Well, here’s a shock. I mean, who knew this was coming? https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/04/15/major-league-soccer-leads-domestic-player-development-launch-new-elite-competition?utm_source=social_share&utm_medium=share_button&utm_campaign=social_share_button

Let’s review basics:

In the real world, leagues don’t compete against other leagues. Competitions are competitions btw clubs.

Clubs seek to represent who they are in competitions, to earn their way to the top of a pyramid. Anyone has an opportunity to do that, if good enough

Franchises are not clubs (more below). Franchises are different faces of a single group or small organization. And if this group is given privileged access to things they have no right to, they become a cartel.

Clubs are tied to real people and real communities with real identities. Even if there's a wealthy investor, behind the name is a real community.

Franchises are tied to owners looking to remain profitable. They'll go anywhere they have to, picking up and leaving one community to get a stadium elsewhere to make a buck. Behind a franchise is a guy who was able to afford a franchise fee.

A club can't "leave" it's place. Just like cajuns can't just leave Louisiana.

Now with all this said, we have some context for why it's so offensive when a single-entity like MLS, given special privilege by the Federation to become a cartel, now purports to:

1. Sanction its own leagues
2. Make its leagues the sole pathway to the highest level

All of this amounts to a perversion of amazing magnitude. Call it what you will, the need for Pro/Rel, the need to “open the system” or what have you.

Language may get confusing but the essential truth is not hard to understand.

MLS operates as a cartel and its existence harms the entire youth system, as it excludes competition and choice, so that it can remain the big fish in a small pond.

Nothing can possibly change significantly, as long as this is the case. Sure, you can “make progress” like putting a bigger engine in a car with square wheels.

Fact remains: Cars are supposed to have rounds wheels and all “progress” is a mere hint of what it could otherwise be.