MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

Colorado Rapids coach Robin Fraser is one of two Black head coaches in Major League Soccer. MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced the expansion of the league's diversity initiative to widen the pipeline for more underrepresented groups – especially Black people – to join the executive and coaching ranks.

Major League Soccer wants to open opportunities for Black people to join the ranks of leadership on and off the field.

Commissioner Don Garber outlined MLS’s diversity initiative Thursday during his state of the league report. The league has updated is hiring program to widen the door for underrepresented groups to gain greater access to leadership positions in the front office, player development and coaching. Twenty-four percent of MLS players identify as Black in 2021, but only two coaches – Montreal’s Thierry Henry and Colorado’s Robin Fraser – and two general managers.

The NFL, the world’s richest sports league at $16 billion in annual revenue, has five Black general managers and three head coaches.

“We had the equivalent of the Rooney Rule in 2007,” Garber said, referring to the NFL’s hiring initiative that has drawn recent criticism for its lack of enforcement. “It needed evolution. The goal is to increase representation particularly among the Black community. We need to fill the pipeline with candidates. We’ve got work that we need to do there. There will be a lot of programs and initiatives.”

Garber said an important area of the initiative is MLS’ path to the topflight of North American soccer through MLS Next and MLS Next Pro, showcase leagues for academy players looking to move up. They’ll serve the same purpose for coaches.

“We will be looking at expanding that to both MLS Next Pro and MLS Next soon,” Garber said. “MLS Next Pro was just announced. MLS Next has got a process that we’ve got to work through. So, wait and see; that will happen within probably the next 12 to 24 months.

“And then on the business side we’re going to go through the working group committee of those that works on the policy but also those that now will be joined by our chief business officers to ensure that we have the right policy in place.”

Garber said he’s pleased with progress Charlotte FC is making toward its inaugural season with nearly 20,000 season tickets sold for 2022. That pace is ahead of more recent expansion teams in Nashville, Miami and Atlanta, which was the only MLS franchise to average more than 30,000 fans per game this year. Charlotte FC’s stated goal is to set break Atlanta United’s MLS single-game attendance record of 73,019.

“First, they’re doing extremely well,” Garber said of Charlotte. “Their season ticket sales are tracking – I think right now they’ve got more season tickets at this point than Atlanta United had at this point prior to their joining the league. Their commercial revenue is very strong. The team has become relevant. There’s been a lot of press coming out of it. I think that Tom Glick is doing a good job and David Tepper is very, very passionate about Major League Soccer and about Charlotte FC.”

MLS wants to add a 30th franchise – Las Vegas is the favorite, Garber said – likely to kick off in 2023.

“We’re making progress as has been announced or leaked in Las Vegas,” he said. “We’re excited about the market, as are all the other leagues here in North America. … The 30th team will not be in by 2023, and that’s something that everybody should be aware of. We hope to be able to have some great news as it relates to our facility plans in Las Vegas.

“I want to point out that we're still in discussions with other markets, both Phoenix and San Diego. I think that the interest in Major League Soccer continues to grow. The value that investors look at when they're determining how they want to engage with professional soccer or even professional sports overall is at an all-time high.”




 

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