Comments on: Is MLS Ready for Free Agency? http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html League Football, Soccer News and Views from Around the World Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:57:06 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: morpheus11 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html/comment-page-1#comment-148086 morpheus11 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:13:03 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html#comment-148086 First and foremost, the salary cap must be raised. Players don't need to be getting millions of dollars, but they should be getting resonable salarys which most aren't. It is bad when I get paid more for sitting at a desk than most MLS players. Secondly, yes MLS could handle free agency, if the salary cap is raised. There will be GMs that over spend on players, but that will happen with or without free agency. That is the nature of sports. Free agency will allow for more dynamics between the teams. Just think of the added drama when Player A decides to go to the Wizards instead of DC United. Now, there is more on the line for that player to beat the team that he turned down. And if gives the fans more to argue about. People are worried about teams not being able to afford the contracts that will come with free agency, but that is not true. The salary cap will dictate what contracts are offered. If a team decides to over spend on one player and the fill the team with mediocre talent that is their problem. GMs that do this won't last long in the league. First and foremost, the salary cap must be raised. Players don’t need to be getting millions of dollars, but they should be getting resonable salarys which most aren’t. It is bad when I get paid more for sitting at a desk than most MLS players.

Secondly, yes MLS could handle free agency, if the salary cap is raised. There will be GMs that over spend on players, but that will happen with or without free agency. That is the nature of sports. Free agency will allow for more dynamics between the teams. Just think of the added drama when Player A decides to go to the Wizards instead of DC United. Now, there is more on the line for that player to beat the team that he turned down. And if gives the fans more to argue about.

People are worried about teams not being able to afford the contracts that will come with free agency, but that is not true. The salary cap will dictate what contracts are offered. If a team decides to over spend on one player and the fill the team with mediocre talent that is their problem. GMs that do this won’t last long in the league.

]]> By: quakesin2knever http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html/comment-page-1#comment-148080 quakesin2knever Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:29:13 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html#comment-148080 I worry that it will lead to executives making lots of stupid contracts and sinking the league. If every team was run by a guy equivalent to Billy Beane in baseball, then it would be fine. The problem arises when people like Brian Sabean get put in charge of teams and start handing out contracts like 126 mil for Barry Zito. All it takes is one or two bad executives to drive free agent prices for all teams sky high (aka over-value or pay more than they are actually worth). That could destroy the league, even with a salary cap. Even if you have a salary cap, if you have a bunch of crap players signed to max contracts your team is screwed. MLS execs should all read the book "Moneyball" before deciding to go ahead with free agency. I worry that it will lead to executives making lots of stupid contracts and sinking the league. If every team was run by a guy equivalent to Billy Beane in baseball, then it would be fine. The problem arises when people like Brian Sabean get put in charge of teams and start handing out contracts like 126 mil for Barry Zito. All it takes is one or two bad executives to drive free agent prices for all teams sky high (aka over-value or pay more than they are actually worth). That could destroy the league, even with a salary cap. Even if you have a salary cap, if you have a bunch of crap players signed to max contracts your team is screwed. MLS execs should all read the book “Moneyball” before deciding to go ahead with free agency.

]]> By: Franck http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html/comment-page-1#comment-148078 Franck Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:06:07 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html#comment-148078 Well, depends whether the fans want to see better national players and an overall increase in quality, or lower quality but a few big names? I can't speak for everyone, but I'd take a better overall product over a few superstars. Well, depends whether the fans want to see better national players and an overall increase in quality, or lower quality but a few big names? I can’t speak for everyone, but I’d take a better overall product over a few superstars.

]]> By: mlyons http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html/comment-page-1#comment-148077 mlyons Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:44:14 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html#comment-148077 Honestly, if they get rid of the DP rule, there would be a lot more money available for the rest of the league. I think the overall quality of play would certainly go up if squad players were making enough money to live. The only question is if revenues would go down if the overall quality of play were to increase but MLS lost the big stars like Blanco, Angel, Ljungberg, and, of course, Goldenballs. I'd like to think American soccer fans are savvy enough to accept losing big starts for better overall quality of play, but that might just be wishful thinking. Honestly, if they get rid of the DP rule, there would be a lot more money available for the rest of the league. I think the overall quality of play would certainly go up if squad players were making enough money to live. The only question is if revenues would go down if the overall quality of play were to increase but MLS lost the big stars like Blanco, Angel, Ljungberg, and, of course, Goldenballs. I’d like to think American soccer fans are savvy enough to accept losing big starts for better overall quality of play, but that might just be wishful thinking.

]]> By: Bishop http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html/comment-page-1#comment-148076 Bishop Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:09:40 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html#comment-148076 Yes, revenue does play a part in the salary cap, Franck. In the major US sports leagues (I follow all of them equally in addition to the Beautiful Game), salary caps are continually increasing with each Collective Bargaining Agreement that gets established. Free agency would indeed help place MLS in the same pond as the rest of the leagues in the States, but it doesn't make it the same type of fish, if you know what I mean. Yes, revenue does play a part in the salary cap, Franck.

In the major US sports leagues (I follow all of them equally in addition to the Beautiful Game), salary caps are continually increasing with each Collective Bargaining Agreement that gets established. Free agency would indeed help place MLS in the same pond as the rest of the leagues in the States, but it doesn’t make it the same type of fish, if you know what I mean.

]]> By: Franck http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html/comment-page-1#comment-148075 Franck Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:56:28 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/is-mls-ready-for-free-agency.html#comment-148075 So long as there's a reasonable salary cap, yes. Of course, said cap would probably need to be increased. To how much it gets increased would probably depend on revenue, right? So long as there’s a reasonable salary cap, yes. Of course, said cap would probably need to be increased. To how much it gets increased would probably depend on revenue, right?

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