Comments on: TV Fees – The Key to MLS’ Future

By: Jammer

Jammer — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 06:18:00 +0000

Doubling the salary cap risks bankrupting half the teams. It is not an option. And it would still not bring the quality anywhere near the top European leagues. Rex has pointed out several other options.

I would like to see MLS bring more Mexicans into the league, from the bench to the role players to the stars. This would be better for the league than for any individual team, so they should give some incentive such as extra foreign player slots for only Mexicans. Even the existence of such a policy might get some attention.

By: Mitch Howard

Mitch Howard — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:10:53 +0000

Great points T-Man and Rex!

By: Rex

Rex — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:16:47 +0000

People watch for 3 reasons.
1.They want to see the actual game. (e.g. A soccer fan)
2.They want to see a team. (e.g. A Houston sports fan)
3.They want to see a player. (e.g. Anyone, Beckham effect)

#1 is dependent on quality and game atmosphere (it makes a difference, even if its on tv). MLS will not have the quality to gain viewership for many many years to come. Note i didnt say MLS doesnt have quality, but rather, quality at a level where people watch JUST because of the quality. Game atmosphere can and is being improved and that will help.

#2 is primarily dependent on geography. But there are other factors like being a #3 fan that grows into a #2 fan. MLS needs a team in the southeast and possibly another in the northeast. The other major factor for a #2 fan is rivalries. People love to hate. Give a Houstonian a reason to fight against Dallas and people will watch. MLS has done well in choosing Philly, Vancover, and Portland.

#3 is the Beckham/Blanco effect. People come to games to see these players. MLS has done well here and I think they will continue to do so. But who’s the next big name? Henry, Bravo? MLS needs a an American internal star as well (Donvan but more). I am thinking Stuart Holden could be this player. MLS could lock him up long term and maybe even work out some short term loans for him in Europe but he has developed well in the US under Dom Kinnear. He has the skills to be Donovan-like but has a ‘pretty boy’ personality and image. Back to the love to hate theme, how bout some high profile villians? Maybe MLS needs a Terrell Owens.

By: T-MaN

T-MaN — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:39:15 +0000

MLS needs to stop losing its good players to small euro countries (i.e. increase salary cap)

MLS should not lose its up and coming stars to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and etc…

If a player leaves the MLS for Europe they should be to one the big five countries top divisions (England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France)

It will be acceptable to occasionally lose a player to the English Championship, Holland, Portugal(big teams only)

But never acceptable to lose a player to any league other than the ones mentioned above, that should be MLS’s goal as a league

If the MLS can accomplish that, it will be ranked in the top 10 leagues (i.e. 8th, 9th, or 10th) and the TV money will flow

By: soccer goals

soccer goals — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:30:06 +0000

Great piece. TV is huge for MlS. Ratings have been poor.

By: Mitch Howard

Mitch Howard — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:40:27 +0000

Peter C,
I think this was a great article. You put a lot of time into it and helped explain a lot of the nuances and breakdowns of the business of soccer. I’m surprised more people aren’t commenting.

By: Derek

Derek — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:27:19 +0000

TV is HUGE for MLS. It’s a chicken-egg thing as it relates to the salary cap though. Either TV deals will have to become more lucrative, leading to higher spending on players and a better product on the field, or the league/teams will have to bite the bullet, spend a little more for a while, and let the better quality players and teams attract those lucrative TV deals. It’s probably the latter, because with EPL and UEFA, even FMF, on TV all the time, serious soccer fans won’t watch MLS unless the product is good, and TV companies won’t shell out big bucks knowing that.

As Kartik has proposed, expanding into untapped large markets will help as well(South Florida, Atlanta, etc. etc.).