David Beckham, one of the principal owners of the new MLS franchise in Miami, came out this week against the MLS salary cap, currently set at $3.1 million per team not including the designated-player money, and said he will work to have it removed with a preference for no restrictions on how much a club can pay in salaries.
"The salary cap removal is what we'll work for," Beckham said in an interview with beIN Sports. "Obviously, that's one of the things that stops a lot of players from coming over here, where I think the league and certain cities in this country will attract big-name players."
Complete removal of the salary cap? That would be quite a development for MLS, but good luck.
For the health of the league, complete removal can't happen. But what if the salary cap was significantly raised -- or perhaps a better idea is to increase the designated player limits -- for those clubs that could afford it?
One of the great things about MLS is how equitable and uniformly competitive it is up and down the league standings. For current MLS fans, it typically leads to an exciting, wide-open finish to the season.
But to use Major League Baseball as an example, the overspending New York Yankees compared to the small-market Tampa Rays has not hurt baseball. A good Yankees team has generally been good for baseball, and a well-run Tampa Rays is still able to compete.
With an extended salary cap or designated-player rule, Beckham's Miami team and New York City FC could be two of the biggest clubs in the world. Miami will attract some of the best players in the world just like it did Lebron James in the NBA. And the same goes for the Manchester City and New York Yankees partnership with the new NYC FC franchise.
Remove the salary cap? Probably unrealistic.
But significantly increase it so that the upward-trending MLS can become what everyone wants it to be? It has to happen and will sooner or later.
Beckham as owner could be just as influential for MLS as Beckham the player was.
Over the last century and a half - every top-flight closed soccer league without a cap has collapsed. Can't lose the cap without opening leagues to promotion and relegation.
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