Does Anyone Care About the MLS All Star Game?

The 2010 MLS All Star Game is tonight at 8:30pm ET (ESPN2), which will feature the best players from Major League Soccer versus Manchester United.

While I’ll definitely watch the game, I’m honestly not that excited about it. Yes, I’d love to see a good game but as with all pre-season friendlies, the game is meaningless. My sense is that most followers of Major League Soccer give the game more credence than followers of Premier League clubs do. Perhaps many MLS fans believe it’s a chance to see how the league compares to one of the best Premier League teams?

To me, though, no matter if the MLS All Star team wins 4-0 or vice-versa, it’s completely irrelevant. It’s a game that’s scheduled to promote Major League Soccer, to generate revenue for Manchester United, to give players a chance to practice and to provide us, the viewing audience, with something to watch. No more, no less.

The concept of an all-star game began with baseball in 1933 when the best of the American League played the best of the National League. The mere idea of such a game is frivolous, other than the reasons stated above. Would anything change if the MLS All Star Game was eliminated? Even if it did, we would still have an opportunity to watch foreign teams from overseas play friendlies in the States. There would be just one fewer game.

What do you think? Share your opinion in the comments section below.