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Spinoff: MLS vs. A-League vs. J-League Comparison
Posted on 3/15/17 at 1:11 pm
Posted on 3/15/17 at 1:11 pm
Some of us were talking the other day about the similarities and differences between three of the most recent leagues in global soccer. I thought I'd do some research to get a clear picture how the structure of MLS compares to the Australian A-League and Japanese J1 League.
I think most people would agree MLS is the best of the three league with the most potential, with the J1 League behind, and the A-League distantly behind.
A-League J1 League MLS
Founded 2004 1992 1996
Current Teams 10 18 22
Original Teams 8 10 10
Defunct Teams 4 1 3
Pro/Rel No Yes No
Salary Cap $2.6 mil N/A $3.85 mil
Playoffs Yes No* Yes
DPs Yes N/A Yes
Homegrowns Yes N/A Yes
* - The J-League had a sort of playoff system kind of like Liga MX from 2005-16, but after bad fan reaction, it was scrapped in favor of the single-stage system used in most leagues.
It seems the A-League is struggling a lot, only adding 4 expansion teams since 2005, while the J-League and MLS are steadily growing and improving.
The A-League is even closer to MLS than I was aware in terms of structure, copying the DP, salary, and homegrown player rules directly from MLS. The J-League is built like most around the world, with two or three teams from the J2 League promoted to the J1 League each year.
I couldn't find anything definitive about the TV deals for the other two leagues, but I know the MLS TV deal is valued at around $75 million for 2015-22.
I think most people would agree MLS is the best of the three league with the most potential, with the J1 League behind, and the A-League distantly behind.
A-League J1 League MLS
Founded 2004 1992 1996
Current Teams 10 18 22
Original Teams 8 10 10
Defunct Teams 4 1 3
Pro/Rel No Yes No
Salary Cap $2.6 mil N/A $3.85 mil
Playoffs Yes No* Yes
DPs Yes N/A Yes
Homegrowns Yes N/A Yes
* - The J-League had a sort of playoff system kind of like Liga MX from 2005-16, but after bad fan reaction, it was scrapped in favor of the single-stage system used in most leagues.
It seems the A-League is struggling a lot, only adding 4 expansion teams since 2005, while the J-League and MLS are steadily growing and improving.
The A-League is even closer to MLS than I was aware in terms of structure, copying the DP, salary, and homegrown player rules directly from MLS. The J-League is built like most around the world, with two or three teams from the J2 League promoted to the J1 League each year.
I couldn't find anything definitive about the TV deals for the other two leagues, but I know the MLS TV deal is valued at around $75 million for 2015-22.
3
Posted on 3/15/17 at 1:29 pm to Michael Stein
and only 1 of those leagues will become a world power. 
Posted on 3/15/17 at 1:34 pm to Michael Stein
Yeah, the A League basically reinvented themselves with the MLS business model. They're even discussing the possibilities of expansion, which would basically involve current A League markets getting another club
Their main problem though is that they can't seem to lure the big name DP type players when up against MLS clubs and China, Qatar, etc. keep hijacking deals and taking star players haha. Reigning champs Adelaide United's squad was raped and pillaged and as a result, look to be the worst team in league history
Their main problem though is that they can't seem to lure the big name DP type players when up against MLS clubs and China, Qatar, etc. keep hijacking deals and taking star players haha. Reigning champs Adelaide United's squad was raped and pillaged and as a result, look to be the worst team in league history
This post was edited on 3/15/17 at 1:37 pm
Posted on 3/15/17 at 1:34 pm to cheesesteak501
quote:
and only 1 of those leagues will become a world power.
None of them will be
Posted on 3/15/17 at 1:43 pm to StraightCashHomey21
Posted on 3/15/17 at 1:50 pm to Michael Stein
The J League also has a strict foreigner limit.
Posted on 3/15/17 at 1:57 pm to Mr Personality
Not strict, but mls has a foreign player restriction. Not sure how it works but some team can only have 8 while others can get up to 12.
Posted on 3/15/17 at 2:08 pm to cheesesteak501
True. Also, if we're using AFC Champions League as a measuring stick, then South Korea has twice the club titles of Japan.
Posted on 3/15/17 at 2:56 pm to cheesesteak501
Yea kids all over the world will grow up dreaming of lifting the MLS Cup or CONCACAF Champions League 
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:12 pm to StraightCashHomey21
No, but if MLS keeps growing and appealing to an ever-growing population of American kids, millions of American kids might, and that's a hell of a lot of people.
The league is improving at a sustainable pace and pretty rapid pace. Minnesota United is probably what an average MLS team looked like about 7 years ago. In 2017 MLS, they're getting embarrassed. My kids will grow up watching a very different MLS from what I started watching about 10 years ago.
The league is improving at a sustainable pace and pretty rapid pace. Minnesota United is probably what an average MLS team looked like about 7 years ago. In 2017 MLS, they're getting embarrassed. My kids will grow up watching a very different MLS from what I started watching about 10 years ago.
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:15 pm to Michael Stein
MLS in its current structure will not be a elite level league
The way US soccer as a whole is structured is preventing development in the country. No real way to argue otherwise.
The way US soccer as a whole is structured is preventing development in the country. No real way to argue otherwise.
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:21 pm to StraightCashHomey21
I agree with that, but I think the sheer population of the US is counteracting that to an extent.
We have roughly the same development structure as Canada, but we have way more people playing soccer than they do. We're trying to make our 8th World Cup in a row, while they can't even make the Hex.
Makes me excited for our future when we make player development more efficient. MLS academies are improving quickly.
We have roughly the same development structure as Canada, but we have way more people playing soccer than they do. We're trying to make our 8th World Cup in a row, while they can't even make the Hex.
Makes me excited for our future when we make player development more efficient. MLS academies are improving quickly.
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:28 pm to Michael Stein
quote:
I agree with that, but I think the sheer population of the US is counteracting that to an extent.
Numbers won't matter when soccer is still a pay to play sport.
quote:
We have roughly the same development structure as Canada, but we have way more people playing soccer than they do. We're trying to make our 8th World Cup in a row, while they can't even make the Hex.
Canada can't develop talent for a variety of reasons.
quote:
Makes me excited for our future when we make player development more efficient. MLS academies are improving quickly.
20 something MLS academies isn't enough. Also the way MLS clubs frick over youth clubs by not funneling down money made on transfer fees does nothing but keep pay to play alive. MLS and USSF will fatten their pockets while these youth clubs get nothing and are forced to charge kids to play and get good level coaching. That money could go to scholarships for lower income kids. B/c of this it makes it harder to tap into lots of talent and the game for the most part stays an upper middle class game when it comes to coaching and competition.
Its crazy how many Hispanic kids never play organized ball until high school bc its free and by then its too late. Or they play in a non travel league which doesn't cost much and is coached by some random dad with no real soccer knowledge.
This post was edited on 3/15/17 at 3:31 pm
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:32 pm to StraightCashHomey21
quote:
The way US soccer as a whole is structured is preventing development in the country. No real way to argue otherwise.
Pay to play sucks, but in a country our size I'm not sure what else you're going to bitch about with regards to the structure given its relatively young age.
quote:
Also the way MLS clubs frick over youth clubs by not funneling down money made on transfer fees does nothing but keep pay to play alive. MLS and USSF will fatten their pockets while these youth clubs get nothing and are forced to charge kids to play and get good level coaching.
Why should we berate MLS for this? If US Soccer made it to where MLS or any other club had to pay a fee to clubs who developed their players then things might change. Wasn't there a recent court case about this?
This post was edited on 3/15/17 at 3:34 pm
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:33 pm to cwil177
quote:
Pay to play sucks, but in a country our size I'm not sure what else you're going to bitch about with regards to the structure given its relatively young age.
Read the post above
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:34 pm to StraightCashHomey21
Yeah you posted it while I was writing my post.
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:35 pm to StraightCashHomey21
quote:
Its crazy how many Hispanic kids never play organized ball until high school bc its free and by then its too late. Or they play in a non travel league which doesn't cost much and is coached by some random dad with no real soccer knowledge.
I think hispanics are really the ones most hurt by P2P
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:38 pm to StraightCashHomey21
Oh I agree, there is a lot of untapped potential, unfortunately, that will take some major reforms for us to reach.
I will say the average coach at the youth level is a lot better than even 10 years ago. There are still clueless dads here and there, but it's mostly people with at least E licenses coaching your 10 year-old now.
Klinsmann did a great job of streamlining US Soccer's licensing programs. It used to be a huge pain in the arse to get even a D license, but now you can test for that at multiple sites locally.
And yeah, Hispanics are by far the biggest untapped market. For many, either they grow up not wanting to play for the US or they don't get good coaching until it's too late because they can't afford club ball.
I will say the average coach at the youth level is a lot better than even 10 years ago. There are still clueless dads here and there, but it's mostly people with at least E licenses coaching your 10 year-old now.
Klinsmann did a great job of streamlining US Soccer's licensing programs. It used to be a huge pain in the arse to get even a D license, but now you can test for that at multiple sites locally.
And yeah, Hispanics are by far the biggest untapped market. For many, either they grow up not wanting to play for the US or they don't get good coaching until it's too late because they can't afford club ball.
This post was edited on 3/15/17 at 3:41 pm
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:41 pm to cwil177
Its beyond frustrating to still see no real changes to the same system i was in 20 years ago, frick im getting old 
We had a super talented El Salvadorian kid who came to live with his cousins in American. They family wasn't well off, so everyone pitched in when they could with rides and extra stuff. He would even tell us the level of coaching we were getting in travel was a joke and this is coming from a kid who grew up in a 3rd world country until about 11. He was so much more advanced in the way he just processed the game and thought and tried to advance the ball.
My other friend from HS was original from Bosnia but moved to France during the war. He spend his formidable years at a youth set up in France and playing street ball.
By the time he moved to the states at 15 and played HS ball he was on a whole different level. He moved to my school our Sr year from another part of DC and in just one year playing ball for us got a D1 ride after the coaches saw him play like 5 games( we played in the spring so made recruiting harder).
He had a good college career and is now a French teacher in our home town
We had a super talented El Salvadorian kid who came to live with his cousins in American. They family wasn't well off, so everyone pitched in when they could with rides and extra stuff. He would even tell us the level of coaching we were getting in travel was a joke and this is coming from a kid who grew up in a 3rd world country until about 11. He was so much more advanced in the way he just processed the game and thought and tried to advance the ball.
My other friend from HS was original from Bosnia but moved to France during the war. He spend his formidable years at a youth set up in France and playing street ball.
By the time he moved to the states at 15 and played HS ball he was on a whole different level. He moved to my school our Sr year from another part of DC and in just one year playing ball for us got a D1 ride after the coaches saw him play like 5 games( we played in the spring so made recruiting harder).
He had a good college career and is now a French teacher in our home town
Posted on 3/15/17 at 3:41 pm to cwil177
quote:
I think hispanics are really the ones most hurt by P2P
Dammit bro let me finish my other post
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