Chivas USA and Toronto F.C. are separated by thousands of miles but are united in mediocrity.

Chivas USA, the northern outpost of a popular Mexican club based in Guadalajara, had a two-year jump on Toronto, the first M.L.S. team in Canada, but neither club has had much success. While Chivas will mostly be treading water for a year after the league bought it from Jorge Vergara and put it up for sale, Toronto has gone all in for the superclub model created in Los Angeles by its new chief executive, Tim Leiweke.

Leiweke plucked Tim Bezbatchenko from the league office to be his general manager, a sure sign that M.L.S. headquarters are extremely interested in improving the fortunes of Toronto, which has failed to make the playoffs since it entered the league in 2007.

The team then spent millions of dollars on player acquisitions, highlighted by the signing of the English striker Jermain Defoe from Tottenham (for $8 million a year) and the United States international Michael Bradley from Roma ($36 million over six years). Both are expected to miss time during the World Cup, as is the Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar, who was signed on loan.

The moves give Coach Ryan Nelsen star power at the top of the pyramid, but Toronto is likely to see its fortunes rise or fall on the strength of its more modestly paid players.