Leagues and/vs National Team: US Soccer Trajectory

Discussion in 'Soccer in the USA' started by waltlantz, Sep 19, 2014.

  1. waltlantz

    waltlantz Member

    Jul 6, 2010
    There's a lot of talk about the state of soccer in America, youth participation and skill levels, pay to play, pro/rel and such.

    Here's what I think.

    US Soccer will grow not only by the demand of grassroots but especially the early and sustained investment through corporate dollars. Even then, I believe that real talent and fandom hotbeds will be regional (like hockey but not as such).

    Where this leads is to the relationship between the MLS/NASL/USL fortunes and that of the USMNT.

    Because the Boys in Red, White and Blue are the ones who seem to get the most concentrated attention from fans and tv audiences, any way of the leagues continuing to send better high class players their way seems like the most logical path for homegrown soccer to take a much more pronounced position in US sports soccer beyond the World Cup.

    Synergy between league and USMNT fortunes seem to the best bet to me, what do you all think?
     
  2. cflsteve

    cflsteve Member

    Jul 21, 2013
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    It seems to be happening with more National team players playing in the MLS. Landon Donavan went overseas only to return and carve out his career in the MLS. Against JK advice some top National players are returning home from abroad to play in the MLS. ie. Dempsey and Bradley.
    With a now official USLPro as a minor league Academy/Homegrown players can stay in the states instead of going overseas to play in tier3 or 4 leagues.
    EPL will still stand as the top league and there will be other leagues in Euro with top clubs. If a US player can play on a regular basis in the top leagues they will still likely go with the money being very good on top of the better level of play.
    If they are deemed to reserve rosters or lower tier leagues; playing, starring, and getting paid well staying on home soil translate to a more comfortable living arrangements.
     
  3. 4four4

    4four4 Member+

    Nov 13, 2013
    Land of 10,000 Lakes
    The state of Minnesota isn't exactly known as a state known for developing soccer talent. Lo and behold there have been players here and there on US developmental teams. IMO, with all the new technology at our disposal soccer can flourish anywhere in our country regardless of the weather. Sure the warmer states will be known for developing the best talent but there will be other states like Minnesota who also will help with depth. We are truly in a golden era of soccer in the US of A.
     
  4. cflsteve

    cflsteve Member

    Jul 21, 2013
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    You are so right. Since re-branding to MINN United they have seen much improved support along with level of play. Considering the MINN is considered to be a hockey region. To go along with long tradition of MLB and modern NFL as well as modern expansion of NBA. Also Minneapolis - St Paul among the top 20 populated metro regions
     
  5. 4four4

    4four4 Member+

    Nov 13, 2013
    Land of 10,000 Lakes
    The thing about this market, many people consider it to be major league. Many people will never support a minor league club like United who in my opinion have done everything right. If they would give it a chance and come out to see them many potential fans would be surprised how the level of play has grown from before the re-brand.
     
  6. cflsteve

    cflsteve Member

    Jul 21, 2013
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Your right and that is the Grey area within pro soccer. The bigger metros like Minneapolis - St Paul which have all four of the big 4 sports. Can pro soccer succeed on a level less than the MLS.
    where as Tampa - St Pete, San Antonio, Indy, etc have some of the top four sports but also have supported other tier2 sports/leagues as well as minor league sports.
     
    4four4 repped this.
  7. 4four4

    4four4 Member+

    Nov 13, 2013
    Land of 10,000 Lakes
    Like the potential Sacramento bid said, it's now or never. Because if soccer continues to grow places the Twin Cities, Detroit, and St. Louis will blow by them. Where it gets dicey for MLS is awarding franchises to smaller markets while bigger markets down the road will finally get on board. The NASL if done correctly can flourish and maybe even surpass MLS pioneering spirit. Let's think about this all the big markets are not 100% interested in MLS but they may and that's the scary part. Only time will tell.
     
  8. cflsteve

    cflsteve Member

    Jul 21, 2013
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    You are correct that the MLS will want to place clubs into the biggest markets possible. To get to a standard US pro league of about 30 teams that some of the markets such as SAC, San Antonio, Tampa, etc. will be needed as well as they are within some of the other pro sports.
    Also correct that not all markets will support a MLS club. As recently seen with the NHL expansion that some cities just do not have the interest in Hockey. NBA, MLB, NFL, have all seen the same at points during existence.
     
    4four4 repped this.
  9. Elninho

    Elninho Member+

    Sacramento Republic FC
    United States
    Oct 30, 2000
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sacramento isn't a small market. It's the largest TV market in the nation with only one major pro sport now that Orlando is in MLS, and it's larger than than St. Louis.
     
  10. 4four4

    4four4 Member+

    Nov 13, 2013
    Land of 10,000 Lakes
    I never said Sacramento was a small market but it is smaller than Detroit, San Francisco and the Twin Cities. If by chance MLS awards a franchise to Sacramento, good for them.
     
  11. waltlantz

    waltlantz Member

    Jul 6, 2010
    #11 waltlantz, Sep 20, 2014
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2014
    The big problem with judging markets vis a vis soccer is this.

    You not only have to deal with competition from home grown sports, but also from Premier League or Liga MX (in San Diego's case).

    If it's just the battle between MLS and NASL, I think MLS will ultimately win out due to their efforts yielding presences in Atlanta, Orlando, New York and Miami if all goes well down there.

    The big sports dollars in the US sports scene come from the glamorous "Best in the World" nature vis a vis the Big 4, and the history regarding college teams. MLS has to deal with international leagues beating it out on both fronts. If MLS has enough trouble with perception, what chance does NASL have with current ownership and lack of media presence?

    Fortunately, MLS is on major TV which gives it a huge edge over any other league as of right now. As long as cable companies are desperate for live sports television to justify their high fees and provided that MLS can continue to increase it's value, the pecking order should stay the same. There is a finite amount of airtime and mindshare in the sporting and soccer fan landscape.

    Now this is only a prediction, one requiring that the current marketplace forces prevail. After the best and most favorably located NASL teams reach their ceiling, they would merge with MLS. That of course, is assuming that fan cannibalization does not occur and the US League starts to get on equal footing with European football/The Big 4 at least in terms of mind share and media attention.

    Either way, as long as the US League is seen as feeding into the potential golden goose that is the USMNT, all will be fine.

    Now to make that leap, you need to fix the grassroots youth development structure in America. And because the biggest clubs will have presence in the the most populated areas, that's why I see the development of higher quality players being regionally biased towards the Northeast, Lower Florida, Cali and Texas. But that's another story for another thread I suppose.
     

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