Whitecaps in MLS Night (Poll)

[SoccerPaper]

Regarding the Whitecaps in the MLS, a few authors recently have argued that the whole "MLS is better" argument is being lost due to:
a) Great performance of USL clubs in US Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions league and Nutrilite play
b) Salary structure of MLS cripples clubs from making their own decisions
c) MLS does not care about developing Canadian talent and thus does not benefit CSA, but rather hinders them.
d) MLS entry fee is getting so high that joining the league cripples clubs for future development.

With that in mind, see the poll question.

 

[Dude]

If perception is reality, then the Cap's need to be there. Kerfoot would need to push the agenda on the Candian content locally if he's serious about the MLS being a driving factor to improve the MNT program.

I would like to see a "Superleague" tier 1, tier 2 system w/ Promotion / demotion, but as pointed out, not going to happen. Not sure how many USL teams would meet MLS criteria.

Maybe if the USL were used as a farm league, as in hockey & baseball, to send players up and down.

 

[johnnybluenose]

It is a moot point. The MLS is what it is it.

It started as a bunch of NFL, MLB and NBA Owners that wanted to start a league where they had all the power and not the players.

I would like to see the clubs and teams own the players and not the league, however, any notion that the MLS is not superior to the USL is out to lunch.

Yes, USL teams have faired in cups competitions well against some MLS teams, but that happens everywhere in the world.

 

[Regs]

I voted for the merger.

IMO, MLS needs to stay as the top pro league no matter what. USL won't cut it, especially here, nor will USL be able to attract the somewhat big name players that MLS can.

With all the talk of expansion and all the cities trying to get in, why not try the following:

(1) take on 5 cities for expansion all in one go.
(2) merge with the USL
(3) Create a Premier, 1st div, 2nd div
(4) Premier is current MLS teams
(5) div 1 is 5 expansion teams and 5 selected USL teams
(6) promotion/relegation top 2/bottom 2
(7) TV for all Premier markets and selected games per week at the div 1 level
(8) League markets the whole thing properly.

I think the key is that if the league is going to ever follow the way it is done in the rest of the world, it needs to be done now when there seems to be so much positive traction media-wise in both the States and Canada

 

[kjohnsob]

you cant promote a team with a 5000 seat stadium to the MLS...the european leagues evolved, they were not created with a pen stroke.

 

[Regs]

Right, and that is why I said *selected* current USL teams for the 1st division.

 

[johnnybluenose]

That would irritate a lot of owners that bought franchises for millions of dollars instead of buying a decent USL team, then dropping half the amount of a franchise into player purchases.

 

[Regs]

True enough but if the league is gaining momentum, those owners could be compensated with a larger slice of the revenue pie.

Obviously it wouldn't be a quick and simple deal but these types of things can be hashed out IMO.

 

[SoccerPaper]

Regs has a really interesting argument there. I can see the sense of his way working, but if that route were to be chosen, i can hardly imagine how mad i would be as an owner to see my multi-million-expansion-fee/huge-contract club be demoted (Toronto FC or LA Galaxy!) and then see some low-level USL team who had paid no expansion fee promoted! How would your model adopt promotion and relegation in light of this? Just say "too bad so sad?"

Suddenly the larger share of the revenue pie becomes nothing...

 

[Regs]

Really it is the *owners* needing to take the chance for the betterment of the game. And when I say chance, it really should be miniscule.

It is about building towards a larger TV deal - study the system in England right now... the rewards for the Premier teams is massive even when they do get relegated.

I dunno - obviously the point brought up concerning fees already paid would be a huge sticking point.

But how long can 2 competing leagues exist in the same country? It won't last in my opinion...