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Posted by
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December 21, 2012 |
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Aaron Nielsen
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Major League Soccer is an American league that was launched in 1996, eleven years before Canada got their first club. Although Canadian clubs make up 17% of the total teams, bring the same amount of fan support if not higher, and based on concerns regarding some clubs such as Chivas USA, Colorado, Columbus and Dallas, the three teams offer more than their fare share of the league's revenue. However, since the Canadian clubs joined the league, there have been a number of league decisions to hold the Canadian teams down and allow high profile American teams such as the LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls and Seattle Sounders an opportunity to prosper.
The most blatant example of this was the Olof Mellberg story mid-season in 2012. Toronto FC were interested in signing the Swedish International and ex-Premier League Defender, yet the league did not allow it because reportedly it would set a precedent for how much a defender might get paid.
MLS commissioner Don Garber essentially lied on television during the MLS All-Star game (a game not televised in Canada) saying the league had nothing to do it and it was Toronto who pulled out. Mellberg has had a history of improving clubs wherever he's played and I think he would of created a lot of optimism in Toronto for the upcoming season. Added, there is a precedent of leagues with limited star roster spots where signing defenders, goalkeepers, and defensive midfielders over forwards actually improves the overall success of the clubs because these positions tend to have the poorest quality of player in the weaker leagues
More recently is MLS granting the LA Galaxy the homegrown rights to college player Gyasi Zardes, which means he will not be available for the upcoming 2013 SuperDraft. Zardes is by far the best prospect in the upcoming draft, scoring 33 goals, 9 assists and 110 shots on target in 37 college games with Cal-State Bakersfield over the last two seasons. He trained with the Galaxy in the past, so he qualifies for Homegrown Status.
In previous years, the league hasn't granted a player Homegrown Status because they thought it was unfair to the other clubs. One argument is that Homegrown Status should replace the draft, although this would put Canadian teams at a huge disadvantage because the Homegrown system is based on players playing in the American College System primarily for Colleges close to a MLS club.
Ironically without Zardes in the draft and the inability to sign Olaf Mellberg, Toronto are now projected to sign U-20 American defenders Walker Zimmerman and Andrew Farrell. These are players who are given contracts under the Generation Addidas project (a project that has never once selected a Canadian player) to give young players MLS exposure so they potentially become a greater asset to the National Team or the transfer market (in which the MLS, not the team, takes the revenue from the sale). My view is both these players will struggle in their first few seasons at the MLS level and if they turn out to be decent competitors, will be sold before they can benefit the club that drafts them.
This article does have a Toronto FC bias, although through talks with people involved with the league and people closely outside, I've been told that both Vancouver and Montreal also have had the league prevent the signing of potential players. As well, all three clubs would of shown an interest in Robbie Keane, Tim Cahill and Juninho if allowed to bid, yet the league granted the rights of these players to the LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls.
My view is we can't let ourselves, Canadian clubs, get stepped on. Teams such as Colorado and Chivas USA are willing to play within an approximate $2,000,000 yearly player salary budget and although their fan base of less than 15,000 seem to be fine with that, I think there is concern of soccer fans losing interest in supporting a poor product.
Due to DP's, the New York Red Bulls had a payroll of $15,000,000 in 2012 and the LA Galaxy one of $12,000,000. My belief is, based on the revenue models of the Canadian teams, we could and should want to compete towards this level. However, I feel the MLS will not allow this because the worst thing for them is to have an all Canadian MLS Cup Final. Like issues with the NHL, I think it's our responsibility to show that a Canadian eye-ball and dollar is equal to an American dollar and as a team in this league we deserve a competitive field with all other teams in the league.
Aaron Nielsen has worked within the soccer/sports industry for over 15 years. His statistical analysis brings the beautiful game in a whole new light. The detailed player data and prospect lists he produces are used by many scouts, agents, and football insiders around the world.
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