Humor me for a moment. TV deals falling apart all over the world, Arsenal, Rangers, etc. reporting losses last season. Serie A's troubles and so forth. Is it at all possible that somewhere down the road, when the MLS reaches solvency and even turns a small profit, and the Nats make the WC semis or finals, that the US would become the preferred stop for footballers because of the (just go with me on this one) stability of the MLS?? Of course, this is assuming that all this crap in Europe is not part of a a worldwide recession, which it probably is, or maybe it is symptomatic of some problems with introducing the Euro and EU standards continent wide. Anyway, just a wild idea on my part. Wondering if it had ocurred to anyone else.
No. By the time all that stuff you said would make MLS THE place to be, everything else woudl have corrected itself by then.
The present problems are simply a reaction, as the market for TV, and by extension player salaries, settles to a level that is a proper evaluation of consumer demand. The level of consumer demand was overvalued recently, but that demand still far exceed American demand, so mean European salaries will still far exceed American salaries. The only way to repeat the present problems in the future would be if a new medium were to open up and compete with current European broadcasters. Then the product (soccer) could become overvalued and this would be followed by a negative reaction.
not for solvency As the league gets more respect, players will come here because they want to play in a competative league, and because they want to live in the United States. The location of MLS will be a big draw a few years down the road
Re: not for solvency I agree, though not to the extent of my original post. I believe if the league toughs it out, gains respect abroad, and most importantly from the media and advertisers in the US, MLS will be able to acquire some South American and Europeans in their prime, not after or before their primes. Like was said, probably a long way off...but I think we could be on par with a league like Le Championaitt and the Eredivisie someday...
Football in Europe is going through something that American sports will experience soon enough - namely lower TV revenues. This too shall pass. Big contracts may never return in the same vein, but the clubs will adjust (most of them anyway).
Re: not for solvency It already is, for Americans. Why Europeans would want to come to MLS for more than a few years is beyond me. They won't, even if we're Serie A. Think about this, for all the talk of player movement, compare the number of Italians playing in Italy vs. Italians playing in Germany. If MLS gets a lot better, guys like Keller will play here. Guys like Kahn will play in Germany. Of course, there are plenty of exceptions, but I can promise you this much: If MLS becomes a truly major league, it will be made of largely of Americans capable of winning the World Cup. I think we'll all be alive for this.
Re: Re: not for solvency i agree on that... but MLS have still a long though road.. remember, league contraction is not too far away..
Yes, it's been a thought that has been around my mind also. Weak European leagues are not good for US players and for development, BUT IT IS GOOD FOR MLS. The dream situation for MLS is to have access to inexpensive American players that will stay in the league. This in large part is being accomplished. Another dream situation is too have key players from various nations and sell TV rights to those countries. This has yet to happen, except in the case of Lothar.
I'm hopeful (and by 'hopeful' I mean 'ridiculously naive and optimistic') that a strong showing at the '06 WC by an MLS-heavy team will gain a little more respect and interest in the league. I wonder if someday MLS couldn't make a little pocket change selling TV rights to, maybe, Eurosport or some cable channel in different countries. Some curious Europeans might not mind checking out a game a week, say, especially during the summer. Since our season is in full-stride during their off-season, maybe there would be a possibility of a deal there. And while we're on the subject, there is the possibility that my novel will get published and be a huge success commercially and creatively--the resounding surge in my stature could convince my wife and Salma Hayek that that three-way I've been pushing for is a really great idea.
Re: not for solvency Come on. As we've already seen, making a 1/5th to a 1/10th of what you can bring in from other leagues isn't exactly getting them to line up. Where's Bam-Bam? Where's Weah? Where's Costocurta (sp)? How about the Korean that LA was trying to land? Why did Lewis go to PNE and not come back to the MLS? Why didn't surfer come back? The league is going to have to be able to shell out a bit more $$$ before it's going to truely be competing with Europe.