One of the most common items I feel that isn't discussed about an opening of the pyramid and the implementation of #ProRelForUSA is the sheer amount of domestic soccer that would be available to be packaged for broadcast from one source.
Lets just use our imagination right now and think of the first steps of building the pyramid from the bottom up. Something like what USASA is attempting to do right now with D4/5/6 being tied together under one roof and take it one step further with a professional D3 on top of it ran by USSF when it came time to try to monetize this media.
This would provide the potential for 2,500+ games to any broadcaster out there. Locally important, regionally important and evntually nationally important games not to mention the types of promotion and relegation story lines not seen in any other sporting setting in the country. We now would have in my opinion the potential for a very unique media deal...
One involving a streaming platform that could host dozens of games per week, highlight shows, analysis, etc wrapped around a website offering coverage of the entire base of the pyramid that would engage fans bases from every community in the country. Smarter people than myself could figure out whether an on demand ESPN3/Netflix/Amazon style system/partnership or some sort of hybrid between a traditional broadcast channel offering other content in addition to what is broadcasting would be the most effective system to engage the fans of these clubs and soccer in general.
No other sports media property could offer this many markets, this many teams, this many games, and this much content all in one place. Housing these media rights under one roof and distributing the profits back to the clubs could do more to stabilize lower division independent club soccer than any thing at any point in American soccer before it.
Mix this with an in house marketing company to sell sponsorships, advertising, and create partnerships on the national and regional level and we have what could be an increasingly lucrative plan for lower division soccer.
We also can't leave out what the upward growth of this open pyramid will do. As we see the strengthening of the base of the pyramid and the growth toward a federation controlled D2 and then an alternate D1 this unique story line of the building a true national pyramid would be one of the largest general sports stories in the United States in some time. This story also has the ability to finally engage millions of casual soccer (and sports) fans in a way nothing other than the world cup does currently.
I think the potential for huge growth is there... now can we have the leaders of soccer in this country find the political will to unify the base of the pyramid and the partner necessary to put this plan in motion?
Let us know your opinion in the comments or on social media using the #ProRelForUSA hashtag.
No comments:
Post a Comment