Blind Draw: How Major League Soccer's Single Entity Structure and Unique Rules Have Impacted Soccer in the United States

Abstract

(13 Willamette Sports L.J., no. 1, 2015, at 1). This article examines the current structure of Major League Soccer (MLS), and US antitrust law that might threaten that structure. It examines the history of the League’s formation; next, it looks at legal developments surrounding the League’s current antitrust status. It then analyzes the antitrust case Fraser v. MLS and subsequent changes to MLS. The article next explores the competitive realities that MLS faces and how they affect its legal future. The article then looks at the rules governing talent acquisition. Next, it considers possible legal action that could change the current system. The article concludes with analysis of the durability of the current system and prospects for change.