MLS Fan Central

"Make no mistake, we are hellbent with the vision of being the first MLS soccer team to emerge as a SuperClub” – Alexi Lalas, Los Angeles Galaxy Executive (Link)

It has been hard not to talk about the Los Angeles Galaxy this year. Much of the chatter must be attributed to David Beckham, but the fact that there is more to talk about than the “larger-than-life” superstar is a tribute to the club’s success and vision of their fearless leader, Alexi Lalas. While the rest of the world was intently watching Beckham’s every move and adjusting to seeing him in a Galaxy jersey, Lalas took little time to get comfortable. You see, before Beckham had ever arrived, Lalas laid his eyes on something bigger.

Now before I continue, let me just say that I hate making it sound like I worship the Galaxy. It is actually quite the opposite, as I find them to be a detestable rival of my club, the Chicago Fire. But I also can’t ignore their business savvy strategies, and thus we find ourselves once again talking about good business and what the MLS can learn from their own kind. Now, back to our story…

What Alexi Lalas really wants for the LA Galaxy and Major League Soccer is to be more than the team that David Beckham left England for. Lalas wants to be the Dallas Cowboys of Major League Soccer. And as much as this vision might drive rival clubs and fans up the wall, it’s exactly what the league needs. It is this type of aggressive vision, which so many clubs have failed to find the courage to embrace, that will really make the MLS become a relevant league in American sports and beyond.

Could we really someday see an MLS team competing with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Barcelona? Up until Lalas took the initiative into his own hands, absolutely not. But all of that is changing. Although it will require an ample league to sustain such a club, which I admit is a reality we are furthest from, Lalas has adopted the attitude, “shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” At this point, there is little doubt that even if he doesn’t hit the moon, the LA Galaxy are going to someday find themselves among the stars.

And if Lalas really is shooting for the moon, then it is safe to say that he is already assembling a rocket to launch his club into orbit. This year alone the Galaxy has added the most well known footballer in the world to their books. They have hosted other SuperClubs in friendly matches at the Home Depot Center while doing a little traveling of their own to places like Vancouver, British Columbia, Australia, and New Zealand. Even more, they have even attracted Ruud Gullit, a Dutch celebrity-like coach to go with their “sexy” superstar and schedule of international friendlies.

Thus far, all the right steps are being taken by the courageous exec. And while Lalas’ personal drive to excellence is inspiring in itself, the MLS has yet another marketing lesson to learn. Albeit the lesson is directed more for owners such as Kraft and AEG, it is an important one nonetheless. The moral of the story? Shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. It is all about vision and not caring about what people say about you on your way into orbit.

There is a lot of ridicule that comes with Lalas’ desire to become an international SuperClub. There is no doubt clubs across the league are mocking the Galaxy’s attempts, even though the team just sold 20,000 jerseys in Australia for a friendly that 80,295 fans attended. Sports analysts brush off the story as a joke, laughing at the very thought of an MLS team as an internationally revered club. Some of you even now may be laughing at the very idea, continuing to read with growing pessimism. Yet at the end of the day, the facts remain the same: the Galaxy are charting waters never sailed by Major League Soccer, and they will someday become synonymous with Major League Soccer like the Dallas Cowboys are synonymous with the National Football League.

(And just a thought, how fun would it be to see more teams pursuing high profile friendlies and international prestige? Then, we might not just have the Dallas Cowboys … we might also have the New England Patriots or the Green Bay Packers.)

If Lalas succeeds in his bold plan, which could just as easily be described in business terms as globalization, the Galaxy are going to have a few more dollars to work with than other teams. By expanding to new markets, they will have revenue streams that other teams will not, thus giving them an advantage when it comes to player and stadium negotiations. In the long run, we might even see the MLS riding on the back of its stallion, the Los Angeles Galaxy - the Dallas Cowboys of American soccer and an international SuperClub.