ZURICH. July 6: American prole -

sport derided by so many as a nonstarter in the la-

nd of baseball, basketball and American lootball, has taken off beyond all expectations, according to the leagues owners reports Reuter

Half way through Its first season. Major League Soccer (MLS) is drawing more fans to the stadium* and attracting a bigger television audience than It* creator* had dared to expect.

The 10-team professional league is in advance of all its major target* and has silenced detractor* who doubted it would ever happen after it* launch was postported twice

It took just 47 matches to draw a million fans six weeks earlier than predicted. Average crowd* are just under 20.000 when projection* were for 10.600 paying fans

MLS < hairman Alan Rot hen berg said the average at the end of the season was ex peeled to be between 16.000 and 18.000

"That * 40 60 per cent above projections which i* ter rifle be said

But MLS official* admitted the real te*t for the fledgling league which kicked off only in April will be next year

when it is no longer a curiosity driven by a huge marketing and publicity machine

"You couldn't ask for a bet ter start but at the same time none of us are saying the job is done and that we can sit back and rest on our laurel*.~ Rothenberg aald.

There s a lot of work to be done to keep it up and Improve on the standard But we couldn t be happier with the first half of our first season.

He said the league was ahead of it* projections on ticket revenues, sponsorship and licensing revenues, although It was by no means moving Into profit.

From a business stance It's very encouraging. It* been great and I would never complain about anything that* happened. It * ju*t been awe-•ome But I think of a truer test as being a year from now, he added

The United State* wa* awarded the 1994 World Cup by FIFA. *occer* governing body, on condition that a professional league be aet up before the final* Thal failed to materialise and then the projected 1996 kick -off wa* post poned to 1996

"For a few year* before the World Cup the media waa very negative, saying UFA had made a mistake awarding World Cup 94 to ■ Third World soccer

nation and that we d never pull , It off, said Rothenberg, the driving force behind the 1994 Wood Cup and the hugely sue cessful 1984 Olympic soccer tournament

"Well we did that but then there was the notion that a pro-league would never hap pen. that we would never get If off the ground." he said

But once the league started । and the fans flocked to watch the games, the media detrac tors were won over, said Rothenberg. In Zurich for a FIFA congress

The reaction ha* been uni versally positive. I have not read one commentary that has said that crowd* are not big enough They have been mostly positive or without opinion, he said

The play ha* been of high level and very entertaining and the fan* have reacted po*l

Television stations ESPN ■nd Spanish language channel Unlviaion are alao pulling more I viewera than either antici 1 paled

"ESPN are ahead of their target at the top end of their expectation* Unlviaion rating* are up the chart* MLS I* out drawing Mexican league game* which ha* been the mainstay ol Unlviaion * aport broadcast Ing. said Rothenberg