For better and for worse, Major League Soccer is the ultimate "zig when they zag" soccer league. Instead of the typical August-to-May schedule, it goes from February to November. Instead of the customary 18- to 20-team league with round-robin scheduling and relegation, it just keeps on adding teams to the first division. (Hello, Charlotte FC, the league's 28th new team. See you in a year, St. Louis.)
Capped spending in MLS means that it ends up with few standout teams, good or bad -- it's got plenty of Tottenhams and Crystal Palaces, but few Manchester Cities and Norwich Cities, if you will.