SEATTLE – Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber on Tuesday took dead aim at a controversial New York Times Magazine article questioning the diversity of MLS supporters’ culture, calling the article “factually incorrect” and “irresponsible.”
Garber spoke with the Seattle media about a wide range of topics while in town this week for a technology summit at Safeco Field, but his views on an article critical of the Seattle Sounders’ chief supporters group and claims of a lack of diversity therein drew arguably Garber’s strongest reaction.
Released online Tuesday, the article focused primarily on author Jay Caspian King’s recent visit with Seattle’s Emerald City Supporters, then attempted to draw parallels between ECS’ present-day culture with that of a 1980s group of a racially-charged Manchester United supporters and recent cultural clashes among England supporters while in France for this summer's Euro 2016 championship.