MLS All Stars vs Manchester United

It's been announced that this summer's MLS All-Star team will face Manchester United on July 28 in Houston.

First of all, let me make it clear that I'm not a fan of this All-Star game format, having an all-MLS team face a foreign team. Or All-Star games in general, actually. I'm sure it's an effective way to market the league, both here and abroad, but I just think it makes MLS look weak that it has to call in a foreign club to face the best players of all the clubs in our league combined.

Also, it's too bad it's being played at Reliant Stadium, home of the Houston Texans of the NFL. The past four all-star games have been played in new soccer-specific MLS stadiums. Houston will get its own stadium by 2012, but as of now they still play in Robertson Stadium. It would have been nice to show off a new one again this time.

If I were in charge, I would have arranged to play this year's in Red Bull Arena and save Houston's turn for a couple years. Maybe there was trouble with RB Arena though, I don't know. It seems like it should have been everyone's first choice. Philadelphia's stadium should be done by then too-- at least it looks done superficially in the Union's Facebook photos.

Anyway, stadium selection aside, and given the league's insistance on playing this type of All-Star game in the first place, Manchester United is a good team to bring in because they'll draw attention and money. There, I finally got to the positive part.

-John