Why the MLS should fear its Chinese doppelgänger – the CSL

The CSL looks far too similar to what the MLS looked like a few years ago. Should we be scared? 

The Chinese Super League isn’t really that well-known and, when compared to European leagues such as Bundesliga, La Liga, and the Premier League, has very little impact on the world of soccer.

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But many can – and do – say that about Major League Soccer. At least, they used to say it, and while MLS has made greater strides recently to make its mark on world soccer, it still has work to do.

We here in the U.S. shouldn’t be surprised that players such as Tim Cahill, Fredy Montero and, most recently, Obafemi Martins have opted to relocate their lives to China.

We were (and kinda still are) in the same boat. What we should be is nervous.

A young league struggling to show its wares – the MLS/CSL comparison

The CSL has been around since 2004, some 8 years (give or take) after MLS came to be. It’s struggled to do so well because no one really pays attention to Chinese soccer.

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You see, one of the best ways to draw attention to your country’s top league is to have a competitive national team, which China does not (sort of the way it used to be around here, eh?).

What the CSL does have – apparently now more than ever thanks to a recent TV deal – is money to spend.

And they’ve done some spending.

But it’s not like the CSL is new to big signings; it’s just that they seem to be picking up players directly tied to the MLS these days. It has some of us wondering if the CSL will now be a viable option for top-tier players that MLS teams are after?

The QOL factor

One of the reasons players from abroad likely choose to play for MLS is because of theopportunity of living in the states. I don’t mean to say that the U.S. is lined with gold-paved roads and players would be lucky to live among us – other countries are just as affluent and attractive.

But the U.S. has an allure – specifically L.A. and NYC, which are two globally iconic cities whose cultural makeups aren’t really found elsewhere on the planet. And the U.S. has reputable schools (for the family-minded players) and – typically – more economic stability.

These things do matter.

But China isn’t a barren wasteland, you know. The country is growing at a blazing pace and it offers just as much natural diversity as the U.S.

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It’s an adventure. In fact, one could argue it’s more of an adventure than coming to the U.S. – I mean, come on, the U.S. is so 2015, right?

A ton of global soccer players speak or are familiar with English. Few know how to speak Chinese. Sure, going to a country where you don’t speak the language is scary …but it’s also fun.

If given the opportunity to live and work in a whole new world (like China) and get paid handsomely to do what you love (thanks to the CSL’s big payouts), so much so that your financial future is set – wouldn’t you at least consider it?

I mean, loyalty aside (as a Sounders fan, I’m devastated Oba couldn’t just stick it out to help bring home the cup), can you honestly tell me you’d not even think about going, at least for a year?

This idea of going to a new land of opportunity: That’s exactly what athletes have said about the U.S. in years past. That’s what the immigrants who built this country said: the U.S. was the land of promise.

But the CSL, and China, are trying to steal away a bit of our allure and, as far as soccer’s concerned, it’s kind of working.

For all accounts and purposes, the CSL, now in its 12 season, is in a very similar position as the MLS was as a preteen. Why shouldn’t we assume 10 years from now, rather than having reached the levels of European leagues, the MLS will have been pushed aside by a rapidly growing CSL that’s willing and able to spend the type of money that our current league structure won’t allow?

Related Story: Is Sounders F Obafemi Martins headed to China?

Thanks, Obafemi, for making me think about this for far too long. Good luck, or, should I say, Zhù nǐ hǎo yùn.