John E. Sokolowski – USA Today Sports
On Sunday, 10 of the starting MLS All-Star spots were announced based on fan voting. The last spot was left blank and was chosen via FIFA ’13.
MLS encouraged fans to hop on FIFA ’13 and score with the list of eligible players. Every goal scored by a player equaled one vote for that player. On Thursday, it was announced that Montreal Impact striker Marco Di Vaio earned the most votes, beating out second-place finisher Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Robbie Keane.
To begin with, this was a unique way to choose an All-Star spot, and I think it was a good move by MLS and EA Sports to team up. This is something I could see other major sports leagues like the NBA, MLB, and NHL integrate into their All-Star voting.
Di Vaio is currently tied with Mike Magee for most league goals with 11, with three of those goals coming against the Philadelphia Union. Magee already earned an All-Star nod, so it was not surprising to see the fans score the most goals with Di Vaio in FIFA ’13
The MLS All-Star starting 11 is now set thanks to fans scoring goals with players they felt deserved an All-Star Game nod. Unlike with some of the earlier fan voting, Di Vaio’s nod is well-deserved as he is one of the best strikers in MLS. Before we know it, the 2013 MLS All-Stars will be taking on AS Roma in front of Sporting Kansas City and MLS faithful.
