3 Ways MLS Can Combat the Fierce Competition From Foreign Leagues

As we’ve discussed for weeks now on this site, the new MLS brand (“MLS Next”) comes at a time of incredible importance to the league. For most of the front office and media, the focus has been on the league’s future and how bright it looks. However, the league needs to take a hard look at the present if it even wants to have a future considering the American soccer landscape is more challenging than it seems.

The league office decided to launch its rebrand to coincide with some major changes to the league. You can argue the last major rebrand was after MLS shut down its Florida franchises in the early 2000s as a cost-savings measure and tried to consolidate the finances to save the league from going under, thereby laying the groundwork for slow gradual expansion, the slow and thoughtful acquisition of superstars, and the careful management of every aspect of the MLS experience. MLS Next is a celebration of the culmination of that experiment – a new big-money franchise in New York backed by Manchester City FC and New York Yankees, the return of soccer to Florida in Orlando and supposedly Miami, and cities outbidding each other to try and become the next MLS franchise. Beautiful new soccer-specific stadiums dot the U.S. landscape, the U.S. Soccer Federation needs its best players from the league, and the new TV deal triples television revenue despite a history of terrible TV ratings.

Such a bright future overshadows a troubled present, for even though some franchises are getting stronger, some of their colleagues are struggling. Chivas USA is a PR embarrassment, New York Red Bulls may lose its name and major stars, DC United still doesn’t have a stadium and New England doesn’t have a clue. The league also has to figure out what to do with franchises like Philadelphia, Montreal and even Toronto, who have passionate fans but whose ownerships situations are fraught with making one mistake after another. While the Sounders and Sporting KCs of the world are trotted out as the future of MLS, their fellow clubs threaten the success that they could be building.

But this is nothing new and not a new line of attack against the league. And, to be blunt, the league is in a position where it is powerful enough that it can drag dying franchises along with the successful ones to the point they are sold, rebranded or shut down. However, the threats from outside the league are the real dark clouds on the horizon, and the league may not be able to weather the storm.

Domestically, the new NASL is causing some discomfort in league offices. While not as popular or visible as the “first tier”, the league has shown it is willing to experiment and be creative to gain attention while drawing the contrast to not being “the corporate” league. The rebuilt Cosmos may be the best example of the danger to the league – drawing on the nostalgia the Red Bulls never had, the club is building its coffer and reputation among a fan base that yearns for the older days while still being glitzy enough for younger fans. NASL is still a way off, but their business model of drawing comparisons to the old NASL is a smart strategy that could work in the long run.

But unlike other sports, it is the international leagues that threaten the major domestic league. In terms of TV ratings, Liga MX and the EPL lap MLS’s ratings, with the Premier League, especially, making a huge dent in the English-language American sports scene. Expanded cable coverage and the popularity of the FIFA video games make the American sports consumer more aware and comfortable with these foreign leagues, and they are waking up to this knowledge. International friendlies and tournaments have been lucrative for clubs both during the friendlies themselves and in terms of brand loyalty. It is not a coincidence that the fabled “39th game” is now being discussed as a reality with the United States identified as one of the prime locations for the games overseas. American fans have had to settle for “meaningless friendlies” in their backyard for years, but a game that actually matters is a game changer. American fans could feel as connected to their adopted clubs as their English brethren, which would really drive brand loyalty.

But what does this mean for MLS? World-class soccer is more accessible every day to the American soccer fan, and despite claims otherwise, the vast majority of the American sports-watching public prefers the best athletes in their sport to local teams. This is why the Japanese baseball league and Russian KHL have not taken off in the States: the best athletes for those sports are in MLB and the NHL.

So how can MLS adjust to these threats and establish themselves as a viable soccer option?

1. Double down on the local angle

Until the talent level of the league rises to that of other international leagues, MLS loses making direct comparisons between its players and those overseas. This is where the league has stumbled in recent years, going out of its way to be dismissive of critics who maintain there is a gulf in talent between MLS and the top leagues. Yes, fans flock to the best but the league would be best served focusing on its own markets rather than trying to continually compare itself to international markets.

What does this mean practically? It means you make sure that every owner has a strategy to tie that club to its hometown. The Los Angeles Galaxy should be involved in every possible community event, New York City FC should be as “New York” as the Yankees, and teams like the Revolution whose ownership seems to simply be using the local community as a convenience should be moved out. You lose the ability to market your league internationally but you sell your franchises to the local fans that are your best source of revenue at the moment. The campaigns write themselves – “watch Manchester United on TV in the morning then come support YOUR TEAM in the afternoon”. Those other clubs may be ones you root for, but your local MLS club is the one you are a supporter of because, like you, it is part of your community and world. This would require a major mind-shift in the MLS front office and would be controversial but when you can’t compete on a level playing field, you need to be creative.

2. Split the league in two

The sooner MLS acknowledges that the United States and Canada are not European countries with more confined geographic areas, the smarter it can be about its scheduling and rivalries. MLS needs to adopt the old MLB model – two conferences that never play each other until the playoffs. You will lose some prestige games on your schedule, but you’ll make up for it with the intrigue factor come playoff time.

Here is how it could work – split the current league in half and add four cities to each conference. You expand your geographic footprint without diluting your schedule. Teams only play their conference foes until the playoffs where teams that qualify are ranked based on results (say top four teams from each conference). This would be unique to this market and add an element of intrigue if your team makes the playoffs.

3. Continue to partner with video game makers and technology systems

MLS in recent years has been ahead of the curve in embracing technology. Rumor had it the MLS rebrand was announced when it was because FIFA15 contained the new logo. This is incredibly smart. As kids and adults warm to soccer more and more through playing video games, the more they see MLS teams and players tied to the game the more they will see the league in a positive light.

Additionally, the league should not miss a chance to adopt new technology. Whether that’s the latest health tracking system on the market for athletes, advances in shoe or clothing technology or ways of communicating the league should be seen as the league of “what’s next”, almost the Apple of international soccer.