MLS

Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer). The league comprises 18 teams, 16 in the U.S. and two in Canada, and is scheduled to include 19 teams for the 2012 season, and 20 teams shortly thereafter. MLS represents the top tier of the American and Canadian soccer pyramids.

History:
Major League Soccer was founded in 1993 as part of the United States' bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The first season took place in 1996 beginning with 10 teams. Seasons run from late March or early April until November, with each team playing 30 games in the regular season. Eight teams compete in the postseason MLS Cup Playoffs culminating in the championship game, MLS Cup. In 1996, Major League Soccer's original ten teams, the Columbus Crew, D.C. United, the New England Revolution, the NY/NJ MetroStars, the Tampa Bay Mutiny, the Colorado Rapids, the Dallas Burn, the Kansas City Wiz, the Los Angeles Galaxy and the San Jose Clash.

Ownership:
MLS operates under a single-entity structure in which teams are centrally controlled, though not owned, by the league. In order to keep costs under control, revenues are shared throughout the league, player contracts are negotiated by the league, and ultimately players are contracted not with individual teams but with the league itself. The league fought a bitter legal battle with its players over its economic system, but this was eventually resolved with the players gaining some improved benefits in return for accepting the single entity structure. A court had also ruled that even absent their collective bargaining agreement, players could opt to play in other leagues if they were unsatisfied.

Profitability:
Major League Soccer lost more than $350 million between its founding and the year 2004, according to a report by BusinessWeek released that year. However, there have been positive signs of long-term profitability since 2004. As soccer-specific stadiums are built, ownership expands and television coverage increases, MLS has seen its revenues increase while minimizing costs. For example, the LA Galaxy was the first team to profit from the stadium revenue with the Home Depot Center and the next team to profit from the stadium revenue was FC Dallas who profit in 2005.

Business Strategies:
Recently "expansion" and "rebranding" have become buzzwords for the league and its fans. The league has renewed its emphasis on improving the quality of play by its teams via initiatives such as the Designated Player Rule and the creation of a league-wide youth development system. As well as continuing to bulid soccer specific stadiums.