What Would You Do as MLS Commmissioner?

There’s interesting debate going on over at Soccer by Ives today. Ives asks, if you were MLS Commissioner for a day,

“what one change would you make to the league if you had that magical power to change things?”

My personal favorite so far? “Demote Alexi Lalas to serving hot dogs at HDC.”

I probably wouldn’t waste my one wish on Alexi, but it did make me giggle. Although I’d probably happily settle for surgically sewing his mouth shut. (Anesthesia at Galaxy fans’ option.) I think that would solve most problems.

The post made me think, though.

MLS management and ownership takes a lot of criticism, and a lot of it is justified. But they’ve also done many things right that they don’t get credit for. The salary cap was brilliance in the early years. Ditto slow expansion. These things kept the league from collapsing under the weight of high hopes that weren’t matched by US reality.

Thing is, though, reality is slowly but surely catching up to those hopes. Yet MLS remains mired in much of its old thinking. And the fans are in the dark as to how much those previous fears are still justified, because MLS management operates in near total secrecy. Especially where money is concerned. (Remember that owners who spoke about their recent meeting faced fines.)

So here is the one change I would make:

If I were MLS Commissioner for a day, I would require that all financial documents and all management decisions be made public.

I’m evil, aren’t I?

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Category: MLS, World Football