Home Business of Soccer SUPER POLL: MLS, Dempsey, allocations, central control; do you trust the league to do what’s best, or is it playing favourites?

SUPER POLL: MLS, Dempsey, allocations, central control; do you trust the league to do what’s best, or is it playing favourites?

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mls-logoMajor League’s Soccer decision to repatriate American national-team star Clint Dempsey has certainly played to mixed reviews.

There are those who will say MLS did what it had to do in reportedly paying a US$9 million transfer fee (CLICK HERE) to bring Dempsey to the Sounders, where he becomes the league’s newest Designated Player.

But, to do so, MLS had to invoke a non-publicized rule that allows players earmarked for DP status to skip the allocation line. And, there’s no denying the resentment felt in other markets. For argument’s sake, would MLS spend $9 million to repatriate a Canadian player to either Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal (not that there’s one on the radar right now who would garner that high a fee)?

And, while central control of contracts allows MLS to makes moves that are in the best interest of the league, do the fans of the other franchises, especially those outside of New York or Los Angeles, feel that the league owes them big moves, too? And how do fans feel about money they spend to support MLS as a whole going to help one team get stronger — and beat the team they support?

What the Dempsey deal does is give us that watershed moment to discuss where MLS is at as a league. We have prepared the following questions; the poll will close at noon MT next Wednesday (August 8). What we want to know is how you feel about the way MLS does business as a league. Is it time for a change? Do you trust MLS is ensuring a level playing field with a salary cap, or that constant rule changes are giving certain teams unfair advantages that defy the cap model? How do you feel about allocation money, secretive contracts and allocation orders?

Please take time to tell us how you feel, and spread the word to fellow MLS fans. We want to capture the pulse of our community. (Questions after the break; don’t worry if it the vote doesn’t show up as soon as you make it; they’re visible once you refresh the page. You will know your vote has been registered when the “vote” icon disappears.)

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3 Comments

  1. Fred Sanford

    August 7, 2013 at 10:52 pm

    NASL will destroy MLS within 10 years. Single entity is no longer needed. We want free market, pro-rel, and balanced schedule. Mickeymouse League Soccer blows.

  2. Mike

    August 7, 2013 at 5:21 pm

    IMO North American soccer has always had a dubious managing history at best. Hopefully all the leagues in play (Div 1-2-3) learn from past mistakes. Players’ salaries, rapid expansion, weak ownerships have always been the recipe to kill teams and leagues. Soccer is popular again so it would be disheartening to not see it evolve properly at the professional level.

  3. Jahinho_Guerro

    August 7, 2013 at 5:11 pm

    I like these questions.

    I simply take this deal as a fair deal considering the money Seattle generates and has generated to the league on a whole. I feel that the only teams who have the right to make a comment, is those wholly turn over a profit, and then when you look at the list of those teams, they are active in getting their own marquee players (with MLS approval).

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