The Real Salt Lake win over the Los Angeles Galaxy might be good for those who love an underdog story, but the victory is yet another indictment of the playoff systems of major American sports. MLS follows suit by letting too many teams into the playoffs, a concept foreign to international soccer where the seasonal champion is considered the winner.
The failure of David Beckham and the Galaxy to win over the upstart Real Salt Lake club could also possibly hinder international talent from wanting to come to MLS.
MLS Cup 2009
Real Salt Lake beat David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy, on penalty kicks, to win the MLS Championship for 2009. Real Salt Lake had a good run in the playoffs, by beating both the Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire, but their victory bestows a dubious distinction upon the franchise.
According to Martin Rogers of Yahoo Sports, Real Salt Lake becomes the first club to win the title of a major sports league for a season in which they had a losing record, at least in modern times. (The Blackhawks and Maple Leafs did it in the NHL in 1938 and 1949, respectively.) Real Salt Lake finished the 2009 year with 11 wins, 12 losses, and 7 draws.
The team that won the Supporter's Shield in 2009, the Columbus Crew, were sitting at home watching the title game with the rest of America. The Supporter's Shield is the award given to the top team during the regular season, the team that would be deemed best if MLS followed the single-table concept.
Columbus' "reward" for their achievement was to travel to Salt Lake City for the first of two games against a squad that finished 5th in their conference and was the 8th overall playoff seed. Columbus lost the series by aggregate goals, 4-2.
MLS Playoffs Format
Most soccer leagues worldwide use a single-table format. The team with the most points at the end of the year is champion. MLS is like other American sports when it comes to the percentage of teams that make the playoffs:
- MLS: 8/15 teams make playoffs (53%)
- NBA: 16/30 teams make playoffs (53%)
- NHL: 16/30 teams make playoffs (53%)
- NFL: 12/32 teams make playoffs (38%)
- MLB: 8/30 teams make playoffs (27%)
Martin Rogers contends Real Salt Lake's win could reinforce the notion that the MLS playoff format offers precious little incentive for superior regular season success. He sums up the MLS conundrum by saying, "Finding a balance between staying true to the roots of the sport and fitting in with a typical American sports model is a significant challenge."
Real Salt Lake's Victory Bad For MLS
Real Salt Lake's playoff run was exciting for its fans and players. The natural affinity for underdog winners coupled with David Beckham backlash probably means most folks don't mind the fact that Real Salt Lake won MLS Cup 2009. However, the Los Angeles loss is really David Beckham's loss, and his defeat could be a bane to the future of MLS.
When Pele joined the New York Cosmos in 1975, he signed a three-year contract. The Cosmos were bad in 1975 even with Pele and were disappointed in the playoffs in 1976. However, they won Soccer Bowl 1977, capping if not the greatest Cosmos team and season, certainly the most memorable.
The Cosmos success was seen as Pele's success. This win ushered in the Golden Era of the North American Soccer League, according to the American Soccer History Archives. Without this win, NASL would not have been as attractive to international stars.
The Beckham Rule
This year is the end of a 3-year trial for the Designated Player Rule in MLS, also called the Beckham Rule. As reported by MLSnet.com, this rule allows MLS to sign one player outside the usual salary cap. Therefore, the MLS can compete for higher-priced international stars on the open market. A Galaxy win would've been a great endorsement for the Beckham Rule and could have encouraged more stars to consider MLS in the future.
Whether or not Beckham's loss in MLS Cup 2009 will negatively impact the Designated Player Rule is uncertain. But what is certain is that less than half of the current United States National Soccer Team is comprised of MLS players, as stated on their official site. The majority of team members play overseas, and most theorize this is because of the more lucrative contracts available outside of MLS.
The Designated Player Rule is limited in scope, which means the fears that the influx of foreigners will result in a domestic player blackout are unfounded. The worry has a legitimate genesis though -- it was an unfortunate indirect consequence of Pele's arrival in the NASL.
Losing Team Wins Championship
Real Salt Lake had a positive goal differential in 2009, and by some statistical measures this a stronger barometer of success than winning percentage. But there is no escaping the fact that they were losers in the win/loss column.
The Real Salt Lake victory not only puts a spotlight on the laughable playoff system in MLS, it potentially jeopardizes the ultimate importation of international stars like Beckham, who are used to the single-table format that gives the championship to the best team, not the one who simply gets hot, or lucky, during the playoffs.
Brian Downing - Graduated Summa Cum Laude from the College of Mount St Joseph with a Bachelor's Degree in Socio-Psychology. Subsequently co-authored an ...
