Major League Soccer (MLS) commissioner Don Garber unveils the new MLS logo during an event in New York on September 18. 2014. MLS unveiled the new logo ahead of its 20th season. AFP PHOTO/Jewel Samad (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
MLS celebrated its 20th anniversary this week with a hint of 90s nostalgia and the pride for what has been achieved.
It all started on Apr. 6, 1996 with a game between the San Jose Clash and D.C. United.
Major League Soccer celebrated its 20th anniversary on Wednesday, which offers a reminder of how far the league has come since that first goal scored by Eric Wynalda at the Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California. It was an important tally, as it helped avoid a 0-0 result and an eventual (and now embarrassing) set of shootouts.
A lot has happened since then: from the addition of expansion clubs and the building of soccer-specific stadiums, to Alexi Lalas’ transformation from rocker/soccer player to clean-cut TV analyst.
In 20 years, Major League Soccer has managed to carve a solid spot in the busy American sports landscape. And while they have a long way to go, they have managed to grow exponentially both in terms of the talent on the field and as a business.
The project that started with the likes of Cobi Jones and Carlos Valderrama was later picked up by David Beckham and eventually handed to Kaká and David Villa, so it’s safe to say the future is in good hands. Still, while the successes have outlasted the failures, there have been plenty of both along the way. Here are some of the most notable hits and misses in the 20 years of MLS history.
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<p>The North American Soccer League of the 1970s was successful in many ways during its 16 years of existence as it attracted some of the biggest names in the game at the time, including Pelé, Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer. It ultimately folded, however, after some teams expanded faster than others and competition suffered for it.</p>
<p>Led by President Mark Abbott, MLS set out to create a business plan that would allow the league to survive the issues that downed the NASL. And so MLS was structured as a single-entity company, a model created by Abbott himself.</p>
<p>Under that structure, club operators are allowed to own a financial stake in the league, not their individual team. This dynamic allowed the league to control costs by sharing MLS revenue between the franchises as well hold to player contracts.</p>
<p>The model has proven to be successful as the league has seen the number of investors grow and the league’s influence expand despite some teams bringing better or more recognizable talent to their squads.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">CHESTER, PA – AUGUST 24: Freddy Adu</p>
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<h3><strong>Miss: The Freddy Adu saga</strong></h3>
<p>Freddy Adu was dubbed as the “Next Pelé” when he started his professional career in MLS at the mere age of 14.</p>
<p>The former soccer prodigy was selected in the 2014 SuperDraft by D.C. United, starting what would become one of the saddest stories in American soccer history.</p>
<p>There was no doubt that Adu was talented as he went to score 12 goals in over two years and lead the U.S. in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. At only 17, that was quite a feature. Still, it all occurred during a time MLS was craving for any attention it could get and the league decided to position Adu as some kind of soccer savior.</p>
<p>The league’s marketing efforts put the young attacker in TV commercials and on magazine covers, causing the young star to start crumbling under the pressure. Also, without the proper development, Adu fell behind when he attempted to play in Europe, where he bounced around for four years before an unsuccessful return to MLS in 2011.</p>
<p>Currently, 26-year-old Adu is playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League. While it would be unfair to put the blame fully on MLS, the league surely shares responsibility for being impatient in a process that could’ve gifted the U.S. with a talented attacker.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">COLUMBUS, OH – MARCH 14: A general view of MAPFRE Stadium before a MLS between Toronto FC and the Columbus Crew SC on March 14, 2015 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3><strong>Hit: Soccer-specific stadiums</strong></h3>
<p>Like any startup business, Major League Soccer went through some difficult times a couple of years after their inauguration. Attendance numbers were dropping and the TV images of empty football stadiums told a story of failure and worry.</p>
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<p>In 1999, however, the league took a step on the right direction as they set out to build soccer-specific stadiums across the United States. It all began with the Columbus Crew and its 20,000-seat arena, which offered a more intimate atmosphere for their fans. The move prompted other ownership groups to follow the Crew’s lead, giving way to the StubHub Center in Los Angeles, Toyota Stadium in Chicago and BMO Field in Canada, among others.</p>
<p>For the 2016 season, 15 of the 20 teams in the league have their own soccer-specific stadium, all without those tedious football lines. Such facilities have allowed MLS’ attendances to grow to the point of surpassing those from the NHL and the NBA.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 26: Chivas USA players wave to the fans as they take the field before playing the San Jose Earthquakes at StubHub Center on October 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. The game was the team’s last as Chivas USA as they face an uncertain future. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3><strong>Miss: Chivas USA</strong></h3>
<p>The Chivas USA project was doomed from the start, but it probably sounded like a good idea in the beginning: a highly recognizable Mexican brand in Los Angeles. Still, it never materialized into anything other than a punchline and, for a while, a safe place for veteran Mexican players looking to squeeze a couple of more years before hanging up the boots.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>Chivas USA’s demise started soon after the franchise joined the league in 2004 as some kind of a little brother to Mexican club C.D. Guadalajara. And while having the successful LA Galaxy across the hall at the StubHub Center didn’t help, their end was completely self-created.</p>
<p>Chivas’ executives joined the league with the belief that they were going to teach Americans how to play the game the right way. Their original branding campaign said as much: <em>Adiós Soccer, El Fútbol Está Aquí</em> (“Goodbye Soccer, Fútbol is Here”)… they finished that first season with a 4-22-6 record. From then on, the quality on the field was regularly not up to part with the competition.</p>
<p>The focused Mexican branding not only gave off an air of arrogance, it also managed to alienate fans from the start. Why would Americans root for a Mexican team? Why would Mexican fans of other clubs not named Chivas be interested? And why would Guadalajara fans support a “cheap” version of their club?</p>
<p>The project lasted 10 years, ending after the league purchased the team back from Chivas owner Jorge Vergara. Fortunately for MLS, they can still correct it all with a rebranding effort and the upcoming LAFC project in 2018.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">ORLANDO, FL – APRIL 3: Kaka</p>
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<h3><strong>Hit: Expansion efforts</strong></h3>
<p>The original 1996 MLS season featured 10 clubs, and while many of them have undergone rebranding (remember the MetroStars and the Wiz?), most of them managed to survive tough times and improve in recent years.</p>
<p>Of the 10 original teams, only one didn’t survive: the Tampa Bay Munity. They were joined by the Miami Fusion later on, who folded in 2001 after joining the league in 1998.</p>
<p>Still, where others failed, many flourished. MLS now has 20 active clubs in the league, including three expansion clubs in Canada and a successful Pacific Northwest rivalry with the Seattle Sounders and the Portland Timbers.</p>
<p>While Tampa Bay and the Fusion were unable to survive the harsh sports landscape in Florida, MLS is not quite ready to give up. The rise of Kaká’s Orlando City has captivated fans in that city, while David Beckham is orchestrating a new team in Miami.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Darwin Quintero (R) of Mexican club America vies the ball with Osvaldo Alonso of US Seattle Sounders during their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal football match at the Azteca stadium on March 2, 2016, in Mexico city. AFP PHOTO/MARIA CALLS / AFP / MARIA CALLS (Photo credit should read MARIA CALLS/AFP/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3><strong>Miss: International competition approach </strong></h3>
<p>It was another year of disappointment for MLS fans as their Liga MX counterparts beat them easily in the quarterfinal round of the CONCACAF Champions League. With those defeats, MLS sides have now fallen in 14 of 15 knockout stage games against Mexican clubs.</p>
<p>Five years ago, Real Salt Lake came closest to winning the competition, but fell 1-0 in the final against Monterrey. RSL’s performance was widely praised despite the defeat and raised a lot of questions, including this one: Should MLS clubs put more emphasis in international competitions?</p>
<p>MLS has the lofty goal of being one of the best leagues in the world. In order to succeed, they need to demonstrate they can overcome their neighbors and give themselves a chance to play in a Club World Cup against some of the top teams in the world.</p>
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<p>Still, MLS clubs (with the exception of 2011’s RSL) are still more focused on domestic success, which hinders their preparation for anything else. And while it is true that roster rules present an obstacle, a change in mentality could go a long way. That much was demonstrated by Salt Lake five years ago. Also, <strong><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/04/08/20-years-mls-five-hits-five-misses/"http://www.espnfc.us/concacaf-champions-league/story/2821665/mls-must-spend-to-compete-against-liga-mx-landon-donovan" target="_blank">as Landon Donovan pointed out</a></strong>, MLS should consider spending more on their players.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">CARSON, CA – DECEMBER 01: David Beckham</p>
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<h3><strong>Hit: The Designated Player rule</strong></h3>
<p>Major League Soccer’s real revolution took place in 2007 and it can be summarized in a single name: David Beckham.</p>
<p>The British superstar shocked the sports world with his announcement to move to the LA Galaxy, an experiment that gave MLS a way to get their hands on more recognizable and talented players. The Beckham signing was the starts of the groundbreaking Designated Player rule, which allowed MLS franchises to sign players outside of the team’s salary cap.</p>
<p>Chicago Fire followed the Galaxy’s lead with the signing of Mexican star Cuauhtémoc Blanco. The New York Red Bulls opted for Colombian forward Juan Pablo Ángel, while Columbus Crew decided to go with Boca Juniors legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto.</p>
<p>When MLS expanded the so-called “Beckham Rule” to three players, the names the league started to attract became even more well-known as Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane made the move to the American league.</p>
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<p>In 2016, the list of big-name players has expanded to promising levels with Kaká in Orlando and Sebastian Giovinco in Toronto. They come face to face with stars like Didier Drogba, Andrea Pirlo and Steven Gerrard on a weekly basis.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">HARRISON, NJ – NOVEMBER 07: Heavy snow forced the postponement of the Eastern Conference Semifinal match between D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on November 7, 2012 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3><strong>Miss: Season schedule </strong></h3>
<p>Some people like it, some people don’t. The truth of the matter is that the current MLS schedule has negative effects on the overall quality of MLS.</p>
<p>The existing schedule calls for teams to start the season in March, play through the summer and end with the playoffs in November. While it makes sense from a business standpoint, it conflicts with the soccer schedule the rest of the world has adopted.</p>
<p>MLS clubs currently reach the crucial stages of international competitions like the CONCACAF Champions League completely unprepared, while official FIFA tournaments can be annoyingly interrupting. At the same time, the MLS playoffs are currently overshadowed by the NFL, college football and the MLB.</p>
<p>Still, while the reasons for change make sense, the solutions are not simple. Adopting the European/South American calendar could hinder ticket sales, while also make the experience of attending a game in February truly miserable in places like Canada or New York.</p>
<p>MLS has the difficult choice of attempting to become dominant globally while not hurting their business domestically. It’s a balancing problem they haven’t been able to figure out.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">CARSON, CA – MARCH 19: Gyasi Zardes</p>
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<h3><strong>Hit: Youth academy growth</strong></h3>
<p>MLS has resembled their American counterparts by recognizing and selecting their young talent at the college level. Like other American leagues, MLS still counts with a combine and a draft, but less so in recent years.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>Major League Soccer clubs were smart to recognize that such a dynamic can be limiting in soccer, especially if they want to compete at a higher level. With the need to find and develop talent sooner, MLS franchises have been putting strong efforts into advancing their academy systems. Even though it has been a slow and incremental process, youth development by MLS academies is growing and improving.</p>
<style>.theiaPostSlider_nav._lower {display: none !important}</style><div class="nextpost sm relatedstory amp-stories"><a class="location" href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/04/08/20-years-mls-five-hits-five-misses/"https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/05/mls-jordan-morris-top-young-prospects-watch/" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="related-story-shortcode">Related Story: <span class="amp-teaser">Young prospects to watch in MLS</span></a></div>
<p>Players like Juan Agudelo, DeAndre Yedlin and Gyasi Zardes are clear examples of players being discovered at an early age and developed in an MLS soccer academy. This season, the improvement of youth academies will be put to the test by Sounders forward Jordan Morris, who refused to join the Bundesliga in order to stay in Seattle.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/04/08/20-years-mls-five-hits-five-misses/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">Miss: Salary gap between players</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—></p><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_409645" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-409645" src=https://playingfor90.com/2016/04/08/20-years-mls-five-hits-five-misses/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2016%2F04%2F519384356-portland-timbers-v-orlando-city-sc-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">ORLANDO, FL – APRIL 3: Cyle Larin</p>
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<h3><strong>Miss: Salary gap between players</strong></h3>
<p>Kaká was the highest paid player in MLS last season with $7.16 million, a number that must sound absurd for most of his teammates in Orlando City.</p>
<p>There is a growing uneasiness in regards to the way MLS teams allocate their money as they’re willing to pay big for a well-known few. That much was revealed by ESPN’s anonymous MLS survey, where <strong><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/04/08/20-years-mls-five-hits-five-misses/"http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/19/blog/post/2826676/2016-mls-anonymous-player-poll" target="_blank">84 percent of the participants voiced their dissatisfaction with their compensation</a></strong>.</p>
<style>.theiaPostSlider_nav._lower {display: none !important}</style><div class="nextpost sm relatedstory amp-stories"><a class="location" href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/04/08/20-years-mls-five-hits-five-misses/"https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/24/mls-players-frustrated-salaries/" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="related-story-shortcode">Related Story: <span class="amp-teaser">MLS players frustrated with salaries</span></a></div>
<p>“I think it’s just hard to say that it’s fair when you can be making $60,000 and a guy on your team is making $8 million. You don’t see gaps like that in other leagues,” said one of the participants.</p>
<p>Such frustration is not a good sign for a league looking to grow and attract young talent. MLS falls behind Liga MX in terms of average salary by more than $150,000. As a result, young players end up looking to go abroad to play in lower divisions that are willing to pay better.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">