In the June 20 issue of Sports Business Journal, longtime soccer commentator Ben Grossman brings up a pretty interesting point regarding Major League Soccer - is it growing too fast?
The Portland Timbers are part of that growth, and it would seem like the expansion is a great thing for MLS if you judge it by the Timbers Army and fan support of Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., too. The Northwest is a soccer hotbed, and was in the days of the North American Soccer League.
Grossman's point, though, isn't about soccer in the stands, but on the field. America, if you judge by interest in the recent UEFA Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United, has plenty of soccer fans. It just doesn't have that many MLS fans, at least not on television. And, until it does, it's going to struggle to find major revenue to fund signing better players.
With Montreal joining MLS next season, the league will have 18 teams with expansion fees of more than $30 million. But that's 18 ways to split whatever league-wide revenue is generated. So, whenever the next round of expansion is upon the league - Grossman is already arguing for an established franchise to move rather than another franchise being added.
And, he names the New England Revolution as a prime target, and they're an easy target because they don't play in front of big crowds and they're not even remotely headed for a soccer-specific stadium as owner Robert Kraft also owns the New England Patriots and wants both teams to play in the same stadium.
So, will the league go the easy route and accept an expansion fee or two when another ownership group calls, or take the more difficult, but perhaps better route of urging Kraft to move or sell the Revolution?
That's a Tea Party, one with a few micro brews included, waiting to happen.
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