Has the MLS finally arrived? Football takes on football in America!

Now that it's September, the football world is in full swing with matches galore. You saw Friday there was a masterclass by Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool as they stormed into London and won at Stamford Bridge.

With a weekend featuring plenty of fixtures, what should a football fan watch? On Sunday, there's a showdown between Hertha Berlin and Schalke. But that's on cable TV.  The only option on regular TV is Saturday's Everton-Boro clash on NBC.

Or is that the case? Because FOX TV has engineered a masterstroke Sunday by pitting MLS up against American football's NFL in a bid for ratings.  Sure you won't see Christian Pulisic but you may see Landon Donovan, IMOTGP reader Michael Bradley or Sacha Kljestan in this historic Sunday sure to get sports radio in the U.S. talking. 

Here are the details. FOX has one American NFL football game. If that game on your channel is late, you get to watch the LA Galaxy take on Sporting Kansas City to lead you into the action. Many sports fans will be ready to tune into Los Angeles Rams' return to California will first get an eye of the star-studded Galaxy with 31 percent of the country seeing that match.

If your NFL game is early, well it's the preamble to a mouth-watering New York Red Bulls-Toronto FC clash right after. That sets up perfectly for those watching New York Giants to not change the channel after that game is completed with 68 percent of the country enjoying the New York-Toronto football rivalry. One percent won't see the MLS.

FOX executive Bill Wanker explains what to expect (OK his name is really Wanger but this was too easy):

"I think this is going to be a great event for MLS - it's the first time we've ever done this, and the first time in MLS' history where there's regionalized coverage surrounding NFL games. And I think it's going to get a lot of attention, and it's great for the fans.

"You're going to get nice lead-ins in markets like, for example, New York City - we have a New York Giants football game that's going to lead into the New York Red Bulls. So it's a way for us to get a lot of exposure to MLS and it should be one of the top regular season games in a long time for MLS in terms of audience figures."

This is a game changer since the NFL is on the run after it was sacked in the ratings earlier this week.  American football has an optics problem with concussions, domestic violence and murder shadowing its murky world, with one player not even standing for the national anthem these days.

The MLS is responding with two, that's right TWO, national anthems Sunday in the New York-Toronto clash in an obvious slap in the face to the anthem antics by the NFL. Even more than that, it's time for the MLS to take a bite out of the NFL where it hurts - through its sponsors. This weekend represents a chance for football to finally take on football and you, the viewer, can help make change. The IMOTGP blog applauds the MLS for this bold move.