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In all the drama around the USL mess (NuRock v the TOA – sounds WWE) much of the speculation is about how and sometimes why MLS is involved. Let’s address the why first. Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing control 99% of all revenue generating soccer in the country.
Adrian Hanauer “There’s probably one piece missing right now in development since the Reserve League was dropped. But our league is talking about it and working on it and hopefully someday we’ll figure that out as well.”
What are your thoughts on PD?
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NASL should buy the 20th franchise in MLS. That way NASL gets 1/20th share in SUM and MLS gets a reserve league. Hell, you can even have the NASL regular season champion get the 8th seed in the MLS Cup playoffs. It will almost like pseudo promotion/regulation. This way, the NASL champion can play with the big boys and the 1st seed in the MLS playoffs get an (theoretically) easier opponent in the first round.
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^thats a pretty good idea
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i second that system would help develop some young talant that the mls has drafted and some very much nedd playing time(if you have seen the u-17 and u-20 us team play) the talent is there but the playing time is need, and that system would satisfy the people that wanted pro/rel at least in part.
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I agree that a developmental system is needed. The Rapids have benefited greatly from theirs with players like Cummings, Kimura, LaBrocca, and Harvey making their way into the first team.
Mr. Dobalina’s got a good idea but the team that plays in the MLS would automatically be back to the lower league the following year since they would be unable to defend their NASL title.
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That twentieth MLS squad has Beckham’s and Simon Fuller’s name all over it. Checkout the timeline of the league adding a twentieth team and Beck’s having the rights to a team when his contract runs out, as part of his deal. He’s not interested in any small markets either- it’ll likely be NYC2 or Miami.
If NASL gets the green light from USSF, they sound like they’d build a stronger second tier, organizationally and commercially, than USL has managed, which would push MLS and make the game stronger in the US and Canada.
MLS, as part of growing up, just needs to restart their reserves league as soon as they reasonibly manage it, and owners like Vancouver, Seattle and Montreal will get MLS back to that point of critical mass sooner rather than latter. The MLS teams that can’t afford developments coming within the league will have to take on partners or sell to those who can handle the uptick in the economics of the league.
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In some ways a reserve league isn’t the answer to the larger issue of developing better/more US talent. Academies at each MLS team (bring in top youth coaching talent) subsidized by MLS (what are they doing with those franchise expansion fees?) and US Soccer to develop kids say 14+ after school/weekends and full time 18+. The FA Youth Cup winners this year in England will be playing in top leagues 2-4 years from now. Worst case you sell the top 2-4 players a year to Europe and use that cash to fund the whole thing.
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^^
yes, def feeling that point. MLS should be able to get a residence program going for 18+ (if thats not too late already). But if the MLS is all about economies of scale then, why not have regional residential academies. have one for the NE, the SE, Mid Atlantic, SouthWest, West, and NW. MLS would subsidize these academies and it would be in everyone’s to share the cost to bring in the best coaches and facilites. Then you can have a real draft from that crop of youngsters.
p.s. the Arsonist has it right, some of these teams who can’t afford to pay to step their game need to get bought out or to add on new investors. Like DCU Chang needs some extra investors to help push the envelope monetarily and politically in DC. Group ownership, like in Seattle, can be very good.
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The NASL needs MLS much, much, much more than the MLS needs the NASL. MLS shouldn’t get involved in this mess, they have their own things (labor contract) to sort out. I’m not saying the NASL won’t eventually be successful, but MLS doesnt need to be messing around with this project. A reserve league is the answer, as are the academies and residencies mentioned above. The disbanding of the reserve league was really dropping the ball, hopefully they get the ball rolling on getting this back up…
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NASL will be MLS2 within 5 years. No promotion/relegation for now, but a bonafide “reserve league” with direct ties between MLS1 & MLS2 teams.
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I don’t see why the NASL wouldn’t naturally want to buy younger players to “develop” them if they are truly going for this 2nd tier status with the USSF. Players within the IMG academy and the top club teams around the country should begin to align themselves with professional teams to allow a better development “system” in the states, plus younger players mean less $$$ which makes it easier on the new league budget.
With both the MLS and NASL bringing professional soccer to 30+ cities around the country hopefully by the 2018 WC we would be looking at a pretty competent system of development.
I don’t like the idea of the NASL buying a team in the MLS, they will get a chance to play each other in the US Open Cup. That tournament needs to play bigger role in the US soccer fans calender any ways.
I think keeping the leagues separate with out promotion/relegation would work best for both leagues and development. The MLS should be looking to buy players from the NASL regularly. Similar to what happens in MLB with there farm teams.
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