2007 MLS Season Preview
Friday, 03 August 2007
The 2007 MLS off-season is considered by some to be its most productive, and there have been a number of positive changes for the league, bringing about a slow rise in its standings both financially and athletically. The league announced a youth development initiative, which will require youth development teams for all the league's teams, which will help the league develop "home-grown" talent on its own. The hope is that by being able to sign up to 2 of its own youth players to the senior team each year that the league's teams will have an incentive to improve the quality and talent pool of the league organically and also benefit from the transfer fees they may bring. Perhaps the first example of a success in "home-grown" talent development is the New York Red Bulls' Josmer Altidore, who has risen to prominence as one of the league's most skilled young strikers.
Furthering the development of the league was the decision to create the Designated Player Rule, which allows for a league team to pay up to two players a salary beyond that covered in the salary cap at their own expense. Following David Beckham to MLS are a host of veteran players, including Claudio Reyna, Juan Pablo Angel, and Cuauhtémoc Blanco. Following the creation of the Designated Player Rule, the league announced in conjunction with the La Primera División del Futbol Mexicano (Mexican First Division) that it would be creating a tournament called Superliga, which would start in 2007, with 4 teams from MLS and 4 from Mexico competing for a 1 million dollar prize to become the champions of North American club soccer. These matches will initially only be covered in Spanish by Univision and Telefutura. Currently an English-language broadcaster has not signed to cover the tournament yet, although if its debut is a success this may change.
Following these announcements the league announced "Game-First", a series of initiatives aimed at improving the league in a myriad of ways, one of the most immediate being the hiring of the first full-time professional referees in league history.
Furthering the development of the league was the decision to create the Designated Player Rule, which allows for a league team to pay up to two players a salary beyond that covered in the salary cap at their own expense. Following David Beckham to MLS are a host of veteran players, including Claudio Reyna, Juan Pablo Angel, and Cuauhtémoc Blanco. Following the creation of the Designated Player Rule, the league announced in conjunction with the La Primera División del Futbol Mexicano (Mexican First Division) that it would be creating a tournament called Superliga, which would start in 2007, with 4 teams from MLS and 4 from Mexico competing for a 1 million dollar prize to become the champions of North American club soccer. These matches will initially only be covered in Spanish by Univision and Telefutura. Currently an English-language broadcaster has not signed to cover the tournament yet, although if its debut is a success this may change.
Following these announcements the league announced "Game-First", a series of initiatives aimed at improving the league in a myriad of ways, one of the most immediate being the hiring of the first full-time professional referees in league history.
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