MLS Next Pro - The Good and the Bad

What’s Next for MLS

MLS

On Monday, the MLS announced the creation of a new league - the MLS Next Pro - which will begin their first season in 2022. The league plans to debut with 21 teams, in a 24 game season. The league plans to expand quickly, and have every MLS team with an affiliated MLS Next Pro franchise. The MLS Next Pro is a league designed for players who have outgrown the MLS Next league (the academy division) but are unable to secure a roster spot in the highest division in North America.

The hope for the league is to help grow the development system and ecosystem of North American soccer, and to create a model that is similar to the European system. Most readers will be familiar with the English Championship, the 2nd division of English Football.

The graphic above outlines the MLS development pathway that the league is trying to implement. One thing that Chris mentioned on the podcast that I completely agreed with was, the MLS Next and MLS Next Pro sound more like iPhone models and not league names. The NBA, NHL, and MLB affiliate leagues have a standalone product, and their names are recognized without attachment to their major league. Although the MLS Pro and MLS Next Pro leagues are intentionally tied to the MLS, the pathway is still confusing to most casual fans - and when trying to grow the popularity of the league will take some hand-holding and fan education.

Another interesting point to note - one of the 21 inaugural teams is independently owned. Rochester NY FC (formerly the Rhinos), is co-owned by Jamie Vardy, who is excited to have his team in a competitive league.

Jamie Vardy’s affiliation with the team and the league is a very interesting prospect for the MLS to consider. Vardy was cut by the Sheffield Wednesday academy at 16 and found his footing with lower-tier English teams in Halifax and Fleetwood. He found himself on Leicester City in 2012, and the rest is history. As someone who found success in the lower tiers before making the jump to England’s highest stage, the MLS is hoping Vardy’s story can create a similar narrative for players in the MLS Next Pro.

Any investment into the growth of the game in North America is welcome for fans of the sport, and this step was the expected next step for the league. As the continent looks to the 2026 World Cup, infrastructure for the growth of the game is necessary, and steps need to be taken now in order to have a flourishing pool of talent for the national squads, and also a dedicated base of fans.

Published: December 10, 2021 - Issue 17 of The Sport Marketeer