After reading about the Toronto rift and realizing some of the best soccer cities/markets for possible MLS expansion already have existing A-League teams, why not merge the two leagues or buy them out. I think of the AFL merging with the NFL as an example. Also the NBA in talks of buying out the CBA before they decided to start their own developmental league. Most A-League teams have their own stadiums/venues, already marketed and have a loyal fan base, and are active intheir communities. Those are several of the prerequisites MLS is looking for when considering expansion teams. Yes the talent pool will drop off for a year or two. But our MLS teams cannot keep on getting younger and younger as new and more skilled talent continues to develop, pushing away talent in their mid- to late- twenties. I think in the long run it will be good. There will be more owners, more teams for player development, a larger pool of players for the US National teams, it will grow the WUSA expansion for their league, more sponsors, more attractive to the TV dollars, more opportunities for coaching evelopment, more international visibility and attraction, and the list of pros goes on and on and on....Your thoughts?
I've often wondered "what if" an investor purchased the A-League, merged it with MLS and then created a promotion-relegation system that might work because the individual harm caused to a team relegated to the 2nd division would be outweighed by the overall benefit to the league caused by more active fan interest due to the promotion-relegation battles at the end of the season. Another benefit would be the new markets already occupied by A-League franchises that would be introduced to MLS. Of course, promotion and relegation would be affected by the stadium situation of each A-League franchise and, more importantly, the increased costs to the investors of having to support 2 entire divisions of soccer, but that's why it's always been a "what if."
Why? What's the point? MLS is struggling/has struggled to establish itself as a major league...bringing in franchises that consistently draw crowds under 10k will do nothing to help that cause.. Rochester is the only franchise (after stadium built) that makes sense (to possibly become MLS)
honestly in the world of sports synergy I suppose you are right. there are however a huge giant mountain load of obstacles and problems. out side of single entity and money issues, let me just say that an ideal world MLS would merge with A-Leage build new stadiums for every team, have matching WUSA teams, host huge doubleheaders, buy all the best talent in the world. and draw 80,000 a night at each venue. and to supplament their income, they can buy NFL teams out and let them use our stadiums in the off season. ok maybe I went too far there, but it is just at this time an impossibility. if the A-league were structurally closer to MLS, and if MLS was sucessful. It could be possible. also if A-leage had better talent it would be closer to being fair. all it would do now is dilute a league and bankrupt it. well bankrupt it more than it already is. the A-League is really doing quite well. I would hate to mess with it. MLS is making strides. I dont want to mess with it too much. maybe in 5-10 years. whatever
I think the only way we see relegation/promotion in MLS anytime in the near future is actually under single entity. MLS would have to expand to 16 teams (minimum) -Have MLS with the top 8 teams -MLS2 would have 8 teams. -ALL teams have equal salary caps and share all revenue (TV, if any, sponsors, etc.) This keeps everyone on pretty equal footing, which is vital for eingle entity.
Jeez, are people STILL talking about P/Rel like it's the solution to all of MLS' problems? We need rivalries, big stars, fan support, media coverage, SSS, etc. P/R is just a bell and whistle kind of thing so we can tell our Eurosnob buddies our league operates just like theirs. I would like to turn the question around...what if the A-League bought out MLS, and we could trash the single entity bs?
Why should MLS buy the A-League? Most likely, well, somewhat likely, they can get owners in A-League cities to pay THEM for the right to join. Nothing more to see here, citizens. Move on with your lives.
What good would owning the A-League do if you didn't own the franchises in the league? It isn't single entity like MLS. Someone would have to agree to buy all the teams in the A-League.
Although I think MLS would win, they'd probably have to fight a big anti-trust lawsuit if they did buy another American soccer league.
Maybe the reason why theres less than 10k going to A-League games is because it's the A-League, not MLS? Suppose you had the Metros and DC at the Swamp, and the Battery and Rough Riders playing 5 blocks away. Who would get the better attendence? The Metros/DC game. Once those teams become "pro" teams, they'll get a lot more attention. Though I would perfer not to have the promotion and regulation rules. I doubt many casual fans would want to see the team they just started following sink down to the second division.
I think its good to having both MLS and the A-leauge. For one I know that a few A-league team owners wouldn't want to sell there teams or invest in the single entity structure of MLS. The A-league teams are also filling the smaller market, so precentage of population wise, the A-league is probably at doing better in a few cities. Lastly, the A-league is a "pro" league, I know it might not seem like it in some places, but the MLS could take a few notes from clubs like the one here in Charleston.
This is the key. All the 'what if' scenarios mean nothing until the MLS is profitable . The league is still very young. Let's not get ahead of ourselves lest we have another NASL.
Pro/Rel I think we'll need to see an end to the single entity structure before this idea/discussion can be advanced any further. No A-league owners are going to give up there franchises for the right to lose money in the MLS for the forseeable future. So in the meantime we should all hope for the MLS to do well, so when MLS thinks of expansion, they see dollar signs, rather than question marks. They're scared of the Timbers anyway!