Is promotion and relegation coming to U.S. soccer?

Is promotion and relegation coming to U.S. soccer?

American soccer fanatics have long dreamt about what promotion and relegation would look like in the U.S. However, with MLS’s monopoly over soccer in the country, this seemed like a far-fetched dream. That may all change now thanks to the USL.

The USL is considering adding promotion and relegation to its ranks in the near future. USL club owners and league executives will meet in Colorado Springs Aug. 9-10 to vote on whether to move to a pro/rel format or not. If they decide to go forward with the new format, the USL will be the first major sports league in the U.S. to have promotion and relegation amongst its divisions.

“Given that it is an ecosystem with multiple leagues and divisions, the USL is positioned to make history and introduce promotion/relegation to North American professional soccer,” the USLPA said in a statement provided to The Athletic. “That said, there are many issues yet to be navigated and negotiated and we look forward to having the league approach and engage the USL Players Association in meaningful discussions.”

Quote via The Athletic

Proposed Format

The USL currently has two professional divisions: USL Championship and USL League One. USL Championship is a division two league with 24 teams and USL League One is a division three league with 12 teams. The USL also has a semi-professional division called USL League Two.

If the USL chooses to move forward with pro/rel, the league is looking at adding a new division that will be sandwiched between USL Championship and USL League One. Creating this new division is seen as a necessary addition if the USL wishes to pursue promotion and relegation.

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Having three leagues instead of two makes it so there is a better flow of promotion and relegation with a middle landing spot. Three leagues make the process more exciting and put more at stake for more teams. Otherwise, there would just be promotion to USL Championship and relegation to USL League One, a process that could get stale.

“You can’t call this a true promotion and relegation model if only one league has promotion and the other league has relegation,” a source told the Athletic. “There wouldn’t be enough at stake.”

Quote via The Athletic

This new three-level structure could be implemented as soon as 2024 with promotion and relegation following in 2025.

Issues

Before you get too excited, however, this is yet to be a sure thing. The vote in August is merely to gain interest amongst the league owners. While it looks like the pro/rel proposal has gained a lot of momentum, there is still opposition to the move.

There are also issues with adhering to the USSF Professional League Standards. These standards dictate which teams are able to receive sanctioning for different professional divisions.

The size of the market, the primary owner’s wealth, stadium plans and base licensure requirements for coaches are some of the factors that go into a club’s sanctioning. For promotion and relegation in the USL to work, the league is going to have to work around these sanctioning rules.

Exciting Possibility

There is still a lot to iron out with pro/rel in the USL, and as of right now, it is merely an idea. However, it is still exciting to think about what this means for the USL and American soccer in general.

Promotion and relegation definitely has more intrigue than the MLS’s current model. The system is used in nearly every other country in the world. It allows smaller clubs to dream big and makes every game matter with the threat of relegation looming over teams at the bottom of the league.

With more at stake for teams in a variety of market sizes around the country, more Americans will be inclined to get behind their local USL teams.

Plus, pro/rel will likely bring the USL improved TV contracts. Fans, both at home and abroad, will be more willing to watch lower-division games if there is a threat of relegation or the potential for a team to be promoted.

The USL is looking to change the entire soccer landscape of the U.S. The MLS should be on watch because if the USL goes through with this and it is a success, there is nothing to stop them from adding a first-division league to compete with the MLS.

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“USL is in a great position because it can adopt promotion/relegation,” a USL owner said. “MLS have backed themselves into a corner because how do you tell San Diego that they’re going to pay $500 million dollars (for an expansion fee) and maybe will get relegated?”

Quote via The Athletic

The two leagues are already at war with one another. The MLS’s creation of MLS Next Pro to compete directly with USL League One at the third-division level ended the amicable relationship between the two leagues that previously existed.

The MLS had held dominion over American soccer for nearly three decades. Could adding promotion and relegation allow the USL to compete with the MLS for American soccer supremacy? Only time will tell, but the USL looks poised to permanently alter soccer in the U.S.

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