Home-field disadvantage: How the organization of soccer in the united states affects athletic and economic competitiveness

Abstract

The United States men’s soccer team failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup . In the aftermath, soccer followers questioned the organizational structure supervised by the United States Soccer Federation . An analysis of the relationships between professional soccer leagues reveals potentially anticompetitive practices that may contribute to the subpar performance of the U.S. Men’s National Team . This Note argues that the United States Soccer Federation is engaged in economically anticompetitive behavior that impedes the development of American soccer. Certain reforms, including an open-league system and player transfer fees at the youth development level, would enhance the economic and athletic competitiveness of soccer in the United States .