In case anyone else didn't notice, we've got the most expensive team in MLS going up against the least expensive team in MLS in the Cup final this weekend. From one of my posts earlier in the year on team wage bills:

1. LA $9.4 million
15. RSL $1.86 million

Of course that's with designated player salaries. Click to continue reading...

I haven't checked the numbers myself, but some other pedantic nerds over at BigSoccer used the maths and the latest list of player salaries to figure out how much teams were spending. I give you the list in order of ascending wage bill by team:
Salt Lake $1,861,029
Kansas City $1,907,213
New York $1,981,937
San Jose $2,035,803
Dallas $2,192,327
Colorado $2,208,967
Seattle $2,289,712
Chicago $2,308,326
New England $2,317,903
Chivas $2,369,294
Columbus $2,435,820
Houston $2,455,840
DC $2,770,707
Los Angeles $2,837,439
Toronto $3,241,416
So the guys in Toronto are complaining about having their hands tied why? Click to continue reading...

Via BigSoccer, Tom Anselmi touched on the growth prospects of MLS in a radio interview. Of interest to my salary cap readers, he's pretty happy with the current level of play in MLS, and he sees it rising slowly over the course of 10-15 years, although not to a Top 3 level. He also talked about needing to continue to control costs. Click to continue reading...

Remember when I talked about the MLS strategy to win over its three target demographics? Yeah, Sean Michelle reported in the Columbus Dispatch today that the strategy is working:

Tailgaiting outside of Crew Stadium, Matt Beaven resembled a typical American soccer dad as he rounded up his kids an hour before a recent match.

Click to continue reading...

Over the next several days and in conjunction with Brian Quarstad (who wrote most of this piece and whose counsel on USL matters is invaluable)Â I will be presenting to you a multi-part series on the United Soccer Leagues. Where it has come from, where it might be going as well as some of the behind the scene events that have taken place over the last several years as the league and it's USL-1 owners struggle for control and direction.

Click to continue reading...

Over the next several days and in conjunction with Kartik Krishnaiyer I will be presenting to you a multipart series on the United Soccer Leagues. Where it has come from, where it might be going as well as some of the behind the scene events that have taken place over the last several years as the league and it's USL-1 owners struggle for control and direction.

Click to continue reading...

Over the next several days and in conjunction with Kartik Krishnaiyer I will be presenting to you a multipart series on the United Soccer Leagues. Where its come from, where it might be going as well as some of the behind the scene events that have taken place over the last several years as the league and it's USL-1 owners struggle for control and direction.

Click to continue reading...

By TRAVIS CLARK

With the MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring Jan. 31, 2010, big changes could emerge in MLS. There's a lot of possibilities as to what 2010 could hold for MLS, and recent reports indicate the players union is after a drastic overhaul.

Reports are swirling about the proposal tabled by the MLS players union last month in their meetings with league officials.

Click to continue reading...

By TRAVIS CLARK

With the MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring Jan. 31, 2010, big changes could emerge in MLS. There's a lot of possibilities as to what 2010 could hold for MLS, and recent reports indicate the players union is after a drastic overhaul.

Reports are swirling about the proposal tabled by the MLS players union last month in their meetings with league officials.

Click to continue reading...

With J Hutcherson -- Let's all just not along with that look you get when entertaining yet another story from an elderly relative when anybody involved in Major League Soccer starts trying to sell the slow growth method. To repeat a previous point, there's nothing about MLS short of player salaries that's slow growth. Click to continue reading...

It is that time again, time for you to submit your soccer-related (and pop culture-related) questions to me and for me to provide my answers and opinions.

There has been a lot to discuss since the last Q&A, from the Confederations Cup, the Gold Cup, transfer deals galore to the on-going MLS season.

Click to continue reading...

It is that time again, time for you to submit your soccer-related (and pop culture-related) questions to me and for me to provide my answers and opinions.

There has been a lot to discuss since the last Q&A, from the Confederations Cup, the Gold Cup, transfer deals galore to the on-going MLS season.

Click to continue reading...

                                Photo by ISIphotos.com

It may be vacation time in SBI land, but that doesn't mean I can't find time to finish off the rest of the biggest Q&A in SBI history.

This installment includes questions about everything from U.

Click to continue reading...

                                Photo by ISIphotos.com

It may be vacation time in SBI land, but that doesn't mean I can't find time to finish off the rest of the biggest Q&A in SBI history.

This installment includes questions about everything from U.

Click to continue reading...

These are the days when clubs have to register for next season and when we find out which clubs don't have the necessary funds to compete next season. Yesterday, we learned about Pisa's unfortunate fate, and today, two more famous clubs have announced they will have to go bankrupt and start from scratch in Serie D.

Click to continue reading...

Of all of the exciting transfers so far this summer, none of them were as shrewed as what Alex Ferguson pulled off Friday.

Manchester United's signing of Michael Owen was, for lack of a better word, easy. So easy I'm mad at myself I didn't see this coming and I'm puzzled why other manages, most notably Rafa Benetiez, didn't think of this move before Ferguson.

Click to continue reading...

Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis came out today and said that the Premiership should consider a salary cap to stabilize itself financially. He didn't come out and say it, but I think it's pretty clear this has been brought on by Manchester City's profligate transfer fees and wages since the new ownership group has been in place.

Click to continue reading...

This week's Weekend Australian has published a story from The Wall Street Journal about the impact of the financial crisis on the EPL. Among the issues raised were:
- season ticket revenue likely to fall 5%-10% next season
- clubs likely to reduce ticket costs to encourage fans
- season tickets bought at the beginning of this season had masked the impact of the financial crisis on fan support (ie they have already paid so they can't save money by not going)
- Player salaries are likely to drop next season as all football countries are likely to be hit
- UK is to increase the highest tax rate from 40% to 50% (this could give Sepp Blatter and Seri A what they want by forcing mega players to consider other leagues where the rates are lower)
- Clubs are losing major sponsors
- Relegated clubs are going to face a double impact in their struggle to return to the EPL
Note to FFA: watch out this stuff has quite a way to work through the football world (and other industries) Click to continue reading...

A couple weeks ago I was a guest on Mad About Futbol and the hosts asked me what I would do if I were the commissioner of the MLS. I kept my answer short and only touched on a couple topics, but in the back of my head was a longer laundry list. So without out further adieu, if the MLS hires me to run the league, here are 8 issues/topics that would be the focus of my reign. Click to continue reading...

You can see a complete list of MLS salaries here. In the interest of time (read: I'm lazy tonight) I am listing Nick Green's salaries roster from high to low. This is the players' guaranteed salary after nonperformance bonuses.

David Beckham $6.5 million
Landon Donovan $900,000
Edson Buddle $179,950
Chris Klein $175,000
Eddie Lewis $165,722.

Click to continue reading...

Did you know that Rafa Benitez has spent £160m ($299m) on transfers during his tenure at Liverpool. Yes, you heard that right. Rafa Benitez has spent over £160m during his stint as manager and director of transfer operations at Liverpool. This of course refers to transfer fees alone; it does not refer to player salaries. Click to continue reading...

Toronto FC's slump continued last night as they only managed a 1-1 tie against the USL's Montreal Impact. With the point, the Impact won the Nutrilite Canadian Championship and earned a trip to the CONCACAF Champions League Cup, which begins next month.
Now the question is will this win have an effect on a possible move to MLS by Montreal? Click to continue reading...

Soccer Orb's resident statistician, Steve, shared an interesting bit of research with us a couple of days ago (See Premiership Ratings: Biggest Bang for the Buck from June 6). I'm going to swim into some dangerous waters and interpret his findings with my quasi-layperson's eyes. His model was simple, but very revealing. Click to continue reading...