Why MLS Can't Exist As a Major Football League...Yet

I'm an American who grew up living and breathing the game of Soccer, or as I like to say, real Football.

I'm a Euro snob, and I have nothing but disdain for the game played by the MLS. It's slower, not as technical, and much uglier than the game played across the pond. There is just one little thing:

I want nothing else than for MLS to succeed.

I was reading the article written by Scott Macha about a new direction for the MLS and taking away the Americanized aspects of the game. Again, as a Euro snob I'd have to agree with him, it's what pushes me away form the game played here in the States. Yet, in my mind to take it away signals the death knell to the MLS.

The general sport viewing populace doesn't understand the sport; if they did it would be a big deal in this country. Soccer is a contact sport, but it is also a game of subtlety.

The subtlety is lost on people who enjoying watching hard-hitting tackles or constant scoring. The fanfare and Americanized sport played in MLS is the only sort of bridge that can pull in new fans.

The trading and the drafting are a bit awkward, and make for limited pools of talent for the teams to utilize year in and year out. Having to give up players to gain new ones is never going to allow a team to focus on stable progress.

The recent introduction of a development academy for teams is a great idea, but it's pointless if drafted talent supersedes the club's home-grown players.

The idea of a playoff and an east and west division is hard to follow, especially when you are familiar with a single table like in Europe. Once a team has been knocked out of contention for the playoffs, the rest is just a dull affair with nothing to play for.

I would be in full support of merging MLS with USL to create a tiered Football League with relegation and everything. The whole landscape would benefit from added competition up and down the board.

This will never happen though for several reasons, at least not yet. Fans just getting acquainted with the game, the ones MLS needs to survive and grow, won't understand why their teams aren't playing in the top division.

Most US sports fans can't conceive of the idea, for instance, if Atlanta were to be dropped from the NFL to say arena league football since they were the worst, people would go crazy. It would drive away many fans who in truth just want to see top tier athletics.

The second reason involves present and future investors. Large groups and wealthy individuals won't invest in a League if the teams they bring aren't guaranteed top-tier football and the revenue it brings. MLS is still very young, and they really need those investors to continue to grow.

I've been nothing but impressed how well MLS has checked its growth and reaped the benefits of steady progress. There is still a long way to go, but the current league has a bright future.

I'll buy my San Jose Earthquakes tickets, I'll watch them on TV, because MLS can't succeed without our help. Until the day that real change to become a normal football league comes, it's just a nice dream.