Let's try and keep an open mind here guys. anyway an article I'm working on in school, feel free to give (constructive) criticism
Expansion draft, player trades and salary caps. Not phrases the average football fan our familiar with across the pond however, such ideas have been incoperated into the beautiful game, as popularity of Soccer in the US of A soars.
But why should we care about how our Atlantic cousins feel about the sport? Well there have been several advances in the running of the sport, that many in the debt ridden world of European 'Soccer, should listen to
Let's give them credit, Americans know how to run a sport smoothly. Take a look at the NFL one of the most effectively run organisations you'll find, and these ideas are being reflected by the authorities in charge of football in America
Gone are the days of the old NASL, where mega stars such as Pele and um..... Harry Redknapp effectively received mega bucks to go on holiday and tun up once a week to run around a poorly converted baseball pitch for 90 minutes.
Nowadays MLS (Major League Soccer) run a tight ship, to encourage gradual growth rather than get rich quick schemes of the 70's. One such way this is achieved is from the salary cap. In it's most basic element, each club recieves a total amount they can spend on player wages, which means no more small clubs with huge wage bills a la, Hull, Newcastle etc. However the growing popularity of the Designated player rule (sometimes dubbed the Beckham rule) means the league can still attract big name players which in return help boost the popularity of the league (see Henry, Marquez and of course David himself)
Now we all know we can't go a month without hearing a new story in the premier league regarding club ownership problems, Liverpool, Man United being the two biggest names. Don't let this put you off the idea of Anerican ownership altogether though as in MLS all clubs are in part owned by the league. All negotiations for contracts go through the league and revenue is shared throughout all clubs. However if this all sounds like sports communism to you, rest assured there shall be no conflict of cold war scale, as MLS is now progressing to sole ownership of clubs coupled with League ownership. It's an issue that's sure to change several times in the future but at present, it can be seen as a desirable alternative to how some clubs in Europe are run
In European leagues we repeatedly see two or three teams at most compete for top honours and in each league the majority of teams have a monopoly over the rest, United and Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcalona, Celtic and Rangers etc. Not the case in MLS. the league is a parity league, meaning there are many rules which keep the league competitive. Teams that finish last in the league the season previous as well as new teams to the league get first preference on college players as well as players deemed surplus to requirements at other teams, during the draft. This ensures that the clubs keep compatitive in the league and keeps things much more interesting.
Facilities have also greatly improved in the last 10 years in MLS. whereas in NASL and the beginning years of MLS, teams were forced to play on Baseball or American Football pitches (often with the respective sports markings still on them) again the league has progressed. The emergence of Soccer Specific Staduims, such as the recently constructed and state if the Art 'Red Bull Arena' in New York, gives players the sufficient platform to display their talents in front of quite impressive crowds. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these crowds is the Seattle Sounders fans, whose attendances would match up to 5th best in the Premier League, with an atmosphere to match.
So it seems that those Americans are vastly catching up on us when it comes to the sport they traditionally "just don't understand", the knowledge, talent and organisation of football is devolping at an alarming rate state side, and I for one say the more the merrier.
Expansion draft, player trades and salary caps. Not phrases the average football fan our familiar with across the pond however, such ideas have been incoperated into the beautiful game, as popularity of Soccer in the US of A soars.
But why should we care about how our Atlantic cousins feel about the sport? Well there have been several advances in the running of the sport, that many in the debt ridden world of European 'Soccer, should listen to
Let's give them credit, Americans know how to run a sport smoothly. Take a look at the NFL one of the most effectively run organisations you'll find, and these ideas are being reflected by the authorities in charge of football in America
Gone are the days of the old NASL, where mega stars such as Pele and um..... Harry Redknapp effectively received mega bucks to go on holiday and tun up once a week to run around a poorly converted baseball pitch for 90 minutes.
Nowadays MLS (Major League Soccer) run a tight ship, to encourage gradual growth rather than get rich quick schemes of the 70's. One such way this is achieved is from the salary cap. In it's most basic element, each club recieves a total amount they can spend on player wages, which means no more small clubs with huge wage bills a la, Hull, Newcastle etc. However the growing popularity of the Designated player rule (sometimes dubbed the Beckham rule) means the league can still attract big name players which in return help boost the popularity of the league (see Henry, Marquez and of course David himself)
Now we all know we can't go a month without hearing a new story in the premier league regarding club ownership problems, Liverpool, Man United being the two biggest names. Don't let this put you off the idea of Anerican ownership altogether though as in MLS all clubs are in part owned by the league. All negotiations for contracts go through the league and revenue is shared throughout all clubs. However if this all sounds like sports communism to you, rest assured there shall be no conflict of cold war scale, as MLS is now progressing to sole ownership of clubs coupled with League ownership. It's an issue that's sure to change several times in the future but at present, it can be seen as a desirable alternative to how some clubs in Europe are run
In European leagues we repeatedly see two or three teams at most compete for top honours and in each league the majority of teams have a monopoly over the rest, United and Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcalona, Celtic and Rangers etc. Not the case in MLS. the league is a parity league, meaning there are many rules which keep the league competitive. Teams that finish last in the league the season previous as well as new teams to the league get first preference on college players as well as players deemed surplus to requirements at other teams, during the draft. This ensures that the clubs keep compatitive in the league and keeps things much more interesting.
Facilities have also greatly improved in the last 10 years in MLS. whereas in NASL and the beginning years of MLS, teams were forced to play on Baseball or American Football pitches (often with the respective sports markings still on them) again the league has progressed. The emergence of Soccer Specific Staduims, such as the recently constructed and state if the Art 'Red Bull Arena' in New York, gives players the sufficient platform to display their talents in front of quite impressive crowds. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these crowds is the Seattle Sounders fans, whose attendances would match up to 5th best in the Premier League, with an atmosphere to match.
So it seems that those Americans are vastly catching up on us when it comes to the sport they traditionally "just don't understand", the knowledge, talent and organisation of football is devolping at an alarming rate state side, and I for one say the more the merrier.
