The MLS, like all major sports in North America, seems to be treated like a business venture.

What I mean by that, is that the way teams can get moved around and ripped from a city with all their history, is something that only happens here.

In Europe teams have a long rich history tied to where they play. The team is embedded into the city. If a team is proposed it would be silly to think of ever removing it.

But not here. Here you can buy and sell a team and if you can’t find a local buyer well then all the best and on to the next. You just pack up the office and move and take all the history with you.

You just kinda erase a fanbase from the league and don’t give them anything in return. And yeah sure you gain a fanbase elsewhere but they inherit a history that has no meaning to them. You also strip away the chance of a new franchise creating their history.

Watching the Utah Mammoth has been a prime example. Even though I’m not a fan I can appreciate how cool it is, not only for the fans, but also the players. They get a chance at etching their name into the hopefully long history of a new club.

I can understand markets going through hard times. But fan apathy doesn’t happen overnight. When the effort is not being put in from ownership to engage with the fans regardless of what results may be it shows.

I take the smaller leagues in European soccer as an example. Lets say the EFL League One in England.  A team like Luton Town F.C., who currently sit 7th in standings, have an average attendance of 11,000 in a stadium that fits 12,000. This is 2 leagues below the premier league. It’s like if the Vancouver Giants had an almost sold out arena every game.

So it doesn’t matter if your team is first in the best league or last in the worst one, it is forever the city’s team and there should be nothing that can take them away.