[Caporegime]

Originally Posted by Raderick

At the same time, you can still have the MLS reject any deals made that doesn't have the long term interest in the league in mind. I understand the league has a lot of growing up to do but sooner or later you have to give the teams the freedom to make their own signings and their own moves instead of relying on MLS to bring in stars from Europe.

I absolutely agree with you. However, I don’t think that time is now. From what I understand, the league still isn’t profitable. So permitting teams to make unrestricted moves on their own at this juncture would only result in a greater disparity between the teams that are profitable now and the ones that aren’t. In the end, it’s difficult to believe that wouldn’t produce a carbon copy of the old NASL, where one or two teams were profitable while the rest of the league was in the financial tank.

Perhaps in a few years when most if not all MLS teams will be playing in soccer specific stadiums and making a little money the league will permit teams greater latitude in making transactions, but right now I think that would doom the league.