MLS is the only major professional sports league in the U.S. whose teams do not fly charter, and as the league continues to expand, many say the "rigors of commercial travel have become too demanding," according to Kevin Baxter of the L.A. TIMES. Galaxy GM & coach Bruce Arena said, "It's time for our league to get into the modern days of professional sports." Baxter notes the Galaxy's 17 regular-season road games will "require the team to fly more than 38,000 miles" in '16, "farther than 22 MLB teams traveled -- on charter flights -- this year." Arena said that it is a "big reason why road teams have won just 60 of 316 MLS games this season." Yet the league continues to "cite competitive balance to explain why it limits teams to four charter flights a year, an exemption most teams, including the Galaxy, save for the playoffs." If teams were "free to make their own travel arrangements, the league fears, deep-pocketed franchises" such as the Galaxy, NYC FC, or teams like the Timbers and Sounders, who have "sponsorship deals with airlines, would have an unfair advantage." Cost is "also a factor." MLS Commissioner Don Garber earlier this season said, "Our teams have got to decide whether or not charter travel is a bigger priority than perhaps investing in the academy programs to make players better. All of that has got to get squeezed into an affordable budget so we can continue to succeed as a league. Charter travel is less of a priority than investing in academy programs." Galaxy F Landon Donovan said that the league is "paying an even higher price in prestige by sticking with commercial flights." Donovan: "If we want to be Major League Soccer, not minor league soccer ... eventually we have to get there" (L.A. TIMES, 10/4).
