Don Garber, 1999

I couldn't have said it any better. I really wish I had found this quote sooner (lLink). COACH: Are you contemplating any changes in the game itself that might stimulate scoring? Americans are weaned on home runs, three-point baskets, 50-yard forward passes, and hat tricks. They have problems living with scoreless ties and shoot-outs. Is anything visible being done in this area? GARBER: There are plenty of NBA fans who like three-point plays and NFL fans who enjoy touchdowns. But there are nearly 50 million fans who love soccer because it is a strategic, highly anticipated hour and a half that doesn't necessarily have to have the scoring that you will see in football and basketball. Until we are able to get those fans into the fold, we are not going to explode out to people who aren't really soccer fans. I don't think we have a large percentage of people who can be drawn into the game over night. Our fans are kids who play, people who are watching the Women's World Cup, going to the World Cup games, playing at the grass roots revel, and nobody in that group is complaining about goal scoring. But, we don't have a large enough percentage of such people in the fold as yet. The problem is this: Do we have to change the game in order to achieve a much broader fan base? Until we solidify the people who are already soccer-involved, we shouldn't be thinking of going outside that box.