What does the MLS have to do to gain as much respect as other leagues?

Question

European players and coaches give lip service to the MLS when they're playing them in friendlies like the Celtics-All Stars game, but I dont think many people would argue that they dont really hold the MLS in the same regard as the Premier League or La Liga, for instance.

Does the US have to win a World Cup before the world accepts US soccer? Or will the big European leagues just never accept the MLS as a full-fledged soccer league, simply because they're American?

I know its bound to happen, but try to curb your arrogant anti-Americanism, or you're just proving my point :P

Soccer is always going to be soccer, and football will always be football in America. The word soccer comes from Oxford, by the way, so dont act like we made it up, the British called it that first :)

If what you think its going to take is for America to sign on and kiss European *** and worship at the Temple of the Pitch like Europeans do, forsaking all other sports, then the MLS should just fold now cuz thats not going to happen :)

Answer 1

i think they need to have some many more years of experience. hire some very good and well known players. and also build their national team. plus the american public need to start paying attention to soccer. one of the reasons why soccer is huge in those countries is that they have nation wide and indeed world wide fan bases. the countries where these leagues are played, love and pay attention to soccer. they even have public holidays so that fans can watch certain high profile games.

Answer 2

That's easy, they would have to play soccer at as high a level as those leagues. Winning the World Cup is not really necessary, the Spanish league is regarded as one of the top, or even the top league and Spain has never won the world cup.

Remember, the MLS is only twelve years old. It does not have the fan base, money, traditions, superstars, nor quality of play as do the European leagues. All this is going to take time. Don't be impatient, look how far the league has come in just those twelve years. If the Spanish league is playing at a ten the MLS is perhaps an eight.

Answer 3

Win a World Cup? Yes and No.
It would help but hell, England only one once.

It's going to take time to pick up the pace, expand and improve.

One big problem i see is it's formatted like other American sports where as long as you're in the playoffs you have a chance at being the champions. So a last place team could be the cup winners. Winning in the season means nothing. The ESPN guy even avoided answering that question last week.
Being the best team is bad luck in American sports. It puts too much pressure on them going into the playoffs but i guess the US likes that. We like seeing the best team get completely embarrassed by some team that barely made it into the playoffs (unless of course it's your team losing)
Theres a minimum 2 trophies to play for in Europe/UK. 3 if your in the CL/UEFA cup. England has a second domestic cup and most leagues, including the MLS, have a 1 game "community" cup match. The US doesn't understand multiple titles.
The new Superliga is like the Champions League and is a step towards the right direction. It would be great to include South American teams in the future but it would put US teams at risk of fan violence traveling there.
Also theres been talk of having the USL as the League 2 of US pro soccer where there'd be promotion and relegation just like in Europe/UK. That would mean, most likely, the season winner would have to be crowned champs since with punishment there has to be reward.

Winning a title has to mean something in order for people to care as much as teams and the league itself.
Also: Notice TV ratings of the past 2 world series were at an all time low? It's cause Americans "think" they are supposed to care about teams like the Yankees and Cubs. Beckham is partially that marketing trick for the MLS. And i mean that in absolutely no disrespect. There is a business side to sports.

Answer 4

First, win over the rivals in Concacaf, they would be the Mexican Teams, like Chivas, America, Pumas, Pachuca, etc, why?

Well, there is a tournament, it is called "Campeones de la Concacaf" (Champions of concacaf), the winner of this tournament, will represent the Concacaf Area in the World Clubs Championship.

The champions of the MLS never had won to the Mexican teams, first MLS got to win the respect of the Concacaf area (formed by North America, Central America and the Caribbean)

After that, could you imagine for instance the Wizards, or Dallas, or Dynamo playing against the Champion of the Champions League (AC Milan), the champion of "Libertadores de America", that would be great.

After one MLS team gets that respect, for instance, Conmebol would invate any MLS team to participate the "Copa Libertadores de America" or "Copa Sudamericana", that is a window to export the image of good soccer.

The US team, is one of the leaders (or maybe the leader) in Concacaf, along with Mexico, but, I think the MLS is not the image of the US team.

In soccer, there is not discrimination, I don't think because "they're Americans" are being excluded of Top Level competitions, is just because the MLS league is not good enough to compite Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.

Answer 5

problem with the mls is lack of talent what happens is when we have a talented player the go to another country where the competition is better and the pay is to so the way to get mls more respect is through talent cause right now most mls teams cant compete with a division 2 team which is frankly sad in the worlds eyes but hopefully with the arrival of beckham and adu possibly staying the mls can take a step forward in the eyes of the world

Answer 6

people have to care about soccer here in the U.S.A. also the M.L.B. has to have some self respect. first they are stoping their season to play an exhibition game agaisnt a Eroupean team would any other U.S. league do that only in the offseason. They are Letting David Bekham walk all over the Galaxy by sitting in the press box not on the field with his teamates. also he came to the U.S. half way in the season. they also need to get rid of the salary cap so they can get better players. that's how the MLB gets players from Japan and latin america.

Answer 7

I'm sorry to sound like Jane Raincloud, but in my opinion, the U.S will never win the world cup, they just haven't got it compared to the European and S. American teams.
That's why, in my opinion (mean as it sounds), I think MLS should stand for minor league soccer, instead.

Answer 8

i dont know , The Regular American doesant Even know what the Hell The Bundesliga is. offcourse us Football Fans know all about it. it would be nice also to have a premier league and a 2 division it would make it more interesting here in the states. The only prob is i prefer the playoff system vs the points set up. anyways i heard colorado is going to be Working in toes with Arsenal that should be interesting. Cheers!!

Answer 9

Send developed players to European clubs.
If those players perform, more Europeans will start coming over.
Eventually it will lead to respect.

Another World Cup run similar to 2002 would help.

Answer 10

actually, i think the celtic players have been nothing but nice and respectful to your league and secondly, it'll take atleast 20 years before MLS is even up for becoming a top league, probably will never happen