With the aid of big names from past generations the MLS is attempting to take soccer in the United States out of the basement of professional sports and onto the forefront of attention for both national and international audiences. The MLS has an interesting place in the sports. To say there is a small would be a little to general and insulting, the fan base can more accurately be described as concentrated, similar to that friend you have who is a die hard fan of a niche t.v. cable show and who will stay up till 1:15 in the morning to watch that show on a Friday. But with everything in the world, especially in capitalistic America, money= opportunity and opportunity= money. The MLS is no different. So it is no suprise that rather than continue to develop home grown talent and cater to those die hard fans, the MLS has seized the opportunity that has been created. That grand opportunity is offering a place for the biggest names in international soccer a place to continue their career. In turn these big names will generate more revenue for the MLS. And with more money comes more opportunity. Opportunity for bigger t.v. deals, for larger events to be held centered around MLS.
What was at first an experiment has turned into a trend. In 2007 L.A. Galaxy signed euro superstar David Beckham. Beckhem went onto have a successful career in the MLS and most importanly he validated the idea that U.S. soccer fans want to see big names. According to FoxBusiness league wide attendance has risen 12.7% in the 2015 season, around the boom of the euro stars signing with M.L.S soccer teams. Most importantly the majority of that spike contained the 18-34 demographic, assuring that generations to come will also be nurtured to have a passion for MLS soccer. By 2020 the MLS plans to expand from 20 to 24 clubs.
The only dilemma the MLS faces is maintaining this growth. Can this momentum carry them into the top tier of professional sports, or will it prove to be a big bubble waiting to be punctured and to burst the organization.
Increase in player development and fan interest in MLS play will hopefully create a sustainable long term home for competitive U.S. soccer.
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