Buzz’s soccer question of the week. Please vote in the poll.

[tvguy]

Who knows, they may play for USL Sacramento Republic one day…
Sacramento Republic FC - The Chant

LOL.

 

[john7994]

We have had some interesting discussions on the business aspect of soccer. I haven't been to a game or watched one since my daughter stopped playing in 2005. If my Granddaughters play, I may see a few more games, but at 1 and 3 they are still too young.
But I live in an area where soccer has been huge, and where successful teams have gotten hosed by the leagues they were affiliated with, or currently, by MLS's crazy franchise fees.

My Barber, who is a big fan of soccer (the Italian League?) - says the MLS is not worth watching compared to some of the other leagues like Premier and Italian Leagues ... I had asked him about the level of play of MLS vs. World Cup teams and he just started laughing ...

 

[fly girl]

Indifferent.

Your posts about soccer don't bother me at all. I just sadly have no interest other than watching my daughter play.

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

Your team?

I kinda have two... Brighton and Hove Albion (where I live) and Crystal Palace (my birth town).

 

[Buzz Rules]

My Barber, who is a big fan of soccer (the Italian League?) - says the MLS is not worth watching compared to some of the other leagues like Premier and Italian Leagues ... I had asked him about the level of play of MLS vs. World Cup teams and he just started laughing ...

He’s a Eurosnob. MLS is rated 10th-15th best league in the world out of around 100. Serie A (Italy) is ranked 5th. Top 5 leagues in the world are Premier League (England), Bundesliga (Germany), La Liga (Spain), Ligue 1 (France), and Serie A (Italy) in that order. 5-9 next best leagues are in Belgium, Holland, Portugal and the second divisions of the 1-5 countries. MLS lacks in some talent due to the league being newer (but is catching up quickly) and having a salary cap that the European leagues don’t. We also don’t have pro/rel (which American soccer fans are 50/50 on). EPL is currently on the USA network if you want to see the European level.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I kinda have two... Brighton and Hove Albion (where I live) and Crystal Palace (my birth town).

Must be a good year for you. No relegation worries this year.

 

[Smugpugmug]

The Concacaf Gold Cup in June/July might have a contest to win tickets in the future (I have no inside knowledge, this is only a guess).

I wouldn't go even if I had free tickets. I would just sell the tickets.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I wouldn't go even if I had free tickets. I would just sell the tickets.

You would probably get a decent penny for them to be honest.

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

Must be a good year for you. No relegation worries this year.

It was looking a bit wobbly with Palace for a bit, but they've sharpened up

I think professional football (soccer) players are, at least over here, some of the highest paid people on the face of this oddball Earth!

 

[Buzz Rules]

It was looking a bit wobbly with Palace for a bit, but they've sharpened up

I think professional football (soccer) players are, at least over here, some of the highest paid people on the face of this oddball Earth!

It’s true and many are over paid (including CR7 and Messi).

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

It’s true and many are over paid (including CR7 and Messi).

I wouldn't mind cashing in a cheque for tens of thousands of pounds every week, mind you

 

[Buzz Rules]

I wouldn't mind cashing in a cheque for tens of thousands of pounds every week, mind you

While playing in the M.E.?

 

[john7994]

He’s a Eurosnob. MLS is rated 10th-15th best league in the world out of around 100. Serie A (Italy) is ranked 5th. Top 5 leagues in the world are Premier League (England), Bundesliga (Germany), La Liga (Spain), Ligue 1 (France), and Serie A (Italy) in that order. 5-9 next best leagues are in Belgium, Holland, Portugal and the second divisions of the 1-5 countries. MLS lacks in some talent due to the league being newer (but is catching up quickly) and having a salary cap that the European leagues don’t. We also don’t have pro/rel (which American soccer fans are 50/50 on). EPL is currently on the USA network if you want to see the European level.

You lost me at about here ... (the bolded part) ....and I appreciate your earnest attempt to educate me.

I am sure this is all important stuff to know in the world of soccer - Its like when vampires and werewolves were all the rage (are they still - don't know?!!?)- how many of these things do I need to keep track of and care about.

I do like my barber and he does a good job with my hair (for what's left), and that's very important too!

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

While playing in the M.E.?

I don't know what the ME is?

I'm talking about the Primer League. In 2021 to 2022 (just off the top of my head), Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United was paid £510,000 per week. For playing football occasoinally. Don't get me wrong, he is highly skilled, but over half a million a week skilled?

 

[Buzz Rules]

You lost me at about here ... (the bolded part) ....and I appreciate your earnest attempt to educate me.

I am sure this is all important stuff to know in the world of soccer - Its like when vampires and werewolves were all the rage (are they still - don't know?!!?)- how many of these things do I need to keep track of and care about.

I do like my barber and he does a good job with my hair (for what's left), and that's very important too!

Quick version. Your barber has very good taste when it comes to soccer leagues. The top European leagues (and the world’s richest *some would say corrupt*), in their early editions were started around 1880-1920’s. The MLS was started in the 90’s post WC 94. European leagues do not have a salary cap like our American leagues do (and this can cause Euro teams to go insolvent due to overspending). The European leagues have free development academies, while the USA is mostly pay to play (it is slowly changing as more American sponsors are getting involved). This is what creates the most talent available in our country instead of our players going for training in Europe. We also don’t have a promotion and relegation system like the rest of the world to protect the investors money in MLS and prevent the league from folding.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I don't know what the ME is?

I'm talking about the Primer League. In 2021 to 2022 (just off the top of my head), Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United was paid £510,000 per week. For playing football occasoinally. Don't get me wrong, he is highly skilled, but over half a million a week skilled?

CR7 playing in the Middle East.

 

[john7994]

Quick version. Your barber has very good taste when it comes to soccer leagues. The top European leagues (and the world’s richest *some would say corrupt*), in there early editions were started around 1880-1920’s). The MLS was started in the 90’s post WC 94. European leagues do not have a salary cap like our American leagues do (and this can cause Euro teams to go insolvent sue to overspending). The European leagues have free development academies, while the USA is mostly pay to play (it is slowly changing as more American sponsors are getting involved). This is what creates the most talent available in our country instead of our players going for training in Europe. We also don’t have a promotion and relegation system like the rest of the world to protect the investors money in MLS and prevent the league from folding.

Its not a Buzz thread without a video!
My Barber said the MLS was ranked 40th (I remembered that after you posted because I had no idea what he was talking about either after he stopped laughing ) - so now I get to call him a Eurosnob with good taste the next time I see him, and we talk about soccer - wow - my life is altering

 

[Buzz Rules]

Its not a Buzz thread without a video!
My Barber said the MLS was ranked 40th (I remembered that after you posted because I had no idea what he was talking about either after he stopped laughing ) - so now I get to call him a Eurosnob with good taste the next time I see him, and we talk about soccer - wow - my life is altering

 

[sam_gordon]

You lost me at about here ... (the bolded part) ....and I appreciate your earnest attempt to educate me.

I can try to help... MLS has a salary cap, so teams can only spend $x toward their players. Other leagues don't do that, so they can spend LOTS of money to get the best players.

Regarding pro/rel, other leagues have a "tiered" or "ladder" system. Let's say there are 5 leagues, numbered 1-5. Each league has say 20 teams. Assuming league #1 is the "best", at the end of the season, the bottom x (I think it's either 2 or 4) teams in the #1 league are RELEGATED to the #2 league.

At the same time, the TOP 2 (or 4?) teams from league #2 are PROMOTED to the #1 league. Obviously, the better league you're in, the more money you bring in (better tv deals, better sponsors, more fans, etc). That happens throughout the leagues. So the bottom two from the #4 league go into #5 and the top two from #5 go into #4.

The US does have a "tiered" system, but there's no way for TEAMS to move up/down.

 

[Magical2017]

I don't always participate but I do love watching soccer and I do read your threads. I also found out that the Premiere League will host pre-season games near me and immediately thought of your thread, ha ha. We have some summer plans that do not include spending the money on tickets so we will have to just watch on TV.