How a FAILING MLS got so BIG

Did you know that Major League Soccer (MLS) is on track to reach 30 teams within three decades...FASTER than any other major sports league in the U.S.? In comparison, the NBA took 55 years, and the NFL took 73 years to reach 30 teams.
From its humble beginnings with ten teams to a multibillion-dollar phenomenon in a span of thirty years, the expansion of #MajorLeagueSoccer is a compelling narrative. But behind this success lies a journey riddled with challenges.
So, what is the history of Major League Soccer?
How did the #MLS grow in a scene dominated by traditional favorites- baseball, basketball, hockey, and American football?
How did a failing league position itself to become a dominant sport in the U.S?
How did Major League Soccer rise in popularity and surpass the worth of some Premier League clubs?
What is the future of MLS? Will it overtake MLB and the NHL?
Join us as we delve into the #expansion of MLS: the history, challenges, perceptions surrounding MLS' growth, and the future unraveling the reasons behind lingering doubts despite its massive strides.
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Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:28 Historic Journey
03:16 The Challenges
05:05 Expansion of MLS
09:52 The Future & Overtaking Other Leagues
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[@ericpierce3660]

MLS is a dream come true. It had so many chances to fail, but the league persevered and invested and now it's coming into its own. It can only improve.

[@Businessvidsofficial]

Absolutely, @ericpierce3660! Major League Soccer (MLS) has had its share of challenges, but its resilience and continuous investment have truly paid off. The league's growth has been remarkable, and there's still so much potential for further improvement and success. Exciting times ahead for MLS!

[@PCSPounder]

It cannot only improve. I’d argue that owners have hit a sweet spot by having mostly inexpensive payrolls while being able to price tickets only slightly cheaper than your average big 4 tickets. To get better means actually having teams that can win Club World Cups, and that means paying a ton more in salary. Meanwhile, you can get any league around the world on an American screen by legal or other means and notice the difference. American fans, eventually, WANT to be competitive with the world. We are in the process of evolving from “happy to have soccer” to “we want to beat everyone else, too,” and that will take a different commitment than MLS owners currently offer.

[@MrVaDelux]

@@PCSPounderdon garber will fuck everything before we let it blossom. He wants the MLS to have complete control of soccer. He wants to end the US open cut, he wants to monopolize soccer in AMERICA

[@p.ipebomb]

​​@@PCSPounder Idk dog, we got all our own sports, music, trends. We'll probably keep doing it 😂

[@estebandee-doh9350]

MLS is my favorite US sports league and the first time I became a season ticket holder as well.

[@davidday2373]

Who's your team? I jumped into the sport and this league because of LAFC.

[@mikehunt5637]

I think at one point the league would have folded if not for Lamar Hunt bankrolling it. Didn't he own like half of the teams at one point? Its pretty amazing to see how far MLS has come since its inception in just three decades. I can hardly wait to see what the future brings.

[@Businessvidsofficial]

Hey @mikehunt5637, you've hit the nail on the head! Lamar Hunt's significant financial support played a crucial role in keeping the league afloat during challenging times. His ownership of multiple teams showcased his dedication to the growth of MLS. It's truly remarkable to witness the league's incredible journey in just three decades. The future looks promising⚽🌟

[@davidday2373]

Philip Anschutz saved about half the teams in the league (att) from folding at one point. Hence the Philip Anschutz Trophy is awarded to the winner of the MLS Cup.

[@mikehunt5637]

@@davidday2373 Ah, thanks David! It looks like Hunt only (only? lol) owned three and Anschutz owned six! That's crazy to think that those two people were basically propping up the league (9 out of 10 teams) as late as 2003. No wonder the MLS Cup trophy is named after Anschutz and the USOC is named after Hunt. It's amazing how for MLS has come in the 20 years since then. I'm really looking forward to see what comes in the next 10-20 years!

[@davidday2373]

@@mikehunt5637 I reference both owners when debating with falsly virtuous fans, when they get on their high-horse about "sports shouldn't be about money", etc... and particularly talking about "greedy billionaires" in MLS not allowing Promotion-Relegation, bla bla, bla... in truth, if not for those "greedy billionaires", the highest level we would have in the U.S. is College Soccer.

[@PCSPounder]

@@davidday2373 This is true, but that doesn’t mean the greedy billionaires lead the next wave.

[@AKPhilly]

It's crazy how much the league has grown in just the 14 or so years since I started following. It has a long way to go still but at the rate it's going it'll be one of the top leagues in 10 years or so.

[@aerocynix]

I've reached out via Mail! Thanks.

[@moiseblaise7293]

Great job to evryone involved and great contents!

[@Businessvidsofficial]

thank you so much :)

[@aerocynix]

Great video! How do i contact you man?

[@Businessvidsofficial]

Thank you for commenting and sharing your feedback :)

[@aaron5877]

There isn’t a soccer / football league in the world that can match quality of play with the top to bottom competitiveness of every team.

[@Businessvidsofficial]

you've hit the nail on the head! The global appeal of soccer/football is indeed unparalleled, and the sheer competitiveness from top to bottom in every league is what makes the sport so captivating.

[@DizzyMakavelli]

Can you elaborate your claim?

[@MrVaDelux]

@@DizzyMakavellii think what hes sayin is the ability to have a new league winner every year, there is nobody really dominating the league , u can say maybe LA galaxy at one point but there far from the glory days (although they are definitely looking like they are returning back to those days) every year its been a new team winning, not like the Premier league where u know its either Man City, Man U , Liverpool, Araenal, or in bundesliga where its only Bayern Munich or borussia , in la liga its real madrid , barca, in france its only PSG

[@DizzyMakavelli]

@@MrVaDelux Thank you.

[@DizzyMakavelli]

Actually the Brazilian league can do that and even better because you have relegation. Look at the table from the 2023 season. The lastest rounds was insane to both the top and bottom of the table.

[@sosapablo1995]

I forgot that henry played in the mls 😦

[@Businessvidsofficial]

It's understandable! It was more than a decade ago

[@michaelkim6924]

MLS is not big enough. It’s not about buying expensive retirees. MLS needs to have better youth system so many young players can go abroad and come back for usmnt. It takes time. History of European futbol still surpasses mls. Just keep building stronger youth system to build stronger national team. It will draw more attention for Americans watch more futbol.

[@Businessvidsofficial]

Absolutely agree! Developing a robust youth system is crucial for MLS to elevate its standing globally and contribute to a stronger USMNT. Investing in nurturing young talents and creating a pathway for them to explore opportunities abroad can enhance the league's competitiveness and attract more attention from American soccer enthusiasts. Building a strong foundation in youth development is a long-term strategy that can significantly impact the growth and success of MLS and, subsequently, the national team.

[@davidday2373]

MLS is doing it all. Academies are up and running. NEXT Pro is up and running.

[@wetguavass]

gringos ....

[@williammera844]

​@@wetguavass enviuos lady crying😂

[@wetguavass]

@@williammera844 your mom?

[@Skoopyghost]

Sports are a young man's game. I won't call Messi and Ronaldo washed up, but they are old.

[@davidday2373]

Surpassing the NHL is one thing, catching MLB is quite another. MLB is #1 league in the world in Attendance, #2 in Revenue. MLB dwarfs NHL in every regard. The NHL is below College Football and even College Basketball (by some measures). Actually, you'd have to get passed the NBA before you even reach MLB.

[@Businessvidsofficial]

you make a valid point. MLB's global prominence sets it apart. Surpassing such a colossal league is indeed a significant challenge. It's an interesting dynamic, and time will tell how different leagues continue to evolve in the sports hierarchy.

[@jonathanalvarado4877]

MLB?? Lol I wouldn't pay 10 bucks to see a baseball game

[@davidday2373]

@@jonathanalvarado4877 MLB has the largest attendance of any league in the World, every year, and by a large margin. College Softball (aka women's Baseball) has larger viewership than MLS, or LigaMX, or EPL.

[@jonathanalvarado4877]

What boring sport

[@michaelbaxter6637]

ATL UTD

[@corcor5938]

CREW96💛💛🖤🖤⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@Businessvidsofficial]

Thank you so much for your support :) Please do consider subscribing if you enjoy our content : kzbin.info/door/ExAz6wkwZlHkGMazoPgp5A

[@cdanerz3677]

Football*

[@theaquariancontrarian3316]

Not big enough. After 30 years phoenix the 5th biggest city that has high soccer demand still has no team.

[@Businessvidsofficial]

Thank you for commenting. Any thoughts on why Phoenix doesn't have a team yet?

[@davidday2373]

So what? Atlanta and Houston are larger and have no NHL team. Phoenix has NFL, NBA, MLB, CFB, NHL, and CBB -- that's 6 of the 7 major sports. It's better for MLS to have a team in Austin, rather than Phoenix or Tampa (despite being larger markets). P.S. Phoenix is NOT the 5th largest Media Market, nobody goes by "City" population.

[@NoCoastRaps]

I'm sure in Phoenix is working to get a team there, you must have missed the part where it mentions the MLS is the fastest growing league for team expansion in US history.

[@PCSPounder]

You have Phoenix Rising in the USL Championship. They built an easily expandable stadium north of Sky Harbor. As a Portland Timbers fan, I can personally attest that the Timbers ended up in MLS by selling out (or close enough) games back in our USL days. Funny thing is that there’s a lot of Portland fans who would tell you that the supporter experience is better in USL. Now… I may go off the deep end here, but please bear with me. As we are transitioning from a cable-based TV environment to a subscription-based streaming environment, it’s possible that Apple (or whomever eventually acquires a lot of American soccer rights) might determine that the pro/rel standard might lead to more subscriptions and more must-see viewing than what MLS currently does. The thing is, while most of the “big 4” leagues in the U.S. had regionalized their team broadcasts, that’s not really happening with MLS. People support their local team… and taking the league to Apple TV cements this. So… support your local team.

[@jldch26]

Stop depending on MLS, you need to show MLS why they need you. Phoenix has a professional football team already there. It worked for Cincinnati, Montreal and Orlando coming from lower leagues into MLS.

[@Jeffisboredd]

this video is a bit disingenuous, MLS still isn't the most popular soccer league in America, LigaMX and the prem completely dwarfs it.

[@scheck006]

That's certainly a challenge that MLS has, that the other leagues don't have to deal with. Not all soccer fans are MLS fans, which is both a blessing and a curse. It can be seen as a barrier to popular support, or as a proof of concept. MLS has long championed the growth of the game, in the hopes that if the sport catches on among the general population, Americans will prefer to support their own team. So far with the growth of fan culture, I think they've been correct in that assumption, but there's still a lot more room for growth. Time will tell how MLS is able to break through into the mainstream sports culture.

[@dainkawarrior.1030]

I hate to desagree with you,but I think the mls is better than liga Mx., just saying

[@Jeffisboredd]

@@dainkawarrior.1030 viewership and concacaf champions league winners would say otherwise but you’re entitled to your opinion

[@davidday2373]

​@@dainkawarrior.1030Stop saying "the MLS"... it's simply "MLS'. You dont say _the Serie A_ or _the Ligue 1._

[@samplingmastersxlr8660]

@@Jeffisboredd says you

[@wetguavass]

CACA > mls

[@williammera844]

Say it witouth crying, punk.

[@p.ipebomb]

Okay foo yet all y'all now wanting baseball teams 😂 we have all our own sports, music, trends. We're gonna keep doing our own thing