The J league rallied teams to accept a calendar switch and is making real inroads with mainstream fans – both primary MLS goals
Major League Soccer has plenty to celebrate in its 30th season as the top domestic competition of the United States and Canada. Average attendance is as high as ever, and sponsors are flocking in record amounts to capitalize on the presence of global stars such as Lionel Messi, and the general growth of soccer in the US.
Yet not all is well. Fan frustration continues to mount on a variety of issues. Media exposure is declining in the wake of a 10-year, $2.5bn media rights deal with Apple. Competition is mounting in the form of the USL, which plans to start a Division I league and institute promotion and relegation for the first time in the modern era of US soccer. And the possibility of a switch to the international fall-to-spring calendar has left supporters of northern clubs bewildered.
