Paid Prostitution: The Designated Player Rule

Currently the MLS operates much differently with it clubs than other soccer leagues across the globe. The MLS operates as a single entity. Meaning that they believe “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and that it is therefore essential to avoid weak links that could compromise the strength of the entire chain.” The MLS has many rules and regulations put in place to help each club succeed. Rules and regulations such as the Designated Player Rule, the salary cap, the centralized control of player contracts, and profit sharing. All of these rules are designed to maximize the strength of the league rather than the strength of one particular club.

This relationship between individual clubs and the MLS has led to the spreading of talent

In 2007, the MLS implemented the Designated Player Rules. This rule allows clubs to sign up to three players that do not count towards the salary cap, as long as their three salaries do not exceed the value of the salary cap. When this rule was implemented, it opened up many doors for the MLS, especially in commercial marketability. This rule changed allowed players like David Beckham to come play for the MLS. Although this rule opened up many opportunities for clubs within the MLS, was it enough? Due to this rule, in 2015 the league’s top ten earning players accounted for ⅓ of the league’s salary. As a player, this must raise a huge red flag. Who would want to dedicate their life to making it to the MLS if they know it’s not going to be worth it unless you are a top 10 player? In order for the MLS to progress, they need to make player want to come play for the MLS. The MLS needs to change their revenue format, allowing teams to collect money from national sponsorships and TV deals. The MLS needs to raise the minimum salary, create a revenue sharing model, and allow teams to handle their own salary. Every club owner wants star players, and every club owner wants a team that will produce wins, along with revenue. Owners will go out of their own way in order to sign and recruit the best of the best, and if the decision is in the owner’s hands rather than the league’s hands, you will

Their business plan should be focused on tapping in the younger market and building up the blocks in anticipation for the World Cup in 2022. The last World Cup saw great engagement from the US consumers with “24 million (18.2 million in English) watching the United States’ tie against Portugal and 24.5 million during the loss to Belgium” (Lewis, 2014). With the World Cup coming around in 2022 to the US, that gives the MLS 4 years to build their platform and enable to boost in ratings that they will receive from the publicity that will come with hosting the World Cup in the MLS’ home turf. The goal of the MLS should be to stable league and distribution channels set in place so the over 20 million viewers can translate from watching the Cup to watching the MLS. Marketing will be key in creating “characters” within their league that fans can connect with. “The 2010 World Cup featured six MLS players. The 2014 edition featured 31” (Bissonnette, 2014). Investing in foreign talent and home grown talent, while marketing their faces and personalities will help the MLS create more house hold names. The MLS will also be in a tough spot because this could be a make or break next 4 years as their current media rights deal will be expiring in 2022, meaning they will be vialing to show their validity as a major sports league in the US and take