It’s been a rough week for football fans. But for fans of North America’s other football, soccer, this week couldn’t have been any better.
On Thursday, MLS Commissioner Don Garber revealed that he had signed a five-year contract extension to stay in his position until the end of the 2018 season. The deal, which he signed in January, will see him through to his 20th season as commissioner.
The news comes to the great relief of many MLS fans. This past week the National Football League got rocked by two incidents of players using violence against loved ones. The fallout of both, particularly the first, tainted the image of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and put his future in serious doubt. Some turned to Garber, who spent 16 years working for the NFL before becoming MLS Commissioner midway through the 1999 season, as a potential successor to Goodell.
Of course, this would be perfectly in line with the age-old theory of MLS’ best and brightest always leaving for greener pastures. Heck, Garber could have practically driven DeAndre Yedlin (who leaves for Tottenham in either January or June, but more likely the former) to the airport on his way to the NFL’s head offices.
But for the time being, it appears that Garber remains committed to MLS for the long haul. And that is music to the ears of soccer fans across North America.
In the 16 years that Garber has served as MLS commissioner, the league has gone from the verge of collapse to rapid growth and stability. Before Garber came on as commissioner, Columbus Crew Stadium was the only soccer-specific facility in MLS. Since that time, 12 new soccer-specific stadiums have been built, with more to come in the near future. By the start of next season, San Jose’s new stadium is expected to be complete, while Orlando’s new facility will likely be opened in 2016.
But a stadium is no good without a tenant. When Garber entered the league, there were only 12 teams. In 2002, both the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny were dissolved as a cost-saving measure. But by 2005, MLS was ready to try expanding again, the first time since 1998 that expansion was attempted.
Since 2005, the league has added nine expansion teams. By next season, that number will have jumped to 11, exactly one new franchise per season since 2005. And, save for Chivas USA, each expansion has turned into a success story. At the pinnacle of it all is the Cascadia trifecta of the Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, and Vancouver Whitecaps. If track record is any indication of success, future expansions to New York, Orlando, Atlanta, and (eventually) Miami should surpass expectations as well.
Despite the rapid growth, the league hasn’t become watered down as might be expected. And again, Garber is largely to thank for this accomplishment. Teams moving into their own facilities kept more, if not all, of their revenue. The introduction of advertising space on the front of jerseys created a new revenue stream for clubs that is currently being exploited by all but two clubs (San Jose and Chivas).
The league’s new television contract, which kicks in at the start of new season, is worth five times more on an average annual basis than the old one. A growing number of clubs have become profitable over the last few seasons, but this deal presents a new opportunity. If spending continues to stay near its current level, there is a real chance that MLS as a whole can turn a profit in the next few seasons.
And then of course, there is the Designated Player Rule.
With a salary cap that has forever been tiny, currently weighing in at a miniscule $3.1 million, attracting top talent and keeping emerging stars in North America has always been a challenge for MLS. But in 2007 it was Garber who revolutionized the business once again with the introduction of the Designated Player Rule. It was the happy medium, designed to appease those who wanted the league to spend money on star power without worrying the accountants into a state of panic.
Teams that didn’t have the money or the willingness to spend weren’t being left in the dust. Teams that did got income boosts across the board and bolstered the success of the non-spenders with every away game they played. The impact of new imports like Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane has been felt far beyond the field of play. The ability to keep domestic stars like Besler and Zusi has reflected the changing mindset of the league. The returns of players like Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley would not have been possible had they been offered a salary cap-restricted paycheque.
The Designated Player Rule added so much value to this league. And it was added under Garber’s direction.
Don Garber is a true hero of the sport. He took the reins of Major League Soccer all those years ago with the horses heading straight towards the Grand Canyon. It has taken time, and there is still work to be done, but the course that Garber has charted for MLS is one of continued growth and optimism.
There were bumps along the way, his recent battle with cancer among them. There are still bumps to be dealt with, such as the ongoing sale and rebrand of Chivas USA and working out a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in time for next season.
But if there is one thing that can be taken from Don Garber’s tenure as MLS commissioner, it is that he is a fighter. He has a clear vision of what soccer in North America should be, and he knows how to translate that vision into positive action.
But most importantly, he’s ready for what lies ahead in the remainder of this season and the next four. There really is no stopping The Soccer Don.
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