Maybe money isn't the be all end all for players? “The secret to convincing Leo Messi to join Inter Miami wasn’t money — it was family. I first found schools for his kids, then brought in Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba because Messi wanted his family to be comfortable before anything else”🥺— David Beckham pic.twitter.com/20B9Kjhec7— carter🌚 (@carter8f) July 8, 2026
This would be a DP deal in MLS. Everywhere else it’s just another day in the transfer market. The kinds of deals and players who MLS teams can’t even look at to bolster squads because of its own rules. Not world beaters, but a good chunk of players in top 5 leagues. https://t.co/cRCZor48hA— Paul Tenorio (@PaulTenorio) July 9, 2026
Miami is close to it but more than half goes to 3 players. Other MLS teams can do it too but just like Miami, more than half will just go to 3 players. I think that's what Tenorio is pointing out that in any other league those type of signings is just any other day while in MLS they'll be stuck as DPs.
More than that. They've more than doubled their payroll in 3 years and are now the third highest spender in Ligue Un. They are not yet in the Champions League. Big change of strategy from a team that's generated hundreds of millions over the years selling players from their academy.
Can they? Messi is the bulk of that payroll and I think he's worth every penny. Who would be worth that amount, maybe two players right now and neither are coming to MLS at this stage in their career. Are there multiple players that MLS could spend money on, sure and that's the question I think/hope they might be trying to answer. . Also this time next year MLS will be about the time they are about to start the new season and the CBA will end in the middle of the season during the winter break, so they need to get that done as well.
I remember when the first Batman came out and they did this gorilla marketing campaign on bus stops with showing just a part of the Batman logo for a few months. For some reason I don't think this will be as big as the Batman movie.
So, that pic says "NEXT" in it............ I wonder if they're going to announce an expansion of MLS NeXT Pro? Announce adding a Division 2 league, and having pro/rel between NeXT Pro divisions down the line? Among other rules changes/modifications for MLS. Maybe they'll announce the new playoff format and division structure?
Well they did already mention this a few months ago, maybe the details are coming. Major League Soccer (MLS) partnered with the global investment firm KKR to form a joint venture called Hometown Soccer Holdings (HSH). This nearly $200 million equity partnership aims to accelerate the commercial growth and infrastructure of the developmental league, MLS NEXT Pro.
I mean it kills a flock of birds with one stone: 1.) It neuters USL's proposed pro/rel launch, by beating them to announcing an actual plan 2.) It answers a lot of the cries from the casual soccer media about the development pathways 3.) it will allow MLS to give young players another level of competition (a D2 league) 4.) It gives MLS teams a mechanism to expand their rosters 5.) Provides more pro player pathways 6.) Provides more opportunities for pro level coaches and officials 7.) Oh, and prospective expansion teams know the league is well capitalized and will last
Interesting to see what they say in this call if they really are launching a D2 league. Lots of questions. Is this a launch of a new MLS D2 league alongside MLS Next Pro (D3) or moving MLS Next Pro to D2? If a new D2 league, would they have pro/rel between the MLS2 and MLS3 levels (knowing that there would be no pro/rel to MLS)? Would and could some USL teams switch to this new league? Would player loans between MLS and MLS2 and MLS3 teams be ok? Ultimately, is their vision of soccer in the US to look like what we have for minor league baseball and not an integrated pyramid like most countries?
I'm just spitballin' here but what if the KKR money was used to create a path to professional MLS NP teams for each of these. MLS NEXT - Members https://share.google/xW2DTHCVWm0bu6S0g The MLS NEXT Allstate Homegrown Division is the most elite platform for youth player development in North America, delivering the highest level of training, competition, and exposure for aspiring players as they prepare for their futures. The Homegrown Division is comprised of 152 Clubs, including all MLS academies and 123 MLS NEXT Elite Academies. The top teams in each age group at each MLS NEXT Club participate in the competition, totaling more than 17,000 players. Homegrown Division Clubs compete in a 10-month, pro-style season, participating in marquee national events throughout the year. The MLS NEXT Allstate Homegrown Division sets the standard for player development in North America and provides a direct and proven pathway to the professional game.
The relative anonymity in the US for big footballers is a plus.. We shall see how many World Cup players enjoyed their time in the states and decided it would be a decent endeavor
It's just me speculating on the post and language used within it. Now, a D2 league within NeXT Pro is not a new idea I pulled out of my @$$. It's been mentioned by MLS execs for a year or two now. The league recognizes that their pro player pathway has a hole in it. There are players who are clearly better than the current level of play in NeXT Pro, but might not be ready for MLS just yet. The league needs to find a way to add another layer of competition for those players, as well as players who need minutes to rehab from injuries, draft picks with potential, etc. The partnership with KKR is with the intention of building a NHL/MLB style minor league development system for MLS.
Oh boy, I can already hear the outrage from the ProRel crowd that this isn't real ProRel because Monowi, Nebraska can't promote to 1st Division.
Having DPs count less against the cap than the cannon fodder at the end of the bench creates perverse incentives. Lowering the DP hit would do what you want, however, it would also lower the max salary (unless, again, you don’t mind creating perverse incentives.). So lowering that hit would squeeze the upper middle class player that top Mexican clubs have more of than MLS clubs.