HL!!!.......Do you realize that MLS is now

[USAF]

attracting "deep-pocket" investors???
David Beckham/Simon Fuller/Marcelo Claure got approval from Miami & MLS after adding Jorge & Jose Mas (Miami residents & influential business owners), and Masayoshi Son (now the wealthiest MLS owner - $23B). This is the new plan for their stadium, training facility, academy,+++++++:
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/loc...214536159.html


Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong ($7.8B) is finalizing negotiations to become the majority owner of DC United.


John Ingram, lead investor for the new Nashville team, added Zygi, Mark & Leonard Wilf (combined $15.3B net worth) to the ownership group.


*I think Arthur Blank stimulated this new interest in the league.

[HL]

When it all started in 1996, the fan base was for MLS games comprised maybe 80% folks from other countries.

Today I estimate that the reverse is true.

MLS will rival the major European clubs in the next 10 years. Maybe bypass them.

Those investors you listed have seen the massive potential here in the US....and they are taking advantage.

[USAF]

MLS has experienced great growth, in the last 10-15 years, and Don Garber is to be commended for his leadership. He has taken a league, days away from folding (in 2001), to one that is attracting billionaires (local & international), good, young international players and international viewership & support.


Don't think a MLS team will be on the same level as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, PSG, etc., BUT I think that all the teams in MLS will be more financially secure, because of the closed-league system and the shared revenue, especially from SUM.


The Detroit Group, vying for one of the remaining expansion spots, has 3 billionaires - Dan Gilbert, Tom Gores & the Ford family, but them trying to "force" a soccer field into Ford Field is blocking them.......and The Phoenix Group (with Didier Drogba), added billionaire & OGC Nice co-owner Alex Zheng.

[Paul Marin]

Don't think a MLS team will be on the same level as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, PSG, etc.,

Why not? The biggest thing hurting the MLS reaching that level is probably the thing that is keeping them secure, and that is the salary cap. If UEFA ever puts in a salary cap, (which is unlikely), MLS would be positioned to be on par. Even if they don't put in a salary cap, and MLS keeps growing, they could still create teams that rival the big boys. That will require that they figure out how to make black Americans love the sport - if that happens - it done...cap or no cap. However, US Soccer (and MLS) don't want black people to play ball - they want to keep it for the middle class white folks.

[USAF]

I was looking more at the global reach & support of those Euro teams, compared to what I think MLS will achieve. It's hard to overcome years of tradition & winning, in the biggest & most popular club leagues in the world, as well as Champions League & Europa League.......The number of black Americans representing academy teams is increasing, though there is still a lot that needs to be done, especially in the inner-city. For the last 2 years, more than half of the young American players signed by Euro clubs are black (yesterday 3 young American players signed with Euro teams & 2 were black. 2 more young black players left today, for trials), and if you look at the MLS academy teams, the players are mostly black & Latino.......One of the biggest hindrance to growing the game in poor areas is Pay-to-Play, which generates a great deal of money for these youth clubs, and a large portion of that goes to salaries. I see an initiative by MLS & some of the players, to build futsal fields in the inner-cities & poor areas, and recruit former players to help introduce the game, BUT MLS is only in 17 states (if we count DC as a state), and that's not even a dent in the problem.......There is a lot that still needs to be done.......I don't think the salary cap will go away, as they see it as a mechanism to keep parity, but it will continue to increase and hopefully soon MLS players' salaries will be comparable to NBA players.

[USAF]

Chicago Fire added a billionaire, Joe Mansueto, to their ownership group today.

[HL]

I guess you saw where i posted that my next season ticket went up by 30% !!!

These investors know that us fans are suckers.

[USAF]

They better be careful. The league is growing, but if they alienate their core supporters they could see a repeat of 2001.