Why the MLS is more fun to watch than European soccer

The debate over whether the MLS can ever truly compete with the top European soccer leagues is a never-ending one. However, there is one aspect of the MLS that makes it inherently more interesting to American sports fans than its European counterparts: parity.

In the world of European soccer, the same handful of teams tend to win the league year after year. The likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain, Bayern Munich in Germany, and Juventus in Italy have dominated their respective leagues for the better part of a decade. While there are occasional upsets and surprises, these leagues are largely predictable, with the same few teams vying for the top spot each season. In contrast, the MLS has a system of parity that is unique in the soccer world. While other sports in the US, such as the NFL and NBA, have long embraced this system of competitive balance, it is still relatively new to soccer. The MLS operates under a salary cap, which means that no one team can simply buy all the best players and dominate the league. Additionally, the MLS uses a draft system to distribute new players to teams in order to maintain a level playing field.

The result of this system is that any team can win any given game, and it's very difficult for one team to consistently dominate the league year after year. In the last ten years, there have been seven different MLS Cup winners, with no team winning more than two championships in that time frame. This is a stark contrast to the predictable nature of the top European leagues. This parity is what makes the MLS so appealing to American sports fans. In a culture where underdogs and upsets are celebrated, the MLS provides a level of excitement and unpredictability that is hard to come by in European soccer. This is not to say that the top European leagues are not exciting in their own right, but the element of parity that the MLS brings to the table sets it apart from the rest.

As the MLS continues to grow and attract more talent from around the world, the structure of parity that is already in place will only make the league more interesting and competitive. If the MLS is able to offer the world's top soccer players the kinds of huge contracts that they are used to in Europe, the league will be well-positioned to become the greatest show on earth. With a level playing field and the potential for any team to win on any given day, the MLS has the potential to offer a level of excitement and unpredictability that simply cannot be found in the top European leagues.