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17. The Here and Now, 1996-present
1996 was the year of Major league Soccer, which had a very successful
first year. Although it was clear soccer had a long way to go, the
league drew much better than expected, quality of play was above predictions
and fan response was enthusiastic, and financial losses were less
than expected. The MLS's financially conservative approach had paid
off. The USISL established a Select league of top teams with the intent
to petition FIFA for 2nd division status which was provisionally approved.
After the season they changed their approach, and instead merged the
select league with the A-League, taking in A-League teams and the
league name along with FIFA's recognition. This was also the year
for the Olympics, hosted by Atlanta. Although the men didn't do as
well as hoped, the women's team won the inaugural Olympic Women's
Soccer competition with unprecedented crowds, including 76,000 for
the final, demonstrating emphatically that the women's sport was coming
of age at the top levels. This success gave the US organizing team
(which had won the rights to host the 1999 world cup) leverage to
force FIFA to agree to have the event be a full-fledged affair in
large stadiums coast to coast, rather than the low-key regional affair
preferred by the FIFA old guard. Meanwhile, World Cup '98 qualification
was underway, and the US won a spot in November 1997, with a convincing
win over Canada. This was the first time since 1989 the US had qualified
without help (Mexico had been disqualified for using illegal players).
This helped silence the naysayers, as the US would have qualified
even if the North American region hadn't received a third allocation.
The following year was mixed for US soccer. The National team gave
a very disappointing World Cup performance against very tough competition,
but the real reason for the losses was dissension between players
and coach Sampson, leading to his resignation and some unhappy players.
MLS struggled with falling attendance and flat TV ratings, but the
quality of play had improved substantially in each season, and the
two new teams, in Chicago and Miami did very well. On the developmental
front, the USSF established a new A-League team, US Pro 40, which
consisted of the best of the college and ODP recruits, would play
together to develop skills and be the cream o the new talent for the
MLS and ultimately the National team. This was established in tandem
with the new USSF Project 2010, designed to build the National team
to the point where they can compete for the World Cup championship.
US Pro 40 had a surprisingly good debut year, and even better year
in 1999, and was very effective in promoting players to the MLS (All
Project 40 players were signed by MLS teams). This ambitious plan,
although possibly overoptimistic did indeed provide finally a comprehensive
development plan for soccer at multiple levels, and a true blueprint
for the development of the National team. Meanwhile, an abortive attempt
to launch a women's professional league, the National Soccer Alliance
failed, but did provide inspiration, and caused the USISL to seriously
consider a plan for eventually turning their elite division into a
fully professional league.
The year 1999 had many major success stories, but above all the
others, this was the year for Women's soccer. The buildup for the
1999 Women's World Cup had gone better than the best expectations,
and the US tore up the opposition on their "road to the cup".
The team connected with youth players and the general public as no
other had ever done, and attracted an entire new female audience to
the game. More importantly, they did so with a heavy dose of altruism,
good sportsmanship, respect for the audience, professionalism and
skill that is sadly lacking in so many of professional sports these
days. They not only provided inspiring role models for young girls,
but also more importantly to young boys, who looked across the gender
divide to see a moral example truly worth following. The cup in short
was the greatest women's sporting event ever, garnering unprecedented
world attention, averaging 38,000 fans per game (even surpassing the
1982 MEN's World Cup), and providing a world class level of performance.
Not only by the US, but by many other countries; the elite level of
women's soccer has simply been exploding as a large number of countries
developed to a world class status. In 1995, at most 6-7 teams were
world class, in this cup, almost the entire 16 team field deserved
to be there. With the large pool of nations rapidly developing their
programs, the world class roster should be at least thirty nations
by 2003, and the World Cup field may need to be expanded. Michelle
Akers, Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Brianna Scurry, and many others become
household names this year. Some hold world career records and are
still in their prime. The US U-17 team had an impresdsive performance
in the U-17 world championship, making it to the semifinals. This
was a very positive sign, as it showed the first fruits of the Project
40 and Prokect 2010 efforts, and the payoff was coming even more quickly
than hoped with several bonafide stars making their presence felt.
Finally, the MLS D. C. United won the CONCACAF champions cup and defeated
Vasco de Gama of Brazil in the Confederations Cup.
Elsewhere, it was a period of consolidation, and more importantly,
finally, stability. The MLS held their own, renewed sponsors, and
TV contracts, and the USISL (Now renamed USL - United Soccer Leagues),
solidified their three divisional leagues (A-league, D3Po League and
Premier Developmental League), expanded their women's leagues and
launched a new nationwide Youth league (Meanwhile their Indoor division
was silent for the first time since 1986). Good signs included several
very successful new franchises in major cities, expansion of the amateur
Premier league to the Northeast, expansion of the farm club system
with MLS, and raising franchise standards to weed out weak teams.
For the first time ever, the top league in the US had gone four straight
years without losing or moving a franchise. The US Soccer Hall of
Fame opened an amazing new high-tech exhibition building which includes
interactive games, internet-based records, player bios and data, voluminous
displays, meeting spaces, and climate-controlled archives rooms and
will soon house indoor soccer fields to go with its large outdoor
soccer campus which is a major venue for tournaments. New leadership
was the watchword at all levels, as FIFA, the USSF, MLS, and the three
USL Leagues all got new directors/presidents. It is expected that
this new blood will enhance the innovations and development necessary
for the game to keep on the road towards becoming the pre-eminent
sport in the United States.
At the turn of the milleneum, there were more developments, most
of them good. Major League Soccer finally found its focus under leadership
of new commissioner Don Garber. He initiated changes to bring the
league in line with world standards, allowing ties after overtime,
adopting the international game clock with time kept by the referee,
and greatly expanded the league's marketing efforts while also making
a final push to find investors for the remaining league-operated teams.
Although attendance continued to lag, now finally concrete steps were
being taken to ensure the long-term survival of the league. USL continued
a period of consolidation in its Division 2 circuit, creating a stronger,
more compact league. Finally, in the 2000-2001 interregnum, one could
for the first time see some true stability; almost no teams folded
at this level, while several more dropped to more appropriate levels.
All USL leagues showed increased attendance.
The US Men's team had their best performance ever in the Olympics,
moving out of pool play for the first time, and nearly winning the
bronze. This was another watershed of a sort, being the first time
that players with MLS experience would participate, and the successful
performance showed MLS in a very good light. The women would see
the steadily increasing competition among other nations and were
forced
to settle for the Silver. But they had their own watershed, as their
first professional American league, the Women's United Soccer Association
(WUSA) was established, and began favorably in April 2001. In another
first, the Los Angeles Galaxy qualified for the World Club Championship,
by defeating Olimpia of Honduras in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The 2002 World Cup
The Year 2002 was possibly the best year ever for American Soccer,
highlighted most prominently by their unprecedented success at World
Cup 2002. By advancing to the quarterfinals and playing head to head
with the 3rd ranked team in the world, the team sent a signal that
U.S. soccer head elevated itself to a new level. Although they were
not yet one of the top programs, they were coming close, and with
the solidity of the national team program, this would not be a temporary
phenomenon. Even the cynical pundits in established soccer nations
took notice, and cynicism and condescension were replaced by a grudging
respect. In recognition of the strides made, Bob Contigulia was re-elected
to another four year term as president of the USSF.
Major League Soccer benefited from a fresh crew of young talented
players and nail biting divisional races to produce their most exciting
season yet and enjoyed a marked rebound in attendance, and scored
a coup with their purchasing of television rights to the next two
World Cups, an important strategic initiative for the long term.
WUSA minimized their dreaded sophomore slump, and upped their skill
level considerably. United Soccer Leagues was still establishing
their place in the soccer pyramid, but were showing increased signs
of stability and organizational maturity. The Women's National Team
continued their youth movement during a quiet year as they girded
up for the WWC'03.
Overall, there were more positives than negatives, but the World
Cup stood out clearly as a milestone. This was a major crowning achievement
in US Soccer History, but was not a pinnacle, merely the latest chapter
in the long struggle for world prominence.
Other historic segments:
- Origins,
1609-1862
- The
College Era, and Rules Consolidation, 1862-1875
- The
Working-Class and Immigrant Eras, 1875-1894
- The
Doldrums, 1895-1913
- The
First Dynasties, 1913-1921
- The
Golden Era, 1921-1933
- The
Ethnic Period, 1933-1960
- The
Birth of the American Soccer Renaissance The 1960's
- Outdoor
soccer reaches a low: 1985
- The
Hope for a World Cup Mid 1980's
- A
Change in Fortunes, 1988
- The
Rebirth of Outdoor Soccer, 1988-1994
- The
Indoor Soccer Wars, 1990-1992
- The
Road to the World Cup 1989-1994
- The
World Cup comes to America 1994
- From
World Cup to Major League Soccer 1995-1996
- The
Here and Now, 1996-present
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