The successes of the MLS have been certainly meteoric in the last decade, skyrocketing from a league considered an outsider in its own country to a competitive, highly entertaining league and a financial elite in sporting terms. Considering the condition of football in the states prior to the 21st century, it comes as somewhat as a shock that players with Champions League accolades and multiple Ballon D’Or victories have graced the pitches of such prestigious allure as Inter Miami and LA Galaxy.
Without intending to discredit the MLS, it has gained a reputation of being the destination for waning stars of the European game. And is that such a bad thing? After all, what has sports in 21st Century America been other than a commercial pursuit with the sole intention to keep viewers watching? How can anyone expect a league so wealthy, with clubs officiated by moguls accustomed to the ostentatious nature of their familiar MLB and NFL, not shell out hundreds of millions each year to maintain some relevancy and intrigue with European giants to compete with?
That being said, this misconception is being slowly altered season by season by Don Garber and the franchisees to reform the MLS into a league that applies a similar American formula for the homeland to enjoy, but also a force that both props up as well as rivals Europe in an unforeseen football business model.
The culture of the MLS
Unsurprisingly, David Beckham simply must be mentioned as a great pioneer of the MLS in nearly every facet. His prolific move to LA Galaxy set the precedent for countless greats, making the move overseas and proving an MLS franchising is a worthy and lucrative venture, with the expansion fee rising from $10,000,000 in 2007 to around $500,000,000 in 2023.
To amplify his legacy for the game even further, Beckham took advantage of his initial MLS contractual clause in which he would be entitled to form an MLS team of his own for just $25,000,000. This clever business manoeuvre resulted in the creation of Inter Miami in 2018, which has soon become one of footballs most recognised clubs even despite its recency.
What David Beckham came into in 2007 was a promising yet still incredibly weak league. His influence is undeniable in the growth of football across the nation, still having an impact in the current day and age of soccer.
Looking past David Beckham, it is important to look at the role youth has had in growing the MLS and forming the culture the MLS is known for currently.
The MLS first became widely recognised for its youth development in 2004 following the emergence of Freddy Adu, with the starlet beginning his professional career at the age of 14 in Washington club ‘DC United’. Other than his infamy on Football Manager, the young American did little to live up to expectations due to the stardom he had accumulated in his youth proving to be too overwhelming. Despite this, it was the growing signs that football was becoming something more than a trifle in physical education in the states. America had never seen the likes of Adu ever before in their own country, and what would follow in the near 2 decades would have never been anticipated.
The growth of youth academies was key in the development of the MLS, with the MLS club academy initiative (founded in 2007) being responsible for 250 homegrown players reaching professional status, with many becoming international players.
The MLS invested $70,000,000 in 2019/2020 season alone in progressing academies across Canada and the USA, showing unprecedented commitment.
The potential of the MLS was even recognised by European giant FC Barcelona in the formation of the Barcelona Residency Academy in Arizona, being an incredible path for Americans to develop under world class coaching staff and progress into Europe. Julián Araujo, a graduate of the Barcelona Residency Academy, made the move from LA Galaxy to the Catalonian giants, even making friendly appearances despite the strength of Barcelona’s squad. Many others make the move to Europe from this prestigious academy, with the likes of Caden Clark joining the highly successful Red Bull project in Leipzig and Matthew Hoppe, formerly of German giants Schalke and Spanish outfit Mallorca.
In short, the MLS has been an outlet for talent to make their move into Europe. Despite this not being the preferred outcome for MLS chairmen and franchisers, they have been incredibly successful in doing so. Even despite the league opting to move their talent along, many youth stars decide to develop under lower expectations and a more familiar environment.
Through the stance the league has largely taken, the MLS earns itself an exponential growth in stature, as the more exports that succeed in Europe, the more the MLS becomes associated with youth development which then brings in more intrigue from talented youth to the sport, creating a cycle of profit and progression.
Taking everything into account, the culture of the MLS is uniquely effective in improving the league as time goes on, both commercially and purposively. No other league in world football could nurture top class youngsters and host aging stars with little intention to develop their careers any further without being labelled a disjointed mess. What we have is an enjoyable environment without the cut-throat mentality of the European game, while also living up to the financial pedigree that the more traditional leagues have set.
The Future of the MLS
With a league growing as fast as the MLS, it would be remiss of me not to speculate what the future has in store for the blossoming game in the states.
Every year since 2016, the MLS has introduced a new expansion team, with the streak just ending with San Diego franchising in 2025. As of now, there are currently plans to increase the current amount of MLS clubs from 29 to 32 by 2026, which has sparked debates on whether the league is becoming too congested and will eventually need to abandon its current conference system or prevent eastern and western conference sides meeting prior to the elimination stage of the league.
As well as that, with the upcoming changes to 2025 Club World Cup with a wider range of teams including MLS clubs being introduced, the onus would be on the top American teams not to humiliate themselves on the world stage and maintain a respectable reputation in such a competition. The change of this tournament structure would also naturally compel top MLS players not to pursue moves into Europe, at least not before they participate in a competition where they have a chance to showcase their talents, in turn boosting the credibility of the clubs hosting such talents.
Through the infamy and allure that Inter Miami uphold, many other current and future MLS teams will have the impetus to challenge and better the Floridian outfit. This competitive streaks in clubs are all too familiar, with it happening in Saudi Arabia currently. It would not be surprising if in the upcoming MLS transfer window, many clubs make bold and formidable transfers, with New York Red Bulls already making a move for legendary Leipzig attacking midfielder Emil Forsberg.
Through these factors alone, the fate of the MLS only seems to be going on an upward trajectory. Not only will the MLS be improved financially, the questions surrounding the competitiveness of the league being tended to with some certainty can only be an indicator of positive things to come.