Philly Grill: Pro Soccer Hater Mark Franek
OK, so former Penn Charter soccer coach Mark Franek doesn’t really hate pro soccer. But his Daily News op-ed yesterday about Major League Soccer’s 2010 debut in the Philly area has local fans stewing. We gave him a chance to back down a little and admit he’s secretly into the Beckham, but he held his ground. — Amy Strauss
Why won’t MLS work in Philly?
I’m not saying soccer won’t work — I am just raising three or four legitimate concerns. Is spending $90 million on a soccer-specific stadium in Chester a legitimate use of taxpayers’ money? Who is going to spend money and then stay in the area? The league has not shown a profit in years. Adding up all the games, we’re talking 20-plus games a year. It’s probably not going to have much of an effect on the local community.
But even as a soccer player and coach, you say that MLS is “just plain boring”?
If I’m going to watch soccer on TV, I’m not going to watch MLS — I’m going to watch English Premier or the Champion leagues. If it’s in my backyard, sure, I might go. It doesn’t mean that I think the MLS sucks or it’s terrible — I would just rather follow the other leagues.
Soooo, you’re not saying David Beckham isn’t hot?
No, I’m not saying that. He’s obviously raising awareness and has been a shot in the arm for U.S. soccer. But there are still going to be people who care about soccer and who are still going to choose not to go and support MLS soccer.
True or false: In 2010 you will attend a game in Chester, if only out of curiosity?
Sure, I’m sure I’ll go with friends. David Beckham is still one of the world’s best players, but he’s not going to sell me a season ticket. But, I mean, I’m not going to boycott going.
What if the Philadelphia team had really, really ridiculously good-looking cheerleaders? And free beer? Would you get season tickets then?
No, not right now. I’m not one of 7,000 people signed up in the first month who bought season tickets. It’s a risky proposition, but good luck.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:36 pm
4 words: Support Your Domestic League.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:58 pm
2 words: FORMER coach
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Weak response dude, your “concerns” are nothing more than weak rehashed points we’ve all heard thousands of times
-mls has teams making profit ahead of estimated schedule, mls has exploded in popularity in the last few years (and no not just beckham turns out there are other teams besides LA), and stadiums can be used to host all sorts of events besides the 20 regular season matches (excluding should the team be good, CONCACAF Competition, Super liga, friendlies, etc.
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Don’t claim to be a soccer fan, you’re not
your a Soccer Snob
Chris is right, support your domestic league
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Or you could just die in a fire.
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Mr. Franek is right. The league hasn’t turned a profit.
However, since he doesn’t know much about MLS he probably doesn’t realize the league lost a ton of money paying rent to venues like Soldier Field, which is why building soccer-specific stadia is critical to the growth of the league.
Apparently Mr. Franek isn’t aware that:
1) The league made a killing on WC rights in 2006
2) MLS has signed a few long-term TV deals
3) The number of expansion team candidates has grown despite the increased entry fee.
In addition, whether he likes it or not, he can’t deny Beckham and Blanco have sold shirts, put butts in seats, and contributed to the increase in advertising dollars.
As a fan, it’s been fun to watch the league grow over the last 11 years. I’m proud to say I’ve supported the league since day one. It’s too bad Mr. Franek missed out on the fun, but it’s never too late to join the party.
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
“Former” coach is right.
What ana sshat.
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I used to be atypical soccer hater. After watching a few premiership matches, I became a lifelong fan. I think all people need is to actually SEE world class soccer and they will completely fall in love with the sport, exactly the same way that the whole world has fallen in love with it.
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Dear Daily Examiner:
Who’s Mark Franek and why should we care what he has to say?
Sincerely,
All of soccer loving America.
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Wait… he has seen ZERO games and yet he has an opinion about MLS??
What a clown.
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:32 pm
James, Franek’s article wasn’t about soccer as a sport.
It was about critisizing MLS after admitting that he has not watched a single game in these thirteen years.
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
So let’s re-state your statements above clearly:
1. MLS will work in Philly.
2. You don’t think MLS is bad, but without a team in Philly, you would rather follow other soccer leagues; but with a team in Philly, you would attend games.
3. There are both non-MLS soccer fans and MLS soccer fans, and Beckham has brought more awareness of MLS to the non-MLS soccer fans.
4. You will attend MLS games in Chester in 2010.
5. Hot cheerleaders and free beer do not motivate you, and you don’t have season tickets… yet.
OK, so it looks like the solution to all of your “concerns” is putting a MLS team in Philly.
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I would say pretty typical G14 fan… he doesn’t know what it is to support a team and a sport… he supports an “event.” Some would call him a “Eurosnob” but want to bet that, if he lived in Europe, no matter what city or nation he lived in he would “support” one of the big clubs in one of the big leagues? Most countries have people like him (like the Man U fans from London) only they are objects of appropriate derision and/or pity.
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:16 pm
He probably doesn’t support Jesus, either.
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Aren’t the “concerns” about MLS in Philly really just criticisms of any publicly-supported stadium project, be it the Linc or Wachovia or whatever. But I doubt he spoke out about those arenas.
And as far as his love for foreign leagues go, most people in the world watch soccer locally, without having to limit their intake to the creme de la creme. They happily watch the local team. Does the writer also counsel people to not watch PSU football because it pales in comparison to ANY NFL team, no matter how bad? What a canard!
April 4th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Nice snobbery… and sure it works out fine if its Manchester United vs. Chelsea, but how about Derby vs. Fulham? It’s technically an EPL fixture, but what a snore. I’d rather watch any two MLS teams play.
As for the stadium we heard all the same bullcrap from people around here when they were trying to get public funds for the RSL stadium. We are the crappiest team in the league for 3 straight years, we are in a small market and we just had 20,000 people at last saturday’s home opener. MLS in Philly will do just fine. Screw this joker.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Watch a just a mid-table game in La Liga - like Osasuna at Athletic Bilbao - or the Bundesliga on GolTV or a Prem game, let alone a top-level game, and you will see that the criticism of the style of play of MLS is warranted. Too much time to dwell on the ball. The league and US Soccer see this (why are so many nat’l players being “encouraged” to play overseas now) and are trying to do something about it. Juan Pablo Angel was having trouble getting on the pitch at Aston Villa, now he is a scoring machine at NY/NJ? Hopefully, more Angel, Beckham, Xavier, Hislop, etc. come here by 2010 and make it a more intense game.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:22 am
the interviewee sounds like a jealous hater who will be an eternal cynic/pessimist no matter what the subject… what he fails to realize is that soccer in the U.S. (i.e. MLS) is growing and needs to continue to grow in order to compare/compete with the other more “elite” foreign leagues. As the U.S. national team’s stature on the global scene becomes more prominent and there is a concurrent surge in revenue for MLS, the ability to attract more high profile players (e.g. the Beckhams, Zidanes, Ronaldos of the world), the MLS will grow in prestige and entertainment value.
the key for the Philly MLS team will be to get some exciting international player(s) and market the hell out of them!! I know i still will support them regardless (of free beer and hot cheerleaders however nice that may be).
April 4th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
For starters, I suggest the Philly Flops for a name. Fits the rest of pro teams around here. I believe Dr. Franek loves the beautiful game–captained his high school team and still plays well 20 years later. I wouldn’t invest a penny in this venture because, sadly, soccer just never has taken root in the USA.
April 4th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I’m Mark’s girlfriend, and I love watching Champions’ League Soccer with him on his couch. Who’s David Beckham?
April 4th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Mark who? He must have hated the team he coached, didn’t meet his standard you know. Gosh, who would think that a league in its teens wouldn’t match up with ones that have over a hundred years of tradition? What’s that? Arsenal came out playing the beautiful game in 1886 from the second they were created? Interesting. I guess I must be an idiot for supporting my local league. I mean, why would I want it to succeed? So it can grow? So soccer can become more than a niche sport? Why would I want that? I might lose my hipster status!
Mark, shut up man. Go to the games, enjoy yourself. It’s better than watching the Eagles. Stop putting teams like Derby on a pedestal.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Mark,
I’m glad that you softened your position about attending a game.
Go to the first match between Philly and DC United. Go with an open mind with the goal to enjoy yourself. It’s guaranteed to be a great atmosphere and I think you’ll have a good time. Who knows, you might turn out to be Philly fan. Once you care about the team quality doesn’t matter anymore.
You may not know it now, but this stadium in Chester may turn out to be a great thing for you.
I was skeptical about the league myself but now I will be up all night thinking about opening day tomorrow at RFK.
April 4th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
I’m have been one of Mark’s good friends for years. I agree with all of you who have been bashing him because he deserves it for stirring this pot. Unfortunately, Mark is a glass is half-empty kind of guy. In fact, Mark doesn’t even believe there is a glass to begin with. The irony is that he loves the sport and we have been playing soccer together for years wishing to one day play in a stadium like this.
I too enjoy watching the leagues in Europe because of the quality of play but I also enjoy Thursday night MLS soccer on ESPN. American soccer is improving and the soccer specific stadiums are a vast improvement over the games being played in MegaStadiums that dilute the overall experience of the game for the fans.
I’m sure the stadium in Chester is going to be fantastic and the fans are going to love it, even one reluctant fan….
April 4th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Mark, another great game is coming up Saturday: Wigan vs Birmingham. Man, that promises to be one exciting game.
April 5th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Mark, try this link. I would suggest the executive upgrade…
http://www.despair.com/pessimistsmug.html
April 5th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Clear over-reaction. If you actually read Franek’s piece in the Daily News he says he has mixed feelings about the MLS-philly project. Sure, he’s strident and provocative, but that’s what a good opinion piece is supposed to do. Near the end, he even says that he thinks the project could work, he hopes it will work, and he wishes the team good luck. Bloggers, relax. Most of you (esp. SandyVag & PennJersey) sound like complete fools (or asshats yourselves). What are you? Middle-school kids playing soccer during recess without a referee?!! Re-read the piece!
April 7th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Matt is right on. But, couple more years and Mark and Matt will be too old to play the beautiful game because they’ll have to stop to pee every 30 minutes. And Mark’s current squeeze is too short to see over the crown of the pitch. Wonder if she waxes his boots before a game as his Dad had to do when he was 10?
April 8th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Mark Franek is a poser.
Middlesborough v. Sunderland on TV is boring.
Live footy destroys TV footy everyday of the week and twice on Sunday - ANY REAL SOCCER FAN KNOWS THIS.
April 8th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
So he doesn’t like MLS, who cares? His opinion should be irrelevant.
The problem here is that U.S. Soccer fans are defensive and sensitive about the sport, and his commentary needled them. It doesn’t mean I agree with him at all, I happen to enjoy MLS, but who really gives a flying F about what he thinks?
April 15th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I have the great fortune to now live in Denver, Colorado, where Dick’s Sporting Goods Stadium sees the efforts of the Colorado Rapids during every home event. I am a season ticket holder due to friendships/acquaintances/joint business ventures with a few of the players on the Rapids roster, and I am still disappointed (as are a few of them who have played in Europe or Latin America) in the quality of play as well as the quality of much of the fan base in the MLS.
Where in Europe or Latin America do you need big digital boards to tell you when to shout, applaud, or cheer? Who the hell thought that the wave was an appropriate activity at a decent football match? What is all of the marketing hype bullshit and $5 hot dogs with $7 beers? What’s with several of the American players who throw temper tantrums during practices if they don’t get to do what they want or a coach criticizes their efforts during a drill? All of these things support, rather than deny or otherwise refute, Mark Franek’s observations about MLS…I’m afraid the team and stadium in Philly will be no different. The biggest issue seems to be that MLS feels it needs to replicate NFL or MLB practices rather than building on what has worked in countless other countries and with countless other clubs.
I’ve known Mark probably longer than anyone else posting here…I’ve played against him, practiced with him, and seen him play both in the US and Iceland…he’s got great talent and perseverance, and his patience in teaching in the classroom is well reflected in his coaching on the field.
How many of you “asshats” complaining about his article have played even at the level he’s played? How many of you “asshats” have been close enough with players in the MLS to ask them what THEY think about MLS in comparison to their play at clubs like Man City, FC Porto or others? You, weah? You, NotArtarded? I thought not….
Like Craigslist Rants & Raves or segments of MySpace and Facebook, the loud talkers and bullsh!t artists are always willing to cut someone down or conduct namecalling and make intellectually stunted observations (”die in a fire” - what a moron). Mark’s piece does what an opinion piece should - provoke thought (though with some of you even THAT’S questionable), rouse the readership out of it’s mental slumber, and make one sit up and take notice of the impact this type of decision will have on the Chester (Philly) market.
As for the true ASSHAT who posted a private email address for him…are you REALLY that much of a jackass?