Comments on: Should MLS be Preaching their Financial Parity Model to the World?

By: Flanagan

Flanagan — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:55:27 +0000

listen up fellas- i am up right now tryin to research the mls financial situation for a college term paper, and i realize i am looking at blogs, but you all know a lot about what is going on, and I am just wondering where the heck yall found this stuff! websites?

i play baseball at school, and most people would think I want to get a job with some MLB team, and that may happen, but I also love soccer and believe in the MLS. I don’t know why, I just think there is so much potential for growth, but listening to you guys i’m not so sure.

but for real, i need some website to get the facts. Thanks y’all

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:50:59 +0000

Jack:
So are the clubs like Toronto and Seattle not supposed to pay anything to join the league? MLS pays all the player salaries – they pay for alot of league wide marketing – they pay for all the teams travel. Seattle revenue will be $30m this year – money the Sounders would have never made in USL-1. They paid $35m to join. It is a good deal for Seattle, MLS, and every other club in MLS. Which is nothing like a Ponzi!!

Also how were the “other franchises that lose money” surviving when MLS was contracting teams or not expanding for that 6 year period? Could it be that Kraft, Anchutz, Kroenke etc were writing cheques to keep the league affloat? Just because Madoff is in the news doesn’t mean that everything in business that you don’t understand is a ponzi scheme.

By: huricano

huricano — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:02:40 +0000

I think the parity model is the one good thing about MLS. If they would just have the guts to go single-table (they could by the Lamar Hunt Cup for an elimination tv situation) and have promotion and relegation. I know people think its a pipe dream, but a two tired league could be a unique contribution to US sports, and I think it could catch on. What MLS enjoys in management acumen, it lacks in personality. Trading on soccer’s history, not just in Europe but South America as well, could help enliven the sport in America/Canada.

By: Jack(from Vegas)

Jack(from Vegas) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:27:35 +0000

Investors in other franchises that lose money every year are being held up by these expansion fees. I believe only 2-4 teams in MLS turn a profit. All of this expansion may be to help out these struggling franchises with the exorbitant expansion fees new teams are paying.

By: Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:33:29 +0000

Considering SUM is the only reason most of the MLS clubs are alive, yes it’s a Ponzi Scheme.

By: Joey Clams

Joey Clams — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:55:25 +0000

It’ s not socialist if it’s intent is to, well, collectivize effort to best compete for discretionary dollars. Most socialist, perhaps. Socialist, no.

By: Rex

Rex — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:39:11 +0000

It’s not a ponzi scheme but the MLS is ironically the most socialist soccer league in the world.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:18:09 +0000

For TV and atmosphere purposes, the Rapids (and other MLS teams? – not DC United) make a mistake placing their most vocal fan group in a corner. If they put their most loyal and vocal fans on the side, the atmosphere both in the ground and on TV would be more apparent; thus creating a “I want to be there” image.

European leagues remind me of our college sports, football and basketball in structure. There is a natural hiearchy that shifts incrementally season to season. This is not bad, I enjoy college football and I love the way a result or two one year has implications (in recruiting and booster support) for years to come. It is just different.

I stick to my conclusion, however; that the MLS structure has been good, but needs to loosen up as the league matures. This is a world game, not a closed shop like the NFL.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:03:37 +0000

Ponzi Scheme?!! Come on Jack – are we back to this again. Yes MLS is the only ponzi scheme in history where the people who get in at the end (Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver etc) make the money and the people who have been there since the beginning (DC United, KC, New England) are losing millions.

By: O'Brien

O'Brien — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:19:36 +0000

Jack:

Portland and Vancouver paid $35m.

If you know what a ponzi scheme then explain how MLS is like it.