Totally. The U.S. league and franchise system is a product of its environment (e.g., large geographic area, regional leagues coming together fairly early on to provide a more uniform national structure, MLB having a legal exemption from the antitrust laws, etc.). It's not perfect by any stretch, but it wasn't done in the context of hundreds to thousands of other already existing and viable clubs with long histories and supporter bases that would get completely dicked over by closing up shop.