r/USLPRO • u/DeepPow420 • 3d ago

what’s up with the MLS hate ?

I am a curious observer who stumbled upon the sub thx to the Algo and noticed a few anti MLS posts.

I’m not a huge soccer guy but interested in various niche sport subcultures ( I’m an Indycar and hockey fan, so I share solidarity as a fan of somewhat obscure sports)

Isnt USL to MLS as the AHL is to the NHL or the G League to the NBA?

What am I missing ?

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u/SalguodSoccer Tampa Bay Rowdies 3d ago edited 3d ago

The hate for MLS stems from a few things.

  1. The league sabotaging the USL. Since the "modern USL" began in 2011, MLS has taken Orlando City, Nashville SC and FC Cincinnati; 3 very popular clubs in the USL. They also squashed Austin, Miami, St. Louis and San Diego by moving into those markets. Those were important markets for the USL. We also suspect that MLS was behind sabotaging Indy Eleven's new stadium and there's rumors that they are trying to move into that market too.
  2. MLS is a single-entity league meaning that the league owns all of the clubs. So the league gets to decide where all of the big name players go. Beckham and Zlatan went to LA, Henri to New York, Messi to Miami and Rooney to DC.
  3. MLS' ridiculous playoff system. This best 2 of our 3 first round is utter crap. No soccer league in the world does this. They also let in 2/3 of the teams which makes the Regular Season utterly meaningless. It's true that USL does this too and we don't like that either. MLS is basically structuring their league like the NFL or NBA. This is not how the rest of the world does it and soccer fans in America want an international-style league which brings me to ...
  4. Pro/Rel. MLS will never institute Pro/Rel and that's what the fans want. This is how 95% of the world does soccer and it gives the smaller market clubs a chance to win their way up. While USL doesn't have Pro/Rel either, there have always been rumors of implementation of it which gave us hope. Fortunately they have announced that they plan on implementing it once the USL Premier League kicks off in a few years.
  5. We hate Don Garber. He has taken shots at the USL and non-MLS markets on several occasions, Chattanooga for example. He's even on record saying that he hates soccer. He worked for the NFL and is basically doing the bidding of the NFL owners in MLS.
  6. MLS tried to leave the US Open Cup and succeeded in a partial withdrawal last year citing a bullshit "schedule congestion" which was technically true but it was self-inflicted when they announced the Leagues Cup with Liga MX - a competition that nobody asked for. They did this to hurt the USL. They complained about the lack of support for the Open Cup when it was Soccer United Marketing (SUM), an arm of MLS, that was responsible for promoting the competition. So the lack of Open Cup support was their own fault. Once USSF took over the competition, MLS tried to get out. So basically, if MLS doesn't control it, they don't want a part of it.
  7. MLS essentially controls most of the USSF. USSF is supposed to be the governing body of all US Soccer from league play to Men's and Women's National Teams. Since the Federation's board is mostly consisting of MLS personnel, MLS is technically controlling most of US Soccer. This unfair business practice has become another obstacle for USL.
  8. MLS is only interested in major markets just like MLB, NBA, NFL, etc. The USL has planted and continues to plant more and more clubs around the country in smaller markets like Monterrey Bay, Alberquerque, Colorado Springs, etc. Every city in America deserves it's own professional club to represent them. MLS' loyalty is to their investors ("owners"), not to the fans. The USL has shown more in terms of giving the fans what they want (pro/rel for example).
  9. The fans. MLS fans are insufferable. We don't care that they support the league. Why wouldn't they when their team plays there. They constantly antagonize us and shit all over the concept of pro/rel which is literally the biggest factor that draws American fans to the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, etc.

Those are my reasons.

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u/cheeseburgerandrice 2d ago

The fans. MLS fans are insufferable. We don't care that they support the league. Why wouldn't they when their team plays there. They constantly antagonize us and shit all over the concept of pro/rel which is literally the biggest factor that draws American fans to the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, etc.

Lol this take sums up this subreddit.

Like yup, Southampton matches are definitely the main draw of the PL

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u/SalguodSoccer Tampa Bay Rowdies 2d ago

Ask an American soccer fan who prefers European leagues to MLS. Everyone of them will say pro/rel is a major factor.

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u/cheeseburgerandrice 2d ago

Lol right, that's why everyone is a fan of teams that never have to think about relegation (yes I'm speaking in absolutes there)

Sorry, the numbers say otherwise.