This is incredibly sad news for the league, and should provide a wake-up call to management. I have real doubts about their leadership as evidenced by the unbalanced schedule and playoff format. (Yes, I have said all this before.) The Cascadia Cup schedule is a joke and is evidence of how little the league understands what motivates the fan base. Respect, promote and create regional rivalries! The MLS experience is felt in the stands and on the field, not in the TV control booth. Put mikes near the supporters sections so the chants can be distinguished. Too many talking heads and not enough contact with coaches and active players. Promote them! There are great stories out there that the national audience, especially the young kids watching, need to learn about and grow up with. Thierry Henry? Argh! Interview Argudelo or Shea. Learn from Cascadia. God bless Portscum and Whitecraps. 30 years of "friendly" competition done right. We know and love our boys. Ask Steve Zakuani. Sebastian LeToux. Mike Fucito. Roger Levesque. Sounders all till they die! Just like me and Kasey Keller. We grew up with our team. The MLS needs to let the kids do the same in their promotions.

Don't get so caught up in the numbers now and relax Robert. It would have been awesome if a million people watched, but they didn't. So what. This is the start of the broadcasts on NBCS. MLS is doing well and growing. The unbalanced schedule is ok as air travel costs will go down. This gives me hope that MLS will expand beyond 20 teams and maybe one day even have enough teams for pro/rel. Soccer is growing in the US, the numbers on NBCS hopefully grow as well. The Brit on NBCS talks a bit much, but the game was good, though if I were a Red Bulls fan, I would seriously question the ability of Hans to coach this team. They just seemed so unprepared in the first half.

Thanks, Juan! You're optimism is refreshing. The league is certainly getting better on the field every year. It is management that concerns me.

People forget that MLS has had a balanced schedule for exactly two (2!) of its 17 seasons. Unbalanced is not a big deal, and more games with local rivals is good for the fans and good for the league. And with the best regular season team winning the right to host MLS Cup, the Supporter's Shield means *more*, not less.