A Beginner’s Guide to MLS

The cool jersey website so you can get a cool jersey ► www.sangalo.co/
MLS can be overwhelming. If you come from any footballing background outside of the United States, or if you grow up in the United States and only watch everywhere else. It is an unholy combination of American sports rules like salary caps and trades, combined with transfers and youth academies. This video is a guide to understanding why and how it actually works.
There is also Lionel Messi. His transfer to Inter Miami is playing a very real role in shaping the future of MLS in a way that almost no other league outside Saudi Arabia could relate to at all. The rules are changing, the clubs are changing, and the way the league is perceived is changing. It is also stuck, but you’ll see why soon, because the teams can’t be full of stars, at least not yet.
Much Love,
Zealand
Sources
► Athletic
theathletic.com/3514232/2022/...
► ESPN Press Room
espnpressroom.com/us/press-re...
► Sports Media Watch
www.sportsmediawatch.com/nfl-...
► Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_A...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_L...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designa...
► LA Times
www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
► Diario AS
en.as.com/soccer/every-expans...
► CNBC
www.cnbc.com/2021/11/27/the-r...
► Fansided
fansided.com/2022/07/09/mls-r...
► EuroNews
www.euronews.com/2023/04/13/t...
► The Guardian
www.theguardian.com/football/...
► Boardroom
boardroom.tv/mls-salary-cap-2...
► San Diego Union Tribune
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/....
🎮 Zealand Playing:
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🙌 Thanks for watching & scrolling!
#MLS #Messi #Football #Soccer #Hashtags

[@b2_barenko803]

MLS Rules do be requiring a Ph.D

[@justsomedude168]

Interviewer: What's the highest education level you received? Interviewee: A Ph.D Interviewer: Oooooh. A Ph.D in what? Interviewee: a Ph.D in MLS Rules

[@nexanine]

Fr lmao

[@tudorcre]

The irony

[@josephduenas4718]

Should check out every American sports rule book 😂😂😂

[@peytonplayz24]

Agreed

[@haydarali6249]

I'm a brit but I was at Philadelphia Union's opening game of this season vs Colombus Crew and it was really cool. The Prem doesn't have the massive flags and flares and all that is in a lot of European football so it was my first experience of that. Also nice food and it was also one of the highest scoring games of the season. Worst part tho was just getting to the stadium without a car, a nightmare

[@CallumVloGamesCVG]

Yh cuz it's a tourist division, u find all them and more just 1 division down

[@ConfuseingGameing]

Anywhere without a car is a nightmare, welcome to America 🙃

[@alliedatheistalliance6776]

Mls still needs to find out about supporters buses

[@jaredbowhay-pringle1460]

Just give "Wor flags" a quick search on KZbin maybe.

[@sirsurnamethefirstofhisnam7986]

@@ConfuseingGameingit’s annoying how car reliant America is because you can’t go out and do any social activity and drink because you always have to drive afterwards unless you live close enough for a taxi

[@NeptuneTowers]

Could you do a video on the rules of the MLS? The draft, the trades, the contracts... I really like the MLS, but it's rather unplayable

[@gregorgerzson1767]

I'm interested.

[@sebastianpatriksson7814]

Yeah that'd be dope. I've always wanted to do an MLS save but I can't for the life of me get a grip of it

[@SBarrettM]

My first save (fm21), I managed LAFC and got promptly fired. I landed at Vancouver and learned them over 8 seasons and I still don’t know everything. If you want a fun US experience w/o all the mls bs rules, take a look at the American Tiers database. It’s super fun and I’m up to the 3rd tier from the 7th in about 9 years taking my local Sunday kick around squad up.

[@philipmcniel4908]

Yeah, he didn't explain allocation money except for mentioning it at the end.

[@davidday2373]

The Draft is not a big factor in MLS. In other sports the draft is basically the funnel through which teams are able to add players.... in Soccer/MLS there is no funnel, teams can add players from all over the world.

[@DudeTotally1000]

Too bad they stopped with American style names for the teams. Now it's just the boring "Town FC" template, although I approve of the teams that use SC instead.

[@razzlejazzled]

My hometown team (Portland Timbers) moving from the USL to MLS is what got me to pay attention to soccer in the first place. I wouldn't be a fan of the sport without MLS. As someone who didn't understand soccer at the time, the team moving from "minor league" to "major league" (As I thought of it back then) to only become the second "major league" team in the city (after the NBA's Trailblazers) got a ton of media attention and hype in the city, and I got caught up into that and over the course of the next few years was converted into being a soccer fan.

[@sambenham1945]

Same here but when Atlanta United became an expansion team. Before that, I’d always watch the World Cup and maybe the Euros, but other than that I was hardly into the sport

[@pcoleman1971]

Same for me, except for your Cascadia rival, Vancouver Whitecaps. I played as a kid, and followed the national team, but never felt I had a club team to cheer for. I only started following European football after a certain Whitecap player was transferred to Bayern Munich.

[@ultronrising8424]

portLand

[@pcoleman1971]

@@spontaneous3 I've been a Whitecaps season ticket holder for 9 years. The franchise has existed since 1974, but only in the MLS since 2011. Similar to what rjg5858 said, I didn't pay attention until they were in the MLS.

[@jirikurto3859]

@@pcoleman1971 Do you think the Whitecaps would have more success if they changed their name to Whitebutts? I feel like it would make a big difference.

[@javi0313]

As an American I’ve been a fan of European football all my life but what really got me into the MLS was when Thierry Henry came to my NYRB. One of the greatest moments of my life was seeing his crazy Olympic goal against Columbus live after watching him dominate Europe on the tv.

[@primeapegaming4277]

Why you start so late liking the mls

[@NoName-rq6bg]

real football fans support a team from their own country you plastic fan

[@paratame105]

Is it this one? kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqS7hWWJeLGZoLc Which goal are you referring to?

[@primeapegaming4277]

@@paratame105 olimpico goal is what he meant

[@paratame105]

@@primeapegaming4277 ooh, beautiful goal. Thanks mate

[@MikeLikesBikes095]

I really hope the MLS does well! But just as I was about to go to my local Inter Miami games, Messi came. Which is amazing for the sport…but now a lot of locals can hardly attend 1 match. The tickets are just so much higher than any other sporting event in Miami.

[@mittao86]

Than you waiting for Messi to leave, than the Ticket will go back to normal price, People will travel far far away to see him play before he Retired, it will always be people with money that want to see him.

[@racheldsouza8895]

How do they raise ticket prices? According to demand?

[@MikeLikesBikes095]

@@racheldsouza8895 stadium not being big + demand + expensive players = extremely expensive tickets

[@farignar]

@@racheldsouza8895probably, I’m in KC and the normal ticket price for 3rd row form the bottom in the middle of the field is usually 50-60 bucks. But when there’s a big game (KC vs St Louis) the same tickets are 150-160

[@DjATOMIQ]

It is about $200 now, how much was it before Messi came?

[@de132]

The fact that MLS has only 3 designated players and generally younger squads with a high level of parity makes the league enjoyable to watch in my opinion.

[@MattDakus]

I know. German soccer has had one team win the championship the last 11 years in a row. How anyone can say "we need to operate more like that" is beyond me!

[@coyotelong4349]

@@MattDakus Exactly MLS may not have the top players in the world, but it has something none of the top European leagues have, and that’s parity

[@alexandrescu2000]

@@MattDakus you tehnically can't operate like that, because you have the stupid playoff system,i.e finishing 1st means nothing

[@alexandrescu2000]

@@coyotelong4349 serie a would like a word..

[@divinitygaming8673]

Perhaps, but at the same time you don't get incredible narratives like the National Team of Greece winning the Euro 2004 or Leicester City winning the Premier League out of nowhere.

[@_Epic_]

The Americans are really doing something right with the MLS, promoting youth development and having a strict system in place for owners - really what needs to happen everywhere, in every league. Stops teams like Chelsea from spending £900M on dross, stops the Transfers reaching the ridiculous heights that they have, and would stop dodgy owners from buying clubs because they have deeper pockets, regardless of how they deepened them (Newcastle). The MLS is growing rapidly, and can only be healthy for the sport.

[@bigrandomun9267]

Whilst I somewhat agree, the MLS isn’t as good in US player development as they are to foreign players. I can’t think of many American players who started or developed in the MLS but I could name some foreign who have developed in the league (Davies, Almiron, Martinez). Do they have a rule on the amount of home-grown players they have because if they don’t, they’re a perfect league to have such regulations.

[@td7221]

​@@bigrandomun9267 I think there have been a few who have at least spent time in the MLS academies at this point. Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, Joe Scally, Ricardo Pepi are some examples I found, and that's not counting potential prospects like Obed Vargas who Zealand talked about in a recent video. Now to be clear I don't think any of these guys are the worlds most impressive prospects, but I think they've shown a serious growth in MLS youth development for the US players.

[@untexan]

The US academies aren’t on the same level as European academies because they can’t include schooling like they can overseas.

[@Jimmys_TheBestCop]

MLS Next did just start in 2022 which are the academy teams for the MLS technically in the 3rd tier. It was created to circumvent the NCAA. As and youth playing for MLS Next can't play for any youth school thus will never get offered a college scholarship and avoiding the NCAA and the MLS super draft.

[@Khairan99]

saudi league already overtakes mls

[@LiamRFT]

The MLS is a really cool league if you can get over it just being different

[@lukashradecky5492]

yeah dont know why people hate it outside of that one chant or no relegation teams. Different football traditions are what makes the sport fun

[@yassinedahbi7727]

@@lukashradecky5492yeah but relegation is fun it makes a lot of tears to drink

[@lukashradecky5492]

@@yassinedahbi7727Yeah I pointed out the lack of relegation is a justified reason to dislike the MLS

[@alliedatheistalliance6776]

Coming from Scotland, where our two house race now seems to be an even more boring one horse race, i really appreciate the mls. A league where there are maybe 10 genuine contenders in a given season is such a breath of fresh air.

[@ecstasycalculus]

@@alliedatheistalliance6776 Scotland had one of the best leagues in Europe until Rangers went into administration. It's quite tragic, really.

[@DrZaius3141]

Weirdly, I think that the system of no relegation and promotion actually works for the States. Firstly, because of the extreme parity in the league which means that luck can play a major role there. Secondly, because football is still in its infancy over there and like you need to protect a sapling from harsh conditions, you need to protect the teams from too big of a danger. A life-long Leicester fan won't stop being a fan because they get relegates, but if you're new as a fan and your team drops out, you might just stop altogether. Thirdly, because of the lack of density, the second tier would really really suck, and without diehard fans, that's unsustainable. Fourthly, the system of the MLS means that they can add teams to their hearts' content, meaning that new teams will always have a chance to emerge. Here's the thing: If you want to get promoted to the EPL, in a roundabout way you still have to pay for that. The MLS is just more direct in it, so it relies less on clubs gambling away their future for a small chance at the golden ticket. The Championship is filled with clubs that are essentially bankrupt because promotion would solve those problems.

[@philipmcniel4908]

I would add that a lifelong Leicester fan won't _have_ to stop following his team if they get relegated, because 1) they're still being shown on TV rather than some obscure streaming service (because there aren't four other major leagues saturating the sports media), and 2) they're probably not a seven-hour drive away from his home.

[@MrZen08]

Thank you for understanding the big picture predicament here. So many people clamor for pro/rel, yet not seeing those points you just made.

[@eamonreidy9534]

Incredibly intelligent points

[@tomcustis9272]

@@philipmcniel4908 championship games are barely shown on tv. Go to the games.

[@tomcustis9272]

Yh you can’t just create the pyramid from the top down very easily.

[@Mr.Korzack]

I remember sold university friends getting into MLS so I thought 'Why not - give it a whirl'... Picking Chivas USA circa 2011 was Maybe a bad move though haha. Football manager has helped me make sense of the rules though, and while in most other leagues it feels like heresy, having an East and West league format has helped me settle on 2 sides (LAFC for the old Chivas connection and Minnesota because... I'm a Newcastle fan and from Toon to Loon is an easy connection to make haha) It has been great seeing MLS doing so well and hope it continues - a strong USA can only be good for football going forward

[@martynhunter6083]

Quite enjoyed that documentary style breakdown of the league. Would be good to watch more of other leagues

[@doyle8711]

As someone who knows little about the MLS this was very entertaining and educating.

[@CJ-du3wm]

Despite all the crap MLS gets the model is sustainable and is clearly working. Also the games are fun as hell. I went to Orlando vs Atlanta United(in Atlanta) and it felt as, if not more, intense than a college football game 😅

[@epicow_1973]

College football is more intense. Wear an Ohio state shirt in Michigan and see what you get.

[@albertolopezadrados8282]

Apple should make a twitch for football streams, in stead of having to watch with a designated commentator, have hundreds of commentators on at the same time and have them bring their audience from other platforms. Imagine watching an MLS game with Zealand in a little window in the corner! Pure bliss!

[@alistairwall5470]

Isn't this basically what's been done for the King's League that Pique's set up?

[@MrAstrodome]

Closest thing in the MLS Season Pass is bein able to switch to local broadcast team during the game.

[@sergioval2217]

billion idea

[@AdithyaReddyify]

basically a watch along? Prem teams have this, KZbin on phone/laptop & the match on TV.

[@claytonmoore3027]

I went to my first mls game, Atlanta United vs dc United, and the fans there were absolutely incredible even though I had no clue about mls but knew soccer well it was a hell of an experience

[@volgg]

I'll be honest, i just hopped on the bandwagon to watch messi play in the MLS and I never really watched soccer/football before. I did watch some few games back in 2015-2016 FC Barcelona, but it never stuck with me. Now that Messi is playing in MLS, it just gave me that intriguing factor to see how one of the goats performs in a (let's face it) lesser known league. Now watching more games, it's starting to actually stick with me this time.

[@t.b.flowers8903]

I *REALLY* wanted to play MLS in FM(21?/22?) but i despised, HATED, the end of season problems with roster regulations/requirements. It was ridiculous and I couldn't put up with it after each season. Great video summing MLS up. Thanks Z

[@thehearingaid]

I think it may have been 20/21 I made a custom ruleset for US to turn it into a more standard league system. Was pretty fun. Also helps that in the game players don't get jetlagged or need to worry about the travel aspect.

[@csmlyly5736]

I started in MLS and got to know all the complex in and outs of registering players. Then I played in France and they just about let you sign anyone up lol

[@gracielynn9623]

This is a fantastic video. Only thing it’s missing is a run down of GAM, TAM, the salary cap structure, the roster designations and so on. Great for the history and how it got here, but I think the other information could be more useful to the new audiences.

[@Pittforever24]

That is a separate and long video cause it’s so damn complicated that MLS teams don’t even fully understand it

[@i.blomen]

Honestly as an European i would watch the MLS games if they werent so extremly late at night.

[@baskindobbins5467]

on the flip side im up at 6am waiting for arsenal to play lmao

[@csifresno8302]

Record that shit bro

[@LukeyShoes12]

The fact that I have lived through all of these changes and seen them first hand is a wild realization, and I'll say this, the Messi move to Inter Miami has me feeling very similar to when Beckham joined. In fact I would say this is the most hope I've felt for the league in a long time. Getting to watch Nashville SC's storyline in the League Cup and see it collide with Messi and Inter Miami's is one for the league's history books and a truly special moment, where even in loss this city got to witness something they never thought they would see. I agree that this may be the most pivotal moment in the MLS's history to date.

[@iCrapBubbles]

This explains a lot. It also makes sense as to why all the teams wear Adidas kits, because kit manufacturers buy the rights to supply the league and not individual football clubs. Because the league owns the football clubs, and so the teams are not as self-governed as teams outside of the US.

[@gregweaver1847]

I live in Indianapolis and support Indy Eleven. Which is in the USL championship. Which is USAs 2nd tier with no promotion to mls. Its interesting that we have a huge 1 billion dolloae soccer specific stadium approved and being built. Alot of usa sports leagues have 32 teams. I wonder if Indianapolis was promised a team if they went to 32. If not its a weirdly amazing stadium for 2nd tier American soccer

[@yosef1475]

I Hope Indy will get one of those two (probably) next sports. In my opinion, the next expansion wouldn't happen until 2026-2028.

[@HarveyWallbangers2]

My guess is that Indianapolis will get a team within the next 10 years. I think MLS is interested in expanding to 40 teams, and Indianapolis would be a shoo in to be one of those next 10 teams.

[@CharlesUrban]

Indy can have a team, but they aren't allowed to take it from Baltimore. (Similarly, we promise not to take any more teams from Cleveland.)

[@zlionsfan]

Indy Eleven STH here - my understanding is that it's more the Louisville path, that the owner is big on both men's and women's soccer and is trying to get a top-tier women's team. He was pursuing an NWSL expansion team until the USL Super League idea ... I suppose in theory we could have four teams sharing the stadium, but even if the Super League doesn't manifest, having a well-supported USL men's side and an NWSL side (plus a proper home for the USL W champs) would be awesome.

[@bairdbiz]

Indy is big enough to support an ambitious team. This needs to happen.

[@OlafderPirat]

Fantastic Video, I never knew anything about the MLS history and the absolute gigachad that is Phil Anschutz.

[@idantiroche7312]

I think the first 5 seconds of the video sum it all up.

[@tenther5019]

This was exceptional! Even having lived through this evolution from NASL to MLS, I had very little understanding of the how's and why's. Thanks for putting this together!

[@McBDN]

I actually got into MLS around 2006 because of football manager, before the leagues big expansion, great video explaining how it got to where it was then (and before) to where it is now 👏

[@APJTA]

The emphasis on youth development is really important. Especially for the Canadian teams. I'm a Montreal fan and the promise of the team to fans is essentially this: we're not gonna spend a lot of money, but we're gonna let young kids play while giving them enough veteran support, and we're gonna emphasize local talent. Kids from Quebec don't need to go to the youth Squad of a European team to develop anymore. Instead, they play for Montreal. We saw this with Ismaël Koné, we're likely to see it with Jonathan Sirois and Jules-Anthony Vilsaint. Mathieu Choinière is 24 so if he's gonna go to Europe, it'll be now, but he'll be a Canada MNT guy regardless, just like our captain, Sam Piette. And it's pretty satisfying to sweep Toronto FC and their overpriced Italians.

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Melbourne Sydney Vigrx Plus

[@td7221]

Thanks for the video! I'm a big mls fan and it's been super exciting to watch it grow!

[@andreanecchi5930]

in USL they should vote soon to add the rule of promotion and relegation

[@moloko5]

There are only two tiers and all their franchises in both tiers are pretty similar small valuation - so it works ok and may attract some additional small number of soccer only fans who live in cities with a USL team because of it. But those same soccer only fans are delusional that pro/rel will move the needle at all with the much broader American audience who are used to leagues without pro/rel. There are a lot more fans of soccer who like other sports too and don't care about pro/rel than there are obsessives who refuse to watch MLS because it doesn't have it. It's a good idea and will allow the league to have more non-MLS cities covered and make things more interesting for USL. Also, USL without a large television contract or owners with 100's of millions invested in their NYC or LA clubs may actually be able to achieve both parity and pro/rel, which is another reason to follow it. But to me I don't see why not both - particularly if you live in a non-MLS city that has USL.

[@blazingbattlehawk9626]

I'd prefer a system where players are Relegated and promoted. Not entire teams

[@ryanevans126]

Promotion and relegation an amazing thing in football u can tell great stories by having it in for example in uk i support a team called coventry we were in the prem over 20 years ago got relegated that league to the 4 th tier then we got a good manager and we got from 4th tier to 2nd tier and got to a playoff final and lost then u can have lows like Leicester they won prem league then now there in championship same for Luton they was in non league 10 years ago now are in premiership so I think promotion and relegation gives more stakes to the leagues just my opinion mls is a closed league no team can grow outside of it but there league I just much prefer the Europe format what England have

[@KitsGravity]

I love the parity of MLS and this is what I hate about European football. In England, outside of top 6 and now Newcastle United, it's impossible for any other team to break through the ranks. Bundesliga is probably the worst culprit here as Bayern Munich has won consecutively for 10 times. I wish salary caps were a thing in the European football to make teams more even and make leagues more competitive instead of just buying their way to success (looking at you, Man City)

[@ryanevans126]

I like that mls is a very open league different teams win it each year I just don't like the format for me team with the most points should win that league not then do a 16 team tournament to then crown ur league winner that format just seems weird I like playoffs like to get promoted to a league or to qualify for Europe or other international competions and the seasons too long but all American sports are like im doing nhl on my ps5 it 82 games just to try get to the playoffs I think just play each other once at home 1 away then do playoffs but to me top team by end of season should win trophy but American sports always had playoffs why do u think that is

[@KitsGravity]

@@ryanevans126 I agree with you there. Playoffs can make things more exciting but it's very inorganic. The team with most points should win. Then the top 4 of each conference can battle it out like UCL

[@JT-rx1eo]

Leicester City would like a word. But I get your point. But, I actually like the system in European domestic leagues. There are economic niches that clubs tend to settle into. Top 6 in PL, mid-table to 6th (Everton), relegation bubble, etc. As long as there is a potential pathway to ascension (Manchester City, Chelsea) through ownership and spending, I'm fine with it. Financial Fair Play actually works against that however.

[@billsager5634]

1978-1980 was the NASL peak, with 24 teams. By 1984, only 8 teams remained: Chicago Sting; Toronto Blizzard; New York Cosmos; Tampa Bay Rowdies; San Diego Sockers; Vancouver Whitecaps; Minnesota Strikers; Tulsa Roughnecks; Golden Bay Earthquakes Another factor to consider - in the pre-cable, pre-internet era, having a TV contract was VITA to survival for any sport. The only major network contracts the NASL has were with CBS (1974-1976) and ABC (1979-1981).

[@iambicpentakill]

"San Diego Sockers" Heh

[@jamesdulany2176]

There are several NASL clubs that still exist to this day in MLS: Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps, and the San Jose Earthquakes. There's another in Minnesota United if you count the modern version of the NASL that ran in the 2010s. The Tampa Bay Rowdies compete in the USL Championship, and I think that's it for the original NASL clubs that are still active in full--time pro soccer. The Cosmos are another video in and of themselves if you're interested in that whole debacle.

[@jmal]

Sometimes I dream that the Rowdies become the 31st MLS club and Red Bull sells their team to the Cosmos. But maybe that's just my NASL nostalgia talking.

[@bigbigmurphy]

Went to watch my first ever J League in person past weekend, I was absolutely impressed by the atmosphere and the game intensity!

[@Heath580]

The NASL/MLS shootout was a good innovation and it deserved a second look

[@stevencurtis85]

I really hope the MLS takes off outside of the US too. I watch games if I can in the Uk and enjoy them. I’ve managed in MLS on FM and once u understand the rules etc it makes for some great saves. It just needs to take that next step with world wide audiences as well as within the US. Didn’t know apple had the rights, which is huge, and hopefully that can provide a world wide boom of sorts too.

[@BenzBarkz]

I doubt it will take off outside the US just because Europe’s so dominate and I think you need to take off domestically before hoping it’ll take off outside the US but that’s really hard look at South America they’re football mad but get barely any outside interest

[@_Jake.From.Statefarm_]

@@BenzBarkz I don't think it's an either or situation. If there are players (note Messi for one example) people will tune in to watch. Also, the current version of MLS likely won't be what it will look like in the next 10-20 years..

[@nerychristian]

@@BenzBarkz It could be a language barrier. Most of the world has some understanding of the English language. Not many speak Spanish or Portuguese.

[@johnyprigioni859]

What a nice and quality video! Man you should do more of these ❤

[@angellestat2730]

I am new to the MLS, but I think that the designated players rule or how to get extra talent in case you sell players is quite interesting. Because you can have experience and famous players like on Inter Miami, and those players can teach the young ones how to play. Is more like a video game, where you can choose your 3 heroes and then built a squad around that. That keeps the bills on check at the same time you growth the league. Also, is fun to see the contrast between players. Besides, if the league has growth so much lately is because you are doing the things right.

[@mathiasjameson9574]

That was a fascinating video! Learned a lot! Thank you Zealand! As a European immigrant in the USA, I’m excited to see it grow over here

[@jimbobuz]

I think this last World Cup was so amazing (romantic almost) that people realize how beautiful this sport can be.

[@griffinburns9238]

You should do a video like the inter Miami one on the Sons of Ben and the Philadelphia Union franchise. It is a really cool story.

[@Heath580]

NASL uniforms and team names were dope and you can't change my mind

[@enriquefloresmolestina4804]

I hail from South America; but I came to America when I was a child… Obviously I came in calling it “Fùtbol” and hated the term “soccer” now I embrace the term Soccer as I understood it as a cultural thing! Same way as Italy calls it Calcio! And I love that uniqueness!

[@MichaelDanger19]

My favorite early MLS story is that Nike did all the branding, and they chose the Tampa Bay Mutiny name to allude to the pirate theme of the city, but made the logo a mutant bat because the words sounded similar

[@shivi0014]

As an indian I get all these rules of MLS, we have a few same rules in ISL and I think these kind of rules are needed to grow the game and the league in non footballing countries, where the top sport is not football.

[@alvanna787]

Early 30s Canadian here. Even though my dad was English from London, grew up calling it soccer. Played for 8 years as a kid. Have no understanding of MLS rules before this video. Thank you Zealand.

[@jeremy3walker]

Excellent recap of the MLS story. Thanks

[@thatguy5165]

When I turned up at Columbus Crews in my Journey Man save, I thought I'll have a relaxing time after four +60 games seasons in Columbia. And then I was confronted with all the registrations rules in the USA....

[@declangaming24]

Those rules I don't follow them I sign however I fell like they don't make the game fun they make the game boring

[@willn703]

Great primer on MLS. But I think you didn't go far enough back in the history of soccer in the US and talk about "The Soccer War" between the then U.S. Football Association (now US Soccer Federation) and the first version of the American Soccer League. Or what happened after that.

[@VentureAddicts]

Great video! Another reason for the growth of popularity and interest in soccer today is that a lot of our men’s national team are playing in the big boy clubs in Europe

[@andyn7548]

I became a fan as a kid when I won tickets to the MLS All Star Game in San Jose in 2001 and was a huge Landon Donavan fan; I was a sick kid and did an event with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society where the earthquakes loaned 2 players to come and hang out at my Light the Night booth. I can’t for the life of me remember who the 2nd guy was but I definitely remember Landon being really nice.

[@PolecanePC]

Also would love to see an follow up video about which cities in USA and Canada deserve their own team, and could be consider into future expansion after San Diego. Could cities like Boise, Quebec, Albuquerque, Sioux Falls, Spokane or Norfolk be considered in the future? Is there like a minimum population limit for a city/metro-area?

[@Mebsuta]

The league is not planning to expand beyond 30 teams. And if anything I think the Canadian teams should be kicked out since Canada started their own league and it's not doing so bad.

[@PolecanePC]

@@MebsutaI don't think we can trust this type of words. Through the years they were also many talks that this or that team from one or another city will join, and then so many plans crumbled. Also look at NHL the newly added teams are doin so well.

[@chrissao_502]

Outside of *maybe* Quebec, the answer is no. Quebec is still most likely a no because Montreal likely has territory rights over all of French Canada. Boise could get a USLC, they were supposed to, and Albuquerque already has New Mexico United in USLC. Spokane has a USL1 team starting next year, and the rest might be able to sustain a USL1 club. Also, yes, there is a minimum size for D1 (MLS) set USSF not only for metro size but also for ownership

[@Adamdidit]

The epicerie actually sort of well-known with a little guesswork Vegas, Sacramento, Phoenix, New Orleans, and perhaps one of the mid-sized cities in the Deep South. I love the idea of Boise because it's a small city that has become a medium sized city and keeps growing explosively and the first protein to get in there is going to own that place. I just don't think it's going to be MLS.

[@mastertrams]

I think the eventual goal should be to get a team in each state. But then you'd have a 50+ team league, considering some states already have multiple teams... Maybe then you'd get something like an MLS 2? So, a closed pro/rel system, which teams cannot fall out of the bottom of, but enables movement between the two leagues? Yeah, yeah, I know, just another non-American angling for pro-rel in MLS, but I do think that each state having a team idea is a good one, even if pro rel might not be.

[@AnOnim-dd4nb]

Los clubes de la MLS deberían jugar la Copa Libertadores (o jugar un torneo reducido con los semifinalistas de la misma). Es más, la selección de USA debería jugar la Copa América. Ése sería el gran salto del fútbol (soccer) americano.

[@gabetravels231]

I love all of your videos Zealand...but I definitely didn't anticipate seeing myself in one of yours just 40 seconds in, cheering along with AO in Doha!

[@michaelolasebikan7646]

This is incredible stroy telling! Well done, great work!

[@Adrian_John_]

The veiw that it was a terrible night in Trinidad and Tobago is dependent on perspective. Because I'm Trinidadian and that was a bloody great night.

[@JT-rx1eo]

Yea but T&T was already eliminated. So simply ruining it for a hated rival was that great?

[@austinedeclan10]

Don't underestimate Americans. When they REALLY get into football, they'll overtake a few of the European powerhouses. Truth be told Messi along with Neymar and Mbappe were in the French league but that didn't pique my interest in it whatsoever. On the other hand Bradley Wright-Phillips scoring for fun in America when he was discarded by English football way quite interesting

[@Tommyruin]

I really enjoyed this type of video when compared with your FM stuff - definitely would like more on the finer points of the league!

[@andrewwatkins4852]

I was so happy that I finally got my club Atlanta United to the MLS and we dominated the league and won the MLS cup a year later and still hold attendance records that no MLS club could beat

[@dayoki8091]

As a filipino who grew up with a basketball culture and the nba (basketball is really popular here but i only just recently got into football) the mls is actually a really decent league and its definetly not a farmers league, i didnt really watch the mls before messi but i think the league will grow in the us. Its definetly getting there and im just hoping that the type of success can be replicated here in the philippines.

[@TomCruz54321]

We have similar experiences. I'm Filipino and grew up watching the NBA. I got into football during the 2010 World Cup. I really hope local football and MMA get prime time TV slots in our country. I want to follow Messi in the MLS but I don't know how I can watch it.

[@Jsebas289]

Lol not a farmers league. Youre right more like a senior citizen league. Theres literally no competition comparing to the soccer anywhere else.

[@dayoki8091]

@@TomCruz54321 pirated streams tbh im too poor for apple tv

[@latergator9622]

​@@Jsebas289rank 29th is not dead last lol

[@MrAstrodome]

​@@TomCruz54321 MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

[@billsager5634]

American who grew up with the Baseball/Football tradition. However, also came from a town that has a 150+ year history with soccer, and grew up a Cosmos fan. MLS takes some very American ideas (like the draft, no relegation/promotion) and combines with some European ideas, to create something unique. In many ways, the MLS is the BEST league, because it is the most competitive league! In the past 10 seasons, there have been 9 WINNERS! Only Seattle has won twice. Compare that to the Premier League, with Man City winning 5 times in the last 6 seasons! Hell, only a handful of teams have EVER won the Premier League: Man United - 13; Man City - 7; Chelsea - 5; Arsenal - 3; Liverpool - 1, Leicester City -1, Blackburn - 1. Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands are even worse!! ZERO Competition!

[@BrowardHeron]

Thank you so much for breaking it down so well.

[@codycauthen110]

BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE!!! CLT FC manager here!!!

[@p.ipebomb]

We just need MLS mascots running around the field and fighting each other like they do in the MLB and NFL 😂

[@corgg2]

Mine has a real chainsaw. Go Timber Joey!

[@SamButler22]

It's kinda weird how the biggest football leagues are all in Europe, since South America, Africa, and Asia love football. I would genuinely like to see competition from other continents. China didn't do it right, Saudi Arabia feels like that too, but MLS really sound like they're building up the right way

[@EPK123]

South american Leagues could have been as great as european leagues or even better but the economy of those countries make it imposible. All great southamericans players like Messi,Maradona,Di María, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Luis Suarez, Neymar, etc were in their prime playing in European leagues

[@Nat.ali.a]

South American leagues were the best leagues until Europe change the rule to allow foreign players. This started the wave from south american players to europe, because they would get better salaries there. Without their best players, the south american leagues started to lose quality. But even then, the best players keep coming from South American leagues.

[@JT-rx1eo]

It's all about economics. South America, Africa don't compete well in that realm.

[@BrendanP]

I am saving this video and linking this video to any MLS doubters on social media in the future.

[@brionrock]

i'm like three years into my mls fandom and really enjoyed this

[@donutsrgood4491]

As an American who views Soccer as like his 5th favorite sport the Apple TV deal made me completely stop paying attention to MLS. I still watch the Preimer League or at least all Man City games I used to watch my local MLS games but I'm not paying for a MLS package just to watch my local team I really don't care enough lol. It's like NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, EPL, then MLS in importance for me. No way I'm spending extra money for that especially sense the only decent show on Apple TV is Ted Lasso. I'm mid 20s idk what generation that is but I really don't see soccer as that popular where I'm from at least and everyone who likes soccer at all just follows the EPL

[@Bullseye_Sports]

The Columbus Crew has one of the nicest soccer-specific stadiums in the entire country. Plus their old stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium in the MLS called Historic Crew Stadium. Edit: Also commented this before he said Columbus had the first soccer-specific stadium.

[@jayh3283]

I believe the first United States soccer specific stadium during the FIFA era is the Fall River Marksmen's 'Mark's Stadium' that was opened in 1922.

[@geo-6964]

Both stadiums are 🤮. Crusty parking lot at the historic crew stadium

[@oldbittercraig3513]

Great vid. Hope Sangalo start getting more South American kits. My Athletico Paranaense kit is starting to get threadbare and I'm pretty much always wanting whatever new kit Guarani (Paraguay) break out each year.

[@freddiewells9922]

Goddamnit Z, you’ve got me craving an MLS save on Football Manager again!! Probably the most satisfying to get right considering all the rules and regs you’ve got to sift through to build your squad

[@croat5786]

You put a picture of Bale in while you were talking about designated players, but he was signed on TAM money not as a DP. Because you know, MLS couldn’t get more confusing.

[@philipmcniel4908]

He didn't even mention TAM lol p.s. I didn't "lol" at him so much as at the fact that he just made this long video and there was _still_ a lot of stuff he had to leave out.

[@ThaGamingMisfit]

As a European, my mind was blown by this video. It feels very American, the playoffs, every season a different champion, no relegations or promotions etc... I hope that formula will last, it feels very off for this sport but I guess that's just because I live in a country where football is the most popular sport.

[@ektran4205]

also THE MLSPA is the strongest players union in world football because the mls has no pro-rel

[@SylvanFeanturi]

Yeah, it's almost like a ... Super league ... ...hmmm

[@philipmcniel4908]

IMO MLS is a case study in why sports that are trying to expand into a new country should adopt the structure traditionally associated with that _country_ rather than the one that has been traditionally associated with that _sport._ I'm not in favor of pro/rel in American soccer, but I am in favor of it for any European baseball or Am. football leagues if the sports get big enough over there for that. Maybe even basketball, but the Euroleague shows just how far you can grow as a league without being big enough for that.

[@ianmurphy9955]

This was interesting as hell, great video man

[@btk6298]

Tremendous video. Learned a lot. Thank you

[@untiuu]

I'm not convinced that parity is holding MLS back. As the video points out, soccer is still a growing sport in the United States. MLS in particular is still trying to muscle for viewership and consistent attendance, especially at many older clubs in heavily saturated markets like New York and Texas. Unleashing super-teams into this ecosystem isn't going to suddenly lift up interest in the local clubs that are struggling, it'll concentrate the growing interest in whatever clubs are able to invest. Some owners are able to make those moves, like in Inter Miami, but most are going to lag behind and fall into the traps explained about NASL. On top of that, I just don't want super-teams in my league. I don't want to look at a table and know which couple of teams are actually going to compete for MLS Cup in perpetuity, and which are just NPCs during a season. Parity is one of the only positive things I've seen people mention about MLS, and it's part of the identity of every other US sport. At some point MLS will need to decide whether it wants to be a part of the US sports world or try to be a European enclave, and I think I know where it's headed. Lastly, without promotion and relegation super-teams become a bully at the playground. There's no upward or downward mobility, it's just those teams keeping every other fanbase from getting invested in their team's prospects. CONCACAF still being so immature also means there's little continental prestige to compete for. It would just become a cycle of winning MLS Cup, winning Champions Cup, and every other team in the growing league wondering why they're spending money.

[@Majk666]

Great video! But on thing that USA national need is to get a new head coach.. Gregg used to be head of my Swedish team and he ain’t it! The shock I got when I found out he was head coach 😅

[@philipmcniel4908]

Imagine the shock WE got when we found out he was going to get a second cycle:/

[@texhooperhd]

He’s done well for us

[@TheClhWarrior]

Don't know if it was intentional, but thank you for keeping the Columbus Crew logo unchanged past 2022.

[@carlybishop6160]

What a great video. Thank you for this. As a Brit and used to European football and the set up/ history of our leagues both in the UK and the rest of Europe, this really helped me understand the MLS. Definitely second the comment for an explanation of drafts etc in the MLS, especially for non-Americans, like myself, who find it a very alien concept.

[@sagittated]

Understanding drafts takes some foundation, which is that American universities participate in loads of different sports. Until recently, schools and athletes had to abide by strict rules of amateurism, but young athletes would sign up, both for the scholarship, and for some, the chance to audition for pro leagues, especially NBA & NFL. At the end of their four years in college ball, they would be eligible to be picked in the draft, and the team that picked them would own their rights against other teams. Significantly, this would help with parity, as the worst performing teams would pick first, and your champion would pick last. The idea that you would punish the worst performing teams was against the interests of the owners of those clubs, and the owners stuck together. Also, in NFL, MLB, & NBA, the owners are the actual owners and make their own rules. They are not subject to governing bodies like FIFA. So there's no requirement to punish teams for having a bad year.

[@hafizh__iskandar]

MLS needs more star players like Saudi Pro League

[@Eric_Hunt194]

Great video- interesting to learn how MLS works with a mixture of US sporting traditions (drafts etc) and more conventional football ways of working. Presumably a future step will be introduction of a second division with promotion and relegation. As a Huddersfield Town fan I'd like to see Sacramento Republic in the MLS, but California already has several teams so it's unlikely to happen unless a second tier league is added. My only real "moan" about the MLS is some of the silly names the teams have- Real Salt Lake sounds daft given that "Real" is Spanish for Royal and you guys famously kicked the monarchy out a while back... oh, and then there's Seattle "Sounders" 😮😂😂

[@squadron_studio]

"Sounders" is a reference to "Puget Sound" which is the name of the big bay that Seattle is located on

[@philipmcniel4908]

I feel like even without pro/rel, MLS clubs are already struggling to draw in viewers from outside their local areas (as he mentioned at 15:27), and relegation to an un-televised* second division all but guarantees that a club will lose its viewer base outside of the local city. Note that the lack of a huge, state- or region-spanning territory isn't a problem for European clubs due to Europe's compact geography. *I say un-televised because with 5 top-flight leagues competing for airtime, there's just not enough left over for minor-league baseball, let alone minor-league soccer. That's why if we do have pro/rel, the only way to watch second-tier teams will probably be something like an ESPN+ subscription.

[@calebchandler8151]

seattle sounders is cool as fuck wdym

[@jmal]

​@@calebchandler8151Don't expect a European to have in-depth knowledge on American culture.

[@ColonelGreen]

There's never going to be pro/rel in MLS. People are paying $500 million expansion fees to buy teams.

[@Seanygee]

Thank you Zealand, Ive always been aware of the MLS... Duh! but never really understood it until now.

[@k9clubme]

great job in summarizing the entire history

[@esdo1132]

As a European I can say that most of us have no idea how the MLS works or what it had to go through. So thats a really helpful and interesting video to find out a bit more about the people from over the sea who don't even know the name of the game they're playing.

[@juliohernandez9372]

I call it football. But clearly you dont realize that the term "soccer" was invented by the British.

[@NegaRenGenX2gay2lift]

oh we know. its just that the National FOOTBALL League existing ruined any chance of American correctly saying the name of the sport. i cant just walk up to a random group of people at the local store and ask "did ya see the FOOTBALL game last night?" they're not gonna think of Austin FC, They're gonna think of the Dallas Cowboys

[@JT-rx1eo]

The term "soccer" is an English word. And the English used it interchangeably with football up until the mid 1980's or so.

[@jabo109]

I still think to this day, that shootouts are better than penalties, you need to be good in 1v1 situation (not an easy thing) both as player and gk, you need more skills; with penalties even if you are a bad shooter you can score 50% of the time at least, and if you are a gk, you gonna save a penalty like 20% of the times (with luck), shootouts makes things more leveled. Only needs some minor adjustments.

[@Al_Dee]

So glad i did an FM save back in 2011 with an mls team(RSL)

[@ElCDS666]

I love European football, and I will always love liga mx and my chivas as that is what I grew up with my whole life. But mls has really caught my eye since early 2022, I still can’t say I have a team since I’m from Arizona but I’m really interested and loving the league right now

[@PCGeines]

My only problem with the MLS is that there is no relegation or promotion regime. I would like them to include more clubs from a lot of US states, and even from smaller cities, and set a second tier or even a third one (as the JLeague does with its franchises across the J1, J2 and J3). I really enjoy the dynamics of a big club fighting against relegation (as Vasco in the Brasileirão, or Schalke04 in the Bundesliga), and a club from a small town shining at the top division (as Luton Town in the Prem).

[@sqrapz]

only problem with relegation and promotion right now is the massive landmass that is the continental united states and the travel costs and times that plague it, but hopefully in the future there's some way to overcome all of it and there's pro and reg implemented into the league.

[@PashtunDoughnut33]

@@sqrapzyet Russia, a much poorer nation, has an operational tier system 🤔

[@philipmcniel4908]

@@PashtunDoughnut33 Only because they are part of the European sporting culture, where leagues below the top tier actually get good media coverage and thus viewership. The USA has so many different top-tier sports leagues that there's just no airtime left over for minor-league baseball, let alone minor-league soccer. Yes, I know ice hockey is huge in Russia, but that's just one other sport. There's a reason why the Euroleague (basketball) doesn't have pro/rel, and why the NRL suspended it due to COVID. In a sport that is the 3rd, 4th, or even 5th most popular sport domestically, pro/rel just provides an existential threat to teams every time they go through a rough patch, which--as we can see with the New York Cosmos--means an existential threat to top teams as well since they can't function without enough opponents to play. Also, it's worth noting that the loyalty that causes a fan to follow his club through years in semi-pro farmer's leagues (a la Luton Town) comes from two things: Generational support and locality. -Generational support (i.e. your grandfather and great-grandfather were fans of the club) takes time to build; you just can't have it in a league that was founded less than 30 years ago. Most MLS fans are first-generation or young (too young to spend much, if any, money) second-generation fans of the sport itself, let alone their clubs. -The vast American geography presents challenges for locality, as does the fact that so many sports are vying for the sports-fan pie, so in order to be really prestigious on the same level as MLB or the NFL, a sports league like MLS needs its teams to draw viewership--and money--from a huge territory (known as a TV market) that extends well beyond their home cities. This is why the problem mentioned at 15:27 is actually a problem for MLS, even though it's quite frankly the status quo (and not a problem at all) for European soccer leagues. Here's a video that explains something about the nature of sports markets in the US, and shows how big many American sports teams' territories are. What qualifies as a "small market" here in the USA would actually be a pretty huge market in many European domestic leagues: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3LanqZors-Cask

[@PashtunDoughnut33]

@@philipmcniel4908 good points

[@Good100]

​@@PashtunDoughnut33Most of Russia's teams are west of the Urals.

[@mads...1793]

Want to turn Philadelphia into the next big thing in America this is what i needed

[@declangaming24]

Philadelphia union is a solid side I did a Chicago fire save on fifa 23 as adrian the Liverpool 3rd choice keeper he went on loan twice to charlotte FC with Chicago fire I signed some major stars Messi from PSG towards the end of his carrer 38 years old, Roberto firmino on a free from Liverpool, some Mexican wonderkid who was like 82 rated at 21 LW ect. I then took over at 1860 Munich who where on the verge of getting relegated in the bundesliga bottom of the league in January I had about £22M to spend so I grabbed some free agents and some cheap transfers from 18th to 16th it was the relegation playoff but we stayed up after beating Dortmund 2

[@mads...1793]

@@declangaming24 that sounds so fun bro gotta love it!😁

[@declangaming24]

@@mads...1793 I like the relegation fight Im also doing a save with buffon so far I managed bari, leece, caligari, Atlético de Madrid now RB leipzig got relegated with bari, leece with caligari I finished 9th in the league then went to Atlético madrid who finished 6th the previous season won the UECL and Spanish Cup we finished 2nd with a nearly invincible season sadio mane shined that season now to RB leipzig who finished 3rd in the bundesliga

[@mads...1793]

@@declangaming24 what year is it and what are your key Players on Leipzig?

[@declangaming24]

@@mads...1793 2027 my best players are nkunku 89 overall sven botman 88 rated, rodrygo 89 rated, kai havertz 89 rated the side I inherited I need to fix bringing in a new LB and a new CDM maybe a new striker we have 36 year old lacazette,37 year old GK gulasci, we have cheisa 29 years old 85 rated.

[@PepeCaseres]

Great video, loved how much history you included. I wish you mentioned how important the women's national team has been also helpful to push the popularity of the sports among Gen Zs.

[@JT-rx1eo]

One important thing in the MLS's survival and growth wasn't mentioned. And I think it was absolutely crucial for the survival, let alone growth, of MLS. That thing is Soccer United Marketing, or SUM. Soccer United Marketing is the for-profit marketing arm of MLS which primarily deals in the promotion and sanctioning of professional soccer in the USA. The promotion also owns the media rights to the Mexico national team when it appears in the USA. I remember an article written way back in the 1990's discussing the prospects of MLS succeeding in the USA, something which no previous professional domestic soccer league had been able to do. The major assertion the author made was that if somehow MLS could attach itself financially, i.e. contract-wise with respect to media rights, to the USMNT, it could succeed. Because Americans, and broadcasters/media corporations, would always be interested in America competing against the world. It was the week in/week out slog of a domestic league that was questionable. A US national team game against England or Mexico was sellable to the major media companies and the casual American spectator. But a Wednesday night game between the "Hoboken Heffers and the Buffalo whatchamacallits" as the artical put it? So attaching MLS to a winning USMNT formula is exactly what SUM accomplished in the early 2000's, precisely when MLS was on its deathbed. It revived it. Media rights contracts would now force broadcasters to cover MLS IF they wanted to cover US international soccer. And they did. It was a stroke of genius. It protected and nurtured MLS. It allowed the domestic league to ride the coattails of the burgeoning interest in America's involvement in international soccer. Recently, however, those ties between MLS and USSF through SUM have been severed. Lots of contriversy over conflicts of interest. Lets see if MLS prospers or slowly withers on the vine without its life support.

[@SwapnenduMajumdar]

We'll need a guide to the Saudi League as well, I guess!

[@jackireland1927]

America really need a second devision like the championship

[@yassinedahbi7727]

They have its called the ufl championship

[@mastertrams]

​@@yassinedahbi7727Yeah, but the difference is there's no promotion or relegation between the two leagues.

[@cltmck]

No one is paying $500 million to buy into the league if they can just be relegated out of it with a bad season. Pro/rel isn't happening any time soon and the sport would have to be far and away the most popular sport in the country and fan bases would need decades of entrenchment to make it even viable.

[@philipmcniel4908]

@@Kbandz313 I think promotion is kind of indirect, but not completely nonexistent: If a minor-league team like Orlando City could be accepted into MLS due to consistent high-quality support, then that's kinda the point of having promotion.

[@Pre1321]

@@cltmck Spot on. We are, at best, DECADES away from pro/rel. You'd need passionate enough fan bases that wouldn't abandon the team if they dropped to 2nd division (read: owners wouldn't lose money on ticket sales/merch). We don't even have that large scale support in the MLS yet, though we're getting there.

[@SuperJNG18]

Love any deep dive into American soccer history. And as a New Yorker (come on Pigeons!) I’m especially proud of the fact that we basically can claim the first big international signing when the Cosmos got Pele. I even got a replica of his jersey lol

[@polskagurom2598]

Great vid Zeal!

[@simon-pq2ox]

I would be interested in the MLS if they had relegations and promotions, because to me it feels like it doesnt really matter if you do bad in a season since there are drafts and these designated players spots. I hope that if the MLS teams are in a position to be run on their own that the controlled spending and ownership would be lifted. To me it just feels weird that the league owns the clubs and that there are drafts and other confusing things.

[@jordanledoux197]

This is obviously the common complaint from non-Americans, but I just don't think it's as big of a deal as non-Americans think it is. There's relegation in EFL, but mostly it's the same teams even with that. A promoted team just doesn't usually have the money to compete with other Prem clubs even with their share of TV money and so on, and the parachute payments are so large that any remotely competent relegated team should (and usually does) flatten the Championship. That is to say that relegation doesn't actually matter as much in the european leagues as european fans pretend it does, at least not the major ones. This money chasm would be even worse in the US though, because if the US ever does embrace the sport the way we do other sports, the MLS will dwarf the Prem in spending without question. Sports teams make insane revenue in the US, and the US is also the most expensive market to advertise in for a lot of products, and one of the most lucrative to sell products in, all of which feed into MASSIVE amounts of money for Americans sports leagues. The NBA has like 10% of the viewership and attendance of the NFL or MLB, and yet it is basically able to steamroll the non-American basketball leagues with pure money. Promotion and relegation with be even more transparently pointless in the US leagues than in the European ones I think. I do, however, agree that having something to strive for, a reason for games to keep mattering, is a good thing. I just don't think that promotion or relegation will ever fill that role in the US because of money and structure.

[@alliedatheistalliance6776]

There will never be pro rel in the mls because teams have spent millions to get in, they won't vote to be able to get kicked out again. But the mls is much more exciting for fans, it's way more competitive, almost any team could win any given season. I personally prefer that to the one horse race in France or Germany for example

[@bonsai4658]

@@alliedatheistalliance6776 definitely not a one horse race in others leagues for sure as well😅

[@bilboswaggings0]

​​@@jordanledoux197you haven't got a clue all new team relegated last season 😂 makes it much more interesting then the bottom teams playing for nothing

[@jordanledoux197]

@@bilboswaggings0 yeah, i'm aware that recently it's been a bit more fluid, i was talking more broadly over the last 20 years or so. I'm not saying that it provides nothing, but it doesn't provide as much as you think it does in my opinion.

[@whoozyyy]

If America can create more leagues to do relegations and promotions like everyone else, it’ll be awesome

[@douglasmoran1104]

That was great, thanks Zealand.

[@kriakeen4136]

Absolutely fascinating. Thanks for that!