As Major League Soccer enters the final third of its season, two of the league’s teams just advanced to the SuperLiga final, which will determine the best squad in North America; David Beckham is having a solid year, but is not the most talented player in the league; game attendance and television viewership is the highest its been since play began in 1996.
Yet, the MLS constitutes only 2% of the American sports-watching audience. The everyday sports fan (who typically ranks football, baseball, or basketball as their sport of preference) may only be able to name one or two of the league’s teams and players. With America’s two summer sports at the same point in their respective seasons, I’ve drawn comparisons between Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball in the hopes that it will help newbies familiarize themselves with the sport when its playoffs take place in November, just after baseball’s “Fall Classic.”
The Production
MLB: As has been widely covered, Josh Hamilton is having the best year of his career, putting up numbers that might nab him his first MVP. With 103 RBIs and 25 HRs, he has given everything he’s got to the Texas Rangers. Ryan Howard, despite a dismal batting average, has still pounded out 30 home runs and knocked in 94 RBIs; he leads the National League in both categories.
MLS: Why Landon Donovan was left off the Olympic squad is a mystery as he leads the league with 12 goals and is playing better than ever. His Los Angeles Galaxy teammate, Edson Buddle, is also putting up career numbers. He’s tied in second place with Dallas’ Kenny Cooper with 11 goals scored.
The Support
MLB: When one thinks of tremendous assets on mediocre ball clubs, Chipper Jones and Lance Berkman immediately come to mind. Jones has quietly performed exceptionally well for the Braves over the last four years. He’s hitting .369, a MLB-best, for a team that keeps getting worse. Berkman is in a similar situation: with a .344 BA and 86 runs scored, he’s playing as well as he did in 2006. Unfortunately, he’s playing for the Houston Astros.
MLS: Hailing from Argentina, one of the world’s most consistent players, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, jumped ship from legendary Argentine club Boca Juniors to join the MLS in 2007. His league leading 10 assists could guide the Columbus Crew to their first championship. The aforementioned Donovan and some bloke named David Beckham are tied for second in assists with seven a piece.
The Defense
MLB: Cliff Lee, Brandon Webb, and Tim Lincecum are pitching betting than anybody, though they’re not getting much run support. They’re young and throwing at the top of their games, making them hot property for better teams down the line.
MLS: A veteran of the MLS, Jon Busch is, without a doubt, the league’s strongest goaltender. When the opposition gets through his Chicago Fire defense, Busch is the intimidating fortress they must defeat. He’s saved more shots than any other keeper (85), earning a .82 goals against per game average, a league best. However, just like his analogues in the MLB, his team fails to convert on offense, leaving him little room to breathe.
When Fall Rolls Around
MLB: What the Los Angeles Angels are doing is absolutely amazing. They have a productive lineup of veterans and youngsters, hitting and pitching, and are many people’s choice to win the World Series. Who they’ll face in the playoffs is very much up in the air. The NL pennant race promises to be a barnburner.
MLS: The New England Revolution lead the league in points with 33 and a 10-4-3 record. Along with the second place Columbus Crew, the New England Revolution is looking to capture their first championship at the MLS Cup in November. However, just like the Tampa Bay Rays, these teams are playing well, but just don’t get the fan support. This is especially true with the Crew, where their home games average only 12,000 spectators, just slightly more than the Kansas City Wizards
It’s Like a Kid Brother
1. Currently, the salary cap in the MLS rests limply at $2.3 million + $125,000 for signing bonuses. This is for the entire team. An active roster for each team holds 25 players, which means that the average salary is $92,000 a year. In comparison, the MLB average is $2.6 million.
2. The MLS is slowly beginning to transfer ownership on a team-by-team basis. When the league premiered, owners ran multiple teams, and as a result, they failed to give each club the proper amount of attention to develop a respectable following. This has changed. With owners only focusing on one team, loyalty towards organizations has increased as the league continues to grow.
3. Apparently, sports fans from Florida don’t go to soccer matches either. Both the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion were forced to fold after five seasons each. On the bright side, on the heels of Toronto FC’s success, three new expansion teams are planned to enter the league over the next three years.
MLS is as popular as it’s ever been. With the announcements of the expansion teams and this year’s competitive play, many anticipate the league’s growth in America. Hopefully, the upcoming Olympics will fuel the fire.
