Grant, what's the right number of Number 1 seeds making the final? You think the current rate is too low and I don't disagree, but 100 percent is too high, else there'd be no point to playoffs. Upsets are supposed to be rare, but how rare? Should 50 percent of Number 1 seeds make the final? 75 percent?
Thanks, Grant. It must be VERY difficult to just ask the questions without injecting your own personal opinion into interviews with people like Don Garber. Because I disagree with him on a whole host of issues.
It’s untrue that the 5 top leagues in Europe don’t spend money on infrastructure. Recent evidence: Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton have spent or have plans to spend fortunes. That’s just England, and that’s what I can recall off the top of my head. Meanwhile, in MLS, nobody builds anything without demanding public tax money. Recent MLS evidence: the fiasco in Columbus.
It’s untrue that MLS is better competitively than people think. MLS can’t even compete on the field with Liga MX. Evidence: CONCACAF champions league. When MLS starts dominating that we can revisit how competitive MLS is world-wide. It’s true MLS teams are very competitive amongst themselves. That’s what a salary cap does.
If I was to do a word usage search of Mr. Garnet’s comments, I’m sure “value” and “investment” would both be in the most-used top 5. That tells you all you need to know about what he feels is most important to MLS - the money.
He criticizes the super league in Europe and claims without player salary caps that European models will fall apart while the MLS (franchise) model will go on. Well, what Europe has that MLS doesn’t have is an *investment floor*. It’s called “promotion and relegation”, and if you don’t invest in your club you don’t stay in those top 5 European leagues. Not for long, anyway. Tanking can’t even *exist* in Europe. If you don’t win, you’re out. In MLS, there’s no trapdoor, so there’s zero risk to the value and investment Mr. Garber emphasizes so much. And let’s face it - removing the trapdoor was the whole impetus behind the super league.
Fans want MLS to improve on the *field*, which is what will improve the balance sheet. I just don’t see that as the primary goal of the league.
Sorry this is so long. Love your stuff, Grant. Enjoy Portland. That atmosphere will be CRAZY.
Grant, what's the right number of Number 1 seeds making the final? You think the current rate is too low and I don't disagree, but 100 percent is too high, else there'd be no point to playoffs. Upsets are supposed to be rare, but how rare? Should 50 percent of Number 1 seeds make the final? 75 percent?
Thanks, Grant. It must be VERY difficult to just ask the questions without injecting your own personal opinion into interviews with people like Don Garber. Because I disagree with him on a whole host of issues.
It’s untrue that the 5 top leagues in Europe don’t spend money on infrastructure. Recent evidence: Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton have spent or have plans to spend fortunes. That’s just England, and that’s what I can recall off the top of my head. Meanwhile, in MLS, nobody builds anything without demanding public tax money. Recent MLS evidence: the fiasco in Columbus.
It’s untrue that MLS is better competitively than people think. MLS can’t even compete on the field with Liga MX. Evidence: CONCACAF champions league. When MLS starts dominating that we can revisit how competitive MLS is world-wide. It’s true MLS teams are very competitive amongst themselves. That’s what a salary cap does.
If I was to do a word usage search of Mr. Garnet’s comments, I’m sure “value” and “investment” would both be in the most-used top 5. That tells you all you need to know about what he feels is most important to MLS - the money.
He criticizes the super league in Europe and claims without player salary caps that European models will fall apart while the MLS (franchise) model will go on. Well, what Europe has that MLS doesn’t have is an *investment floor*. It’s called “promotion and relegation”, and if you don’t invest in your club you don’t stay in those top 5 European leagues. Not for long, anyway. Tanking can’t even *exist* in Europe. If you don’t win, you’re out. In MLS, there’s no trapdoor, so there’s zero risk to the value and investment Mr. Garber emphasizes so much. And let’s face it - removing the trapdoor was the whole impetus behind the super league.
Fans want MLS to improve on the *field*, which is what will improve the balance sheet. I just don’t see that as the primary goal of the league.
Sorry this is so long. Love your stuff, Grant. Enjoy Portland. That atmosphere will be CRAZY.