I for one like the two additions MLS made this week. I like that the MLS is trying to set the foundation to have other countries interested in MLS. By signing Cuauhtemoc Blanco, all of Mexico will now be interested in what happens in MLS and how Blanco does in MLS. The same can be said for England with Beckham. The next step is to try to get both England and Mexico to purchase International TV rights. In Mexico this has already started with FOX Sports Español purchasing MLS rights to certain Chicago Fire games.
MLS needs to continue this trend. Don’t just bring in good players into the league, but also bring in players that already have an established fan following. This will only help the league by increasing the demand for MLS television rights in foreign countries.
Futbol (Football) makes it's living from TV Rights and the selling of these rights. This is why English Premier League is so successful. They take the best players from France, Korea, Portugal, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, China, Netherlands and many other countries and let them shine in Premier. These countries then have to buy the International Rights so local fans can watch their stars.
When Osorio and Pardo signed with Stuttgart, Telemundo jumped on and purchased the rights to Stuttgart games so Mexican soccer fans in the U.S.A could follow the two Mexican internationals. Telemundo purchased the tape-delay rights. When Salcido went to PSV, Telemundo jumped on PSV rights. I totally expect Telemundo to jump on the Deportivo Coruña TV Rights for Andres Guardado games, even if it continues to be on tape-delay.
This year in anticipation to the Blanco and Beckham signing, and to counter Telemundo, Univision purchased MLS rights and will show MLS games on Telefutura Network. (Univision owns both Telefutura and Galavision). That means that this year you'll probably be able to find a lot more MLS games on free-to-air TV, even if you have to learn a little Spanish.
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