MLS had something of a rough start. There the early years of augmented rules, a clock that stopped, Billy Campbell playing forward, low attendance, and then contraction. They were dark days, then Don Garber became commissioner and frankly saved the league. The MLS business model since Garber took over and initiated the expansion era has been something along the lines of: offer investors a low risk way to make money by keeping player salaries low, trying and attract sponsorships from car companies and multi-level marketing schemes, expanding strategically with owners who have deep pockets and a commitment to the league, building soccer stadiums sometimes, making a little bit of money off of TV deals, and making a lot of money with expansion fees and through Soccer United Marketing (that last one is doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to the making money part).
With the expansion era ending, MLS needs to improve its product to find new revenue
