| Major League Soccer (MLS) players and owners | | | | generated. Revenue can be obtained from soccer |
| recently agreed to a bargaining agreement that will | | | | merchandising, advertising, marketing, TV network |
| allow the soccer season to begin on time. The player's | | | | deals, and so on. The potential market for soccer in |
| union had voted in a landslide to go on strike. In fact, | | | | North America is therefore enormous. It is like a gold |
| the vote was 383 to 2 according to sources. So, it | | | | mine waiting to be discovered. Having soccer players |
| would have happened if the owners didn't sign on to | | | | from other countries play in the United States, help build |
| the agreement. Unlike other major sports league in the | | | | the credibility and perception of quality soccer in the |
| United States, soccer has never had a strike season, | | | | US. |
| an attribute to both players and owners. It definitely | | | | Top teams from powerful soccer countries, such as |
| does not need one either! | | | | Brazil and England play meaningful games against MLS |
| Major League Soccer cannot afford to have a lockout | | | | teams. The most recent was Santos, a top Brazil pro |
| season. For one, soccer has flourished in the United | | | | soccer team that played the New York Red Bulls, |
| States ever since its inception in 1996. Before that time, | | | | New York's own pro soccer team, based in New |
| pro soccer was none existent in North America. So, | | | | Jersey. The game was the inaugural first game ever |
| there is no need for the sport to revert back to its | | | | played in the new Red Bull Multimillion dollar stadium. To |
| growing years when it was struggling to get people in | | | | say the least, the game was more than anyone could |
| stadium seats. In fact, this is the second go around for | | | | have ever expected; it was very exciting and |
| soccer in the US. | | | | competitive with back and forth action that kept |
| The first time pro soccer was attempted in North | | | | diehard soccer fans on the edge of their seats. To the |
| America it failed, miserably. As a result, there were no | | | | delight of the American soccer fans, the Red Bulls |
| other attempts until recently when the US national | | | | won the game 3-1 over Santos. |
| team began to do well on the world stage in World | | | | The real winner was American Major League soccer. |
| Cup qualifying matches and the World Cup. We should | | | | Occurrences such as the one mentioned above brings |
| therefore give credit to the Bruce Arena's and other | | | | credibility to US soccer. The fact that the Red Bulls |
| coaches before him who helped paved the way for | | | | were competitive and even beat the Brazilians, |
| the successful rebirth of soccer in the United States. | | | | showed that American soccer has truly come of age. |
| Major League Soccer is so popular in the US now that | | | | Therefore, whatever soccer's governing bodies, |
| top pro players all over the world are coming to the | | | | owners, players, coaches, and referees can do to |
| States to play soccer. David Beckham is one such | | | | preserve the growth of soccer in North America, they |
| player, who is playing for the LA Galaxy, a US-based | | | | should all do it without hesitation. When there is a |
| pro soccer team. He is practically a legend in British | | | | disagreement between players and owners in regards |
| soccer, appearing in World Cups after World Cups for | | | | to revenue sharing, such disagreements should not be |
| the country. | | | | allowed to result in the stoppage of play because if |
| Soccer needs the United States. The more popular | | | | this is allowed to happened, pro soccer in the United |
| soccer is in the US the more revenue will be | | | | States will suffer severely. |