The Problem with the MLS

[Easy Mac]

Are things like the following two articles

All-American Turns Down DC United (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021501648.html)
MLS turns down Joseph $2 million transfer (http://sports.bostonherald.com/soccer/view.bg?articleid=183305)

In the first article, an All-American from SMU was drafted 32nd by DC United, but decided to sign with the USL (minor league) team in Puerto Rico because they offered about 2x as much money ($17,500 to 35,000).

In the second article, MLS turned down a $2 million transfer offer from Celtic for Shalrie Joseph. That's twice what they previously offered.

I mean, I just don't understand the MLS sometimes. They can afford to pay David Beckham $250 for 5 years (yeah, I know most is endorsements, but surely MLS is paying at least $10 million), but the starting salaries for reserves are $12k-17k. Why would anyone sign for that? Why not get paid 2x as much in the 2nd division and then in 1-2 years get signed by an MLS team for $60k?

And on the Shalrie Joseph issue, his fee isn't going to get any higher. He's almost 29 years old, so he's pretty much at the end of his peak for a soccer player. There's no logical reason not to sell him right now. Maybe if they made a few more of those transfers, they could afford to pay rookies more than minimum wage.

[kcchief19]

If they accepted more transfers, they still wouldn't be able/willing to pay rookies more since they'd still be losing money.

The only thing incongruent to me about the way the MLS is operating the Beckham deal. If that isn't a sign that the league is throwing a last-gasp hail mary to try and make this thing work, I don't know what it is.

I think the main reason rookie salaries in the MLS are so low is that frankly the league doesn't want rookies to play in the MLS -- they want them to play overseas to get better before coming into the league. I'm the farthest thing from a soccer expert, but my impression that playing for a minor league team in Puerto Rico is probably better experience for a young player than playing in the MLS.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Actually, I'd say a bigger problem for MLS is the fact the number of people who could correctly identify Shalrie Joseph as a professional athlete is almost certainly smaller than the number who would say that it's the name of either a rapper or the 3rd runner-up on American Idol.

[RPI-Fan]

MLS is not paying Beckham's salary, the ownership group (AEG) is. For players like Needham and Joseph, MLS is on the hook for their salaries.

[RPI-Fan]

...but the starting salaries for reserves are $12k-17k. Why would anyone sign for that? Why not get paid 2x as much in the 2nd division and then in 1-2 years get signed by an MLS team for $60k?

Because playing a year or two at the cheaper salary is a better capital investment in your own abilities than going to USL. Want to know how I know this? The fact that 90% of the players who have the choice between the $12k MLS salary and a $30k USL salary choose to play in MLS.

[JonInMiddleGA]

The fact that 90% of the players who have the choice between the $12k MLS salary and a $30k USL salary choose to play in MLS.

At the same time, this could also point to poor decision-making abilities on the part of a lot of those 90%.

[cthomer5000]

Well, the bottom line is college soccer players aren't ultimately going to be the future of MLS. It's going to take a few years, but we will eventually get to the point where players who spent time playing in college are going to be a rarity, compared to those who came up through a youth system.

And the MLS is in a tough position with the outgoing transfers. You walk a fine line between turning down a sensible financial move and helping out the individual player with his career goals and pissing off the fans of the MLS teams. How does it make a Revolution fan feel to see multiple key players off the team that reached the finals a number of times in recent years sold off in one offseason? Won't they begin to wonder why they even come to the games if every time a player becomes a star he's immediately gone?

[RPI-Fan]

At the same time, this could also point to poor decision-making abilities on the part of a lot of those 90%.

This certainly could be true, but history would not really agree with that. I'm sure someone will point out all the USL guys now succeeding in MLS, and the list is impressive. The fact is, though, that many of these guys (Brian Ching, for example) were basically kicked out of MLS [reflecting on decision making of essentially all 12 MLS teams].

MLS can't afford to raise their minimum salary for the sake of keeping two or three Jay Needhams in the league. There are 130 developmental roster slots in MLS... raising the minimum salary from $12k to $30k would cost around $1-2MM in yearly salaries (not all dev players make the $12k minimum).

So essentially, if MLS did all they could to keep non-1st Round picks in the league, they'd have to pay the equivalent of at least 4 or 5 max-salary players. So IOW, to keep the bottom line the same, they would need to take the best non-DP player off roughly half of the league's teams to make sure that guys like Jay Needham never, ever went to USL.

[Ryan S]

The fact that 90% of the players who have the choice between the $12k MLS salary and a $30k USL salary choose to play in MLS.

Most players are going to choose to play in MLS because of the increased exposure of the league. No European club is ever going to hear your name if you are playing in the minor leagues.

[RPI-Fan]

Most players are going to choose to play in MLS because of the increased exposure of the league. No European club is ever going to hear your name if you are playing in the minor leagues.

Well, I feel like that was common knowledge. The real decision is if you're better off with 2 years in the MLS reserves (and still having 2 league-option years left on your initial contract), or if you're better off with 2 years in the USL, making a little more cash, and becoming a free agent. Most players and their agents decide that the first option gives them a better chance of having a real professional career. I'm assuming the logic is that making the jump from MLS Reserves --> MLS Starter gives you a bigger pay increase than USL starter --> MLS starter.