MAJOR AMERICAN BEAUTY CONTEST SUITS BECKHAM

IT HAS taken the Premier League decades to secure the broadcast deal of their dreams. But Major League Soccer turned down a $4billion television contract this summer despite still being at the expansion stage — a process to increase membership from 22 franchises to 26 is ongoing. The sticking point? Promotion and relegation. New clubs have to come complete with sponsorships, a proven fan base, a soccer-specific stadium and a joiner’s fee of $150million, so unsurprisingly new owners don’t want to pay up only to fall out. Part of the attraction of MLS is when you’re in, you’re in. Yet what if you can’t get in? The $4bn offer, that specified the need for promotion and relegation to generate added excitement, came from Riccardo Silva of MP & Silva, a sports media rights group. Their clients include all the major European football leagues, plus major broadcasters such as Fox Sports and Sky. Yet Silva will have had another motive, as the co-owner of Miami FC in the second tier North American Soccer League. Major League Soccer is in the process of awarding a franchise to a club based in Miami, but it isn’t his. Miami Beckham United, a team owned by David Beckham’s consortium who haven’t played a game yet, are the chosen ones, and if successful would leave Silva’s Miami FC high and dry with no route to the big league. We know the appeal to investors, but it cannot be right, this closed shop. FC Cincinnati are another club auditioning for MLS, despite getting crowds of over 20,000 in the United Soccer League, another second-tier competition that draws average gates of roughly 3,500. For fans in this country the fear of relegation is powerful, but the top to bottom pyramid that puts every investment in jeopardy is also part of what makes English football great. Over here, Miami FC and Miami Beckham United would stand or fall on merit. Over there, it’s just one big beauty contest. Miami nice: David Beckham