MLS holding on in economic crisis

By Ridge Mahoney, Special to SI.com, Soccer America

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Entering his second decade as commissioner, Don Garber faces a new collective bargaining agreement and stadium problems in D.C. Dave Sandford/Getty Images

As the popularity of soccer has grown in America, so has its professional soccer league. Yet there's as much trepidation about Major League Soccer as there is about just about anything else as economic crises disrupt the nation and the world.

"I think it is impossible to tell," says commissioner Don Garber of the short-term future. "It's unusual for us as Americans to wake up this way, because we're born with an optimism that exists just as part of our character, and a lot of that optimism has been knocked out of the system. We wake up every day thinking tomorrow is going to be worse instead of better, which is unusual in our society."

There's reason for optimism regarding MLS, which has expanded from 10 to 15 teams in five years (and will have 18 teams in 2011), built new soccer stadiums, added wealthy investors and expanded its sponsorship offerings at the national and team level.

There's also cause for concern. Four-time champion D.C. United is mired in stadium problems, and attendance has lagged in several cities. A new collective bargaining agreement must be negotiated with the MLS players' union before next year, and the return of David Beckham from AC Milan triggered a public spat between him and Landon Donovan.

Becks redux

Garber believes MLS attained a greater degree of respect around the world by hammering out an agreement by which Beckham returned to the Galaxy this summer rather than acquiescing to his wish that the loan deal with Milan be converted into a transfer.

Only by buying out his contract at the end of this season can he join Milan without the club and MLS working out a proper transfer. Previously, he held the right to opt out after three seasons without hindrance. Comments by Donovan and other Galaxy teammates in Grant Wahl's book, The Beckham Experiment, regarding his commitment to the team and clandestine move to Milan roiled the club upon his return in July, but Garber refused to regard his signing as more negative than positive.

"When David was signed we all believed, and I still do, that this would be a historic moment in the history of Major League Soccer," says Garber. "It was an important change in our plan that was, prior to the Designated Player rule, very slow and steady growth. Over that period, we've built stadiums, we've expanded the league, and we have many, many more owners. At that time, we were ready for a breakout moment, and that was our breakout moment."

That the breakout moment nearly led to an ugly breakup hasn't convinced Garber the daring move turned into a disaster, as some critics contend.

"The second part of that is we had an agreement," Garber says. "We had a contract and we expected [Beckham to abide by the agreement], like we expect of all of our players to abide by the commitment that they make. The sport of soccer has all sorts of different things that allow players out of their contracts but it requires mutual consent, and it took some time for us to all agree on what that consent would be."

Garber is happy a Beckham-MLS-Milan deal was reached. Says former MLS chief marketing officer Randy Bernstein, "The Beckham experiment was just that: an experiment, one that's been successful, and there will be many more to follow."