As Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry leave, Frank Lampard, David Villa and Kaka arrive to take their place

The champagne soaked streamers have been discarded and the Stubhub Center has been shuddered until next spring.  Landon Donovan, the face of the league for the past decade, has cleaned out his locker and has moved on to greener (or grayer) pitches. The LA Galaxy, winners of three of the past four MLS Cups, will fight on with Robbie Keane, the reigning league MVP and defensive stalwart Omar Gonzalez.  Rumors persist that the Galaxy will make a big signing to replace Donovan with names like Andrea Pirlo from Juventus in Italy and Ronaldinho from Quertaro and Mexico being thrown around….we shall see.  What is known is that the Galaxy’s co-tenants, Chivas USA, are no more.  Chivas USA could not survive without the support of their parent team in Guadalajara, which severed ties this fall.  Los Angeles will have to wait until 2017 for another team to be placed by the league.

The other Cup finalist, New England Revolution, look to build off a second place finish and rejuvenation highlighted by the transfer of US Men’s National Team beast, Jermaine Jones and the resurgence of Lee Nguyen.  The Revs hope to finally reach the mountaintop and place a Cup next to their five 2nd place finishes.

In New York, one European legend, Thierry Henry appears to have finished his time with the Red Bulls. Henry’s final destination is unknown, but whispers have him donning the Arsenal jersey for one last spell.  All is not bad for the Red Bulls though as Bradley Wright-Phillips, who tied the record for most goals scored in an MLS season (27), remains quite content in New York.  More great things are expected of the explosive Englishman in his second full season with the Bulls.

As Henry exits to the east, a new club, NYCFC, readies for its maiden season at the hallowed ground of Yankees Stadium.  NYCFC and its parent club, Manchester City, have already made headlines signing Frank Lampard and David Villa.  Claudio Reyna, NYCFC’s Director of Football Operations, will have his hands full over the winter as he looks to sign some help for Villa and Lamps. 

The MLS will return to Florida as Orlando City SC and its golden signing, Kaka, bring the World’s game to the Citrus Bowl Stadium, starting next spring.  The Lions will be managed by Englishman Adrian Heath and will look to grab a foothold on the Florida market before David Beckham and his proposed venture in Miami Beach get off the ground.  

Change is coming to the Northwest as well, as Seattle Sounders wunderkind Deandre Yedlin takes his full pitch pace across the pond to White Hart Lane.   In a move that has Jurgen Klinsmann smiling, Yedlin will be tasked with pushing Tottenham Hotspur over the threshold and into the Champions League.  The cupboard is hardly bare for the Sounders as US Captain, Clint Dempsey, will be back along with scoring machine, Obafemi Martins and midfield wizard, Marco Pappa to entertain the largest crowds (43,734!!! per match) in the MLS.

Expansion and the Collective Bargaining Agreement highlight the off the field action

Don Garber, commissioner of the MLS, will be busy as well as he continues to hear offers from cities across the country who are looking to join the MLS.  Contingents from Sacramento, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, San Antonio and the aforementioned Beckham led South Florida team are all seeking an expansion team.  It is to be seen in what form and how fast that expansion will take place but growth is certainly on the agenda. The American public seems hungry for the product, as the average attendance was a record breaking, 19,149 per match.

The most important item for the offseason has little to do individual teams or players and more to do with the League as a whole.  The size of the marketplace will be the centerpiece of the Collective Bargaining Agreement discussions that will take place over the offseason.  The current CBA expires December 31st and a new one must be in place before the season kicks off in March 2015.  

Major issues for the CBA include the salary cap and the minimum salary.  Players will point to the climbing attendance along with the increased exposure on television while the Owners will push back with talk about how tenuous the foothold is for the MLS in the crowded American sports landscape.  While not as exciting as a 4-3 goalfest, it is likely that the bargaining process will be more important to the growth of the game in the US than any one game or player.  

If the MLS is able to make itself more attractive to the very best players from around the world, the upside is quite high.  If, however, the League is unable to sustain the growth and more clubs go the way of Chivas USA, the cream of the crop players will stay away and the MLS will slip in profile and become the retirement circuit for former greats.