North American Pro Soccer 2023

[GDAWG]

29 minutes ago, Sykotyk said:

This is going to veer toward Fantasy forum territory, but the big issue with pro/rel in the US and why it will NEVER happen is the fact that teams paid to be in the MLS to begin with. They're not leaving without getting reimbursed, etc.

 

However, one possibility would be the concept of a 'guest spot' in MLS for a USL team.

 

For instance, if there's 32 teams, add 2 'guest spots' for USL teams. Such as the best team in 2023 and the playoff winner (if different) gets to join MLS for the 24 season. After the season, the 24 best team gets to play in MLS, while the previous best team plays a two-game series against the second best 24 USL team to stay up.

Regardless where they finish in MLS. The one will always drop back down for at least a year. The other gets a shot at staying up for one more year. After that second year, they'd drop no matter what. So, at best 2 of 3 years in MLS. Unless they go through with actually getting an expansion team for MLS in the future.

 

You get 'pro/rel' in some form from below, but the MLS teams stay MLS, regardless of outcome.

 

USL is attempting to add a pro/rel system at their next league meetings.  

[Sykotyk]

31 minutes ago, GDAWG said:

 

USL is attempting to add a pro/rel system at their next league meetings.  

For USL leagues. But I'm talking about pro/rel between MLS and the top level of USL.

[GDAWG]

11 hours ago, Sykotyk said:

For USL leagues. But I'm talking about pro/rel between MLS and the top level of USL.

 

USL won't go for that because they want to be an antagonist for the MLS, to a point where their fans believe that they can get USL Championship at the same status at MLS, which is nothing but pie-in-the-sky, since they don't have the markets or the money to compete with MLS......unless the USL sells their soul to the Saudis.   

[sky1324]

The only way I could ever see MLS doing any kind of pro-rel is a closed system, two-league method with 20 teams or so in each each. This lets MLS keep expanding beyond 30, gives some kind of pro-rel drama in American soccer, and keeps MLS as a "franchise" league with owners paying to be in the closed system of MLS. I don't think that will ever happen but I think it's the most realistic. USL will never have the funds to compete with MLS.

[GDAWG]

13 minutes ago, CDCLT said:

The only way I could ever see MLS doing any kind of pro-rel is a closed system, two-league method with 20 teams or so in each each. This lets MLS keep expanding beyond 30, gives some kind of pro-rel drama in American soccer, and keeps MLS as a "franchise" league with owners paying to be in the closed system of MLS. I don't think that will ever happen but I think it's the most realistic. USL will never have the funds to compete with MLS.

 

If they have morals they won't (i.e. they won't sell their soul to the Saudi's or Qataris).

[MJWalker45]

2 minutes ago, GDAWG said:

 

If they have morals they won't (i.e. they won't sell their soul to the Saudi's or Qataris).

The Saudi's also don't gain anything by throwing money at USL, or MLS, while they're trying to build up their own Saudi Premier League. 

[GDAWG]

3 minutes ago, MJWalker45 said:

The Saudi's also don't gain anything by throwing money at USL, or MLS, while they're trying to build up their own Saudi Premier League. 

 

Yeah, out of the Big 5, I sense that they have zero interest in MLS and NHL.  Not sure if they have any interest in the NFL either.

[McCall]

I don't know. I think the Saudis could be very attracted to USL, with markets like Edinburg, TX and the massive metropolis that is Rogers, AR.

[Digby]

9 hours ago, GDAWG said:

 

USL won't go for that because they want to be an antagonist for the MLS, to a point where their fans believe that they can get USL Championship at the same status at MLS, which is nothing but pie-in-the-sky, since they don't have the markets or the money to compete with MLS......unless the USL sells their soul to the Saudis.   

 

Why do you keep mentioning this scenario of USL selling to the Saudis?

[GDAWG]

1 hour ago, Digby said:

 

Why do you keep mentioning this scenario of USL selling to the Saudis?

 

Only way the USL has any chance of competing against MLS directly is via cash.  I don't know why they and their fans think they can compete now, because they don't have the markets or the cash.  In order to be a legit competitor, one league has to be able to compete for talent.  They don't seem to be just content competing against MLS Next Pro or allowing the USL Super League to compete against NWSL (which is also a bit ambitious, but a bit more realistic than having USL Championship competing directly against MLS).

 

The USL Championship is Division II, and the more they and their fans (not all of them but a lot of them) realize it, the more they won't have these delusions of grandeur about directly competing against the MLS.  It's going to take someone with billions to spend who wants to own a soccer league without the hassles of MLS, whether it be the Saudi's, Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos for the USL to have a chance.  

 

I saw the article about the attempts at the USL wanting a pyramid system and how one unnamed USL owner wants to make USL Championship a Division 1 sanctioned league after that.  The question is how?  How do they think they have the finances to compete against MLS?  If Neymar decided "I want to play in the United States!" he's not going to look at the USL.  He's going to look at both LA teams, both New York teams and Inter Miami.   Same for M'Bappe if he does the same.  

 

I keep mentioning the Saudi's because of them wanting to invade US sports.  Musk is too busy feuding with Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos isn't likely to be a soccer fan and if he is, it's the European kind.

[sky1324]

11 hours ago, GDAWG said:

I keep mentioning the Saudi's because of them wanting to invade US sports.  Musk is too busy feuding with Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos isn't likely to be a soccer fan and if he is, it's the European kind.

I don't understand your point. You say they "want to invade US sports" but I can't think of any example of that. I think there was a Saudi-backed group for Vegas in MLS but that's about as far as it goes and they didn't even get a team. I can't say I know every single owner of the Big 5 in America but I'm pretty sure none of them are Saudi.

[GDAWG]

1 hour ago, CDCLT said:

I don't understand your point. You say they "want to invade US sports" but I can't think of any example of that. I think there was a Saudi-backed group for Vegas in MLS but that's about as far as it goes and they didn't even get a team. I can't say I know every single owner of the Big 5 in America but I'm pretty sure none of them are Saudi.

 

They already have invaded US Sports, just not the Big 5......unless one doesn't count Golf as a sport, although that is under investigation from Congress.  When that happened, the sports pundits said it was only a matter of time before they invaded the Big 5.  I can't see them going to the NFL, NHL or MLS or MLB.  Washington Wizards/Capitals Owner Ted Leonsis did get backlash for selling 5% of his company to Qatari Investment Authority and New York City FC is majority owned by a company owned by a member of the royal family of the United Arab Emirates, which also has its own problems.  

 

So it's not just the Saudis.  It could be UAE or Qatar.  

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I only was able to see the first half of Messimania live -- and he didn't even play.

 

However, saw the highlight at the end. What a finish!

[GDAWG]

The arrival of Messi is obviously going to mean a high demand for tickets, which will potentially move games at a lot of these places to NFL stadiums, like Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.  There may be an issue with that as the owner of Hard Rock Stadium, Stephen "I Tampered with Tom Brady" Ross hates the MLS and I don't know if he's going to want an MLS game at his stadium.  

 

Also, Messi won't play at every MLS Stadium, only the ones with grass.  

[McCall]

29 minutes ago, GDAWG said:

The arrival of Messi is obviously going to mean a high demand for tickets, which will potentially move games at a lot of these places to NFL stadiums, like Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.  There may be an issue with that as the owner of Hard Rock Stadium, Stephen "I Tampered with Tom Brady" Ross hates the MLS and I don't know if he's going to want an MLS game at his stadium.  

True, but the money may change his mind. I mean, we're talking about the GOAT. If he gets a big enough cut from potentially packing Hard Rock, he may just be on board.

[GDAWG]

1 hour ago, McCall said:

True, but the money may change his mind. I mean, we're talking about the GOAT. If he gets a big enough cut from potentially packing Hard Rock, he may just be on board.

 

He also has a relationship with several prominent MLS owners too (Arthur Blank in Atlanta, Clark Hunt in Dallas, Robert Kraft in New England, Stan Kroenke in Colorado, Haslams in Columbus, Wilfs in Orlando and David Tepper in Charlotte).

 

Surprised Ross never bid for a European team, joining other NFL owners like Khan with Fulham, New Commanders Owner Josh Harris with Crystal Palace, The Glazers with Man United and the York Family with Leeds United.  It's obvious he loves soccer, he just hates the MLS.  

[GDAWG]

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

10 hours ago, McCall said:

True, but the money may change his mind. I mean, we're talking about the GOAT. If he gets a big enough cut from potentially packing Hard Rock, he may just be on board.

 

Messi could absolutely fill Hard Rock for each of his home games. They're leaving money on the table not using the bigger venue.

 

Although there is something kind of sweet about Leo Messi, LeBron James and Kim Kardashian slumming it at a makeshift soccer stadium erected over a weekend or two to secure a franchise.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I wonder if Ronaldo is watching any of the Messi stuff and wondering if he made the wrong choice.

 

All of this could have been for him, and in LA no less. What a dope.

[GDAWG]

Bay FC is not a great name, but if they can get a rabid fanbase going in the Bay Area like the San Diego Wave have, it will be another success story for the NWSL.   Not sure how the proposed rival USL Super League is going to do against the NWSL.