Is There A Major League Soccer Hierarchy?

             Is Major League Soccer developing a Barclay's Premier League vibe?  I say this only in the relation to developing a few powerful clubs.  In the Premier League, over many years and financial influx there developed a set of powerful teams. These teams now being; Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham.  These teams have the deepest pockets and invoke the most power on the league.  It is almost guaranteed that one of these teams will win the league every year.  Major League Soccer and it's "soccer socialism" structure seems that a system like that could not happen, however, I feel that certain aspects of the system lend itself to the development of a hierarchy.  The designated player rule in Major League Soccer allows a club to have three players that do not count against the salary cap.  This allows a team to bring in big name players on their dime.  The owners that have the cash to do it will shell out millions.  When it comes to big time players coming to America they always tend to want to play in only two cities.  The statement always is, "I want to play in Los Angeles or New York City."  This gives these teams a certain advantage over landing worldwide talent.  In a way, the league has developed powerful teams.  These, of course, being the LA Galaxy and Red Bull New York.

There recently has been a development where the Montreal Impact can lure top talent to their club.  Another team with power will definitely be Seattle Sounders FC.  They can  lure 40,000 people to each of their home games. They can also draw designated players in due to this fact. The league is also finalizing a deal to build a downtown stadium in New York City.  I believe that that team will also be immediately thrust into the designated player hierarchy.  These big money clubs have developed considerable power in Major League Soccer.  Now, I know this system is not at all what has developed in England.  I believe that they are unique, but the fact is each league has a few powerful clubs.  The hierarchy structure development in America has not translated into a plethora of championships.  Only one of the mentioned clubs has ever won the MLS Cup.  Obviously, a great soccer team depends on more than three players. That is very satisfying to know that this environmental and money advantage has not created a league monopoly.  I hope that the league never develops a four or five team race. 

The Carolina Question

           Major League Soccer is one of the fastest growing leagues in the world today.  With this increased growth and revenue, it is obvious that numerous cities and owners are interested in expansion.  I have covered numerous options on this blog before.  The most recent development has scene an unmentioned market jump into the fray.  This market being the Carolinas.  Major League Soccer has sent a probe down in the past few months to test the atmosphere.  According to reports, MLS was welcomed by hundreds of fans that are hungry for a pro franchise.  There are numerous questions that have to be answered.  Where would an expansion team be placed in the Carolinas?  This a unique question.  If there were to be a team do you put it in North or South Carolina?  Do you place the team in one city or a region between many cities?  The Carolina region already has four professional soccer franchises.  That is right, four. The Carolina Railhawks, Charleston Battery, Wilmington Hammerheads and Charlotte Eagles all call the region home.  I don't think that South Carolina has enough populace to sustain major league sports.  This being why no other league has ventured here.  It is a shame because Charleston Battery is a great soccer brand.  Battery is the longest running professional soccer franchise in America.  The probe that came in focused on the Carolina Railhawks.

This team is the Triangle region of North Carolina, the most populous region of all the Carolinas.  This, to me, would seem like the most logical place to put a team.  It not only has the most people, it also has key MLS demographics.  The ownership group of the Railhawks are also very motivated to someday reach Major League Soccer.  I have no idea if the Carolina region will be viable enough to support an MLS team.  The population is right and the ownership is right.  There are numerous things to be addressed.  The new MLS team would have to decide if they will rebrand or keep a current team brand.  They also will need to address stadium issues.  If the stadium is not placed in the right location in the Triangle, it may lead to a major league disaster. The south has failed to support numerous professional franchises.  This thought always looms over the region when it comes to expansion.

Cristiano Ronaldo to Major League Soccer?

That's right, Cristiano Ronaldo to Major League Soccer.  This idea was the occasional pipe dream of many soccer fans here in the United States until recently.  During the recent Real Madrid preseason tour of America, CR7 did an interview in which he hinted at coming to MLS one day.  Now, this speculation has to be taken with a grain of salt.  I watched the interview and it was quite hard to tell if he wasn't merely flirting with the girl performing the interview.  He did, however, seem to have future MLS aspirations.  This move would be the biggest to ever happen to Major League Soccer.  It would make the David Beckham move look like a complete joke.  Comparing Ronaldo and Beckham on the field is not fair.  Beckham was world class, but Ronaldo's skill level far exceeds that of Beckham.



There are numerous similarities to the two players.  Both are international sex symbols.  Both are very image conscious and both are entrepreneurs.  I know many of the guys who follow soccer love CR7 for his sheer skill.  I also know girls who don't follow soccer but love CR7 for other reasons.  All of this combined lends itself to this move actually working in the future.  The trend now is for world class talent to come to our shores towards the end of their career.  I don't see Ronaldo making the move until he is basically accomplished everything he wants to in Europe.  He plays for arguably the best club in the world and has quite a paycheck.  I can see him coming over later in his career and getting paid an absurd amount of money.  If he plays his cards right he will be able to set himself up with potential ownership opportunities, a la Beckham, or he will increase his global marketability tenfold.  This will be hard to do for someone with 13 million Twitter followers, and who possibly is the most recognized athlete on the planet.  The big question is, "Where will Ronaldo play in MLS?" Unless the league's landscape has vastly changed by the time he decides to come over, the obvious choices are either LA Galaxy or Red Bull New York.  I have no idea where he will choose, if he ever does.

The Return of the New York York Cosmos

                 The soccer world has been rocked by the return of the New York Cosmos. The fabled franchise has return from the depths to become a pro team once again.  The catch is that this New York Cosmos team is not playing at the highest level.  They instead have chosen to join the North American Soccer League.  I am not knocking the Cosmos rejoining the league they once dominated, I am very surprised that they chose this route.  The Cosmos ownership had been preaching that they will be a world club again.  I find this hard to believe considering they have chosen to join the American second division.  The Cosmos have been marketing their product ever since the team folded in the 80's. They have hired Eric Cantona and Cobi Jones to increase their soccer reputability, as well as, buy skyscraper sized billboards in the heart of New York City. 

MLS commissioner Don Garber has pretty much paved the way for a second New York City franchise and the presumption was that the New York Cosmos was going to be that team.  He even stated that the league was looking into building a stadium first.The Cosmos ownership are marketing wizards. They have been making money of merchandising for years without even having a real team.  It would be amazing for Major League Soccer to have a team with that kind of marketability.  A national brand that the league really has yet to find. It is just surprising to me to learn that the team would start from the second tier.  Now, this doesn't mean that the Cosmos will not be back in the first tier eventually.  Numerous teams, most recently the Montreal Impact, have made the jump to MLS.  I believe that this would be amazing for  MLS to have two teams in the biggest city in the United States.  It will also be an instant rivalry with the big money of Red Bull New York.

MLS Future Expansion Series: Atlanta

The MLS going to the south?  We all know the two team that were located in the southeast folded.  Don Garber himself has said that the league can't be deemed national unless there is a team in the south.  I already have stated that Orlando is way out in front for a team a in the south.  This doesn't satisfy the non-Florida southerner.  Some people don't even consider Florida part of the south.  The most logical other choice for a team in the southeast is the southern capital, Atlanta.  Atlanta is the largest metropolitan area in the south and it's relative central location allows it to pull from other states metropolitan areas.  The question is whether a major league soccer franchise can survive in the south.  The south is riddled with numerous pro franchises but not a lot of them have great attendance figures. 

This is evident when you see the Tampa Bay Rays chasing a title with empty seats still around.  It has been said many time that the south is a college football region.  Soccer is not nearly as popular in the southern United States.  There are many college soccer teams that have dropped their programs or never even made a program.  I know your probably thinking then why is this guy talking about Atlanta?  Atlanta is the largest metropolitan area without an MLS franchise.  This enormous population center is just screaming off the map for a team there.  The owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Arthur Blank, has submitted an expansion bid in 2008.  He later withdrew the offer because a stadium deal could not get done.  The question, as in Minnesota, is if he really is serious and committed to get a franchise.  There are many people saying that he is only pushing an MLS team  to get a new stadium for his Falcons.  There are a lot of unknowns for the city of Atlanta.  The people who are pushing for a team cite the influx of Hispanic immigrants in the city.  They believe that they will increase the support of the team.  Atlanta already has a pro soccer team in the new NASL, the Atlanta Silverbacks.

Silverbacks Park

The Silverbacks do not sell out their games but they do have a decent fan base.  Atlanta also does have some pro soccer history.  They hosted the original NASL Atlanta Chiefs.  The Chiefs did get a decent amount of support.  The overall size of the Atlanta market is to big to think that they won't get an MLS team eventually.  The money is also there if Arthur Blank gets his stadium wishes.  We all know that new stadiums don't just go up without a hitch.  There is still numerous government issues and problems associated with a new state of the art stadium.  I feel that Atlanta may just be too big of a risk for MLS right now in 2012. For more information or to join the cause check out ATLwantsMLS.com.

MLS Future Expansion Series: Minnesota

     The next stop on our virtual road trip of potential MLS locales is Minnesota.  Minnesota has been discussed in the expansion situations ever since the league's inception in 1996.  There was not, however, a bid from Minnesota to get a team in 1996. When I discuss a potential team in Minnesota I am talking about the team being located in the Minneapolis-St.Paul area.  This area has the 15th biggest television market in the United States of America.  The television money is certainly there for the MLS.   The metropolitan area has over 3.3 million people living in. The population is certainly enough to sustain another pro franchise.  This area already houses four teams in the major sports leagues of America and numerous others in minor leagues.  The key question is does MLS want to break into Minnesota and does Minnesota want an MLS team?

The MLS has stated before that it wants at least another team in the Midwest.  This does encompass the Minnesota region.  I truly believe that if the situation is there the MLS will be there.  Where will all the money come from to get a Minnesota club in MLS.  The Wilf family, owners of the Minnesota Vikings, have stated that they have interest in bringing MLS to the area.  The Wilfs have been in struggles to get approval for a new Metrodome for the Vikings to play.  They have stated that adding a new franchise to the area will be an added bonus to the new stadium.  The stadium design would be built with soccer in mind and be capable of hosting soccer events.  This gives the Wilfs more credibility and would be similar to Qwest Field in Seattle.  No one really knows how crazy the soccer population is in the Twin Cities.  The football-soccer stadium works in Seattle because the Sounders also attract huge crowds. What is the soccer history of Minnesota?

The Stadium Renderings of a New Metrodome

The Twin City area has a rich soccer history.  The area has been the home to past NASL teams Minnesota Kicks and Minnesota Strikers.  These teams did draw big crowds in the leagues brief existence.  They also have hosted the Minnesota Thunder which has evolved into their current team Minnesota Stars FC.  The Stars play in the newly formed NASL and are currently the champions.  The tradition of soccer is definitely  in the area.  They currently have a winning soccer tradition and can capitalize on this to help gain more fans.  The Stars are hosting their home opener in the Metrodome and running promotions to help pack the stadium.  I believe that if they are able to get a great stadium turn out it can really help their cause.  They will be able to grab MLS attention and warrant a good hard look.  For more information or if you want to help Minnesota's cause please visit Inside Minnesota Soccer and MLS 4 MN.

Stars Celebrate NASL Championship

MLS Future Expansion Series: Detroit

   With all the talk of the MLS getting bigger I decided to start an expansion series.  Everyday I will post about a different site.  These sites are some of the most talked about in MLS expansion.  I already have talked about Orlando and New York City in a former post so I will not be talking about these two sites again.  They are, however, the two most promising expansion options.  The sites I will be discussing in order are Detroit, Minnesota and Atlanta.  The past few years have seen some very exciting clubs and stadium atmospheres emerge from MLS expansion.  It is very possible that all of these sites could potentially host MLS franchises in the next couple of decades.  I am just here to give everyone a profile of each site and let you decide if they deserve a franchise.  I hope everyone enjoys the series.  Let us start with Detroit.

 

MLS Detroit Stadium Renderings

  The above drawing is a proposed idea of the future home to Detroit's MLS franchise.  Recently, the old Pontiac Silverdome was bought for the bargain price of $583,000.  I must admit that the idea for the stadiums renovations are quite breathtaking.  I just do not really know if these leaked renderings are really possible from an engineering stand point.  What do I really know though?  I was not an engineering major in college and the proposed stadium could be possible.  My main concern has to do with structural support for the field.  How can something that flat and vast be supported without structural columns?  My other initial concern has to do with snow.  The stadium renderings show an open field that is suspended above the concert hall and arena.  How will that hold up to a harsh Detroit winter?  Engineering logistics aside lets talk about Detroit as a possible site for MLS expansion.  The Detroit metropolitan area has a population of around 5.2 million.  This figure alone is more than enough to sustain an MLS franchise and it sustains teams in all of the four major sports leagues.  A big question is if soccer really is desirable in Detroit.  The owners of the Pontiac Silverdome certainly seem to think so.  The area has no teams in lower professional divisions.  Detroit does, however, host the PDL team Michigan Bucks and the NPSL side Detroit City FC.

 It is really hard to get a good look at how Detroit would be as a potential city for the MLS.  In the past, Detroit has hosted international games and international club matches.  AC Milan played Panathinaikos in front of a crowd of 30,000.  It is possible that more people would have come out if AC Milan was playing a more globally known club.  Only the most avid soccer fans would recognize Panathinaikos. This also raises my eyebrows at Detroit's situation.  The proposed stadium holds 30,000 people.  I don't foresee Detroit selling out this many seats if they can't get more than 30,000 people out to see AC Milan.  The renderings are not final and I do think that a reduction in seating capacity could happen.  At the least I could see them only seating 20,000 with expandable seating to 30,000.  I think that some serious probes should be sent to the city to see if the area is crazy for a club.  They do have a quite a movement going with their Motor City Supporters.  I think that are enough passionate fans to warrant a good look at bringing a team to Detroit.  Some proposed names for the club have been Metro Detroit FC, Motor City FC and Detroit FC.  I think a that it would be great for the league to have a northern rivalry with Toronto FC, Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew.