Last update 29 January, 2014 by Julio Muñoz
There is no doubt that soccer is also played in the United States. The national team semifinalist in the first World Cup in Uruguay there 1930 with a team full of English players, Americans showed their love for the beautiful game with the organization of the World Cup 1994 or with the dispute of the final of the Confederations Cup in 2009 leaving almighty Spain on the road. But, What about your league? Why is it not in the news? Why does it have no repercussion?
Well then, for those who don't know, the American league is Major League Soccer (MLS) and more than American it could be defined as a North American competition since there are up to three Canadian teams that make it up. In total, 19 teams divided in true NBA style into two conferences (Este y Oeste) of 10 y 9 sets that make up one of the most unique leagues on the planet, without doubt.
Singular because the traditional football is always added to the North American touches. Outside of the two zonal groups, There are playoffs that play the best five of each conference, facing in the first instance the fourth and fifth classified of the conference to determine the fourth semifinalist. After determining the champion of each zone through two-legged playoffs, The final is the only match at the home of the team with the most points in the regular league between the two finalists.
This is not the only peculiarity. There are the famous salary caps known to the NBA. Each team cannot spend more than 2.950.000 $ in tokens of the entire squad, which causes the average salary to be about 160.000 dólares, scarce amount if we compare it with the English or Spanish Second Division, if you want even. No player can win more than 368.750 dólares, unless chosen franchise player, figure that allows clubs to freely sign up to three players without counting towards the salary cap.
The clubs are franchises and as in basketball there are no relegation or promotion. Solamente, the top three play the CONCACAF Champions Cup. There are prizes for the best player, player of the week, all-star and a policy focused on the departure of young American talents thanks to the work with the youth club of the clubs and the opportunity given to the most disadvantaged kids.
Although great figures have passed through MLS since its inception in 1993 (Henry, Beckham are the most noted although in the years 70 y 80 the best of the time came to play like Pelé), nowadays it does not seem to be the best destination of the big stars. The footballers, perhaps most prominent are Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, Marco Di Vaio or Federico Higuaín, brother of the pipe. And it is that despite the enormous economic potential, not everything is conquered with money in the United States. football, the biggest test.