Top questions as MLS season begins
Major League Soccer is back for its 28th season, as the LA Galaxy and LAFC kick things off with a special edition of El Tráfico at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
There are plenty of major talking points to explore this season as MLS continues finding its place in the hierarchy of world leagues. Is it a selling league? A destination league? Or can it be both?
There are also new faces in the league, old faces in new places, a new team and, maybe most importantly for the long-term health of the league, a blockbuster and experimental media rights agreement with a technology giant.
Let’s explore the 10 biggest questions to ponder ahead of the new season.
● Who is next to depart?
MLS has begun to embrace its status as a selling league. Five of the league’s top 10 outbound transfers have taken place in 2022 and 2023, and there should be more to come.
The next chance for European clubs to purchase players will come in the summer, and there are several MLS players who could be departing at midseason.
Among the top candidates to fetch major transfer fees are FC Cincinnati striker Brenner, New York Red Bulls left back John Tolkin, LAFC midfielder José Cifuentes and Atlanta United’s World Cup winner Thiago Almada.
It’s not ideal for teams to lose key players midseason, but that’s the reality MLS faces due to its schedule and its growing reputation as a league where players can develop and be sold on for profit.
● Who will be the top newcomers?
It’s not just about the players leaving though! MLS has become an appealing destination for players from across the globe as clubs start to slowly but surely open their wallets to bring in top-tier talent.
Some of the more notable players arriving in 2023 include Atlanta United forward Giorgos Giakoumakis, Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir, D.C. United midfielder Mateusz Klich, Orlando City forward Martín Ojeda, Portland Timbers midfielder Evander, LAFC forward Stipe Biuk and Charlotte FC forward Enzo Copetti.
Six of those seven commanded multi-million transfer fees and all are expected to immediately step in and play a major role for their clubs in 2023.
● How will St. Louis City do?
One of the most historic American soccer cities finally has an MLS team, as St. Louis City joins the league as its 29th team this season.
There should be plenty of excitement in St. Louis around the new team, which will play at brand-new Citypark in downtown. Will it be any good though? Who knows!
The roster is hardly filled with household names, as the club will rely on a core of MLS veterans and European players who are unproven in the league.
Perhaps the most recognizable name is Roman Bürki, the ex-borussia Dortmund goalkeeper who will have to recapture his best form from Germany if the expansion club wants to surprise in year one.
● Will the Apple gamble pay off?
MLS has a lot on the line in its new media rights partnership with Apple.
Last summer, the league and Apple came to a landmark agreement in a deal worth $2.5 billion over 10 years, moving every MLS match in English and Spanish
to a subscription service called MLS Season Pass.
The deal is the first of its kind for a sports league: every match will be available without blackouts or geo-restrictions through a single streaming service, providing a one-stop destination for fans.
Though some matches will be on TV, it’s also a risk: MLS is betting on getting enough subscribers and attention to counteract the fact it has made its product more difficult to consume.
● Can Atlanta turn it around?
Atlanta United was a MLS flagship franchise in its first few seasons, winning trophies, developing talent and selling out a huge football stadium downtown.
But the club has fallen on some hard times, missing the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. Last year was a new low, underlined by club legend Josef Martínez calling out teammates and flipping over tables of chicken and rice.
● Can LAFC pull an encore?
Steve Cherundolo’s debut season as LAFC head coach could not have gone any better.
The California club took home MLS Cup and the Supporters’ Shield to reestablish its place as one of the league’s elite teams. An encore in 2023 will be a daunting challenge.
For starters, LAFC will have to navigate an early-season schedule that will see them balance MLS play with CONCACAF Champions League matches. That struggle has seen a number of teams – like, for example, last year’s Seattle Sounders – fail to keep the pace in MLS amid a run in the CCL.
● Is the Messi dream still alive?
Lionel Messi to Inter Miami is the rumor that simply won’t die.
Late last year it looked like the move was very much on but after Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory, several reports said he had agreed to sign a new contract with PSG.
But a couple months later, and that deal still has not been signed. A recent report from L’equipe suggested that Messi once again is leaning toward a PSG exit.
Inter has been pushing to sign Messi for years. Should they land the iconic figure, it would be the biggest MLS signing since the club’s owner David Beckham landed with the LA Galaxy back in 2007.