North American Pro Soccer 2023

[Digby]

I don't think Garber speaking in a hypothetical is a credible enough basis for the way that story is written, but such is the UK tabloid press. 

 

Though it would be hilarious to see how many new roster mechanisms, invented rules and "creative" revenue schemes they could come up with if the star floodgates were indeed to open. How many ways could you conceivably slice the Apple revenue pie? 

[GDAWG]

3 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

Mbappe revenge tour?

 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/kylian-mbappe-targeted-bombshell-mls-30647638

 

Critics of MLS will say "he can't go to MLS right now, he's too young!"

[DG_ThenNowForever]

44 minutes ago, Digby said:

I don't think Garber speaking in a hypothetical is a credible enough basis for the way that story is written, but such is the UK tabloid press. 

 

Though it would be hilarious to see how many new roster mechanisms, invented rules and "creative" revenue schemes they could come up with if the star floodgates were indeed to open. How many ways could you conceivably slice the Apple revenue pie? 

 

Wouldn't it be funny for Mbappe to decline a billion from the Saudis but accept $400M from MLS?

[GDAWG]

2 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

Wouldn't it be funny for Mbappe to decline a billion from the Saudis but accept $400M from MLS?

 

Garber is probably asking both LA Teams and both New York teams to make bids for him.  

[MJWalker45]

10 hours ago, GDAWG said:

 

Garber is probably asking both LA Teams and both New York teams to make bids for him.  

I'd expect them to try moving him to the Galaxy, just to make up for losing Chicharito for the season. 

[gosioux76]

10 hours ago, GDAWG said:

 

Garber is probably asking both LA Teams and both New York teams to make bids for him.  

 

Whether a legitimate rumor or not, the idea of the MLS pursuing a star-chasing strategy fueled by the success of Messi would effectively undermine some of the goodwill the league has built up in the past decade by expanding into smaller sports markets.

 

Players of Mbappe's caliber will always favor New York, L.A. or bright spots like Miami and the league has proven it will whatever it takes to make their path to those markets easier. 

 

I remember being stunned when Kaka wound up in Orlando, even if that experience wasn't as successful for all involved. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

1 hour ago, gosioux76 said:

I remember being stunned when Kaka wound up in Orlando, even if that experience wasn't as successful for all involved. 

 

Kaka, David Silva and Pirlo (lol) seemed like the last gasp of aging euro stars in MLS.

 

Atlanta finding immediate success with Almiron and Josef Martinez really changed the trajectory of MLS player investment.

 

But even still, if you can bring Chicharito, Zlatan or Messi, you absolutely have to.

[Digby]

Five years of Zlatan or Chicharito for LA Galaxy and all it got them was two mediocre playoff runs that ended to their cool young crosstown rival in the semis. Their attendance has remained solid, though, so I wonder how much of that is thanks to having the box-office draws to paper over how deeply mid they've been on the field.

 

I don't know what to extrapolate from the Messi situation for the future of the league but I lean toward "nothing". Maybe a handful of other players can provide his on-field influence, but not many. Does anyone move the needle from a media/attention perspective? I doubt it. Maybe CR7 would've if he'd come here. Maybe Pulisic if for some reason he came back. I don't even know if Mbappe has that sort of draw in America. It's a generational situation, a la Beckham. 

[MJWalker45]

48 minutes ago, Digby said:

Five years of Zlatan or Chicharito for LA Galaxy and all it got them was two mediocre playoff runs that ended to their cool young crosstown rival in the semis. Their attendance has remained solid, though, so I wonder how much of that is thanks to having the box-office draws to paper over how deeply mid they've been on the field.

 

I don't know what to extrapolate from the Messi situation for the future of the league but I lean toward "nothing". Maybe a handful of other players can provide his on-field influence, but not many. Does anyone move the needle from a media/attention perspective? I doubt it. Maybe CR7 would've if he'd come here. Maybe Pulisic if for some reason he came back. I don't even know if Mbappe has that sort of draw in America. It's a generational situation, a la Beckham. 

I think Mbappe would be a great draw for MLS, but I wonder how many foreign papers will start talking about him negatively for coming to the United States before he turns 30?

[GDAWG]

59 minutes ago, MJWalker45 said:

I think Mbappe would be a great draw for MLS, but I wonder how many foreign papers will start talking about him negatively for coming to the United States before he turns 30?

 

They will say he's a decade too young to play in the MLS

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Beckham's arrival radically transformed the league. Messi has the potential to do the same, but on a grander scale.

 

I think no one really knows the future of MLS just yet. One day, an Mbappe or other young star will come to the league, and others will follow. If MLS can create compelling offers among team salary and media opportunities, anything is possible.

 

Without Beckham we don't get all those nice new SSS. Who knows that follows Messi?

[Digby]

https://theathletic.com/4755010/2023/08/07/messi-miami-mls-dallas/

 

The Athletic had a pretty good piece the other day trying to parse out the current contradictions of how the league is presenting itself, with the Messi spotlight as the probable exception vs. the reality that success in MLS is coming on the backs of strong academies and smart scouting of South America. I don't really see anything wrong with this, despite how easy it is to make fun of the league's improvisational bureaucracy of roster rules. 

 

Mbappe's not coming here.

[Digby]

I had the Nashville/America game on casually in the background and turned it off when it appeared that America made a winning save in the PKs round. Was very confused to wake up and catch up this morning.

 

Predictably what happens when you have the privilege of hosting Club America. Leagues Cup fever, baby.

 

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Empty stadium Leagues Cup action is on the way!

[gosioux76]

Something I don't understand about Leagues Cup: Will the Mexican teams get to host games in later years of this tournament? 

 

It's great for MLS  to have 6 of the 8 remaining teams in the tournament, but it also feels like a little bit of home cookin'. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

10 minutes ago, gosioux76 said:

Something I don't understand about Leagues Cup: Will the Mexican teams get to host games in later years of this tournament? 

 

It's great for MLS  to have 6 of the 8 remaining teams in the tournament, but it also feels like a little bit of home cookin'. 

 

I think a big part of Leagues Cup is to draw Mexican-American audiences to the games. Feels like lot when Bayern or Barcelona do their summer tours here, but with stakes.

 

It's definitely not a fully legitimate competition, but I think it works better for everyone.

 

I still think we end up with MLS vs Liga MX at the end anyway.

[gosioux76]

2 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

I think a big part of Leagues Cup is to draw Mexican-American audiences to the games. Feels like lot when Bayern or Barcelona do their summer tours here, but with stakes.

 

It's definitely not a fully legitimate competition, but I think it works better for everyone.

 

I still think we end up with MLS vs Liga MX at the end anyway.

 

That all makes sense. Just seems strange to label this a competition between two leagues when one league is the road team for the entirety of the tournament. 

 

I think it would good for this ongoing MLS/Liga MX partnership to eventually expose American audiences to the stadiums and crowds in Mexican stadiums.

[Digby]

1 hour ago, gosioux76 said:

I think it would good for this ongoing MLS/Liga MX partnership to eventually expose American audiences to the stadiums and crowds in Mexican stadiums.

 

That would be a fun watch, but alas, runs counter to the point of this cashgrab tournament.

 

The travel is kind of nuts. Tigres/Monterrey, already far from home for multiple weeks, had to fly from the PNW to Texas and now to LA (for Monterrey anyway) and then maybe to MSP/Nashville and then somewhere East Coast again. Crazy amount of travel for a tournament with games every four days.

[gosioux76]

16 minutes ago, Digby said:

 

That would be a fun watch, but alas, runs counter to the point of this cashgrab tournament.

 

The travel is kind of nuts. Tigres/Monterrey, already far from home for multiple weeks, had to fly from the PNW to Texas and now to LA (for Monterrey anyway) and then maybe to MSP/Nashville and then somewhere East Coast again. Crazy amount of travel for a tournament with games every four days.

 

Good points. And in that case, it would seem only fair if the entire thing were held in Mexico next year. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

2 hours ago, gosioux76 said:

 

Good points. And in that case, it would seem only fair if the entire thing were held in Mexico next year. 

 

Absolutely.

 

And I'd be shocked if that happens.