在全球范围内，不乏拥有强大俱乐部的著名足球城市。然而，在北美，对于MLS（美国职业足球大联盟）中那些中小型市场的球队来说，想要吸引顶级球员加盟绝非易事。
纵观整个联赛，像迈阿密、纽约和洛杉矶这样的大城市在招募像梅西、亨利和贝克汉姆这样的球星时显然具有明显优势。过去和未来，来自这些主要地区的球队都很容易说服顶级球星穿上他们的球衣。
但其他地区呢？据业内人士透露，在球场上的因素无疑是中小市场俱乐部销售策略中最关键的变量。毕竟，即使对明星运动员而言，搬迁也并非易事，他们需要确保自己能成功适应新环境。
在加拿大北部，白帽队上周正是通过这种方式吸引了拜仁慕尼黑传奇人物托马斯·穆勒加盟温哥华。据白帽队体育总监阿克塞尔·舒斯特最近与ESPN的交流，与这位世界杯冠军的谈判中，“超过80%的时间都在讨论‘踢球风格、位置、如何调整以及如何将他安排在最能发挥作用的位置’。”
当然，这只是这些俱乐部推销策略的一部分（并非有意为之）。除了球场外的因素，例如城市的生活方式、天气、训练场地甚至个人品牌等，还有许多幕后工作需要完成，才能让球星最终决定为当地MLS球队效力。
- 国际迈阿密如何签下德保罗，如何让他符合MLS的阵容规则
- 解读MLS的发现权：穆勒前往温哥华的额外步骤是什么？
- 传说中的孙兴慜即将加盟MLS，洛杉矶FC
追逐下一个穆勒，这些对话究竟是怎样的？通过对MLS内外一些人士的采访，让我们更深入地了解中小市场俱乐部的销售策略。
“阳光明媚的蓝天”
舒斯特坚称，首先也是最重要的是，穆勒被白帽队纯粹的竞技项目所打动。他指出，重要的是与俱乐部主教练进行了一次“45分钟纯粹战术性的足球谈话”。但这并不意味着球队的优美环境不重要，尤其是对于其他签约球员而言。
“我们是温哥华，这里有山脉和太平洋海滩，”体育总监说。“我们总是说：不要问我们，不要听我们的，直接去谷歌搜索一下世界上十大宜居城市……温哥华就会出现在搜索结果中。”
在加利福尼亚州的南部，扩张球队圣迭戈FC也有类似的考虑。该队刚刚斥资1.5亿美元建造了一座全新的训练基地，坐落在南加州一个点缀着棕榈树的山谷之中。
“第一天球员们来到这里时，看到他们的表情，即使是[墨西哥国脚]洛萨诺也不例外，”体育总监泰勒·希普斯告诉ESPN关于俱乐部优美的设施。“洛萨诺之前效力于埃因霍温，但事实是，你在这里可以看到阳光明媚的蓝天，周围都是群山环绕，而且还有这些令人难以置信的球场。”
对于联赛最新加入的球队而言，尽管其目前在西部联盟积分榜上名列前茅，但除了球场之外，位于边境城市的俱乐部的地理位置也是吸引巨星的重要因素之一。
“我们离墨西哥非常近，”希普斯说。“这也是他和家人的一大吸引力，让他在欧洲待了很长时间后，能够回到离家更近的地方。”
对于另一位丹麦籍球员安德斯·德雷耶尔而言，他是联赛中最具威胁力的进攻球员之一，俱乐部通过与其他已经签约的丹麦球员建立联系，并利用对俱乐部的了解，找到了共同点。此外，俱乐部还与丹麦姐妹俱乐部北西兰FC建立了联系。
与欧洲不同的是，这位边锋在表现不佳后也可以安心休息。
“安德斯曾在安德莱赫特效力，如果输掉一场比赛，你当晚就无法出门，因为球迷太疯狂了，”希普斯说。“我不是说我们的球迷不是这样，但我认为美国人的文化有点不同。我认为他可以过上自己想要的生活，所以他的家人感到安全，他自己也感到安全，他可以去做正常的事情。”
“他会被人认出来吗？当然会。我想这对他和洛萨诺来说是一样的……但这些球员都能过上更加正常的生活。”
如果这些球员想返回欧洲短暂旅行，东海岸的球队，比如北卡罗来纳州的夏洛特FC，就不太难提供通往旧日赛场的通道。
“他们仍然对夏洛特机场感到惊讶，因此飞往伦敦、巴黎、米兰和马德里的航班都是直飞，”夏洛特总经理佐兰·克尔内塔告诉ESPN关于美国航空公司的第二大枢纽机场。“这很有帮助。”
从老特拉福德到（几乎）美国心脏地带
在经历了长达二十年的辉煌岁月之后，五次金球奖得主、欧冠联赛历史最佳射手克里斯蒂亚诺·罗纳尔多差点在2023年加盟“平原上的巴黎”。
“罗纳尔do的事情显然是完全处于 the stratosphere,”前堪萨斯城体育总监彼得·韦尔梅斯告诉ESPN.
除了合同谈判，堪萨斯城的 discussions included lifestyle in Kansas City, discussions of style of play, and club infrastructure, they also talked about jersey sales, you are talking about sponsorship deals that will be coming in.
对于像罗纳udo, who is the most followed person on Instagram, who has helped sell products ranging from cologne to automotive lubricants to underwear.
“大卫·贝克汉姆是一个 perfect example. David Beckham came to America, I don’t want to speak for him, but everything that I understand, he came because it’s all about building his North American brand. It’s a lot of them. MLS, which is a little bit more than just the MLS, which is a big name, especially in Los Angeles, but San Diego FC, which is a small city, but with the team, we have a major league soccer, we’re going to Europe, but not in Los Angeles, but in Kansas City, where there is a big city, and the players can go to Europe, but the players are still in Kansas City, but they are not only, but they are here, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they are in Kansas City, and they
