"Europe's leagues don't have have salary caps, revenue sharing, luxury taxes or strong player unions" - Many European sports do, but no not football.
@jaradthescot - Well said. However, with the increased parachute payments I have to wonder how long it will be before the premier league has virtually no relegation. Two of the teams going up are the ones that just went down last season.
@Dip - There are times where Athletics looses me, because there is no interaction. No tactics etc since at the end of the day each person can do their event as if no-one else was there and you just compare the times. Tennis however is a competitive sport, where one can use their opponents weaknesses.

As for salary caps in football: something along those lines is coming in. UEFA are going to limit the spending of clubs that wish to play in the Champions League (ie anyone) to a function of income, stopping millionaires (normally billionaires) putting so much money in.
If I recall, this is going to come into play from 2015, using data from as far back as 2012, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see some seriously big money transfers in 2011. Also, I expect to see people working around it anyway. The limit is specified, but if the owner wants put money in all he has to do is split the club into two companies: team & ground. The football club maintains the same income, but no longer has to pay for marshals, pitch maintenance, advertising etc etc, so the effective spending limit is dramatically increased.

@Figs: I know that tennis is a game of skill rather than who can run faster/jump higher/throw further than someone else, golf also, but they just don't engage me in the way that a team sport does.

I think that FIFA's intention to introduce financial restraints on CL clubs is good in principle but, as you hint at, the practice may be unsatisfactory. Ownership of grounds is an interesting one as many big clubs in Italy play in stadiums owned by the city; would someone buying Arsenal be allowed to invest more than someone buying Inter? Splitting ownership is not a happy thought, just ask Wrexham or Crystal Palace fans.

I love to see krellin getting all worked up because somebody said US sports have a socialist tinge to them:) that brought a smile to my face. Im not really interested in tribal sport affairs, football hooligans are f*@ked up people, but I dont mind gymnastics etc, thats artistry in motion. As for world sport events...I base it on politics(i cant help it) so as long as north korea and saudi arabia lose all their matches by a shocking amount im happy. Oh and I like seeing local communities in England getting together to buy their clubs

First off, I want to let everyone know that I am American. So, that may shade my opinion on this topic.

American sports do have a notion of socialism about them. I do not think that is a bad thing. Salary Caps, Luxury Taxes, and Drafts are all implemented to make leagues as competitive as possible. Thus, I think American sports are much more competitive, top to bottom, than European Soccer. (Right now the San Diego Padres are in first place in their Division. And have one of the best records in the MLB. Last year they cam in last in the division and had a terrible record. I don't think that it is even feasable to think that Hull City or Stoke City even had a 1% chance to win the EPL this year.)

I like the American system because it let every team have that glimer of hope at the beginning of the season. Everybody can look forward to next season and hope that there team can be the next "worst to first" team.

Now I must admit my Euro Soccer knowledge will be less than some others on this board, but I know that compared to American sports, European soccer leagues have uch more stagnant standings. If I could, I would bet every cent I have that Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool will all finish in the top half of the standing next year in the EPL. However, I do like the relegation system just because it gives the bad teams something to play for. Whereas bad teams in the USA are almost encouraged to lose games at the end of seasons to get higher draft picks.....

And......June 12th, USA 1 - England 0

Another point to make regarding US Sport's socialism tinge is that much of the player development actually occurs through the public school system here. This is less the case for basketball and baseball where the AAU & Pony leagues showcase talent, but college by extention the NFL relies heavily on school districts spending alot of money to equip and coach students who play American football. Keep in mind they'll cut the arts & instruction budget before they eliminate school sports.

Also, remember that capitalism is a system not just the accumulation of wealth. The market is much freer in Europe for players, owners & fans by almost any standard.

@Sean - you apparently don't understand what socialism is. In US sports, you buy a franchise and agree to a pre-determined set of rules established by the league owners that are designed to enhance overall league competitiveness, create better games and increase overall profits.

In socialism, somebody tells you - AGAINST your will, WITHOUT your prior agreement - that you will give up something to benefit others.

It isn't socialism. Yo simply don't know what you are talking about, don't understand sports or competitiveness, don't understand the nuance of AGREEING to something versus being FORCED to do something.

Your typical bashing of athletes is rather childish and uninformed, so I doubt you really pay much attention to the details of the draft, trades, etc. to understand how complex a task it is to build a truly great sports franchise.

Then again, your favorite sport apparently is watching 13 year old girls in tights....

@ jaredthescot - You forget that in America college sports are just as big, if not bigger than Professional sports. Europe has no comparable division. There are currently 120 NCAA Division 1A teams (there's also Division 1AA, Division II, and Division III football) that divide that same population of 300 million. If the revenues of colloegiate football programs were added to that of pro teams (especially since college athletes only get tuition, room and board instead of millions of dollars) it would far outstrip that of Europe.

I don't think Sean actually said US sports was socialist. I don't mind watching girls in tights myself (so long as they look 18).

@Krellin: "As an economic system, socialism is an organization in which production is carried out by a public association of producers to directly maximize use-values, rather than exchange-values, by rationalizing economic activity through conscious economic planning in investment decisions, distribution of surplus and in coordinating the use of the means of production." OK it is from Wikipedia but it sounds like American sporting system.

@Spyman: when watching girls best make sure that the girls ARE 18, whether you choose to wear tights when doing so or not is up to you.

"whether you choose to wear tights... is up to you"... lmao. Brilliant one liner.

Touché

"there are plenty of die hard players for particular teams in the US as well. There are guys like Johnny Bench, former catcher for the Reds, who played for the Reds and only the Reds for his entire 17 year Major League career. "

Wow, to prove how American sports aren't just about money, you cite a major league baseball player who retired 27 years ago?

@yayager - the reason they'll cut band and such before sports (especially football) is because sports are money makers for them. From concessions and game attendance to merchandising from which the schools get a percentage, sports make schools money. You always hear of the bands and drama clubs and what not having fundraisers for trips or to pay for new uniforms, but you almost never hear about a football team needing to have a fund raiser even at the high school level.

Oh, and Spyman, it's OK to watch 16 year olds provided you aren't a person of authority over them and you don't take pictures. At least in most states here in the US it is legal. YMMV depending on the state, though.

Thanks for the legal advice Draugs :)

@Dingle - He's a hometown hero around these parts, so yeah I chose him. I could have chosen Ken Griffey, Jr. who came back to Cincinnati from Seattle because he loved the town and wanted to be near his family. His father, Ken Griffey Sr., was one of the Big Red Machine with Bench. So there is a more recent player, only retired within the last couple of years, who moved for location loyalty reasons back to his hometown team.

MP, spyman. Here in Kentucky, you can be a sugar daddy to a 16 year old as long as your not her real daddy (natural, adopted, or step) or her teacher or principal. I've often wondered how that would work for a police officer or a judge, who has authority over virtually everyone to some degree...

*NP (stupid M and N beside each other)

American sports are hardly socialistic. They're all ultimately private enterprises -- a series of franchises, much like fast food chains or shoe companies, that produce the same product and hope you choose to endorse them by purchasing tickets, t-shirts, etc. The apparently-socialistic element of American sports are actually various measures agreed upon by everyone involved, for whatever purpose; but in the end, they're CHOOSING to do this, not being forced to do it.

In fact, our Supreme Court recently ruled that the NFL, for legal purposes, is 32 teams, not one giant entity. (A controversy arose in my own state when the NFL tried to collect royalties off of New Orleans Saints gear; hence, the ruling.) So arguing even that the league is akin to a command economy government, and that the franchises are but slaves to this infernal machine, is still false -- the 32 franchises take precedence to the one organization.

If anything, it wouldn't shock me to find out that American professional sports organizations would be guilty of violating antitrust laws (draft preventing all competition for their principal employees, for instance).

Oops, Spyman is getting a reputation to suit his name.

Girls looking 18 in sports... Most of Gymnastics is out, unfortunately, even at the looking 16 level, but Figure Skating... That's my kind of eye-candy. Katerina Witt and Kristi Yummy-guci in their prime. I took my wife to Stars on Ice back in the mid 90s for our 5th wedding anniversary and got tickets "on the ice" by the skater's tunnel and we met both up close and in person. I never told her I took her as much for me to see those two as for her to see Paul Wylie and Scott Hamilton.

DJ, it's not the athlete's fault that someone is willing to pay them millions of dollars. would you turn down $100mil to play with a ball for five years?

the fans pay the salaries, so you're problem is with the guy who has season tickets and a few jerseys, not the players they're watching.

Trip, I am not faulting the athlete. If I were an athlete, I would follow the money to. I was just disagreeing with the premise that its not all about money by the citing of Johnny Bench.

It IS about the money. And the reason that there is a salary cap is a desire for cost certainty and parity. Without those things, whoever is willing to spend the most (ala the Yankees) will win. Or you will have a handful of teams what will win, and the rest will fold from bankruptcy. The reason for salary caps is to keep more teams in more cities grossing more money.

i know what you're saying DJ. the hometown discount is a thing of the past.

Now that is absolutely true, Dingle. For some of the players (admittedly fewer and fewer nowadays) it is about the game, but for the owners and the accountants it is a business and keeping the game competitive keeps business booming. Hell, if I owned a team I'd love the salary caps cause I'd know my direct talent costs were kept in control by the league, allowing me to spend the money on advertising and merchandising which rake in serious bucks for my team and me.

Trip, well it DOES exist in the NBA. A team can resign there free agents and spend more than the cap. So Lebron could earn more in Cleveland than he can in NY next year.

But, being in NY might earn him more non-salary money.

Look at Terrell Owens. He wanted his deal in Philly renegotiated. Philly refused (they never do, for anyone. Its a stand few teams take, but they've been consistent and in the long run I think it benefits them.)

So Terrell made a media circus, got suspended for most of a season and ended up in Dallas.

If Terrell was smart, there was more non-football money to be made if he stayed in Philly. The guy was so fucking charismatic - and he OWNED Philly at that time. One of the most popular Philly athletes in ages. All because of a Super Bowl loss, where he played injured and shined.

That year, before a MNF game, he even had that shower scene with one of the Desperate Housewives? Remember that? He was so telegenic, would easily have ended up in broadcasting after his career.

But he wanted out. Had a couple of decent years in Dallas and floundered in Buffalo. And now no one talks about TO any more. His surefire broadcasting career is now questionable, because he's seen as a dickhead and a villian.

i live in south philly, dj, so i'm very familiar with what that guy did and how the eagles work ;)

what's the nba?

Trip, then you know. I'm from South Jersey. You KNOW he owned the town back then - even non-football fans liked him. For someone who hadn't been in Philly long, his rise to popularity was meteoric. Yet he was concerned about current salary rather than long-term potential. His loss - and unfortunately, Phillys loss. I fully support not renegotiating his deal (or making him do any negotiating extremely quietly) and benching him and releasing him, but ah, what could have been had he not gone bonkers.

I remember that. The NFL reamed out ABC for that spot.

@Panthers
Well there is more to the premiership than that. Liverpool has effectively been relegated this season. Yes they're still in the prem, but they do not have a champions league place for next year, which is a massive blow, and so will have to spend most of the season rebuilding and trying to earn one for the year to come.
Thanks to the number of different competitions around, just because you're not relegated by name doesn't mean you're doing as well.