PLASTIC PITCH 10 — Does parity in MLS hurt or help the league’s growth? By Steven Sandor Posted on September 15, 2016 Comments Off on PLASTIC PITCH 10 — Does parity in MLS hurt or help the league’s growth? 0 2,567 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter We notice more interest from our readers when we try to tackle a big topic over the course of several stories — and issue 10 of Plastic Pitch fits that bill. The MLS standings are always clogged, and 12 of 20 teams (60 per cent) make the playoffs. The No. 1 seed rarely goes on to win MLS Cup. Does the lack of super-team appeal hurt or help the league? We posed the question to Canadian sports-business experts. AS WELL • MLS TV ratings; why does a league that does so well in the stadiums do so poorly over the air? Why do TSN and Sportsnet refuse to talk about the ratings? And the numbers that Canadian TV-ratings-expert Chris Zelkovich was able to discover will absolutely stun you. • Mark Polishuk talks to Toronto FC domo Tim Bezbatchenko on how the club is trying to do what was thought to be impossible — having depth and high-profile DPs at the same time. • Martin MacMahon on Whitecaps David Edgar and Marcel de Jong. • Looking back at another failed World Cup qualifying campaign for Canada. • Why Canada’s bronze medal in 2016 was sweeter than the one the Canadian women’s national team secured in 2012. • Ben Fisk on why he came back to Canada, to play with FC Edmonton. PLUS, our new FICTION section. Look for a brand-new piece from noted Canadian author Janice MacDonald. How to get the mag? Get the app for free for Apple devices or Android. Then, you can enjoy a free 30-minute preview of the issue before deciding to buy or subscribe. Or, get the issue sent to you via e-mail by ordering through our Shopify store!
