The long-held tradition of letting referees’ calls stand during matches could be changing. Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber said Friday he was keen to make MLS the first soccer league to test video review during matches after FIFA President Sepp Blatter supported the idea.
Meanwhile, a new report says Chivas USA could shut down for next year before returning as a new, re-branded franchise. That would mean MLS would field 20 teams rather than 21 as expected in 2015. A report coming out late Friday said a buyer is close to completing a sale of the beleaguered franchise and it could come as soon as October.
And the grass vs. artificial turf battle of the Women’s World Cup flared up again amid news that Canadian midfielder Kaylyn Kyle would help market FieldTurf. The legal team threatening to sue over the issue lambasted the move by FieldTurf and Kyle as they seem to gear up for a lawsuit.
Here is a rundown of all the stories featured on SBI Friday:
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
MLS interested in becoming first league to implement video review
Report: Shutting down Chivas USA an option as MLS moves closer to finding new owner
The SBI Show: Episode 164 (Talking USMNT, previewing MLS Week 27, and more)
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Artificial turf company’s endorsement deal heats up Women’s World Cup debate
COLLEGE SOCCER
SBI College Soccer Top 25 (Sept. 12th Edition)
College Weekend Preview: UC-Irvine-Georgetown, Syracuse-Notre Dame headline Week 3
MINOR LEAGUE SOCCER
USL Pro Playoff Quarterfinals Preview
INTERNATIONAL SOCCER
Friday Kickoff: Falcao looking to stay at Man United; Tevez fit for Udinese clash; and more
Midday Ticker: American investors considering offer for Tottenham; Messi, Iniesta fit; and more
#MickeyMouseLeague
Wtf video review, what is he thinking. MLS could use the hawk eye and add an extra card in color orange and punish the player for 5 minutes after the yellow or before the yellow, or don’t even add another color card,just punished the player when given the yellow with 5 minutes sitting out like in hockey. (5 minutes would be good given that soccer is played in a large field and with more players)
As for chivas USA, bring them in with Miami and make Miami and LA2 teams number 25 & 26 . By doing that, MLS could have 3 open expansion spots, making expansion easier and less dramatic.
You have Sacramento, San Antonio, Vegas in the west. In the east, Minneapolis, Indy, Detroit, and cosmos. Pick 3 from those 7 markets and just let Miami and LA2 be teams number 25 & 26.
By putting Miami and LA2 in the same expansion year, that would create a lot of media attention in the US and around the world.
If they decide to implement video review, I’ll never watch an MLS game again. If this happens you can forget about promotion / relegation. The only reason Don’t Garner hasn’t definitively dismissed it is because he doesn’t want to alienate the hardcore fan base that carries this league. I vowe only to ever watch NASL, Liga MX, and La Liga when this happens.
I have the opposite point of view. If done right video review would be an innovation and selling point for MLS over Euro leagues stubbornly mired in tradition for no practical reason.
This isn’t hockey style shoot outs or clocks counting down which were done not to enhance the game but to bastardize it for non-soccer fans.