To get yet another perspective on why so many cities and investors are interested in following Atlanta's lead and purchasing an MLS expansion franchise, look no further than the salary information released last week by the players union.
According to the data, Kaka is the league’s highest-paid player at $7.2 million. Other than the oddities that neither he nor his team Orlando City will play until 2015, even if Kaka doesn’t storm into the league his pay is a relative bargain compared to the highest-paid players in some of the other leagues in North America.
NBA: Los Angeles guard Kobe Bryant, $30.5 million.
NFL: Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, $42.5 million.
MLB: Philadelphia pitcher Cliff Lee, $25.1 million.
Considering how some of those players worked out last year (not in their careers) — no playoff success for any of their teams — it's easy to see why, based upon the low expenses, every week another expansion candidate pops up. MLS enjoys financial discipline, consistently modest growth in attendance for many teams and increasing TV rights and franchise fees, which gives its franchises "buy low, sell high" possibilities — an interesting opportunity for a larger pool of investors than those who buy into the other leagues.
There are more reasons from a broader perspective: Looking at all MLS teams, ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle notes that Toronto FC is paying the most in guaranteed compensation in $16.7 million. That’s slightly more than one season of former Braves second baseman Dan Uggla.
Scan the list and you’ll get an idea of what Atlanta may pay, and the talent it may lure, when it starts to put together its roster for the 2017 season.
It would be interesting – if the information were available – to compare the salaries as a portion of the expenses, as well as the revenues for the teams in MLS with those in the NFL, NBA and MLB to gain a truer sense of how and the why money is spent and if the player salaries are in a similar ratio to expenses as those in NFL, MLB, etc.
Donovan speaks: Friend of the column Grant Wahl had an illuminating interview with Landon Donovan as he wraps up his final season in MLS, which continued with another record when he became the league's all-time assist leader with 136 in Saturday's 3-0 win over Toronto.
Of some interest: Donovan hopes to attend college after he retires.
Of more interest: It seems his relationship with U.S. men’s national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who famously cut him from the World Cup roster earlier this year, hasn’t improved.
Donovan said he still hasn’t spoken to Klinsmann about the upcoming game against Ecuador, or his son, who famously sent out a juvenile tweet after the decision was made to exclude the Galaxy star from the trip to Brazil.
Remember, Donovan was called up to the U.S. team specifically for this Ecuador match on Oct. 10 in order to give him a send-off that he deserves as one of the best players in this country’s history. It seems odd that if it was Klinsmann’s decision to give Donovan one last hurrah, why has he not spoken to him?
Lawsuit: Following the "it gets hot in Qatar?" and "Wait, a city has to be built in Qatar?" lack of foresight exhibited by FIFA, the women's World Cup in Canada next year is supposed to be played on artificial turf.
The problem is no men’s World Cup has ever been played on artificial turf, so the women are understandably unhappy that they are being held to a different standard.
It is bizarre that FIFA would reward the World Cup to Canada knowing that the games would be played on the surface, which frankly affects the pace and tactics of soccer in different ways than it does football or baseball, and the women note in their suit also increases the risk of injury.
MLS and Atlanta
How MLS players with ties to the metro Atlanta area did this week:
Joe Bendik (@jtbendik), Toronto, GK, Kennesaw
Played 90 minutes and made three saves in team’s 3-0 loss to Los Angeles on Saturday.
Next game: Will host Houston on Wednesday and is at New York on Saturday.
Mark Bloom (@markbloom21), Toronto, D, Marietta
Didn’t make the 18 for team’s 3-0 loss to Los Angeles on Saturday.
Next game: Will host Houston on Wednesday and is at New York on Saturday.
Alex Caskey, D.C. United, M, Dunwoody
Did not make the 18 for team’s 0-0 draw with Sporting KC on Friday.
Next game: At Houston on Sunday.
Ricardo Clark, Houston, M, Jonesboro
Played 72 minutes and had one shot in team’s 1-0 loss to New York on Saturday.
Next game: At Toronto on Wednesday and will host D.C. United on Sunday.
Warren Creavalle (@warrenspeak), Toronto, D, Acworth
Played 90 minutes in team’s 3-0 loss to Los Angeles on Saturday.
Next game: Will host Houston on Wednesday and is at New York on Saturday.
Sean Johnson (@sjohn25), Chicago, GK, Snellville
Played 90 minutes and made one save in team’s 1-1 tie with Philadelphia on Thursday, and started and made two saves in team’s scoreless draw with Montreal on Sunday.
Next game: At Sporting KC on Friday.
Alec Kann (@akann90), Chicago, GK, Decatur
Did not make the 18 for team’s 1-1 tie with Philadelphia on Thursday or its scoreless draw with Montreal on Sunday.
Next game: At Sporting KC on Friday.
Steven Kinney (@stevenhkinney), Chicago, D, Norcross
Did not make the 18 for team’s 1-1 tie with Philadelphia on Thursday or its scoreless draw with Montreal on Sunday.
Next game: At Sporting KC on Friday.
Chris Klute (@chrisklute), Colorado, D, Silverbacks, Clayton State
Played 74 minutes in team’s 4-1 loss to Seattle on Sunday.
Next game: At Colorado on Saturday.
Jack McInerney (@jackmcinerney9), Montreal, F, Alpharetta
Started and played 65 minutes in team’s scoreless draw with Chicago on Sunday.
Next game: Will host New England on Saturday.
Joe Nasco (@joenascogk18), Colorado, G, Silverbacks
Made the 18 but didn’t play in team’s 4-1 loss to Seattle on Sunday.
Next game: At Colorado on Saturday.
Michael Nwiloh (mnwiloh6), Chivas USA, D, Conyers
Didn’t make the 18 for team’s 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake on Sunday.
Next game: Will host Colorado on Saturday.
Walker Zimmerman (@thewalkerzim), Dallas, D, Lawrenceville
Made the 18 but didn’t play in team’s 2-0 loss to Vancouver. He recently recovered from a left hamstring tear.
Next game: Will host Los Angeles on Sunday.
