Anyone who has seen the last two MLS All-Star Games knows that even the best in the league can barely compete with Manchester United’s powerful roster.
Forget about competing with their powerful bank account.
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A new study from consulting firm Brand Finance revealed the huge economic divide between MLS teams and their high-profile European counterparts â€" chief among them Man U, which was named the world’s most valuable soccer club at $853 million.
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That’s almost 15 times more than the highest-valued MLS franchise, Seattle Sounders, which came in 40th place at $46 million. The New York Red Bulls ranked third among all MLS teams, finishing three spots behind defending league champion LA Galaxy ($46 million) in 53rd place with a value of $40 million.
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These numbers are chump change compared to what Europe’s top clubs are worth. In addition to Manchester United, the top five is rounded out by Germany’s Bayern Munich ($786 million), Spanish giants Real Madrid ($600 million) and Barcelona ($580 million), and newly-crowned UEFA Champions League winner, Chelsea ($398 million).
To put it into perspective, any one of these teams are worth more than the top five MLS franchises combined.
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While it’s unrealistic to expect the relatively new MLS clubs to match these astronomical figures, Brand Finance noted that the league hasn’t done enough to bridge the economic gap with the European super clubs.
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“With revenues capped to promote competition, bit rivalries and consequently big games to draw media attention have failed to materialize,†the report said.
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And while Europe remains the go-to destination for soccer's best up-and-coming talent, MLS has been written off as “somewhere for fading stars to ease into retirement.â€
In other words, things won't be changing any time soon.
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