Last month saw the European Championships take center stage. Everyone watched as England, Italy, Germany and the rest duked it out for continental supremacy. Meanwhile, all the region’s club teams were out of sight. A few weeks later, everything in America is being done backwards. Mostly because the MLS is dumb.
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is currently taking place. It is essentially the Euros of North America. And yet the MLS continues to play games during this tournament despite the fact many of the league’s players are away on international duty. How can the MLS be so dumb? Actually, it’s not all that surprising.
Related: 5 things you may not remember about the inaugural MLS season
The US team is comprised of 18 MLS players. Canada has taken away another 14 players. In total, Gold Cup rosters feature 67 guys plying their trade stateside with most of those doing so in Major League Soccer. It’s completely ridiculous.
Could you imagine MLB holding the All-Star Game while simultaneously still playing regular season games? The concept is outlandish. No other sports league in the world, soccer or otherwise, would keep continue with so many players missing. It’s not like we’re talking about a handful of guys or bottom of the roster chumps.
There are 57 MLS players away from their clubs at the moment. That’s basically enough for two full teams with a few dudes to spare. And don’t think for a second this decision has anything to do with the condensed 2021 schedule. It most certainly does not.
The league also held games during the 2019 Gold Cup when it had its full, nine-month slog of a season. Don Garber insists on doing this even though it is bad for the league. Only the MLS could be this dumb.
Look, there is no need for the league to keep playing during the Gold Cup when 57 players are away. But then again, there is no reason for it the have 27 teams or to play the title game during football season when no one cares. The MLS is dumb…like really, really dumb.
Read More: USA Soccer screws the pooch at the 1998 World Cup
