Welcome footy fans to my 8th annual MLS season preview. Last season I went for the long form preview, a specified blog for each club. This season I'll give a brief overview as what to watch for each team, as well as my world famous (hey, people outside the US will read this, so I'll stick to my claim) season predictions. Lets get stuck in...
CHICAGO FIRE: Veljko Paunovic joins the Fire as their 5th manager in the past seven seasons. With a complete retooling of their lineup, the major question this season will be, can Paunovic turn the worst team in the league into a respectable bunch? There are still major questions about the new look side, what formation will work best for them, and will yet another management change from the front office down to the coach have the desired effect?
COLORADO RAPIDS: Manager Pablo Mastroeni is entering his third season in Colorado, stunning when you consider how dire the team has been during his first two seasons. After scoring only 33 goals in 34 matches last year, John Spencer has been brought in as an offensive guru for the club. With much turnover yet again, its hard to see what the Rapids can do to become relevant again. One attempt they are making is to bring in USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard from Everton in the summer on a DP salary. Yep, their entire season seems to hinge on John Spencer adding goals and Tim Howard coming in the summer to stop leaking them. Seriously.
COLUMBUS CREW SC: With minimal subtractions and depth additions, along with a new DP contract for Kei Kamara, last seasons MLS Cup runners up look set to pick up where they left off. With a solid young foundation only getting better as each season progresses, there are only two real questions marks regarding the Crew. First, can the few aging stars on the club, Higuain, Kamara, and Parkhurst, maintain their high levels of performance as they add an extra season to their legs, and two, can season three of Gregg Berhalter be as effective as the first two.
DC UNITED: Luciano Acosta. The entire season for DC may come down to how well the Boca Juniors loanee Acosta adjusts to MLS and his new teammates. MLS All Time foul sufferer Davy Arnaud needed to retire from the side due to concussions, but he has joined the coaching staff. Former LA Galaxy and Colorado Rapids man, Marcelo Sarvas, looks to fill the gap.
FC DALLAS: Fabian Castillo. Maxi Urruti. Mauro Diaz. Jesse Gonzalez. Mauro Rosales. Carlos Gruezo. Acosta. Hedges. Akindele. Manager Oscar Pereja. What more do you need to know? Dallas is the one team in the stacked West capable of winning the Supporters Shield. Will Castillo find himself leaving in the summer as the largest transfer fee ever paid for an MLS player? Could be, but anyway you slice it, Dallas is the team to watch this season. I just wish they didn't play in the middle of nowhere.
HOUSTON DYNAMO: Owen Coyle enters season two in Houston, and many are left wondering what exactly he is bringing to the table other than being a less MLS successful version of Dom Kinnear. This season there are two major questions apart from the manager which will tell the tale of the Dynamo's season. One, will Cubo Torres put a poor loan spell and assault allegations from 2015 behind him and return to his Chivas USA form for the Dynamo? And two, will Christian Maidana be the spark that gets Houston into the playoffs, or the spark that sees them falter even below last seasons mediocre performances.
LA GALAXY: Bruce Arena enters into the last season of his contract in LA by selling Omar Gonzalez and Juninho to Mexican clubs, but adding veteran European talent in Nigel De Jong, Ca$hley Cole, and Jelle Van Damm, veteran MLS talent in Dan Kennedy, Mike Magee, Jeff Larentowicz, as well as Ghanian Emmanuel Boateng. Will they have the legs to last a season in MLS packed with travel and weather? One thing I know for certain, never under estimate Bruce Arena, even when he makes "crazy" decisions like brining in Cole.
MONTREAL IMPACT: Will Didier Drogba play more or less than 14 games this season? Thats where I place the over/under. With him, they are a title contender. Without him, they are a mediocre side. How often Drogba plays, if he still has the legs, and if Cameron Porter comes back and hits the ground running in Drogue's absence may tell the tale of the season.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION: Out goes Jermaine Jones and his DP salary. In comes Gershon Koffie. Newly signed DP mid Xavier Kouassi suffered injury seeing out his contract in Switzerland, and will miss the beginning of the season. Apart from that, not much has changed in New England.
NEW YORK CITY FC: Patrick Viera. Patrick Viera. Patrick Viera. Manchester City would love for Viera to prove himself in MLS before replacing Pep Guardiola in the City hot seat in a few seasons time, but the chances seem slim based on the history of managers new to MLS, let alone the game itself apart from Man City's youth team. NYCFC is still to me a hopelessly unbalanced team, with Pirlo, Lampard, and Villa yet to gel. While Villa had his moments, and Lampard wasn't awful, Pirlo was awful. And while they are in the team with their old legs, younger talents like Mix and Poku are going to be riding the bench. Another major concern this season for NYCFC will be how those ancient legs respond to counter attacks. I smell another mediocre season, but the fallout should be fun to watch.
NEW YORK RED BULLS: Matt Miazga exits for Chelsea while Gideon Baah enters. Apart from that, last seasons Supporter's Shield winners are remarkably the same. Will the league have figured them out, or will Jesse Marsch add enough new wrinkles to keep the train rolling down the tracks?
ORLANDO CITY SC: Antonio Nocerino comes in, as well as Kevin Alston. Apart from that, the one major change Orlando will hope for in 2016 is Kevin Molino being healthy for the entire season. While Orlando had a decent first season, Kaka isn't in MLS to not make the playoffs.
PHILADELPHIA UNION: After a decade in the Netherlands building teams on a budget, the Earnie Stewart era begins in Philly. Youth and undervalued talent seem to be his aims in season one. Will it give the Sons of Ben the winner they deserve? Will Jim Curtain last the season? The experiment will be interesting to watch.
PORTLAND TIMBERS FC: Last seasons Champions, Portland has seen the exits of Will Johnson, Maxi Urutti, Rodney Wallace, and Jorge Villafana. In the always competitive West, its hard to look at Portland and say they are better than last season. While a lot of talent remains, its hard to see a repeat performance in a parity filled MLS.
REAL SALT LAKE: Yura Movsisyan and El Burrito enter as Gil and Jamie exit. While boring boring RSL finished 9th in the West last season, they did evolve into a 4-3-3 formation down the stretch. With a healthy Plata and the new additions, RSL should be fighting for the playoffs.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: It won't be pretty, but it may be affective. Um... yeah.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC: Obafemi Martins leaves for China as Jordan Morris finally turns pro and enters MLS with Seattle. With a DP slot to fill come summer, the Sounders we see the first half of the season may not be exactly as it is come the end of the season. With the money spent and the fan support they have garnered, for me, it is do or die this season for Sigi Schmid. Win or retire. Even if by force.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY: MLS goal of the year winner Krisztian Nemeth takes his 16 goals to Qatar, making many ask where the goals will come from apart from Dom Dwyer, leading to the acquisition of new man Nuno Andre Coelho. And the service to the front men will be improved with the depth added through MLS veterans Justin Mapp and Brad Davis. Sporting should be solid in 2016, if not must see TV.
TORONTO FC: Last season on the back of the Atomic Ant, Toronto made the playoffs for the first time. While solid up front with Giovinco, the newly slimmed Jozy Altidore, and Michael Bradley, the defense was flawed at best. This year they look to take advantage of a weak East by solidifying the back through Drew Moor, Clint Irwin, Will Johnson, and Steven Beitashour. If they can survive injuries and summer internationals, this could be the year TFC makes a serious run.
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC: The caps were a young, solid, and entertaining side last season, and apart from the subtraction of Gershon Koffie in the mid, they seem to be all set to keep up last seasons good work. They added depth up front with Blas Perez and Masato Kudo, and midfield talent with Christian Bolanos. If you're looking for an MLS team to adopt, this could be it. Think of them as a Canadian Tottenham Hotspur.
So now its time for all of my gloriously inaccurate predictions.(Its MLS, batting .500 is amazing) First, my general thoughts, followed by my final predictions...
WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS: Its a straight battle between FC Dallas and Vancouver Whitecaps. LA and Seattle are built for the playoffs, and perhaps not the long grind of a season.
EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS: Columbus, NYRB, and TFC. Only the Revs are even near the conversation.
SUPPORTER'S SHIELD WINNER: Dallas, Vancouver, Columbus, NYRB, or TFC.
US OPEN CUP WINNER: Sporting KC, Philly, Seattle, or Portland.
LEAGUE MVP: Kei Kamara, Sebastian Giovinco, Robbie Keane, David Villa, Fabian Castillo.
WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS:
FC Dallas
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Sporting KC
LA Galaxy
Portland Timbers
Houston Dynamo
Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes
Colorado Rapids
EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS:
Columbus Crew SC
New York Red Bulls
Toronto FC
New England Revolution
Montreal Impact
DC United
Orlando City SC
New York City FC
Philadelphia Union
Chicago Fire
SUPPORTER'S SHIELD WINNER: FC Dallas
MLS CUP WINNER: LA Galaxy
US OPEN CUP WINNER: Portland Timbers FC
LEAGUE MVP: Robbie Keane
Thank you for reading my 8th annual MLS Season preview. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to let me know. It should be a great season in MLS.
Until next time, remember, MLS Matters.
Showing posts with label Major League Soccer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Major League Soccer. Show all posts
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Thursday, May 7, 2015
THE 7 YEAR PLAN: THE PATH TO BECOMING A "TOP" LEAGUE
Last week I was asked a simple question, "What will it take for MLS clubs to regularly win CONCACAF Champions League?". My instantaneous response was "Money, depth". I stand by this statement, but upon reflection, I pondered the road to Don Garber's "top league" prediction, and how becoming the dominant league in North America went hand in hand with most MLS fans CCL dreams.
I asked myself a few questions:
1) How do we get technically gifted serviceable pros to choose MLS or Liga MX?
2) If the money is equal, would players rather live in the US, Mexico, Belgium, etc?
3) Can a league become a "top" league in North America and the World while having a salary cap?
4) Does the current MLS DP structure help or harm the growth of MLS?
5) How much money would legitimately need to be spent to reach the goals of MLS and its fans?
6) Can a league become a "top" league in North America and the World when based on parity?
7) What would an increased salary cap mean for American players?
Earlier this week ESPN commentator and pundit Taylor "Big Head" Twellman posted the team salary breakdown of two Liga MX and two MLS clubs. One comparison was on the low end of spending, $6,500,000. The MLS side spent $3,000,000 of their budget on one player, with the next highest earner making $450,000. There was a precipitous drop as you then went down through the squad. The Liga MX side had three earners tied for their top spot, making $515,000, with a slow drop down through the entire squad.
The second example was of higher spending sides. The Liga MX side had a salary budget of $13,000,000. One player earned over 2 million, and only 4 players earned over a million, with a slow and steady drop down through the squad. The MLS side had a budget of $12,500,000. The top three highest paid players made nearly 10 million, leaving the rest of the squad to split 2.5 million.
Twellman's point, was that looking at the pay of the squads, without seeing a single player's name or position, you know which squad more often than not would beat the other. One side relied on a few quality players (he made no comments about being overpaid) and nearly a complete squad of lower talents, while the other had a balanced squad of decent quality.
Before I address the questions I asked myself earlier in the article, I will show you the end point, what I came up with, and then back track to the answers I came up with. While no plan is perfect, and mine may contain some flaws, I feel it would be a great step for MLS to find themselves as not only the best league in North America by 2022, but also one of the best in the world.
YEAR ONE: $6,000,000 salary cap, 3 designated player spots available. (Using current DP salary cap rules and a hard salary cap.)
YEAR TWO: $7,000,000 salary cap, 3 designated player spots available.
YEAR THREE: $8,000,000 salary cap, 2 designated player spots available.
YEAR FOUR: $9,000,000 salary cap, 2 designated player spots available.
YEAR FIVE: $10,000,000 salary cap, 1 designated player spot available.
YEAR SIX: $11,000,000 salary cap, 1 designated player spot available.
YEAR SEVEN: $12,000,000 salary cap, 0 designated player spots available.
Despite the "hard" salary cap, for those who wish to spend more, there will be a luxury tax, which will then get split evenly between the non-cap offenders. Offending teams will pay a fixed percentage based on the amount of which they over spend.
YEAR 1 and 2: 10% of over salary cap expenditure.
YEAR 3 and 4: 15% of over salary cap expenditure.
YEAR 5 and 6: 20% of over salary cap expenditure.
YEAR 7 and Beyond: 25% of over salary cap expenditure.
While the league will have a salary maximum, it will also have a salary minimum spend, which will include the MLS player salaries, as well as academy and/or USL salary expenditures, with USL salary expenditures currently hovering around $1,000,000 to $1,500,000 for most MLS sides with a USL club. A minimum spend seems necessary if the league would like to remain competitive and offer parity.
YEAR 1: $4,000,000 minimum
YEAR 2: $4,500,000 minimum
YEAR 3: $5,000,000 minimum
YEAR 4: $5,500,000 minimum
YEAR 5: $6,000,000 minimum
YEAR 6: $6,500,000 minimum
YEAR 7 and Beyond: $7,000,000 minimum
A feature of my plan which has been discussed by fans for many years, is performance bonuses.
SUPPORTERS SHIELD WINNER: An extra $500,000 of salary cap space for the season following a Supporters Shield victory.
CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNER: An extra $500,000 of salary cap space for the next two seasons following a CCL victory.
While not perfect, I believe this basic outline would be the best starting point MLS has ever had when it comes to achieving their goals. Revenue would increase through the gates, and television ratings and money would follow. Even a slightly higher standard is what many soccer fans, who are not MLS fans, are dying for in the US.
Earlier I asked myself some questions, and I would now like to do my best to convey to you what I truly believe are the answers, and how my salary structure plan would affect such answers.
1)HOW DO WE GET TECHNICALLY GIFTED SERVICEABLE PROS TO CHOOSE MLS OVER LIGA MX?
Money. Plain and simple. A member of the starting eleven, substitutes bench, or just added squad depth, your salary could be double or more in Mexico what it would be in MLS, based in large part to the current salary cap structure.
2) IF THE MONEY WAS EQUAL, WOULD PLAYERS RATHER LIVE IN THE US, MEXICO, BELGIUM, ETC?
While some player would surely have an affinity for one country over another, based on place of birth, language spoken, or any other number of factors, I firmly believe that all things being equal, the lifestyle of the US would be preferred by the majority of players.
3) CAN A LEAGUE BECOME A "TOP" LEAGUE IN NORTH AMERICA OR THE WORLD WHILE HAVING A SALARY CAP?
Yes. While fans crave success for their clubs, they also crave financial stability. Knowing your team will be around for years to come without financial concerns is of the utmost importance. Also, the salary cap I proposed allows for MLS clubs to compete on equal or superior standing to most Liga MX clubs. A healthy cap does not have to mean poor quality or low expenditures.
4) DOES THE CURRENT MLS DP STRUCTURE HELP OR HARM THE GROWTH OF MLS?
Both. While David Beckham, Robbie Keane, Clint Dempsey, Ricardo Kaka, or Frank Lampard help expose the league to a wider audience, while also bringing in outside interest and allegiances, even if only briefly, top heavy squads where one player sitting in a dressing room is making several million a year, while the person next to him is making $60,000 is not the best scenario for team chemistry or success. The top heavy structure created by current DP rules in the end is doing more harm than good when it comes to broader success on a continental level.
5) HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD LEGITIMATELY NEED TO BE SPENT TO REACH THE GOALS OF MLS AND ITS FANS?
With a current cap hovering around $3,500,000 and most MLS clubs spending on DP's doubling that amount, I believe doubling current spending will more than do the trick. MLS, despite its critics is a decent standard and has much more entertainment and quality than many would give it credit for. Allowing salary space to improve depth and starting eleven quality, would surely take MLS from a point of struggling to achieve its goals, to achieving them with hard work, but more ease.
6) CAN A LEAGUE BECOME A "TOP" LEAGUE IN NORTH AMERICAN AND THE WORLD WHEN BASED ON PARITY?
Possibly, but most likely, no. Soccer, like everything, needs heroes and villains. It needs the have and have-nots. It needs teams pushing the boundaries and setting the standard. It needs teams whose answer for success is spending money, while others build through youth and system to achieve its goals. While MLS can have a salary cap and parity, it has always had spenders and non-spenders. Adding a cap that is open but includes a luxury tax allows for clubs to spend anything they desire, while helping those who do not have the money to spend. It is conceivable that by 2022, a team like Columbus could have 1/7 of its minimum spend paid for by their share of the luxury tax. Its not hard to imagine six teams spending twenty million on salary, paying a $2,000,000 penalty apiece.
7) WHAT WOULD AN INCREASED SALARY CAP MEAN FOR AMERICAN PLAYERS?
I believe it would help and harm Americans attempting to ply their trade in their home league. On the positive side, stiffer competition would lead to more American players being forced to raise their game and compete for a position in the starting eleven or squad. Those who make it would be of a higher calibre than those who could make a squad today. The harm would come in fewer Americans playing their trade in MLS, a league which is already half foreign. Part of any new collective bargaining agreement and fresh salary cap structure could include home grown player minimums in an attempt to make academy and USL expenditures worthwhile.
Overall, I believe its time MLS stepped up its game and stopped hiding behind manufactured losses while hiding profits in a group account which doesn't show up on their books when it comes to the bottom line. The time to make the move and show its here to stay is now.
The plan however is not complete, nor is it flawless. If you have any comments, suggestions, or a plan of your own, please let me know.
Thank you for taking the time to read my piece, and as always, remember, MLS Matters.
If you would like to reach into the archives and see what I was saying about league parity two years ago, feel free to check out my piece "Parity or Parody" here... mlsmatters.blogspot.com/2013/09/parity-or-parody.html
I asked myself a few questions:
1) How do we get technically gifted serviceable pros to choose MLS or Liga MX?
2) If the money is equal, would players rather live in the US, Mexico, Belgium, etc?
3) Can a league become a "top" league in North America and the World while having a salary cap?
4) Does the current MLS DP structure help or harm the growth of MLS?
5) How much money would legitimately need to be spent to reach the goals of MLS and its fans?
6) Can a league become a "top" league in North America and the World when based on parity?
7) What would an increased salary cap mean for American players?
Earlier this week ESPN commentator and pundit Taylor "Big Head" Twellman posted the team salary breakdown of two Liga MX and two MLS clubs. One comparison was on the low end of spending, $6,500,000. The MLS side spent $3,000,000 of their budget on one player, with the next highest earner making $450,000. There was a precipitous drop as you then went down through the squad. The Liga MX side had three earners tied for their top spot, making $515,000, with a slow drop down through the entire squad.
The second example was of higher spending sides. The Liga MX side had a salary budget of $13,000,000. One player earned over 2 million, and only 4 players earned over a million, with a slow and steady drop down through the squad. The MLS side had a budget of $12,500,000. The top three highest paid players made nearly 10 million, leaving the rest of the squad to split 2.5 million.
Twellman's point, was that looking at the pay of the squads, without seeing a single player's name or position, you know which squad more often than not would beat the other. One side relied on a few quality players (he made no comments about being overpaid) and nearly a complete squad of lower talents, while the other had a balanced squad of decent quality.
Before I address the questions I asked myself earlier in the article, I will show you the end point, what I came up with, and then back track to the answers I came up with. While no plan is perfect, and mine may contain some flaws, I feel it would be a great step for MLS to find themselves as not only the best league in North America by 2022, but also one of the best in the world.
YEAR ONE: $6,000,000 salary cap, 3 designated player spots available. (Using current DP salary cap rules and a hard salary cap.)
YEAR TWO: $7,000,000 salary cap, 3 designated player spots available.
YEAR THREE: $8,000,000 salary cap, 2 designated player spots available.
YEAR FOUR: $9,000,000 salary cap, 2 designated player spots available.
YEAR FIVE: $10,000,000 salary cap, 1 designated player spot available.
YEAR SIX: $11,000,000 salary cap, 1 designated player spot available.
YEAR SEVEN: $12,000,000 salary cap, 0 designated player spots available.
Despite the "hard" salary cap, for those who wish to spend more, there will be a luxury tax, which will then get split evenly between the non-cap offenders. Offending teams will pay a fixed percentage based on the amount of which they over spend.
YEAR 1 and 2: 10% of over salary cap expenditure.
YEAR 3 and 4: 15% of over salary cap expenditure.
YEAR 5 and 6: 20% of over salary cap expenditure.
YEAR 7 and Beyond: 25% of over salary cap expenditure.
While the league will have a salary maximum, it will also have a salary minimum spend, which will include the MLS player salaries, as well as academy and/or USL salary expenditures, with USL salary expenditures currently hovering around $1,000,000 to $1,500,000 for most MLS sides with a USL club. A minimum spend seems necessary if the league would like to remain competitive and offer parity.
YEAR 1: $4,000,000 minimum
YEAR 2: $4,500,000 minimum
YEAR 3: $5,000,000 minimum
YEAR 4: $5,500,000 minimum
YEAR 5: $6,000,000 minimum
YEAR 6: $6,500,000 minimum
YEAR 7 and Beyond: $7,000,000 minimum
A feature of my plan which has been discussed by fans for many years, is performance bonuses.
SUPPORTERS SHIELD WINNER: An extra $500,000 of salary cap space for the season following a Supporters Shield victory.
CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNER: An extra $500,000 of salary cap space for the next two seasons following a CCL victory.
While not perfect, I believe this basic outline would be the best starting point MLS has ever had when it comes to achieving their goals. Revenue would increase through the gates, and television ratings and money would follow. Even a slightly higher standard is what many soccer fans, who are not MLS fans, are dying for in the US.
Earlier I asked myself some questions, and I would now like to do my best to convey to you what I truly believe are the answers, and how my salary structure plan would affect such answers.
1)HOW DO WE GET TECHNICALLY GIFTED SERVICEABLE PROS TO CHOOSE MLS OVER LIGA MX?
Money. Plain and simple. A member of the starting eleven, substitutes bench, or just added squad depth, your salary could be double or more in Mexico what it would be in MLS, based in large part to the current salary cap structure.
2) IF THE MONEY WAS EQUAL, WOULD PLAYERS RATHER LIVE IN THE US, MEXICO, BELGIUM, ETC?
While some player would surely have an affinity for one country over another, based on place of birth, language spoken, or any other number of factors, I firmly believe that all things being equal, the lifestyle of the US would be preferred by the majority of players.
3) CAN A LEAGUE BECOME A "TOP" LEAGUE IN NORTH AMERICA OR THE WORLD WHILE HAVING A SALARY CAP?
Yes. While fans crave success for their clubs, they also crave financial stability. Knowing your team will be around for years to come without financial concerns is of the utmost importance. Also, the salary cap I proposed allows for MLS clubs to compete on equal or superior standing to most Liga MX clubs. A healthy cap does not have to mean poor quality or low expenditures.
4) DOES THE CURRENT MLS DP STRUCTURE HELP OR HARM THE GROWTH OF MLS?
Both. While David Beckham, Robbie Keane, Clint Dempsey, Ricardo Kaka, or Frank Lampard help expose the league to a wider audience, while also bringing in outside interest and allegiances, even if only briefly, top heavy squads where one player sitting in a dressing room is making several million a year, while the person next to him is making $60,000 is not the best scenario for team chemistry or success. The top heavy structure created by current DP rules in the end is doing more harm than good when it comes to broader success on a continental level.
5) HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD LEGITIMATELY NEED TO BE SPENT TO REACH THE GOALS OF MLS AND ITS FANS?
With a current cap hovering around $3,500,000 and most MLS clubs spending on DP's doubling that amount, I believe doubling current spending will more than do the trick. MLS, despite its critics is a decent standard and has much more entertainment and quality than many would give it credit for. Allowing salary space to improve depth and starting eleven quality, would surely take MLS from a point of struggling to achieve its goals, to achieving them with hard work, but more ease.
6) CAN A LEAGUE BECOME A "TOP" LEAGUE IN NORTH AMERICAN AND THE WORLD WHEN BASED ON PARITY?
Possibly, but most likely, no. Soccer, like everything, needs heroes and villains. It needs the have and have-nots. It needs teams pushing the boundaries and setting the standard. It needs teams whose answer for success is spending money, while others build through youth and system to achieve its goals. While MLS can have a salary cap and parity, it has always had spenders and non-spenders. Adding a cap that is open but includes a luxury tax allows for clubs to spend anything they desire, while helping those who do not have the money to spend. It is conceivable that by 2022, a team like Columbus could have 1/7 of its minimum spend paid for by their share of the luxury tax. Its not hard to imagine six teams spending twenty million on salary, paying a $2,000,000 penalty apiece.
7) WHAT WOULD AN INCREASED SALARY CAP MEAN FOR AMERICAN PLAYERS?
I believe it would help and harm Americans attempting to ply their trade in their home league. On the positive side, stiffer competition would lead to more American players being forced to raise their game and compete for a position in the starting eleven or squad. Those who make it would be of a higher calibre than those who could make a squad today. The harm would come in fewer Americans playing their trade in MLS, a league which is already half foreign. Part of any new collective bargaining agreement and fresh salary cap structure could include home grown player minimums in an attempt to make academy and USL expenditures worthwhile.
Overall, I believe its time MLS stepped up its game and stopped hiding behind manufactured losses while hiding profits in a group account which doesn't show up on their books when it comes to the bottom line. The time to make the move and show its here to stay is now.
The plan however is not complete, nor is it flawless. If you have any comments, suggestions, or a plan of your own, please let me know.
Thank you for taking the time to read my piece, and as always, remember, MLS Matters.
If you would like to reach into the archives and see what I was saying about league parity two years ago, feel free to check out my piece "Parity or Parody" here... mlsmatters.blogspot.com/2013/09/parity-or-parody.html
Friday, May 1, 2015
WEEK 9
Welcome back to MLS Matters. It was another great week of MLS action in week 8, and week 9 has some fantastic match-ups on tap. Without any further ado, lets get stuck in...
WEEK 8 RESULTS:
CHICAGO FIRE 1-0 NEW YORK CITY FC
COLORADO RAPIDS 1-1 FC DALLAS
COLUMBUS CREW SC 4-1 PHILADELPHIA UNION
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 4-0 REAL SALT LAKE
HOUSTON DYNAMO 4-4 SPORTINBG KANSAS CITY
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 1-2 DC UNITED
NEW YORK RED BULLS 1-1 LA GALAXY
ORLANDO CITY SC 0-2 TORONTO FC
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 1-0 PORTLAND TIMBERS FC
TALKING POINT: Goals, Goals, Goals
Last Saturday was goal night in MLS. First, Columbus put four past the Union, conceding one themselves. Then, the Revs embarrassed RSL with a 4-0 thumping. Then, Houston and KC topped it off with a 4-4 thriller.
Columbus has a quality side, and they showed it against a weak Union side. Its hard to imagine a better front four in MLS than Kamara, Higuain, Finley, and Meram. Put it together with a solid mid of Tchani/Trapp/Saed and your front men are free to express themselves. Combine that with a solid defense that contains one of the most exciting fullbacks in the league in Waylon Francis, and Columbus is built to excite. This won't be the last time they score four this season.
The Revs are finally clicking as Jones returns from his injury break, and the pace of Agudelo out wide and his combining with Davies and Rowe makes for an exciting and effective front triumvirate. Even at home, putting four past RSL is an accomplishment. New England are built for the long haul and Supporters Shield contention.
Houston and KC may not have been a defensive master class, but it surely was entertaining. A match that had a little bit of everything, from late goals to red cards, this match was the perfect capper to a three match swing that saw seventeen goals.
BEST PERSON/PEOPLE OF THE WEEK: COLUMBUS CREW MEDICAL AND COACHING STAFF
Last week I had a worst person of the week, but decided this week to give some props to the good guys. After having a calf injury that kept him out of action, Crew mid Will Trapp complained of concussion like symptoms. After taking more time off, he played in a tough battle against Vancouver after being cleared to play again, but came off at the half after complaining of dizziness and fatigue, missing the past several weeks. Having been cleared medically again to play, Trapp and the medical and coaching staff have decided to take it slow, not willing to rush his return.
In this day and age, where concussions are still taken lightly despite increased scrutiny, its great to see a club take the cautious route. Bravo.
WEEK 9 POWER RANKINGS:
1) NEW YORK RED BULLS 13 POINTS ON 7 PLAYED (UP 1)
2) VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 16 POINTS ON 9 PLAYED (DOWN 1)
3) DC UNITED 14 POINTS ON 7 PLAYED (UP 1)
4) FC DALLAS 14 POINTS ON 8 PLAYED (DOWN 1)
5) NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 14 POINTS ON 8 PLAYED (UP 1)
6) SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 13 POINTS ON 7 PLAYED (UP 1)
7) LA GALAXY 12 POINTS ON 8 PLAYES (DOWN 1)
7) COLUMBUS CREW SC 11 POINTS ON 7 PLAYED (NEW)
WEEK 9 PREDICTIONS:
NEW YORK RED BULLS 1-1 COLORADO RAPIDS: Mid-week clash, NY needed a late penalty to nick the draw against a game Colorado side.
HOUSTON DYNAMO 1-1 FC DALLAS: The return of the Texas derby to the Western Conference, Dallas has come out on top in the last two high scoring affairs, while the previous two lower scoring affairs saw Houston take the bragging rights. The first of a Friday night Unimas double header, Jair Marrufo is the man in the middle, as Mauro Diaz enters the game fresh off his first goal of the season, while Brad Davis now holds third place in MLS assists for his career. Should be a fun way to start the week.
REAL SALT LAKE 2-1 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: The second half of the Unimas double header, RSL enters having beat the Quakes twice in a row, with two draws in the previous meetings. Meanwhile, RSL hasn't scored in over 300 minutes and comes in after getting hammered on the road last week. The Quakes enter after a week off, plenty of time to stew over their loss to NYRB the week before. 0-0 is a smart bet, but my trick elbow feels a few late goals will settle the affair.
PHILADELPHIA UNION 0-1 TORONTO FC: The Union enter having not lost to Toronto since 2012, winning four of the seven meetings since. Toronto, have yet to record a single victory in Philly, having been out scored 3-1 on Union soil all time. In what could be a dire match to watch, I expect Toronto to break their duck and finally get into the winners circle in Philly.
DC UNITED 2-1 COLUMBUS CREW SC: The one match this week I wouldn't miss for the world, the Crew enter having not lost to DC in five matches, winning the last three in a row. DC sits three points above Columbus in the table on the same number of matches played, and have a five match unbeaten streak going this season in the league, while Columbus have won two in a row themselves. The Crew have taken a point in all three all time visits to DC. Baldomero Toledo is the man in the middle. Should be a hell of a match between two of the best in the East.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 1-2 NEW YORK RED BULLS: The Revs have won two in a row and are unbeaten in five, and unbeaten in their last twelve home league matches. New York enter on the back of a draw in the midweek at home against Colorado. In what is always a tightly contested affair, this should be a good one.
LA GALAXY 2-0 COLORADO RAPIDS: After a trio of Rapids victories, LA has won the last two meetings between these two conference rivals, with LA thumping Colorado 6-0 in their last meeting. In the absence of their star, LA has found new talent in Bardes clone Bradford Jamieson IV. The Rapids got a quality result on the road midweek, but with a cross country trip and two matches in four days, expect LA to get the job done.
PORTLAND TIMBERS FC 1-1 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC: The two Cascadia rivals have seen the home team win their last two meetings, with the road team winning the two previous match ups. Neither team enters on a winning note, both suffering a loss last weekend. Vancouvers two wins in the last four meetings between these two being their only victories in twelve MLS meetings between the rivals, Portland will look to keep the advantage going as Vancouver are without midfield general Matias Laba. This match is second on my list of must watch matches this weekend.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 1-1 CHICAGO FIRE: The home team has won three of the last four meetings between these two midwestern rivals, in what will be the ESPN2 Sunday match of the week. The Fire have back to back shutouts, while DP David Accam scored his first MLS goal last week, but they haven't won in KC since 2012.
NEW YORK CITY FC 0-2 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC: The first ever meeting between these two will be FS1's Sunday Night match of the week. New York enters without a win in six matches, while the Sounders come in with two victories on the bounce. This will be the only meeting between these two all season.
INJURY REPORT:
OUT:
Chicago: Magee and Nyarko
Colorado: Sarvas and Burch
DC United: Halsti, Johnson, Birnbaum, and Martin
FC Dallas: Craft and Keel
LA Galaxy: Perk, Keane, Villarreal
Montreal: Porter, Mapp, Crepeau, and Lopez
New England: Barnes
NYCFC: John, Taylore, and Calle
Orlando: Hall, Ribeiro, and Paterson
Philly: Bird
Portland: Zemanski
RSL: Plata and Schuler
San Jose: Sherrod and Lenhart
TFC: Simonin, Caldwell, and Bendick
Vancouver: Lewis and Bustos
QUESTIONABLE:
Chicago: Stephens
Colorado: Moor
Columbus: Trapp, Speas, and Pogatetz
DC United: Hamid
Houston: Garcia
LA Galaxy: Walker and Leonardo
New England: Goncalves, Kobayashi, and Nguyen
NYCFC: Villa, Nemec, and Hernandez
NYRB: Zubar
Orlando: Neal and Cascio
Philly: Aristeguieta, Nogueira, Vitoria, Carroll, Lee
Portland: Valeri, Johnson, Wallace, Nanchoff, and Asprilla
RSL: Jamie, Rimando, Morales, and Okwuonu
San Jose: Stewart
Sporting KC: Myers
TFC: Bloom
Vancouver: Rodriguez
Its been a stellar eight weeks so far in MLS, and week nine looks to keep that momentum going. There are several playoff previews this week, and the time to get stuck in is now. Thank you for reading, and remember, as always, MLS Matters.
WEEK 8 RESULTS:
CHICAGO FIRE 1-0 NEW YORK CITY FC
COLORADO RAPIDS 1-1 FC DALLAS
COLUMBUS CREW SC 4-1 PHILADELPHIA UNION
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 4-0 REAL SALT LAKE
HOUSTON DYNAMO 4-4 SPORTINBG KANSAS CITY
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 1-2 DC UNITED
NEW YORK RED BULLS 1-1 LA GALAXY
ORLANDO CITY SC 0-2 TORONTO FC
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 1-0 PORTLAND TIMBERS FC
TALKING POINT: Goals, Goals, Goals
Last Saturday was goal night in MLS. First, Columbus put four past the Union, conceding one themselves. Then, the Revs embarrassed RSL with a 4-0 thumping. Then, Houston and KC topped it off with a 4-4 thriller.
Columbus has a quality side, and they showed it against a weak Union side. Its hard to imagine a better front four in MLS than Kamara, Higuain, Finley, and Meram. Put it together with a solid mid of Tchani/Trapp/Saed and your front men are free to express themselves. Combine that with a solid defense that contains one of the most exciting fullbacks in the league in Waylon Francis, and Columbus is built to excite. This won't be the last time they score four this season.
The Revs are finally clicking as Jones returns from his injury break, and the pace of Agudelo out wide and his combining with Davies and Rowe makes for an exciting and effective front triumvirate. Even at home, putting four past RSL is an accomplishment. New England are built for the long haul and Supporters Shield contention.
Houston and KC may not have been a defensive master class, but it surely was entertaining. A match that had a little bit of everything, from late goals to red cards, this match was the perfect capper to a three match swing that saw seventeen goals.
BEST PERSON/PEOPLE OF THE WEEK: COLUMBUS CREW MEDICAL AND COACHING STAFF
Last week I had a worst person of the week, but decided this week to give some props to the good guys. After having a calf injury that kept him out of action, Crew mid Will Trapp complained of concussion like symptoms. After taking more time off, he played in a tough battle against Vancouver after being cleared to play again, but came off at the half after complaining of dizziness and fatigue, missing the past several weeks. Having been cleared medically again to play, Trapp and the medical and coaching staff have decided to take it slow, not willing to rush his return.
In this day and age, where concussions are still taken lightly despite increased scrutiny, its great to see a club take the cautious route. Bravo.
WEEK 9 POWER RANKINGS:
1) NEW YORK RED BULLS 13 POINTS ON 7 PLAYED (UP 1)
2) VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 16 POINTS ON 9 PLAYED (DOWN 1)
3) DC UNITED 14 POINTS ON 7 PLAYED (UP 1)
4) FC DALLAS 14 POINTS ON 8 PLAYED (DOWN 1)
5) NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 14 POINTS ON 8 PLAYED (UP 1)
6) SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 13 POINTS ON 7 PLAYED (UP 1)
7) LA GALAXY 12 POINTS ON 8 PLAYES (DOWN 1)
7) COLUMBUS CREW SC 11 POINTS ON 7 PLAYED (NEW)
WEEK 9 PREDICTIONS:
NEW YORK RED BULLS 1-1 COLORADO RAPIDS: Mid-week clash, NY needed a late penalty to nick the draw against a game Colorado side.
HOUSTON DYNAMO 1-1 FC DALLAS: The return of the Texas derby to the Western Conference, Dallas has come out on top in the last two high scoring affairs, while the previous two lower scoring affairs saw Houston take the bragging rights. The first of a Friday night Unimas double header, Jair Marrufo is the man in the middle, as Mauro Diaz enters the game fresh off his first goal of the season, while Brad Davis now holds third place in MLS assists for his career. Should be a fun way to start the week.
REAL SALT LAKE 2-1 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: The second half of the Unimas double header, RSL enters having beat the Quakes twice in a row, with two draws in the previous meetings. Meanwhile, RSL hasn't scored in over 300 minutes and comes in after getting hammered on the road last week. The Quakes enter after a week off, plenty of time to stew over their loss to NYRB the week before. 0-0 is a smart bet, but my trick elbow feels a few late goals will settle the affair.
PHILADELPHIA UNION 0-1 TORONTO FC: The Union enter having not lost to Toronto since 2012, winning four of the seven meetings since. Toronto, have yet to record a single victory in Philly, having been out scored 3-1 on Union soil all time. In what could be a dire match to watch, I expect Toronto to break their duck and finally get into the winners circle in Philly.
DC UNITED 2-1 COLUMBUS CREW SC: The one match this week I wouldn't miss for the world, the Crew enter having not lost to DC in five matches, winning the last three in a row. DC sits three points above Columbus in the table on the same number of matches played, and have a five match unbeaten streak going this season in the league, while Columbus have won two in a row themselves. The Crew have taken a point in all three all time visits to DC. Baldomero Toledo is the man in the middle. Should be a hell of a match between two of the best in the East.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 1-2 NEW YORK RED BULLS: The Revs have won two in a row and are unbeaten in five, and unbeaten in their last twelve home league matches. New York enter on the back of a draw in the midweek at home against Colorado. In what is always a tightly contested affair, this should be a good one.
LA GALAXY 2-0 COLORADO RAPIDS: After a trio of Rapids victories, LA has won the last two meetings between these two conference rivals, with LA thumping Colorado 6-0 in their last meeting. In the absence of their star, LA has found new talent in Bardes clone Bradford Jamieson IV. The Rapids got a quality result on the road midweek, but with a cross country trip and two matches in four days, expect LA to get the job done.
PORTLAND TIMBERS FC 1-1 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC: The two Cascadia rivals have seen the home team win their last two meetings, with the road team winning the two previous match ups. Neither team enters on a winning note, both suffering a loss last weekend. Vancouvers two wins in the last four meetings between these two being their only victories in twelve MLS meetings between the rivals, Portland will look to keep the advantage going as Vancouver are without midfield general Matias Laba. This match is second on my list of must watch matches this weekend.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 1-1 CHICAGO FIRE: The home team has won three of the last four meetings between these two midwestern rivals, in what will be the ESPN2 Sunday match of the week. The Fire have back to back shutouts, while DP David Accam scored his first MLS goal last week, but they haven't won in KC since 2012.
NEW YORK CITY FC 0-2 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC: The first ever meeting between these two will be FS1's Sunday Night match of the week. New York enters without a win in six matches, while the Sounders come in with two victories on the bounce. This will be the only meeting between these two all season.
INJURY REPORT:
OUT:
Chicago: Magee and Nyarko
Colorado: Sarvas and Burch
DC United: Halsti, Johnson, Birnbaum, and Martin
FC Dallas: Craft and Keel
LA Galaxy: Perk, Keane, Villarreal
Montreal: Porter, Mapp, Crepeau, and Lopez
New England: Barnes
NYCFC: John, Taylore, and Calle
Orlando: Hall, Ribeiro, and Paterson
Philly: Bird
Portland: Zemanski
RSL: Plata and Schuler
San Jose: Sherrod and Lenhart
TFC: Simonin, Caldwell, and Bendick
Vancouver: Lewis and Bustos
QUESTIONABLE:
Chicago: Stephens
Colorado: Moor
Columbus: Trapp, Speas, and Pogatetz
DC United: Hamid
Houston: Garcia
LA Galaxy: Walker and Leonardo
New England: Goncalves, Kobayashi, and Nguyen
NYCFC: Villa, Nemec, and Hernandez
NYRB: Zubar
Orlando: Neal and Cascio
Philly: Aristeguieta, Nogueira, Vitoria, Carroll, Lee
Portland: Valeri, Johnson, Wallace, Nanchoff, and Asprilla
RSL: Jamie, Rimando, Morales, and Okwuonu
San Jose: Stewart
Sporting KC: Myers
TFC: Bloom
Vancouver: Rodriguez
Its been a stellar eight weeks so far in MLS, and week nine looks to keep that momentum going. There are several playoff previews this week, and the time to get stuck in is now. Thank you for reading, and remember, as always, MLS Matters.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Parity or Parody?
Is Major League Soccer a league based on parity, or is it a parody of a league?
During ESPN's coverage of the recent Seattle Sounders v Portland Timbers match, the network made one of their usual errors during Alexi Lalas' talk on league parity, with the screen caption about league "parody". While Lalas and ESPN commentator Taylor Twellman had a good laugh about the Freudian slip on their ESPN "Big Head/Red Head" podcast, for many Americans, it is a legitimate question.
The match in which this mistake happened was the home debut of America's captain and the highest paid player in MLS, Clint Dempsey. It was in front of more than 67,000 fans in Seattle, or in other words, one fifth the audience who watched the match on television. The meager 350,000 audience (.001% of our population) was still good enough to garner ESPN its second best rating for an MLS match this season.
Part of the reason the numbers were so low could be attributed to the often late start times for ESPN MLS matches, normally 10PM start times on the East coast. ESPN often points to the small ratings as an excuse for pushing the league into a corner, often late prime time Sunday nights, and the lack of a "southern presence" from the league for their lack of support and promotion. Something that seems to me to be a sort of self fulfilling prophecy. You don't receive strong ratings, so we don't promote and push your product, airing it in a dead zone, guaranteeing a further lack of ratings.
In response, MLS commissioner Don Garber has stated the league will be expanding, and as I have stated in a previous article, two of the four expansion teams are expected to be in the south, with the leagues newest expansion side NYCFC being in the New York/East Coast media market. Don Garber seems to be acquiescing to the desires of ESPN, with no proof of support on the offer. Worst of all, with television rights ready to come up for the bidding, ESPN may not even be a partner with the league when next season rolls around, let alone by the time a "southern presence" enters the league.
As I have stated in previous posts, an increase in MLS television deals to that of what the National Hockey League receives would automatically lend itself to a massive increase in the salary cap, allowing MLS to compete financially with Mexican clubs, but also allowing itself to keep improving the standard of play with the type of players it can attract. At the same time the TV deal comes up for bidding, MLS must also renegotiate its collective bargaining agreement with the MLS players union. American Soccer Super Agent Ron Waxman, who barters for a large percentage of MLS player as well as American exports like Michael Bradley, has come out as of late and made outrageous claims about the league and its standard (insulting his own clients no?) claiming the league has never been this bad in its entire history. Obviously Waxman is either the most ignorant man to ever watch MLS, or he is completely invested in the raising of the salary cap and increasing the wallets of his clients and more importantly himself.
The behavior of ESPN toward a sports league it shows on their air, and the behavior of the most influential agent in the game in America, lend themselves to saying MLS is in fact a teenage parody of a football league. The reactionary behavior of Don Garber lends itself to people believing the league and its commissioner as being a parody of what American sports are, in particular the socialist and most popular sports league in the country (let us not forget, the organization Garber came from) the National Football League.
The Eurocentric snobbery of many fans in America is one based on wanting "the best". It may be based on "the American spirit", or more likely an inferiority complex when it comes to a game many of us came to later in life than those in the rest of the footballing world. What we have isn't as good as what you have, so we will mock what we have, ignore it, and support what others have to offer as a way of fitting in. The American soccer fandom itself can be seen as a parody of European football culture, from the support of major European football powers, to the naming of recent Major League SOCCER teams ending with an "FC". (Football club)
One of the many reasons Americans seem to mock their home league, is because it is a league based on parity. Squads are very fluid. Every club for the most part has the same advantages and disadvantages as all the others. Location and owners with open pockets can give a small leg up on the competition, but in the end, MLS is harder to predict week in and week out than any sports league in the country. And what drives many fans crazy, the league is rather secretive about its rules, as well as who and what the money is being spent upon. In response to these valid criticisms, Don Garber has given a rather snarky yet honest response, when transparency is beneficial to the product and the fan experience, transparency will be granted, until then, they will stick with what they do.
Some might argue that MLS is not a league of parity, as the LA Galaxy have built a dynasty in the era of designated players. This argument shows the short term memory loss or ignorance of many fans. The first three years of the "Beckham Experiment" were for the most part a complete and utter failure in the results department. It wasn't until the arrival of Robbie Keane to complete the Galaxy trinity that LA won back to back MLS Cups. Last season included a playoff to get into the playoffs (#4 seed v #5 home and home series) and some playoff scares along the way which could have made the "dynasty" one time champions in a five year era. Not exactly the Yankees or Patriots.
The New York Red Bulls have spent massive amounts of money on designated players while having nothing to show for it. Apart from a few US Open Cup victories, (thanks in part to a long home match streak) the Seattle Sounders have spent large amounts of money to mediocre results. Meanwhile, small spenders like Houston Dynamo continue to compete, as do Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids, teams that have nearly as much "dynasty" claim as the Galaxy. When it comes to results on the pitch, despite the "have and have not" mentality most fans view MLS with, MLS is the most open and unpredictable league in the world.
This weekend a few hundred thousand Americans sat in front of a television and watched Manchester City, soon to be MLS franchise owner and one of the best teams in England, take on Hull City, one of the weakest clubs in the English top flight. The majority of Americans would tell you about the quality of English football and the superiority of the product on every level. They like to watch "the best". On the same network, NBC Sports Network, a smaller audience tuned in to see the New York Red bulls, one of the best teams in MLS, take on DC United, the worst team in all of MLS. What those who tuned in saw was a much more competitive match, a much more fluid match, a much more entertaining match, a much more open match, a match filled with more talking points, and frankly, more interesting football.
When you combine the inferiority complex of American fans with the PR machine that backs European football, you get a sense that anything European is automatically better than whatever MLS can and does give us. It is rarely based on visual evidence and experience, but on old beliefs about a league in its infancy.
Am I saying MLS is better than the EPL? Of course not. But the standards are not as far apart as many American fans suspect. Don Garber has stated his goal for MLS is to be one of the top leagues in the world by 2020. While ratings would suggest MLS is a few country miles away from such a placement, those who view football from all over the world thanks to the current plethora of options available to us, reality is that MLS has already achieved that goal on the pitch. While England, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France can all lay claim to having "better" leagues, MLS is at or near the top of the pack following those top leagues. But unlike those leagues, where only 2 or 3 clubs ever have a chance of lifting the title, MLS is wide open, a potentially more inclusive fan experience.
Parity can be the strength of MLS. Revenue sharing. Salary caps. All staples of the most successful league in America. If we as fans get behind our MLS clubs and the league itself, the improvements MLS has made in the past few years will only make the league everything we hoped but never thought it could one day be. The alternative would be a continued ignorance of and disdain for the league, unnatural expectations, and a league which is nothing more than a parody. Support the league and we will get what we deserve, fail to do so, and we never will. The choice is ours, parity or parody, and the end result is completely up to us.
Until next time, remember, MLS Matters.
During ESPN's coverage of the recent Seattle Sounders v Portland Timbers match, the network made one of their usual errors during Alexi Lalas' talk on league parity, with the screen caption about league "parody". While Lalas and ESPN commentator Taylor Twellman had a good laugh about the Freudian slip on their ESPN "Big Head/Red Head" podcast, for many Americans, it is a legitimate question.
The match in which this mistake happened was the home debut of America's captain and the highest paid player in MLS, Clint Dempsey. It was in front of more than 67,000 fans in Seattle, or in other words, one fifth the audience who watched the match on television. The meager 350,000 audience (.001% of our population) was still good enough to garner ESPN its second best rating for an MLS match this season.
Part of the reason the numbers were so low could be attributed to the often late start times for ESPN MLS matches, normally 10PM start times on the East coast. ESPN often points to the small ratings as an excuse for pushing the league into a corner, often late prime time Sunday nights, and the lack of a "southern presence" from the league for their lack of support and promotion. Something that seems to me to be a sort of self fulfilling prophecy. You don't receive strong ratings, so we don't promote and push your product, airing it in a dead zone, guaranteeing a further lack of ratings.
In response, MLS commissioner Don Garber has stated the league will be expanding, and as I have stated in a previous article, two of the four expansion teams are expected to be in the south, with the leagues newest expansion side NYCFC being in the New York/East Coast media market. Don Garber seems to be acquiescing to the desires of ESPN, with no proof of support on the offer. Worst of all, with television rights ready to come up for the bidding, ESPN may not even be a partner with the league when next season rolls around, let alone by the time a "southern presence" enters the league.
As I have stated in previous posts, an increase in MLS television deals to that of what the National Hockey League receives would automatically lend itself to a massive increase in the salary cap, allowing MLS to compete financially with Mexican clubs, but also allowing itself to keep improving the standard of play with the type of players it can attract. At the same time the TV deal comes up for bidding, MLS must also renegotiate its collective bargaining agreement with the MLS players union. American Soccer Super Agent Ron Waxman, who barters for a large percentage of MLS player as well as American exports like Michael Bradley, has come out as of late and made outrageous claims about the league and its standard (insulting his own clients no?) claiming the league has never been this bad in its entire history. Obviously Waxman is either the most ignorant man to ever watch MLS, or he is completely invested in the raising of the salary cap and increasing the wallets of his clients and more importantly himself.
The behavior of ESPN toward a sports league it shows on their air, and the behavior of the most influential agent in the game in America, lend themselves to saying MLS is in fact a teenage parody of a football league. The reactionary behavior of Don Garber lends itself to people believing the league and its commissioner as being a parody of what American sports are, in particular the socialist and most popular sports league in the country (let us not forget, the organization Garber came from) the National Football League.
The Eurocentric snobbery of many fans in America is one based on wanting "the best". It may be based on "the American spirit", or more likely an inferiority complex when it comes to a game many of us came to later in life than those in the rest of the footballing world. What we have isn't as good as what you have, so we will mock what we have, ignore it, and support what others have to offer as a way of fitting in. The American soccer fandom itself can be seen as a parody of European football culture, from the support of major European football powers, to the naming of recent Major League SOCCER teams ending with an "FC". (Football club)
One of the many reasons Americans seem to mock their home league, is because it is a league based on parity. Squads are very fluid. Every club for the most part has the same advantages and disadvantages as all the others. Location and owners with open pockets can give a small leg up on the competition, but in the end, MLS is harder to predict week in and week out than any sports league in the country. And what drives many fans crazy, the league is rather secretive about its rules, as well as who and what the money is being spent upon. In response to these valid criticisms, Don Garber has given a rather snarky yet honest response, when transparency is beneficial to the product and the fan experience, transparency will be granted, until then, they will stick with what they do.
Some might argue that MLS is not a league of parity, as the LA Galaxy have built a dynasty in the era of designated players. This argument shows the short term memory loss or ignorance of many fans. The first three years of the "Beckham Experiment" were for the most part a complete and utter failure in the results department. It wasn't until the arrival of Robbie Keane to complete the Galaxy trinity that LA won back to back MLS Cups. Last season included a playoff to get into the playoffs (#4 seed v #5 home and home series) and some playoff scares along the way which could have made the "dynasty" one time champions in a five year era. Not exactly the Yankees or Patriots.
The New York Red Bulls have spent massive amounts of money on designated players while having nothing to show for it. Apart from a few US Open Cup victories, (thanks in part to a long home match streak) the Seattle Sounders have spent large amounts of money to mediocre results. Meanwhile, small spenders like Houston Dynamo continue to compete, as do Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids, teams that have nearly as much "dynasty" claim as the Galaxy. When it comes to results on the pitch, despite the "have and have not" mentality most fans view MLS with, MLS is the most open and unpredictable league in the world.
This weekend a few hundred thousand Americans sat in front of a television and watched Manchester City, soon to be MLS franchise owner and one of the best teams in England, take on Hull City, one of the weakest clubs in the English top flight. The majority of Americans would tell you about the quality of English football and the superiority of the product on every level. They like to watch "the best". On the same network, NBC Sports Network, a smaller audience tuned in to see the New York Red bulls, one of the best teams in MLS, take on DC United, the worst team in all of MLS. What those who tuned in saw was a much more competitive match, a much more fluid match, a much more entertaining match, a much more open match, a match filled with more talking points, and frankly, more interesting football.
When you combine the inferiority complex of American fans with the PR machine that backs European football, you get a sense that anything European is automatically better than whatever MLS can and does give us. It is rarely based on visual evidence and experience, but on old beliefs about a league in its infancy.
Am I saying MLS is better than the EPL? Of course not. But the standards are not as far apart as many American fans suspect. Don Garber has stated his goal for MLS is to be one of the top leagues in the world by 2020. While ratings would suggest MLS is a few country miles away from such a placement, those who view football from all over the world thanks to the current plethora of options available to us, reality is that MLS has already achieved that goal on the pitch. While England, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France can all lay claim to having "better" leagues, MLS is at or near the top of the pack following those top leagues. But unlike those leagues, where only 2 or 3 clubs ever have a chance of lifting the title, MLS is wide open, a potentially more inclusive fan experience.
Parity can be the strength of MLS. Revenue sharing. Salary caps. All staples of the most successful league in America. If we as fans get behind our MLS clubs and the league itself, the improvements MLS has made in the past few years will only make the league everything we hoped but never thought it could one day be. The alternative would be a continued ignorance of and disdain for the league, unnatural expectations, and a league which is nothing more than a parody. Support the league and we will get what we deserve, fail to do so, and we never will. The choice is ours, parity or parody, and the end result is completely up to us.
Until next time, remember, MLS Matters.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Penalty Kicks: 8-23-13
As the 2013 MLS season begins to wind down, the matches and story lines of the season start to take on a greater and more dramatic feel. Here with Penalty Kicks, I cover the 5 things in MLS you should be talking about this week...
1: ESPN's Sunday Night game featuring Clint Dempsey, the Seattle Sounders, and more than 60,000 of their friends, against Caleb Porter, 1,500 members of the Timbers Army, and the Portland Timbers.
As soon as Clint Dempsey took off his sweatshirt to reveal his Sounders jersey in one of the most grotesque displays of ego stroking and anticlimactic hype MLS has ever produced, the executives at ESPN started licking their lips over the thought of having Clint Dempsey's home debut on their air. If it wasn't enough that they had Dempsey's debut, it was against the Portland Timbers, possibly the fiercest rivalry in all of MLS.
Earlier in the season with the Sounders struggling and Portland riding high, the Timbers dismantled the Sounders vaunted attack through Will Johnson and Diego Chara running the game in Portland's midfield. That was Seattle without Dempsey, and now Portland will face this task with a midfield 3 missing Will Johnson, and possibly Diego Chara and Jack Jewsbury as well.
Porter's tactical decisions and team selection will be key to Portland's success or failure, while for Seattle, all eyes will be on Clint Dempsey and the crowd. Tune in, set your DVR, or throw a viewing party for family and friends, this one has the potential to be special.
Oh, and did I mention that while sitting at 7th place in the West, that this is close to a must win for Seattle?
2: Vancouver Whitecaps FC v LA Galaxy
In the highly competitive Western Conference, 5th place hosts 4th place in what could show us who is real in the West, and who isn't. This will be the third meeting of these two sides this season, with the home team walking away with a victory on the previous two occasions. That trend would seem to favor the floundering Whitecaps, but don't count out the streaking Galaxy just yet.
Martin Rennie may be the "Tinker Man" of MLS, while Bruce Arena is the steady and solid rock of LA. The team selection each man gives us will tell us who is playing to win, and who is playing not to lose.
A side note from this match would be the recent admission of Vancouver's Daigo Kobayashi that MLS has not been as easy a league as he expected. There is no tougher test in MLS than the always professional (possible dynasty) that is the Galaxy. Coming on the back of 4-2 win against Western leaders Real Salt Lake, LA will look to push on for playoff position. Whether or not Vancouver can play the role of spoiler is yet to be seen.
3: Chicago Fire v Sporting KC
Friday night NBC Sports Network hands us the best team in the East taking on 7th place in the home team Fire. If the Fire are to take advantage of the goals delivered by Mike Magee this season, they need to push on and move into the final playoff position out East.
Tied on points and games with New York out East, while being tied on points with Colorado who has played one more match, Portland which has played 2 fewer matches, and 3 points behind Real Salt Lake who has played 1 more match out West, KC needs points to stay in the Supporters Shield race to have hopes for home field throughout the playoffs.
This is another one of those getting to be must win situations for both teams should they have any chance of achieving their playoff goals for the season.
The home fans will be hoping for something from new DP signing "El Cacha" Arevalo Rios. He and Magee need to form a partnership between distributor and goal scorer quickly if Chicago is going to make and succeed in the playoffs.
4: Chicago's Communications Director
I'll just let you read it for yourself. The following is from Chicago Fire Director of Communications Dan Lobring...
I have a confession to make. I’m a new Chicago Fire fan, having been hired to oversee communications for the club just six months ago. But according to some folks, I was also a “shitty hire.” The only professional experience (“zero soccer experience”) I have is “promoting a video game” and I do “not belong leading the Communications department.”
Additionally, I also “need to shave.” To be fair, that one is true, but my wife thinks I look weird totally clean shaven. To be fairer, all of the other statements might also be true, but I would like the opportunity to prove how shitty I am first. To be fairest of all, maybe I already have proven it six months into the job.
But I’m more interested in learning what made me a shitty hire on day one? What brought about the warm reception from a vocal few as I was introduced as a new member of the “Fire family?” My best guess is that because I work for an owner who is supposedly “cheap,” “doesn’t care,” and only sees the team as a “toy.” Or maybe it’s because I’m joining a front office staff that just “doesn’t get it” or only makes “bad decisions.”
Really? Yikes.
Want to make calls for front office firings? Find me someone who doesn’t think they could be doing their job better. Telling me I suck at my job? That all comes with the territory I guess.
Fortunately, those are the only things that I’ve read about online, or have had forwarded my way, or that I have seen on the supporter message boards (I would hate to read the non-supporter boards).
I don’t pretend to know everything there is to know about soccer, the Fire or MLS.
That was Lobring's rambling defense of himself, and an attack on fans who criticize him or the front office. If you were wondering, not only did the owner approve the rant before Lobring posted it to the Fire website, they have come out in support of their passionate director of communications.
Oh to be a fly on the wall in the stadium on Friday night. I'm kind of sad I didn't buy tickets for the game.
5: Landon Donovan wants LA to show him the MONEY!!!!!
Even the most ardent Landon Donovan supporter will admit that LA Galaxy have fair to Landon Donovan more often than not. Pre-Designted Player (Beckham) Rule, Donovan was the highest paid player in MLS. Post Beckham Experiment and Beckham Rule, there also was let us not forget a Landon Donovan Rule which led to a second DP spot. When Landon wanted to spend his winter break with Everton, LA, against their better judgement, acquiesced. When Landon wanted to take a break and get his mind right in Cambodia, again against their better judgement, LA allowed it.
Granted, they also forced him to publicly hand over the captains armband to David Beckham, of his own free will, wink wink. They got away with years of underpayment due to the salary cap, and plenty more, but overall, LA has been good to Landon.
So what does Landon do just days after Chris Klein, former teammate and current Galaxy President, tells the official MLS podcast that he wants to keep Donovan beyond his expiring contract? Donovan comes out and says that he has offers from Europe that he is considering. (He already has 6 MLS Cup titles to his name and maybe a 7th on the way, what more does he have to prove?)
Already MLS all time assist leader, to go along with his assist and goal records for the USMNT, Donovan is close to surpassing the all time MLS goals mark. He has established himself as not only the best American field player to ever play the game, but the greatest player in the history of MLS. All while looking at Clint Dempsey making at least 3 times his salary having done next to nothing in or for MLS. (Dempsey's transfer did pay for the Revs academy, something Bob Kraft is far too stingy to do himself.)
With people asking where Donovan could go, or why he would want to leave MLS now at the end of his career, Donovan came out once again and sent a message to MLS, and in particular LA Galaxy. He stated that "all things being equal", he would prefer to remain with the LA Galaxy.
We all know LA was one of three teams interested in Clint Dempsey, but the money they were willing to give Dempsey was not what Seattle ended up offering. We know LA offered a Dempsey size deal to Giovanni Dos Santos just a few months ago. We all know "all things being equal" means "MONEY".
Donovan is a Southern California kid. His family is there. His ex-wife is there. His friends are there. Its where he wants to stay, but not at the cost of losing even more money out of loyalty and comfort.
LA is used to distraction. They had the Beckham circus. They had the Ruud Gullit experiment. They had Beckham announcing he was leaving MLS before last season even ended with a trophy being raised in LA. They had Donovan finding himself in Cambodia. They are used to distraction, so this current drama should have little effect, but how this plays out will be very interesting indeed.
Will Donovan follow the money to a mid table Serie A club? Will LA show him the money despite his age and penchant for retirement? Will he give LA a loyalty discount? Will Donovan stay in MLS with a hefty raise, just not in LA? Where else would Donovan be willing to go in MLS?
One thing seems certain, Landon Donovan will be entering a higher tax bracket thanks to his next contract.
Those were my penalty kicks for 8-23-13, thank you for reading. Until next time, remember, MLS MATTERS!
1: ESPN's Sunday Night game featuring Clint Dempsey, the Seattle Sounders, and more than 60,000 of their friends, against Caleb Porter, 1,500 members of the Timbers Army, and the Portland Timbers.
As soon as Clint Dempsey took off his sweatshirt to reveal his Sounders jersey in one of the most grotesque displays of ego stroking and anticlimactic hype MLS has ever produced, the executives at ESPN started licking their lips over the thought of having Clint Dempsey's home debut on their air. If it wasn't enough that they had Dempsey's debut, it was against the Portland Timbers, possibly the fiercest rivalry in all of MLS.
Earlier in the season with the Sounders struggling and Portland riding high, the Timbers dismantled the Sounders vaunted attack through Will Johnson and Diego Chara running the game in Portland's midfield. That was Seattle without Dempsey, and now Portland will face this task with a midfield 3 missing Will Johnson, and possibly Diego Chara and Jack Jewsbury as well.
Porter's tactical decisions and team selection will be key to Portland's success or failure, while for Seattle, all eyes will be on Clint Dempsey and the crowd. Tune in, set your DVR, or throw a viewing party for family and friends, this one has the potential to be special.
Oh, and did I mention that while sitting at 7th place in the West, that this is close to a must win for Seattle?
2: Vancouver Whitecaps FC v LA Galaxy
In the highly competitive Western Conference, 5th place hosts 4th place in what could show us who is real in the West, and who isn't. This will be the third meeting of these two sides this season, with the home team walking away with a victory on the previous two occasions. That trend would seem to favor the floundering Whitecaps, but don't count out the streaking Galaxy just yet.
Martin Rennie may be the "Tinker Man" of MLS, while Bruce Arena is the steady and solid rock of LA. The team selection each man gives us will tell us who is playing to win, and who is playing not to lose.
A side note from this match would be the recent admission of Vancouver's Daigo Kobayashi that MLS has not been as easy a league as he expected. There is no tougher test in MLS than the always professional (possible dynasty) that is the Galaxy. Coming on the back of 4-2 win against Western leaders Real Salt Lake, LA will look to push on for playoff position. Whether or not Vancouver can play the role of spoiler is yet to be seen.
3: Chicago Fire v Sporting KC
Friday night NBC Sports Network hands us the best team in the East taking on 7th place in the home team Fire. If the Fire are to take advantage of the goals delivered by Mike Magee this season, they need to push on and move into the final playoff position out East.
Tied on points and games with New York out East, while being tied on points with Colorado who has played one more match, Portland which has played 2 fewer matches, and 3 points behind Real Salt Lake who has played 1 more match out West, KC needs points to stay in the Supporters Shield race to have hopes for home field throughout the playoffs.
This is another one of those getting to be must win situations for both teams should they have any chance of achieving their playoff goals for the season.
The home fans will be hoping for something from new DP signing "El Cacha" Arevalo Rios. He and Magee need to form a partnership between distributor and goal scorer quickly if Chicago is going to make and succeed in the playoffs.
4: Chicago's Communications Director
I'll just let you read it for yourself. The following is from Chicago Fire Director of Communications Dan Lobring...
I have a confession to make. I’m a new Chicago Fire fan, having been hired to oversee communications for the club just six months ago. But according to some folks, I was also a “shitty hire.” The only professional experience (“zero soccer experience”) I have is “promoting a video game” and I do “not belong leading the Communications department.”
Additionally, I also “need to shave.” To be fair, that one is true, but my wife thinks I look weird totally clean shaven. To be fairer, all of the other statements might also be true, but I would like the opportunity to prove how shitty I am first. To be fairest of all, maybe I already have proven it six months into the job.
But I’m more interested in learning what made me a shitty hire on day one? What brought about the warm reception from a vocal few as I was introduced as a new member of the “Fire family?” My best guess is that because I work for an owner who is supposedly “cheap,” “doesn’t care,” and only sees the team as a “toy.” Or maybe it’s because I’m joining a front office staff that just “doesn’t get it” or only makes “bad decisions.”
Really? Yikes.
Want to make calls for front office firings? Find me someone who doesn’t think they could be doing their job better. Telling me I suck at my job? That all comes with the territory I guess.
Fortunately, those are the only things that I’ve read about online, or have had forwarded my way, or that I have seen on the supporter message boards (I would hate to read the non-supporter boards).
I don’t pretend to know everything there is to know about soccer, the Fire or MLS.
That was Lobring's rambling defense of himself, and an attack on fans who criticize him or the front office. If you were wondering, not only did the owner approve the rant before Lobring posted it to the Fire website, they have come out in support of their passionate director of communications.
Oh to be a fly on the wall in the stadium on Friday night. I'm kind of sad I didn't buy tickets for the game.
5: Landon Donovan wants LA to show him the MONEY!!!!!
Even the most ardent Landon Donovan supporter will admit that LA Galaxy have fair to Landon Donovan more often than not. Pre-Designted Player (Beckham) Rule, Donovan was the highest paid player in MLS. Post Beckham Experiment and Beckham Rule, there also was let us not forget a Landon Donovan Rule which led to a second DP spot. When Landon wanted to spend his winter break with Everton, LA, against their better judgement, acquiesced. When Landon wanted to take a break and get his mind right in Cambodia, again against their better judgement, LA allowed it.
Granted, they also forced him to publicly hand over the captains armband to David Beckham, of his own free will, wink wink. They got away with years of underpayment due to the salary cap, and plenty more, but overall, LA has been good to Landon.
So what does Landon do just days after Chris Klein, former teammate and current Galaxy President, tells the official MLS podcast that he wants to keep Donovan beyond his expiring contract? Donovan comes out and says that he has offers from Europe that he is considering. (He already has 6 MLS Cup titles to his name and maybe a 7th on the way, what more does he have to prove?)
Already MLS all time assist leader, to go along with his assist and goal records for the USMNT, Donovan is close to surpassing the all time MLS goals mark. He has established himself as not only the best American field player to ever play the game, but the greatest player in the history of MLS. All while looking at Clint Dempsey making at least 3 times his salary having done next to nothing in or for MLS. (Dempsey's transfer did pay for the Revs academy, something Bob Kraft is far too stingy to do himself.)
With people asking where Donovan could go, or why he would want to leave MLS now at the end of his career, Donovan came out once again and sent a message to MLS, and in particular LA Galaxy. He stated that "all things being equal", he would prefer to remain with the LA Galaxy.
We all know LA was one of three teams interested in Clint Dempsey, but the money they were willing to give Dempsey was not what Seattle ended up offering. We know LA offered a Dempsey size deal to Giovanni Dos Santos just a few months ago. We all know "all things being equal" means "MONEY".
Donovan is a Southern California kid. His family is there. His ex-wife is there. His friends are there. Its where he wants to stay, but not at the cost of losing even more money out of loyalty and comfort.
LA is used to distraction. They had the Beckham circus. They had the Ruud Gullit experiment. They had Beckham announcing he was leaving MLS before last season even ended with a trophy being raised in LA. They had Donovan finding himself in Cambodia. They are used to distraction, so this current drama should have little effect, but how this plays out will be very interesting indeed.
Will Donovan follow the money to a mid table Serie A club? Will LA show him the money despite his age and penchant for retirement? Will he give LA a loyalty discount? Will Donovan stay in MLS with a hefty raise, just not in LA? Where else would Donovan be willing to go in MLS?
One thing seems certain, Landon Donovan will be entering a higher tax bracket thanks to his next contract.
Those were my penalty kicks for 8-23-13, thank you for reading. Until next time, remember, MLS MATTERS!
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