You’d think the club would be looking into it, since we now have two of TEAMUSA’s top players in our team? Stateside we’re getting a bit of publicity in sports rags, according to my father-in-law in the midwest. Are we exploiting the fact... hmmm... this is Everton!

Does a fish whistle!!!!!!!!

He has only just signed a new deal in the MLS, and he is by far their star player... so for us to try and sign him full-time would probably take a fair wad of cash and, as we know, wer’e skint.

if he proves to be half as good as Jimmy Husband, I shall be one very happy little bluenose!

Having lived in the USA for 7 years, football or soccer as they call it, is a very much minority sport to American football, baseball and basketball and you see in their sports shops very little gear related to soccer compared to the other sports. The majority of Americans would struggle to name any of their international players. Football games are not on any of the four American mainstream network channels CBS, ABC NBC, or Fox.

Soccer is a relative minority sport but one with an affluent fan base, at least in the Anglo portion of American society.

There is an opportunity to develop Everton as a favoured team for some larger portion of a whole generation of American youth, both boys and girls. Looking forwards, these youth become the adults and then parents of the future, and guess who buys most of the presents; yes, the soccer moms of the future who might well have been the soccer girls of the past. Add to that the fact that counterfeit goods are much less common here than in Asia, and you can see it’s a real commercial opportunity with real dollars at stake, and a growing revenue stream over time.

There is a secondary market which is the men and women that actively play soccer into their 30’s, 40’s and even 50’s. These people are often parents as well ... (see above)

However in order to make this happen the issues of exposure to the team and players is a problem, and might be partly resolved by some kind of USA-targeted web presence and marketing, including video where allowed. This should even go as far as to use US style English, US soccer terms (for positions, rules and so) and as many links to the US national team and MLS as we can muster.

Outside of NY, the US hates the Yankees (think Man U). Outside of Texas, the US hates the Dallas Cowboys (think Chelsea). There’s a definite play here to market Everton as an authentic genuinely well liked English team with broad roots and connections across the Anglo world as a whole - Britain, Ireland, the US and even Australia. Appealing to middle America requires emphasizing strong values, well behaved players and fans, a great history, attractive play, solid technical skills, a strong coaching ethos (sports coaches are much revered here more than in the UK, as is coaching in general) and so on. Don’t argue whether that’s true or not; argue whether it can be marketed that way and whether that creates value.

Secondly, distribution. It’s been much more difficult to source Everton gear in the USA than it is for the Sky 4 teams, and that is still true. But demand needs to come first, and then distribution has to be ready to keep up. Not convinved that Le Coq is the best partner in that respect

I think Everton should be serious about this unique moment, perhaps brief, and market Everton as a core club with traditional English values, an English owner, and an emerging history as a happy home for American soccer stars.

Ex-pat from Wirral living in Austin, TX
Lifelong Blue and player, and now father and occasional soccer coach.

And if we’re not careful, American owned clubs like Liverpool and perhaps more likely Villa will beat us to it.

I’ve got a couple questions... I was in Liverpool in the winter of '07 and talked to people before a match and since I actually knew about Everton people assumed and always asked if I’m from Canada — the cab driver nearly wet himself because I knew all about Dixie Dean — do you guys come across many educated Americans on gameday?

I think a permanent Landon move would do loads for the Everton popularity in the US. On our ESPN homepage it is rare that a footy article is linked and after Lando's first goal it made the front page, people that follow the national team have been making a point to follow Everton now as they are very interested in how Landon is doing, now they don’t know loads about Everton quite yet but they are making a point to watch the matches.

Another interesting thing is that I was on the Everton FC shop adding stuff to the shopping cart to take a advantage of this big sale... simply put a kit in and changed the shipping to "United States"; once I did this it lowered the cost of the kit so it would be equal to that of what people in the UK would pay with shipping... It is great to see that Everton is cutting prices on their gear so people here in The States can afford it and make us more likely to buy.

He’s not David Beckham. On top of that before he joined Everton I was lumped in with a lot of my fellow football fans thinking... yeah he can take on the MLS but he did not do anything in Germany. My opinion is changing and maybe some others too. But in the main stream of it... too soon to tell. Right now I have to tell most people who Everton are... sadly I have to say "the other team in Liverpool." Bastards and their fucking name.

I’n not a huge Donovan supporter, but since he’s a Blue I am now a HUGE Donovan supporter.

The Brum match was a disaster, but the goal Wednesday was great.

Every Everton match can be seen in this country. I don’t miss a match.

Our local UK youth soccer company has just signed a deal with Everton to promote the Everton Way training program. This will help get the brand out there.

Joey... always tell them we are the premier/first/original team in the City, never ’the other’

My Dad used to tell me of Babe Ruth, when touring over here, asking specfically to meet Dixie. Seems he was known for his scoring exploits even in the States.
Knowing Americans’ love of record holders, best ever etc could William Ralph be a useful card to play in marketing Everton? "The history of Everton Football Club is the history of Association Football in England."

I find the marketing of Everton akin to rowing against a strong tide. No matter how hard (if we do try hard) we try, I suspect through numerous reasons we wont actually ever get a good commercial income.

I have travelled the world with my job over the last 20-25 years and even lived abroad for 4 years and I totally agree with Joey Brown we are amongst the unknowns out there. Those out there interested in soccer, football whatever you want to call it (USA, Brazil, Asia Pacific, Australasia, Japan — been there done that) know all about Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and even bloody Spurs but haven’t got a clue with Everton and say Aston Villa.

I suspect the main resaons are three fold - obviously the CL publicity for the Top 4 , also the effect of being London based for Spurs, and the problems that people haven’t got a clue of Everton or Villa geographically. I too have had to tell hundreds that Everton are from Liverpool and then hey it's Liverpool they want to talk about.

Man City will undoubtedly get well known before any CL benefits if they ever get there ! because of their similar name to Man Utd. Whoever (!!!) took the name 'Everton' all that 100 years ago leaving the city name to that other shower — what a mistake in today’s global markets.

@Phil - yes indeed, Dixie Dean is a useful "marketable asset", and should be leveraged ... judiciously.

However, you also have to be sensitive to using the word Dixie in the USA, as "Dixie" is closely associated with slavery.

Offsetting that, perhaps, are the Dixie Chicks, who came from but then ired many in the Dixie states when they slammed GW Bush in 2002/2003.

This triggered Radio Stations to ban them, their music, and even burn their CDs and images across the former Dixie states. Insane stuff!

Whether Donovan stays with us or not, let's hope we capitalise on his time with us, however long or short, and ensure that we go back to the USA for pre-season, like we have done previous years.
Irrespective of wether or not the USA internationals & others internationals are with us or not due to the World Cup, I think EFC would be missing a trick if we didn't return there this summer.

I love the way everyone thinks USA is this golden cash cow, IT ISN’T especially not for ’soccer’ (shiver!) American films would have us believe that American Football is the most popular sport but if you avoid the hype and look at the stats, it has a fan base of 300 million worldwide in comparison to football 3.5 billion.

In all honesty, if we wanna crack a market we should snap up this Murray kid from Scotland and try and land some of tennis’s 1 billion fans

America, I love the two players you've given us and of course Joe Max-Moore and Preki but kiss my arse you're not worth the effort, keep your shit sports.

Yeah just to agree with Roger’s point that there a lot of PL games on here in the USA - and thank God for internet streaming. No, football/soccer will never be able to overtake the established sports of the NFL, MLB, or the NBA, but there is indeed a huge following for it and the World Cup always garners interest. I remember the USA’s performance in Confed Cup was getting a lot of press and generating a lot of excitement.

All Landon wanted when he went overseas in his previouys attempts was the chance to play and he never got that in Germany but that’s not the case here. American fans are very happy with how well both the Everton team and fans have received him and are excited to see him play for Everton. They will keep on watching as long as he’s getting game time.

That’s the one thing that American fans have been frustrated with lately is that a lot of our overseas talent is sitting on the bench and as a result fans have lost some interest in following those teams. If Landon continues to see the field (which is up to him because he’s got to convince Moyes to keep him in), US fans will watch and they will buy Everton gear and they will follow the team.

Believe it or not, not everyone over here is Donovan fan mostly because he never pushed himself to Europe — but even the Donovan haters are cheering for him. And I’ll tell you right now Donovan has a great deal of influence with MLS, if Donovan wants to stay — he will stay regardless of the new contract. It might be a year long loan or something like that, but it could happen.

I’m not saying players should be signed on the basis primarily of marketability, but if we do get Donovan on a permanent deal the club should be aiming to become a major football brand in the US.

I’d draw the example of Park ji-Sung. He’s nothing special, but in Korea he’s a demi-god. There’s a chicken/egg argument over whether that’s because he plays for United or because he’s their greatest ever player who just happens to play for the best-known team in the world. Point is United are more popular than most Korean teams now over there.

America is the emerging football market right now. Like someone’s already said, the support base is still a minority, but its a sizeable minority. Also, its the game of the middle classes. But they know that their domestic league is sub-par. If we could get Howard and Donavan on billboards in most American cities and in the vicinity of all the MLS stadia, in the kit with the crest and website, it really put us into the consciousness of their football-watching public. It might not make us their favourite team. But it might make us their second *cringe* team.

We could realistically aim to become the team that American that Americans buy the shirts of, in the same way kids here will happily buy a Barca, Madrid or Celtic shirt. By exploiting the interest Donovan and Howard would garner, we could make a real ’brand’ that people could identify with to give us more money to ultimately spend on players and redevelopment/ground moving.

Perhaps someone could a) look up the GDP of the countries where those 3.5 billion people live couple with b) whether that market is already saturated from a soccer perspective and c) whether it is a growing market or not. Not saying Africa is not a viable long term player, especially SA with Pienaar, just like Australia with Cahill.

But the American market is hungry for more and even Americans in the know are a bit bored with "do you support Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool or Arsenal".

It’s tedious and people want something more interesting and more diversity.

Don’t discount the Beatles factor either. It’s a good way of avoiding Liverpool being famous for the RS, which it isn’t, because people in the USA almost ALWAYS associate Liverpool first and foremost with The Beatles, and then perhaps its history - and that of Birkenhead - in relation to the building of America itself.

Everton can make a stake as being an interesting niche club for those REALLY in the know that has character and the two best known USA players, bar none. Add in a little Beatles flavour and shared history and I think the message is sound.

As an American Supporter of the Blues for a few years now (since Joe-Max Moore), I can tell you that Everton has certainly grown in popularity in the States. I can also tell you from first-hand experience of visiting LA a few weeks ago that huge numbers of Galaxy and US national team fans are now closely watching the EPL and cheering on Everton.

At Santa Anita racetrack, I even saw an American kid wearing a Fellaini jersey. Everton are simply on the radar of hundreds of thousands of more people... In addition, Donavon’s first goal was written up in a short article in the NY Times, which was fantastic to see.

Based on what Landon has said to the press about the chemistry of the club, BK and crew would do well to leverage that emotion by signing him up. I think it certainly would continue to bring Everton to a new level internationally.

BTW, his first goal was pure class and it was great to see such superb ball control and coolness in front of the goal. I think we’ll be in store for more of that in the weeks to come and will be looking forward to seeing him repeat when I make my yearly trip to Goodison to them play against Hull in March. COYB!

I was driving home last week when the local news programme announced that Everton had just gone two up against Sunderland, and Landon Donovan had scored the goal. I wasn’t driving along Stanley road, I was driving on the 405 freeway just south of Los Angeles. (This radio station never covers football, even during the World Cup).

I am a school teacher. In the last few weeks, kids have been coming to my classroom before school to talk about how Everton are doing. These are the kids who usually follow Man United or Barcelona.

People see the Everton sticker on my car and want to talk about last week’s game. I think we might just be creating the Evertonians of the future here in Sunny California. I don’t see any downside to this.

Gerry, an excellent point; there is no downside to Landon Donovan. He will be the making of our season.

Back to the original post. Jimmy Husband? My abiding memory of him is missing a sitter in the 1968 cup final. I don’t recall that he was particularly quick, I can’t remember him scoring a headed goal either.

Enough already with the witch hunt against Jimmy Husband. Yes we lost the ’68 Final, Astle taking advantage of a dodgy deflection. But, I ask, what was Hibbert doing?

Andy, Just thought I’d jog you’re memory of Jimmy Husband and you think that he wasn’t quick. I recall an interview that Harry Catterick gave (very rare) that he gave Husband advice as to take a yard of pace OFF by playing golf more often!

Don't know if that worked but he often ran ahead of the ball when running with it, but the original post could be spot on as Donovan and Husband are similar players in their style and movement.

We used to call them inside forwards. Mind you, Husband wasn’t really one as he he didn’t play in the 3-2-5 sometimes called the WM formation. And as far as I know he didn’t use Brylcreem, not in public at least.

But, more to the point, he is spending most of his time at Goodison in the same square yards that Donovan is occupying now. Although a geordie, he came through Everton’s youth team so can hardly have made the sudden impact expected of a player brought in, but he did have the advantage of the magnificent Howard Kendall with a bit of help from Alan Ball looking after that side of the field.

For that era of football we produced a side better than any the top flight could imagine, and Husband was very definitely a part of it.

And Donovan displays some of the qualities he did. I think I’d like a few games yet to let both him and me get a better idea of what’s going on before consigning him to the ’Fellaini can’t play’ bin.

ps — would it make marketing sense to get a toehold in the USA? Only if the Pope remains true to his chosen faith.

I’ve been in the States for 8 years now and have seen the rapid rise of interest in the game, especially in how they put it, the EPL. The SKY 4 obviously get a lot of attention but surprisingly and quite annoyingly a very popular team with Americans is Fulham. The reason is that they had a good number of Americans on their team over the last few years (especially Dempsey & McBride).

If we do sign him up, I think that it would be coup and a potential gold mine for us. Donovan is the face of football in American. He may not be the most popular player with a portion of soccer fans here (I think that goes back to him having a bit of a reputation whilst a youngster) but he is still an icon for that lucrative White, Middle-Class ’Soccer Mom’ group. Having both him and Howard, the States best two players on our team will help our image and brand do well over here.

Some of you might think so what, how is this going to affect us. These ’Soccer-Moms’ have no qualms of spending a few hundred $’s on getting sporting items for there kids. The Donovan No 9 shirt could be a huge little earner for us. But in the end of the day, our marketing isn’t really great, and he’ll probably get signed by Spurs or someone in the summer and they’ll cash in.

I agree with the points that Ollie, Davin, Gerry, Kristian and others have made regarding the marketing potential for Everton here in the States should Donovan become a permanent Blue. In fact, it would even give Everton its first marketing toehold in futbol-mad Mexico. Donovan is a huge celebrity there, where he is both hated and admired for his dominating performances against the Tri, especially at the World Cup. He also speaks Spanish so fluently that he does TV commercials down there.

I still think it’s a longshot that we’d be able to afford him, because MLS will vastly overprice him for any sale. But it might be worth overpaying just for the marketing potential. And Donovan’s popularity at Goodison will only grow, because what we Yanks know that the rest of you may not is that, as good as he’s been, Donovan hasn’t shown his best yet. He’s still not fully match-sharp, still a little timid, and operating on heavy fields he’s not accustomed to. When he’s back up to full brashness on a fast track, watch the way he runs at people.

Mike — we are in so much agreement here.

First, and absolutely foremost, is he up to it as a player? No doubt in my mind. We have moaners on this site who would have sent Alex Young back to Scotland after his first game. Take no notice.

Espero que — the Spanish which simultaneously means I wait and I hope — that he is loving his experience in this cauldron of football so much that he will want to stay. Contracts permitting.

So Mike — please, one day, when you have nothing better to do, can you send us an informed article about ’soccer’ in the USA, possibly including the role of soccer moms, which seems crucial to me.

Not much of a Landon fan but, from a personal perspective, the more Americans in the side translates into more televised games here in the US which is a good thing.

ps: Any Evertonians in Boston should get in touch.... http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=106433558212

The biggest growing market in the world for football is not USA, it’s China.

Good point from Mike Gaynes... I watched the Sitteh game in a bar in Mexico all the waiters knew Donovan as well as Tevez, and also here in New York I have had a couple of locals asking me how he is doing. So he is definitely raising our profile .

I think what the US need is for us to do well in the World Cup. Most people over here don’t follow football unless the US national team is doing something good. When we beat Spain in the Confed Cup, it was the lead sports story. This year, if we get past the group stages and make a run in the World Cup, I think football (soccer) will grow immensely.

If we do, in fact, do well in the World Cup, people will start to follow soccer. Tim Howard and Landon Donovan are arguably the 2 best US players ever (Reyna would be the third). If people are going to follow one team and they know that Tim and Landon are both on Everton, they are inclined to support us.

To sum it up, I think we need Donovan to stay until next season to make any real impact in the US.

Mmm. Strikes me that one or two might think I have a downer on Husband. Apart from the Wembley ’68 tragedy, I admired his pace, the occasional goals, and would have cheerfully shot Dave Mckay after the abominable tackle.

Jimmy scored one of the greatest goals at Goodison and as Keiith rightly says, was an integral part of that greatest of teams.

Husband occasional goals lol. Again I’m off to check the stats but I think he scored 19, in 69-70 (not withstanding the Mackay tackle, Cloughie knew a gooden hence the instruction to stop him) seems like a man for all occasions... The English Ronaldo

Says in poor Austrian accent... I’ll be back.

Defending the word, "Occasional": "Everton Result.com will give you your stats. As is ever the cae, people have different views of different players. Not for me the English Ronaldo but good luck to your memries of him.

He actually scored four league goals that season.

Says in poor Austrian accent: For you Derek, ze discussion is over.

Jimmy Husband: 19 goals... correct, in the League. Plus one in the League Cup.

Incredible... the squad was just 18 players for the entire season.

Just read the article about marketing America (America the Beautiful). I think Australia is ripe for the picking at the moment with Football (soccer in Oz) being the most participated sport in all junior codes, and Arguably Australias best export Timmy Cahill kicking ass.

You also have Austaralia's love of the under dog which seems to fit Everton like a glove.

If Everton were to come down under for a trial match against one of the bigger A league teams or another Premier League side the possibilities could be endless.

Shane Matthews... eh?

The A-League is struggling to survive financially, with all clubs losing money. The population and market here are tiny, in global terms, and face fierce competition from entrenched and well administrated local sports.

Junior participation levels, while laudable, are below those of the United States, and nobody there has suggested that the roundball game is about to usurp one of the big four sports
In addition, Aussies don’t love an underdog — that's an English trait. Aussies love winners, at anything, preferably local ones. (There was a story in last weekends Murdoch papers regarding Roger Federer and how his parents "nearly" moved to Australia when he was a child, just to illustrate what I mean)

Don’t get me wrong, your idea is a good one. A match featuring Cahill would be good for Everton's brand here, would certainly sell out, and might even net the club some cash. But it would basically be no more than a subsidised training camp. Without on-field success (winning stuff!) or a marketing department that can get Everton merchandise into local shops, an Everton tour would have about as much impact as a piss in an ocean.

In my view, cultivating a fan base in the US or South Africa — provided there is a well coordinated media and marketing strategy during and following any tours — would be a much better prospect.

Perhaps this corroborates the market potential in and global importance of a presence the USA:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/feb/02/manchester-city-seek-us-tour

And for those wondering about soccer moms, Wikipedia gives a decent explanation.