2026 Non-Massive MLS teams (because Eboe said it should be clarified) (Come Bite The Apple!)

Fabrizio Romano reporting that TFC have officially bid 18mil for Josh Sargent, and the sides are working out details. He also declared himself unavailable for today’s game. Seems something might be close, and he could finally make his way over to MLS after years of rumors and negotiations.

 

$18 million?? For Josh Sargent??? That's nearly double what we paid for Cucho, coming from the same country. TFC's lack of imagination and willingness to always overpay never gets old.

 

For this fee, Sargent has to be the best striker in the league, period. I have my doubts that he will be, to put in mildly.

 

So, I've been reading a book. I'll mention it here, as it fits the topic.

It's ... interesting. I'm sure Bill would describe it more colorfully, but it's a paean to the Don and Miami. They maintain that Apple changed everything. They may have a partial point. But there's some really bad research too. They give a nod to the Crew--but as little as possible. Oddly enough, they mention Ready Player One, which is, of course, set in Columbus. They also note the importance of SUM--and tey are correct there. SUM kept the league going. There's an interesting story about the Ft Lauderdale Strikers. Read it, but be prepared to throw up in your mouth a little.

 

For that fee you could sign two, or maybe even three elite MLS players. If Sargent is anything less than Cucho, it's simply a misallocation of resources.

I bet Sargent and About Ali have very similar stats by the end of the season.

 

That said, what you spend on a DP doesn't impact the cap past the DP charge. Look at Miami. Some teams do have money to burn.

 

And Toronto and MLSE do have money to burn, and their track record for a while now us that all they do is burn money.

 

This is what the league owner-operators voted for.

Move the schedule, invest more in players from around the globe, fans will still attend like in the Summer.

Ar least that is part of the assumed reasoning.


TFC is about to get buried in the local sports scene.

Blue Jays are World Series contenders.
Raptors are rock solid with media attention and attendance.
And hope always springs eternal locally with the Leafs.


While TFC can splurge for Sargent ... and needs to do so ... how many others in MLS can do this?

I would question if a Championship player can move the needle in Toronto ... especially an American one.

 

The irony of what you're saying about TFC is that their budget increases when the teams that are all owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment do well financially. That doesn't include the Blue jays, but it does include the Raptors, Leafs, Argonauts, etc. In any event, I can't summon up much sympathy for a franchise that's tossed away as much money on players and won such little hardware as TFC. Boo-hoo.

 

If MLSE's calculation is that Canadian fans are dying to see a dude that is a flop for the USA, has never shown the ability to score goals at a level higher than the Championship/MLS, and has next to zero name recognition in Canada, then they are woefully mistaken.

This isn't a marketing win, and you could probably get a similar goal tally from someone else and pay half the fee (like Abou Ali) so it's not really a sporting win either.

MLSE is loaded, they can set money on fire, good for them. That being said, Dreyer in San Diego cost them $5 million. Rossi cost us $5 million. New England paid $3 million for Carles Gil. Spending money doesn't equal success, just ask Insigne and Bernadeschi.

 

The only thing that makes any sense is TFC getting hit with reciprocal tariffs by Ottawa. No way is an American striker who has netted 2 goals in the last 5 months worth close to $18M. Hell, it's still a silly amount if that's in CAD.

 

Wolfsburg bid £20 million for him in the summer. He turned it down because he didnt want to move his family back to Germany. Believe the Crew and FCC previously bid something for him. I could have dreamed that.

Toronto were already looking up with Mihalovic. He should do well here.

 

They deserve butter.

 

Timo Werner to SJ

 

Money gets "name players" ... which TFC clearly feels it needs/has needed to maintain visibility in the local sports market.


With the schedule change ... there will be other MLS teams that will need the juice of a name or two retain the casual fan still buying tickets.

To get people off their couches from watching NFL and College Football.


No matter how smart or Moneyball a signing... few in Toronto or Columbus or anywhere else are buying MLS season tickets because the next Dreyer is coming over from Denmark for less than 5 million.

 

You forgot about the MLSE owned Argos!!!

 

Are fans in Toronto excited about Norwich's Josh Sargent? They paid a name price for a dude with a rep of not scoring for his national team in a weak ass confederation. Not what you want for $18 million.

 

Dude has been shit for years now. As resistant as he has been about coming here, him finally giving in feels like an admission he's a retirement signing, despite not being that old.

 

I mean, overkill, but whatever.

 

SKC is being sold https://www.forbes.com/sites/justin...g-sold-for-roughly-700-million-an-mls-record/

 

Like what happened with the Crew, it’s merely the majority owner selling to someone else within the existing ownership group. However, they’re selling quite a bit, so will no longer be calling the shots.

 

What a quote