Stop Creating Disposable Clubs. Open Our Leagues.

According to Jack Bell of the New York Times, MLS has decided not to buy USL from Nike.  

Of all the "strategery" that goes on at MLS Manhattan HQ, this decision leaves lots of people scratching their heads. Certainly, it would be the mark of a healthy soccer pyramid, if all of our divisions could be united under one roof. One could see this decision as a defeat for US club soccer.  

Ah, but remember, soccer in the US is run using a unique fast food franchise model.  Just as McDonald's would be happy to see thousands of Burger King restaurants go down in a flame broiled blaze of glory, so too would the MLS love to see USL clubs take a short cut to the landfill of failed franchised soccer clubs.

This is a road well travelled.  Here's a small sample of clubs that were shuffled off into the waste bin of soccer history as a result of the failure of two of the most successful American leagues:

Atlanta Apollos

Atlanta Chiefs

Caribous of Colorado

Baltimore Bays

Boston Beacons

Boston Minutemen

Memphis Rogues

Chicago Mustangs

California Surf

St. Louis Stars

Chicago Sting

Cleveland Stokers

Dallas Tornado

Detroit Cougars

Hartford Bicentennials

Connecticut Bicentennials

Oakland Stompers

Houston Stars

Houston Hurricane

Jacksonville Tea Men

New England Tea Men

Kansas City Spurs

Los Angeles Wolves

Los Angeles Aztecs

Minnesota Strikers

Washington Darts

Philadelphia Stoners

Miami Gators

Miami Toros

Fort Lauderdale Strikers

Minnesota Kicks

Denver Dynamos

Philadelphia Fury

New York Generals

New York Cosmos

Oakland Clippers

Philadelphia Atoms

Rochester Lancers

San Diego Toros

San Diego Sockers

Baltimore Comets

San Diego Jaws

Las Vegas Quicksilvers

Tampa Bay Rowdies

Team America

Tulsa Roughnecks

San Antonio Thunder

Team Hawaii

Washington Whips

Washington Diplomats

Detroit Express
 
Bethlehem Steel F.C.

Philadelphia Field Club

Boston Wonder Workers

Boston Bears

Bridgeport Hungaria

Brooklyn Wanderers

Brooklyn Hakoah

New York Hakoah

Hakoah All-Stars

Brooklyn Wanderers

Fall River Marksmen

Fall River United

New York Soccer Club

Fall River F.C.

Providence Clamdiggers

Providence Gold Bugs

Fall River Football Club

Fleisher Yarn

Hakoah All-Stars

New York Hakoah

Brooklyn Hakoah

Harrison Field Club

Harrison Soccer Club

Hartford Americans

Holyoke Falcos

Jersey City Celtics

Newark Skeeters

Newark Americans

New Bedford Whalers

New York Field Club

Paterson Silk Sox

Indiana Flooring

New York Nationals

New York Americans

New York Field Club

New York Brookhattan

Pawtucket Rangers

J&P Coats

Philadelphia Celtic

Philadelphia Field Club

Bridgeport Bears

Queens Bohemians

Shawsheen Indians

Springfield Babes

Todd Shipyards

Again, these clubs are the victims of the failures of just two of the largest and most successful franchise leagues: ASL I and the NASL.  Trust me, a full list would be even more cumbersome.

Granted, there are a few on this list that nobody will ever miss, but even a casual read makes one wonder how many of them would have survived if we had adopted the same open system of independent clubs that made professional soccer the sport of our planet. Storied clubs like Bethlehem FC, Fall River Marksmen, and the New York Cosmos would arguably have benefited from an open system - and might still be with us today.

The moral of this story?

Stop Franchising our Football.  Open leagues, featuring promotion and relegation, made soccer the most popular sport on the planet.  Here in the USA, it will at least stem the steady stream of quality clubs entering the leeching landfill of American soccer history through no fault of their own.