Is Vancouver overlooked in the MLS?

Elisant · Post edited by Elisant at 2012-08-13 15:02:43

I regularly check MLSSoccer.com (and various other sites), and I rarely find anything about Vancouver. Their Extra Time Podcast and The Daily video updates seem to mostly ignore the Whitecaps. Even the signings we made in the last month get barely a mention or only a couple words in passing.

I see endless articles about the top teams in the league, but also teams outside the playoff picture like New England, FC Dallas, and Colorado.

We are sitting in a position to end up anywhere from 2nd to 5th this year and make the playoffs in our second season - after ending dead last in our inaugural season.

Is it just me, or is Vancouver:

a) flying comfortably under the radar?

b) unimportant in the eyes of the league?

c) not perceived as a credible threat?

Edit: I should say that this excludes Martin MacMahon

Brenton

I've heard a bit of talk about the new signings on Extra Time. It would be interesting to know what portion of their site traffic is from Canada, the Northwest, and Vancouver in particular.

prawnsideFC

I dont pay attention to what MLS says, most of the time they do Vancouver articles they are ripped from the Vancouver media or they dont know what they are talking about.

I prefer to just pay attention to the local media, WFC Daily is usually enough for my daily fix. Plus Full time soccer on Sundays.

SAFC_Yank

I'll take a bit of a different approach to this, but for the average fan who doesn't have the MLS Live package, we do fly under the radar.

We've been in the league nearly two seasons now. We've been on US television twice - in Spanish last year at Houston, and for the ManCity friendly. That's it. Easy for people not to notice us.

RaybanOriginal

I think that's a pretty normal feeling from sports fans, but not a very accurate one. Vancouver accounts for 5.26% of the league - how much time should they be talking about the Caps?

Elisant

RaybanOriginal said: I think that's a pretty normal feeling from sports fans, but not a very accurate one. Vancouver accounts for 5.26% of the league - how much time should they be talking about the Caps?

Good question. Not sure. Just seems like the 20 or so articles a day that they put up on MLSSoccer.com (complete random estimate), that there should be more than 1 or 2 a week?

Could also be that we're coming off a bye week, but to me it feels like the team is largely overlooked.

Surreysider

I wouldn't put too much into the TV coverage in the US.

First are you referencing national television or local, because I'm sure we've been on local a bunch.

With the MLS still trying to grow and gain traction I actually have no issue with such little coverage in the US. Without a big national TV deal, MLS has to be very selective with which games they put on TV. I for one am okay with the Caps not being on in the US since LA NYRB and the other PNW teams are going to drive much higher ratings than us, which only bodes well for the future of the league.

SAFC_Yank · Post edited by SAFC_Yank at 2012-08-13 15:35:32

Surreysider said: I wouldn't put too much into the TV coverage in the US.

First are you referencing national television or local, because I'm sure we've been on local a bunch.

With the MLS still trying to grow and gain traction I actually have no issue with such little coverage in the US. Without a big national TV deal, MLS has to be very selective with which games they put on TV. I for one am okay with the Caps not being on in the US since LA NYRB and the other PNW teams are going to drive much higher ratings than us, which only bodes well for the future of the league.

I meant national, and I should be clear, I understand the ratings reasons behind it,so I'm not really complaining - but it does leave us a rather unknown entity to the average fan.

Surreysider

Although on your side of things, it hurts the league if a team like the caps goes far because there won't be any casual attention down there/

mattock

Fans of numerous teams - Columbus, Colorado- complain, but I found mlssoccer.com to have arguably given the Caps/Canadian teams a fair shake - the Caps recent 2 week break did make it seem threadbare. March to the Match based in San Fran aren't that concerned north of the border - but the Detroit born Greg Lalas, editor in chief, digs Canada, and before he "sold out" was a decent freelance writer,occasionally featuring a canadian slant and once ended a piece with a plea for a canuck reader to send him some coffee crisps.

Evil_Bert

What ever the sport Vancouver fans feel neglected, especially when the home team is doing well.

I think the web coverage has been very fair. Not as much hype towards to the players as I would like, with the exception to Jay DeMerrit. In many ways it is fair with Jay being an American, colorful, well spoken, and on the US National Team. Would like to see Joe Cannon promoted more.

With the TV coverage it's a tough thing, TSN has had plenty of great coverage, but you can't blame NBC SN for neglecting the Caps. Not an american market, dosen't add to the ratings.

Brettness37

I think we are doing pretty well financially, so they don't need to push us that way. We also aren't "star studded" so we won't get attention that way.

We get a fair bit of local media (bloggers ect.), so I think I'm fine with it. I hope other teams look past us too, so we can sneak in and hammer them unawares.

puntocero

my perception has been they have covered us as well as they will with us being in Canada. I regularly see tweets, and comments about signings, and other action about the caps on twitter, and I think we defintely get the 5.26% share or more of articles written on mlscoccer.com. Maybe I am thinking of the post game reports. I wasnt keeping tabs.

Seathanaich

Elisant said: I regularly check MLSSoccer.com (and various other sites), and I rarely find anything about Vancouver.

I see articles about Vancouver on there regularly. I was thinking the opposite: that we probably get more than 1/19th of the coverage on the site.

I make a comment every time their writers say "here in America" or some such comment without thinking, but overall I think their coverage of the Canadian teams is good. They do "Canadians overseas" articles almost as often as "Americans overseas" ones.

LittleBird · Post edited by LittleBird at 2012-08-13 16:55:27

This is a funny complaint, given that Canadian media doesn't report on MLS results at all, apart from the Canadian teams (if even that), with the exception of VWFC Daily and the other specialist shows.

Also, given that Toronto has been a joke for years and Vancouver was terrible last year, there wasn't much to talk about until this last few months and Vancouver's run (plus the Nesta and Di Viao signings).

prawnsideFC

LittleBird said: This is a funny complaint, given that Canadian media doesn't report on MLS results at all, apart from the Canadian teams (if even that), with the exception of VWFC Daily and the other specialist shows.

I have more of a problem with this. How does every single baseball game make the highlights ahead of the Whitecaps? and surely some of the bigger MLS matches and also EPL matches deserve to be in the highlight package.

fourfourtwo

I have noticed that MLS has been super fair towards the Canadian teams and go out of their way to mention the CMNT as well.

I do think that they need to realize the skill of guys like Rochat and publicize them. Once MLS can educate people on the value of elite, technical, no-fuss players like him instead of flashy USMNT stars like Shea, I think the MLS fan will become more sophisticated.

Chris

Thought the timing on this article was great. Posted two hours ago. http://mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/08/13/vancouvers-camilo-makes-welcome-return-scoresheet

Elisant

Yeah, good old Martin MacMahon is the only one it seems who writes about them.

Brenton

You can't expect MLS to have two writers in Vancouver, can you?

Steve

I see a decent number of Whitecaps articles on MLSSoccer.com. There's usually one in their "Latest Stories" list when I check, unless the 'Caps are out of action one week or there's something else going on.

danrik

One thing that's been bothering me about the MLS site lately is headlines that read "WFC..." WFC meaning World Football Challenge not Whitecaps FC. So I stupidly click on the article hopiong to see what they're saying about our guys only to find some boring story about two random teams playing a pointless game. Damn you World Football Challenge, that's our acronym!

Chris

Ours is VWFC

danrik

I think ours is actually VAN, but the point is I clicked on too many PSG articles.

brrrrrradley

I think this applies to this and I always find it interesting. I don't know how many of you signed up for the fantasy pick'em game on the MLS website, but on the right side of the page, there is a widget called Castrol MLS predictor, which is basically a poll for each game saying what percentage chose the win/lose or draw. With only one loss at home and playing a team out of the playoffs, this is the first time I've seen the majority of the index pick a Vancouver win.

I think that the poor, horrible season last year has probably done more to put us under the radar than anything. Kind of like how I thought RSL was way better than us before we played them this year. You need to see it in person to change your opinion. Vancouver won't get any respect until them make the playoffs and win a game or two.

Seathanaich

prawnsideFC said: I have more of a problem with this. How does every single baseball game make the highlights ahead of the Whitecaps? and surely some of the bigger MLS matches and also EPL matches deserve to be in the highlight package.

No kidding. The priorities are stupid. I find it impossible to believe that there are more people interested in pro baseball than in the Whitecaps in the Sportsnet Pacific region, so this doesn't even make financial sense.

Elisant

Yes. Every single baseball game is insane. Especially since there are THIRTY TEAMS each playing ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY TWO GAMES every year.

I thought that deserved caps. I could be wrong.

bili

I like baseball myself... any time I need to take a nap, I turn on a Blue Jays game.

Works like a charm.

JP82

haha we get overlooked in our media market let alone MLS! I can't remember the last time Global BC even covered our practice or even showed player interview after games it's incredible yet they show meaningless interviews with Lions players...

Brenton

Yah, Arne's been on them to feature stories after games. We had one mention after one of his brief twitter campaigns.

Bad_Gones

Global Morning News is the main culprit thanks (I believe) to that big piece of crap Steve Darling. If you watch the evening news with Squire Barnes the 'Caps get featured all the time.

ibeep

What did Steve Darling do?

BianconeroSouthsider

I think when you're a young team and it's your first winning season where you're competing with the big boys, you won't be as noticed as the Seattle's, the LA's, the New York's, etc.

The sad thing is that Vancouver get overlooked when people talk about "the footballing hotbed of North America" (Northwest), they only mention Seattle and Portland. I think even after this season that it'll change, but as for now, we are overlooked, yes.

Bad_Gones

ibeep said: What did Steve Darling do?

It's what he doesn't do. He rarely if ever mentions the Whitecaps, even on gameday. When we had the final of the V-Cup there was NO mention at all. Rather he waxed on poetic about how he thought Tiger was going to win another major.

Twat.

BianconeroSouthsider

*Fat twat.

Fynnsky

Can't stand that guy

JP82

I personally think just my IMO that the reason doesn't cover Caps alot is because global is owned by Shaw and as we all know Cap's major sponsor is Bell which in return owns Globals major rival CTV but even last night on Global they did a story on the Lions whom are on a Bye week before the Caps story who play today! Like what gives...

barmyarmy

When we "win it all" within 2 seasons we won't be overlooked

prawnsideFC

prawnsandwich_sje said: When we "win it all" within 2 seasons we won't be overlooked

If that happens...bodog owes me a lot of money :) 66/1

LittleBird

Watched a quick bit of the footy show online yesterday, first minute was 'We had the Euros, then a big break, then men's olympic soccer, and finally football is back'. I turned it off and unsubscribed from Kristian Jack's twitter feed so those guys won't impede on my soccer fandom anymore.

BianconeroSouthsider

Why? What did they do to warrant that?

I worked with them during the summer for Euro and they're a nice, insightful group of guys. My opinion, the best football analysis in the country for TV.

cixceven

I think because if they consider football to be "gone" because the Euro players aren't active then they epitomize "eurosnob." I haven't watched or listened to enough of them to say whether this was an oversight or regular view of theirs, though.

fourfourtwo

Littlebird also hates everything all-day everyday, so it may be blown out of proportion.

Elisant

These last couple days I have been made to look the fool, by the number of articles that have been dedicated to Vancouver.

prawnsideFC

Elisant said: These last couple days I have been made to look the fool, by the number of articles that have been dedicated to Vancouver.

All good mate :))

Brenton

LittleBird said: Watched a quick bit of the footy show online yesterday, first minute was 'We had the Euros, then a big break, then men's olympic soccer, and finally football is back'. I turned it off and unsubscribed from Kristian Jack's twitter feed so those guys won't impede on my soccer fandom anymore.

BianconeroSouthsider said: Why? What did they do to warrant that?

I worked with them during the summer for Euro and they're a nice, insightful group of guys. My opinion, the best football analysis in the country for TV.

Great soccer analysis. But no mention of the Canadian women's soccer on their podcast may have annoyed some people here that are rightfully very excited about the biggest story in Canadian soccer in over a decade.

mattock

They are a lively, seemingly nice bunch of lads - and when the score had TFC on the tube, I enjoyed Kristian Jack's written synopsis of the Red's matches - especially his seemingly twice annual "I'm too drunk to write further" sign-offs. They give the national team some love, but they have the born in Windsor Ontario, lived in southern Ontario, Brendan Dunlop who has unashamedly stated he would cheer for his beloved Portugal over Canada, and I believed lived his entire life in TO - never spent a season on the terraces - Thomas Dobby , who gleefully states he would never demean himself by attending a TFC game.

Seathanaich

The crew at the Score are good at what they like and broadcast (England and Italy), and since that's their job, they can't be faulted for that.

They're good at (at least) feigning interest in Canada and MLS, and sometimes it seems like they're sincere: Sharman and Jack both did the "Support Local Football / Canada First" thing on recent videos; they interview Stephen Hart; talk about MLS without condescencion, etc . . . I think they try to walk the walk when it comes to Canada and MLS.

Their show is back, that's true, but football hasn't gone anywhere, with an MLS campaign heating up and our women having won an Olympic medal. There's plenty to talk about on those fronts, even if their channel doesn't broadcast MLS or Canada games.

mattock

Seathanaich said: . I think they try to walk the walk when it comes to Canada and MLS.

Canada yes - MLS no. Their blog editor Richard Whittall is basically scornful about the MLS, you get the drift that it's a chore when he has to scribble about the MLS - often Canada ( you sense his career path that he wished for - making a living writing about soccer - didn't quite turn out as he imagined ) and to show you the priority they placed on MLS,Canada - they assigned Duane Rollins to that beat....it's cool that he's earning some extra beer money, but he ain't no Paolo Bandini, Ethan Dean - Richards - obviously they didn't beat the bushes for domestic coverage.

Seathanaich · Post edited by Seathanaich at 2012-08-15 13:55:45

Hey Mattock. I feel they attempt to cover MLS based upon taping and watching most of their episodes last year (with a fair bit of fast-forwarding). They cover Toronto FC, they talk about the other Canadian teams, they show highlights, they include goals in their 'end-of-show' goal highlight reel, etc. They treat the league with respect, and if they don't have any for it, then they are doing a professional job of concealing that.

What they don't do is discuss MLS outwith the Canadian content - but really, no other Canadian media do either, so I don't think it's fair to criticise them for that until TSN and Sportsnet start showing MLS highlight review packages (like they currenty do for NHL, CFL, NFL, MLB, and NBA).

mattock

Seathanaich said: They treat the league with respect, and if they don't have any for it, then they are doing a professional job of concealing that....... so I don't think it's fair to criticise them for that .

They don't when they're "themselves" - from the podcasts to the written word, considering there's a team in their backyard and that the score has kept/stressed strong footy content -they're basically glam game snobs. You can probably decode WFP,CVG- some of the best soccer scribbling ever in Canada- and there was always that debate about how much foreign football will out -interest the locals.

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