Meh - this is simply cheap filler programming for CBS and other Paramount outlets to include Paramount+ and Pluto TV.
MLS is what it is in North America and will never be a premier global league much as the early dreamers in the late 1990s had hoped.
There are murmurs about some sort of increased collaboration with Liga MX, but I don’t know the details though think that is less likely to happen with Liga MX the prime sports league in Mexico and money machine.
The “global MLS” is also a pitch that worked to draw some of the older and original fans as was I, and pass it on to any interested kids now, who generally are predominantly fans of the Premier League in the US but for in Latin communities fans of Liga MX and then either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Some of these older MLS guys are seriously butt-hurt about the heightened interest in the other leagues, generally over 50 now, and well, they can EAT IT.
I fit the description of many Italians who are fans of Serie A for traditional reasons any more as the league sails along rougher seas, but the premier league in the world has been the Premier League since at least 2014, along with Real Madrid and Barcelona and Bayern Munich (this year is an off year for them).
On that note, there are some huge games today in the Champions League amongst four elite global sides after great games yesterday, for which I have yet to watch the highlights.
It was a slow news day and I saw this one out there and thought I would throw it out there.
From my point of view I think that the MLS was looking for some type of NFL type hegemony over the soccer landscape in the USA. I just don’t think that it is possible to have a 32 team or 40 team league that has the lock on the market that the NFL has.
But as we know there are probably more like 100+ professional football teams when you look at the SEC/Big10/Big12 NFL are all lumped together.
Taking that into account I think that soccer is way too “Tribal” for an NFL style monopoly on the sport. And I agree with @Paolo_X that this was a move by CBS to get some cheap programming for the summer months. I don’t think this is the start of the soccer golden age in the USA but I do think that the USL will get reasonable ratings on CBS - as most people in the USA are not soccer snobbish enough to care whether it is MLS or USL.
You are spot on with regards to the fiercely tribal nature of fandom in the game, in many cases even in the US beyond what we even see for many NFL teams, but for the most established and thriving markets with the NFL as king of all media.
The US soccer media are also, which has been taking place already at CBS via its Golazo channel on Pluto TV and on cable, building into the run-up into the seriously watered-down 2026 World Cup with 48 teams and all the money that will come from that ordeal for generally mediocre or woeful soccer in the group states.
Note in 2025 there is the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA as a prelude, so all the soccer media are oriented in this direction that will also draw some casual fans.
So come 2025 after the NFL season is over, expect to hear far more about soccer than ever before in the US.
Once the World Cup is over, in autumn 2026 likely post-Messi, we will know what is the core and growth area in soccer.
Much of the attention and hype in this run-up, and generally insufferable US media types for soccer, will go by the wayside as of course whatever was already prospering by 2023, such as continued growing interest at the youth level for decades now, will very likely remain at hand.
Here was a post, in relation to these developments in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup, which I did in August 2023:
@Paolo_X - I think that the MLS would like to own soccer in North America but it is just way too easy to put together a league and not burn through a ton of money. 26 players with the average salary in the league ranges from $25,000 to $50,000 per year. Gives a team salary of 1.3 million per year if you paid everyone $50k. A few coaches and you are cooking with gas.
That said I worked with a UK guy a few years back - an old school Man City guy from the day of soccer hooliganism. Anyhow he told me that if I ever go to England not to waste my time on an EPL game. He said I needed to hit a League One of League Two game - he said that was where the hard-core fans reside. Find a local pub before the game go have a few beers with the locals and hit the game. He said it would be a great time, devoted fans with a passion for the game and their team.
Side note: I would give money to be in the room with the MLS people as the USL is getting the same TV ratings as the MLS.
Ha ha ha ha, that’s what happens when as MLS, you hedge your future to Apple TV+ and woeful scheduling of many games at even the same time despite being on streaming!
Alas, we have administered sound beatings to that “streaming apps are the future!” theory in that thread, and the beatings shall continue of course until those streaming apps for live sports are gone in favour of better alternatives, which are at hand already and also are NOT new technology!
MLS can eat it on this front too. They simply chose poorly are are clearly being led by the wrong people for sake of marketing and media deals.
He’s spot on here with regards to the fully tribal experience, which is at hand in localities around the globe for local professional teams even at the lower levels of play.
I’ve been around it even in Hispanic leagues at amateur levels in the US. It’s a local party and cookout too!
With CBS picking up the USL - the USL has teams in Memphis, Miami, Louisville, Las Vegas, Detroit, Oakland, Phoenix, Pittsburgh.
Locations that people will recognize. There are some podunk locations also but for the most part - I don’t think most people will care - and the USL is on free TV and not behind a paywall. This is a win win for the USL and CBS.
And following my comment above and prior comment as well in the Euro Super League thread, here’s a Canadian data point of the same in the run-up to the World Cup in 2026:
USL on CBS - I don’t know how much if any money the USL is making on this deal but it is interesting that CBS has plugged this soccer based content into their programing schedule on the OTA network. Granted this has happened since the MLS more or less migrated over to Apple TV.