Simon Kuper: MLS already top 10

Discussion in 'MLS: General' started by Zxcv, May 11, 2012.

  1. Zxcv

    Zxcv Member+

    Feb 22, 2012
    http://sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer...-guest.html;_ylt=AhXhfBfZPmOzsHfBXHemn78mw7YF

    Author of Soccernomics, writer for Financial Times, and well known soccer economics pundit in general. Podcast interview, starts at 10th minute, finishes 15th.


    Talks about wage structure and emerging markets, America's drawing power, its growing base of talent, and a few other tidbits.

    Doesn't really quantify a lot of the stuff said, and its nothing we haven't heard before, but its interesting that Simon feels so strongly in favour of MLS over most other countries already.

    There are many ways to measures a leagues standing, and Simon clearly feels that lifestyle, level of corruption, players safety and facilities among other things are key to that. On player wages and prestige, MLS misses out, but I think hes right in lumping it within the top 10 if you take all factors into account.
     
  2. terrier

    terrier Member

    May 31, 2011
    Netherlands
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Not in terms of quality of play. I agree quality of life is a factor enabling MLS to draw players who could make more in other countries, but no way, no how is it a top 10 league in quality of play.

    Wake me up when there's parity between FMF and MLS in CCL results.
     
  3. Ganapper

    Ganapper Member

    Apr 5, 2009
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I sometimes question whether MLS is top 10 in this hemisphere. And a I'm pretty die hard MLS fan.

    He's kinda guilty of this right now Texas Sharp Shooter

    Most people don't think of the factors he's listed when they think "Top 10 in the world" They think of the quality of play.
     
  4. DoctorD

    DoctorD Member+

    Sep 29, 2002
    MidAtlantic
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Looking at the entire gameday experience (including providing modern stadiums), MLS is the most efficiently run league in the world.
     
  5. Zxcv

    Zxcv Member+

    Feb 22, 2012
    It's certainly up there. Germany/England are ahead but the rest I'd agree.
     
  6. Blue Lou

    Blue Lou Member

    Nov 13, 2006
    It's hard to see MLS in the top 10.

    English
    Spanish
    German

    Italian
    French
    Brazilian
    Portuguese
    Russian

    Turkish
    Dutch
    Ukrainian
    Mexican
    Argentine

    Greek
    Belgian
    Japanese
    Scottish

    I think MLS would be in either the third or fourth grouping.
     
  7. LongDuckDong

    LongDuckDong Member+

    Jan 26, 2011
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The quality of life in the US is worse (or not significantly better) than almost all the countries with leagues that would be considered better than ours. So how exactly is that relevant?

    If you use the Quality of life Index (the best ranking IMO), Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Australia, Italy, Denmark, and Spain are all countries with decent (or better) leagues and a higher quality of life than the US or Canada. New Zealand, Holland, Japan, Portugal, and Austria are right on our heels. When you take quality of life into account, you have to consider stuff like this:

    Healthcare - US ranks 37th in WHO (its expensive and not available to everyone), Canada is 30th
    Divorce Rates - US is highest, to 5th highest
    Community life - the US doesn't have any cities near the top tier when it comes to "livability" indexes
    Political freedom - The US ranks 10th to 47th depending on the index, Canada is slightly higher
    Gender equality - The US ranks 17th, Canada is slightly lower
    Education - The US is ranked 20th, Canada is 6th
     
  8. terrier

    terrier Member

    May 31, 2011
    Netherlands
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    i'm thinking Russia, Mexico, Turkey, Greece, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, etc. - places where personal security or getting paid consistently are issues at the moment. It's to MLS' credit that nobody is worried about paychecks bouncing, as the same can not be said for many leagues or clubs around the world.
     
  9. Vander Decken IX

    Feb 13, 2011
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    If this is from soccernomics then this is about money, isn't it?
    I find it hard to believe that there are only 9 leagues in the world that has a salary of less than $4million/team.

    Teenage pregnancy - US ranks .... (what are we talking about?)
     
  10. LongDuckDong

    LongDuckDong Member+

    Jan 26, 2011
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Definitely, MLS is a better alternative than the leagues you mentioned. But top 10 (even when you consider infrastructure and financial stability)? I think not. There are still 10 leagues in the world in developed countries that have better quality on the field and stable financials.

    If Simon Kuper wanted to say "MLS should be looking to grab players from financially less stable leagues/countries," I would agree with him 100%. That's a much better statement. I'd think we have a great chance of courting players from Russia, Mexico, Turkey, Greece, and South America.
     
  11. Zxcv

    Zxcv Member+

    Feb 22, 2012
    What do you mean if this is from Soccernomics? Its quote is from the author, but not from the book. And soccernomics = soccer economics. Just in case you weren't sure, the study of economics isn't confined to monetary or financial theory.
     
  12. Zxcv

    Zxcv Member+

    Feb 22, 2012
    In the interview he did say that more or less. One of his quotes goes along the line of "if I was a player and had to choose between a mid table Serie A team or Montreal or Seattle, I'd probably go with Montreal or Seattle."

    Though I do think you're overstating the quality of infrastructure and financial stability around the world.
     
  13. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And this is why NBA players leave small towns like Minneapolis and Oklahoma to go play and live in better towns like Barcelona or Paris :rolleyes:
     
  14. ScrappytheSeal4

    Jun 5, 2010
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, direct comparison. Good point.
     
  15. holiday

    holiday Member+

    Oct 16, 2007
    is he kidding?
    tell it to bradley jr who must be pulling out his hair every morning because of the corruption at chievo and wishing he were back in squeaky clean seattle. :) (ok, maybe not pulling out his hair).
    now, if you're washed up like corradi, semi-washed-up like ferrari, or simply have been discarded like rivas, montreal ain't bad. if you're sucking wind like nesta and have trouble staying on the field three games in a row, harrison looks ok. if your legs are begging you to stop like di vaio, montreal here i come.
    i'll even agree that mls has made some strides, and maybe some players now feel it's just as good a place to be as norway or greece.
    but don't even suggest that all else being equal, any good player would choose mls over serie-a, or other comparable destinations.
     
  16. MPNumber9

    MPNumber9 Member+

    Oct 10, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The US is one of the best places to live for a wealthy person, though. Not only for the tax rates relative to other developed nations, but because healthcare, education and political freedom etc. all look a lot better if you're a rich person in the US.
     
  17. UPinSLC

    UPinSLC Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    SL,UT
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    lol, are you trying to compare a sport in which there are almost no comparable leagues outside the US with a sport where there are at least a dozen outside the US? there is absolutely zero point in bringing up NBA, NFL and MLB in a comparison like this, those leagues have no equals outside this country on any level. leagues in other countries for those sports would barely qualify as minor leagues in the US. with soccer you have about a half dozen leagues where the players at the top of the game are moving about freely on an equal level and another 6-10 leagues where you can find many high level players.
     
  18. yellowbismark

    yellowbismark Member+

    Nov 7, 2000
    San Diego, CA
    Club:
    Club Tijuana
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I still haven't figured out how to compare quality of play across leagues. Compare the best teams in each league? the worst teams? the median player wages? number of national team regulars?

    The nice thing about teams like Seattle, LA, Portland, etc, is that the home crowds they get are bigger than quite a few low end Serie A or La Liga teams. I know some players like playing in front of a lot of fans, so that can be a drawing point advantage the MLS teams have over those lower end teams in Europe.
     
  19. Zxcv

    Zxcv Member+

    Feb 22, 2012
    Seattle would be 4th in average attendance in Serie A. They would also be 4th in La Liga. LA/Portland are hampered by smaller capacities. Plenty of factors, like dilapidated stadium, lower disposable income, and cities of 100,000 people occupying slots in the top flight. Nonetheless, it is what is it, Seattle would be a major European club based on attendance.
     
  20. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Exactly, going from the big 4 to lesser leagues like say MLS, Chinese Superleague or the A-league, would be the equivalent of going form the Denver nuggets to Barcelona Basketball team.

    That was my point.
     
  21. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    LOL ... the average player would come to MLS over mid level Serie A teams?? MLS is really stealing players from Genoa, Catania, Bologna, Fiorentina, Parma and Palermo? Wow, I had no idea. I'd love to see one example where an MLS team successfully outbid any Serie A team for a player.

    Let's keep things in perspective. You don't become top 10 just because you say so. The average MLS team can't come close to match the transfer budgets of mid level Turkish or Ukrainian clubs. Probably not even a mid level Greek or Portugese club. You know why? Because it's almost unheard of for an MLS team to pay a transfer fee and the salary cap is $3,000,000. Most clubs in Romanian top league have salary budgets over $3,000,000 and probably a few hundred thousand per season for transfers.

    MLS is just getting to the point where it can compete with mid level Norwegian, Danish, Swedish and Austrian clubs for players. That's still solid improvement from 10 years ago, so a pat on the back is deserved.
     

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