In an article published on Major League Soccer’s website on Saturday, Managing Editor Jonah Freedman said how MLS fans should embrace the 2014 season because “It’s the last year of MLS as you know it.” Freedman went on to give some examples of this change, citing off-field changes for the most part. In this week’s Wins Column, I’ll be looking at some changes going on that are more pertinent to what fans see on the field.
1. A New Crest for New York City FC
One week ago, New York City FC unveiled two options for their first ever club logo. The club, which will debut in 2015, put the power in the hands of fans to decide which one would be used.
The first option is primarily dark blue, in the shape of the shield on the city’s Coat of Arms. The second, a circle, consists of a dark blue inner circle and a sky blue outer ring. In the middle of both crests is a stylized “NYC” letter mark.
There are many aspects of NYCFC’s crest unveiling that I see as “new”. First and foremost is the fact the club is putting things in the hands of a fan vote. In the past, teams have held fan votes to decide the team name (ie. Toronto, Seattle). They have also let fans choose the design of a new jersey (ie. Los Angeles, Chicago). But never before have fans had this much power. My biggest fear is that this power was abused by non-NYCFC fans to try and choose what they thought was the worse of the two crests.
Before you ask, my preference is the circular one. And before you ask again, yes, I did not vote.
But it isn’t just the decision process behind the crest that makes NYCFC a pioneer. It’s their deliberate use of other brand to create their own, and their success in doing it, that is truly ground-breaking.
New York City FC is owned in majority by Manchester City FC. The sky blue used in both logos is specifically called “Manchester City Blue” on an infographic the club released earlier in the week. Not to be outdone as minority owners, the New York Yankees clearly had a big influence on each crest as well. It might be a different font, but the “NY” in the “NYC” letter mark on each crest is taken right from the Yankees style guide.
Where Chivas USA failed in building a brand off of an old one, New York City FC have succeeded, regardless of which crest is chosen. But none of that will matter if their performance on the field is Chivas-like, just like their crosstown rivals at the moment.
2. The “New” Duo Aren’t So Dynamic
A few weeks ago, I picked the New York Red Bulls to win the 2014 MLS Cup. I also picked the New England Revolution as a sleeper team. Already, both of those choices don’t look that great. Combined, they’ve played four matches. Each one has been hit for four goals once already. Together, they have scored all of twice and have taken a measly one out of 12 possible points.
I’m terrible with these predictions. You all were warned.
As soft as the penalty call was that led to Colorado getting a tie in New York this weekend, I am still getting bad vibes from this Red Bulls side. They rely far too much on their big three of Tim Cahill, Thierry Henry, and Jamison Olave, and Luis Robles has a bad tendency of taking dangerous risks in goal. The Revolution on the other hand have a much deeper roster but are being destroyed by defensive midfielder Scott Caldwell and forward Jerry Bengtson.
Both the Red Bulls and the Revolution are still capable. Both have only played two out of 34 regular season matches. But from the little we have seen so far, it’s clear that both clubs, along with MLS Cup holders Sporting Kansas City, will have their work cut out for them this season.
3. Switches Being Flipped Up North
Toronto FC started off their 2012 season losing nine matches in a row, prompting forward Danny Koevermans to call his side “the worst club in the world”. One season later, the Montreal Impact shocked everyone by winning five of their first seven matches.
To start off 2014, Montreal has lost two in a row in Texas, while Toronto played marvellously well in a win in Seattle.
Montreal’s run of futility has carried over from 2013 without a doubt. The facts remains that this team is both old and lacking in depth. Without Marco Di Vaio, who is currently two games through a three game suspension, the Impact don’t have a genuine goalscorer. Andrew Wenger may have scored once so far, but he can’t be expected to take on even half of Di Vaio’s goal load. Their third option, for those who were wondering, does not exist.
Patrice Bernier is a great player, but at 34 he won’t be on the field as often as he used to be. Montreal’s defence is old and creaky, and the collapse of Troy Perkins has been Freddy Adu-like in my mind.
Toronto on the other hand looked like the complete team in their win against Seattle on Saturday. Apart from a quiet Dwayne De Rosario and a first touch ridden Jackson, every Toronto player had a very good game. The backline was incredibly well organized, a welcome change for the first time in eight years. Jermain Defoe finished the chances he was given. Young midfielders Jonathan Osorio and Alvaro Rey looked like they would pull off the spectacular on multiple occasions.
This team looks good. The season ticket non-renewer regret I didn’t have in 2013 is finally hitting me. And there are 33 more games to go. And then, another new occurrence, the playoffs!
The moral of the story for this week is that change really is upon us. And, at least for the most part, change is a good thing. Catch you next Monday!
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