excited about this because there certainly is lots of soccer culture in the markets Starkey mentioned. I’m satisfied with the current announcement (i saw the video also) precisely because they seem to be realistic. They look at 2011 as a temporary/trial season; they even called themselves a conference not a league. All the power to them. I just hope that USSF doesn’t sanction the players who decided to sign with those teams.

I just got back from Las Vegas (one of the markets with some potential Starkey says) and it was hotter than hell. There’s just noway players or fans can have a good time. I just don’t know about ‘air-conditioned bleachers’….maybe i’m just too ‘old school’.

So here’s a question: Does it make sense for a league to play a Europe style season? Oct thru May for example. There’s certainly a market for it. Think of all the states lining the South edge of country. I don’t know … just a thought.