Purpose of Report
This report will be based on research analysis conducted by Team 1 relating to Major League Soccer. The Management Information Systems group project requires us to interview a manager specializing within that field. Our main purpose is to identify ways the firm has used information systems to improve productivity and quality within the last 3-5 years and recommend improvements to enhance growth.
Industry Background
Sports are a part of our lives from the first time we pick up a ball to the day we die. The amateur athlete plays games for fun while fantasizing that they are performing heroically. They attend and watch sporting events to see professional athletes perform at the highest levels. We are introduced to numerous sports for the purpose of physical activity, entertainment, team building , and development of social skills . MLS has created an enormous fan base. Beginning with recreational soccer clinics and leagues for all ages.
General MLS History
Soccer origins
go back to 1620 where it was noticed by European Settlers during colonization
of the New World. Natives Americans called it Pasuckuakohowog. (Gathering to
play ball with feet) Two hundred years later Football
(soccer) was most notably conducted in Northeastern America. Universities such
as Harvard, Princeton, Amherst and Brown although the sport was recognized by
Europe the expansion had begun. The first official football club formed in Boston
during 1862 and was called Oneida.
During 1865-1904
the era of the industrial Revolution Soccer was organized as a college sport in
the USA. Workers in this day of age introduced the game throughout the America
as the revolution grew expanded. In 1884 The American Football Association was
born in Newark, NJ creating a unity among the East metropolitan area. A year
later the first international match was played between Canada. This sparked a
huge buzz.
In 1904 FIFA
(The Federation International de Football Association) granted provisional membership
August 15 to USFA. Following nine years later USFA was finally incorporated in
New York and gained full membership at the annual congress of FIFA in Oslo,
Norway on June 24, 1913.
International
matches were encouraged and overseen. This gave rise to American Soccer League
(ASL) where membership grew gradually.
In 1930 the USA
was nominated to compete among 12 other nations in the first FIFA World Cup in Montevideo, Uruguay. This cup is
hosted every four years consecutively. We finished in third losing a semifinal
match to Argentina. Three years later the
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) released an official rulebook
intercollegiate soccer in the US.
Second World Cup we came out winless in Italy. In 1945 USFA change to United States Soccer
Football Association (USSFA).
American Soccer
League (ASL) was permitted by the USSFA to create and International Soccer
League (ISL) in 1958. Two years following ISL made their debut and gave forth
international teams to come to USA to play.
The
Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football
(CONCACAF) was created officially recognized by FIFA one year later as overseer
of Soccer in the West. Six year later USA began two major professional leagues,
United Soccer Association (USA) and Independent National Professional Soccer
League (NSPL). About one year merging to create North American Soccer League
(NSAL) through request by FIFA.
In 1974 (USSFA)
changed its name to United States Soccer Federation (USSF). While the NASL
reached eight-teen teams. Throughout the next ten years the founding fathers
pushed to establish sovereignty with in the US. Even formally bidding to host
the 1986 FIFA World Cup in 1982 but was rejected and given to Mexico.
One year later
after 49 seasons ASL operations were canceled. During this same year United
Soccer League (USL) was founded. Following one year later both NASL and USL
were officially terminated.
Unexpectedly, in
1986 a Western Soccer Alliance (WSA) league began with seven teams. This
motivated ASL slightly and two years later reemerged with only 10 teams. On our
Independence day we were awarded the honor of hosting 1994 World Cup by FIFA.
Anticipation was very high and encouraged the merge of WSL and ASL to form
American Professional Soccer League in 1990.
During this time
US was heavily recognized for its potential and three years later president of
the US Soccer Federation Alan Rothenberg present the blueprint of Major League
Soccer as Division I league.
US hosted 1994 FIFA World Cup which brought over 3 million in
attendance. This was considered a World Cup record. We were defeated in the
second round by Brazil (1-0), but won over Colombia (2-1). Even though we suffered the lost it
brought leverage for US and Major league Soccer and two years later launched
MLS officially whom averaged 17,000 fans per game.
In 1998 Alan
Rothenberg finished his eight-year term limit and Dr. Bob Contiguglia took over
as U.S soccer’s new president as well Head Coach Bruce Arena by Steve Sampson. MLS
has suffered throughout its creation but has managed to become multimillion
dollar organization.
Since its
establishment about eight-teen years ago MLS has made it far being that it has
finalized its platform and pushing expansion. Up to date they’re two
conferences (East & West) currently with a total of nine-teen teams with
possibly two prospects in the works.
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