I am one of millions of Americans who were turned-on by "Association Football" (soccer) by the exploits (or lack of them) of their own kids.
Soccer (some Americans have tried calling it futbol, to distinguish it from American football without changing its name) is an upper-middle class pastime here, a fair game that teaches sportsmanship. This is in contrast to the game as it’s lived in many countries, where it’s the only way out of grinding poverty, and played nearly to the death. (Its fans in most nations are also working class, which is why they have so many hooligans.)
What this means is that America has a lot to teach the rest of the world about the Beautiful Game, which has become far more beautiful over the last few decades as light synthetic balls replaced the hard leather ones formerly used.
But we also have a lot to learn, and the lesson helps expose a neo-conservative who now commands the U.S. game but who needs to step aside.
That would be Philip Anschutz (above). Anschutz, 77, is a major neo-conservative donor whose assets actually include America’s chief soccer league, Major League Soccer. MLS, which kicked off its 11th season last weekend, is very unusual in world sport. It’s a single entity. While each club has its own investors, a controlling interest is held by the league, and the league sets all contractual arrangements. The advantages are cost containment and rough parity among the teams.
But this is offset by a distinct lack of excitement about the American league, in contrast to leagues around the world. By the time things heat up in the U.S. "real football" has kicked off, and by the time the endless play-offs are done, in early November, no one cares anymore.
The solution, ironically would be to join the world. Instead of "selling" cities on "expansion franchises," as at present (short term values in action), Anschutz should negotiate the purchase of or a merger with the U.S. game’s minor-league set-up, known as the United Soccer Leagues. This minor league circuit’s top league, called the A-League, draws good crowds near the end of its season in places like Rochester and Portland. Each club has local ownership
Instead of having two divisions of 7 teams each, with a play-off involving the top four teams in each division (as in American football), how about a single table, 14 teams, playing a home-and-home round robin, after which the bottom two teams go down, as in drop to the A-League. Meanwhile, the A-League would play a similar schedule, with its regular season champion and the winner of a play-off against the next four teams moving up to MLS. By combining with lower leagues, the USL could gain as many as three divisions, mirroring the English set-up, and semi-pro teams might then compete to join the professional ranks.
The result would be social mobility. Minor league clubs could build
programs to a major league level. Cities with bad clubs would find
themselves in new leagues with a good expectation of wins. And the end
of each season would become far more exciting.
At the top of the table, you declare the best team the MLS Champion and slot them into a major Latin tournament, like the Copa Libertadores, which already takes teams from Mexico. The play-off winner would be slotted into the CONCACAF Champions Cup. (The only U.S. coach to win the latter? Current national coach Bruce Arena, with D.C. United.)
The "new" MLS would also work to get both champions friendlies against
other top clubs from around the world, both home and away. European
leagues are just warming up in mid-season, and they already come here
for games. Give them someone worth playing for.
Admittedly, getting from here to there is a process, a process that
may ease-out Anschutz, and which would take some humility to pull off. The risk of an all-out bidding war for top
talent, which destroyed the NASL in the 1980s, would be mitigated by a
league-wide salary cap. Anschutz’ money would gradually be recycled,
and more would be brought in from USL teams moving-up. (This also may be the best way for him and his heirs to extract profits from their long-term investment.) You’re also far
more likely to get stadium improvements from clubs that have just gone
major league than from those under no threat of relegation.
More
important, you would get some real "soccer diplomacy." If our top clubs
can draw big crowds against Mexican or Argentine opposition, we can meet
these nations’ leaders as true equals. That’s something we’re going to
have to do a lot more of as the era of American Hegemony draws to a
close.
