The debate over promotion and relegation (pro/rel, for short) has raged for years in the US, and recent events have brought it back into the spotlight. It therefore seems timely that your Dirty South Soccer staff should weigh in with their own takes on this hotly disputed issue.
The Case against Pro/Rel
By John Fuller
It’s probably not a secret to regular DSS readers that I hail from across the pond. I grew up with promotion and relegation. For me, it was the natural way to operate a sports league. So it might surprise some of you that I am not a proponent of introducing that system into the North American soccer scene. At least, not any time soon, and likely not for quite a long time.
Here’s the big reason it won’t work: the almighty dollar.
Money makes the soccer ball go round. Sport is a business, and there is only so much red ink team owners can tolerate. Most teams and leagues lose money; many go under. MLS was very close to that not so long ago. It costs a lot of money to run a major league sports team; worse, it costs a huge amount of money to get one. The current asking price for an MLS franchise is a rumored $200 million. The current cost at the second level of soccer is around $5 million. A top flight team is forty times more expensive than the next tier down. And that’s without all the other upfront costs of establishing a team.
Then there are the travel costs. The US and Canada are a pretty big land mass and air travel is a necessity. In fact, it’s not surprising that three of the youngest soccer leagues, MLS, the A-League in Australia and New Zealand, and India’s Indian Super League, all operate without pro/rel, considering the large areas they all comprise.
This also means the financial stability of the lower tiers in the soccer “pyramid” is a concern. Currently, we have two leagues at the second tier: the NASL and the USL. The NASL has been close to going under, and nearly lost its accreditation from US Soccer. It’s likely not a coincidence that the prime mover behind the current uproar over pro/rel, Riccardo Silva, owns Miami FC, an NASL franchise. The NASL is so weak that it has lost 9 teams over its existence, but currently has only 8. The USL, by contrast, seems in much better shape, and also has strong links to MLS.
Note, by the way, that the USL will establish its own D3 league in 2019 and will not have pro/rel between the two tiers. The NASL also does not have pro/rel.
Then there are practical matters. First, there are structural issues. MLS is a “single entity” and functions like a co-operative or a partnership. In Europe, relegated teams receive “parachute payments” to compensate for the loss of revenue. That won’t work under a franchise system, which focuses more on investment than income. The team’s franchise would have to be bought back, and the promoted teams would have to buy in to the partnership at the current value. Not going to happen.
Next, we have multiple leagues at D2. We currently have no recognized D3, but we will in 2018 (the National Independent Soccer Association, if it gets off the ground) and a second in 2019 (USL D3). Assuming all those leagues remain viable, how do you select which league a team gets promoted to or relegated from? And which teams?
Also, expansion is ongoing at all levels, and until that is fully stabilized, pro/rel makes no sense. Expansion teams normally struggle and stand a much greater chance of falling into the relegation zone. No one is going to shell out big money with that risk hanging over their head. Further, when does expansion stop?
Then there is the argument that pro/rel makes for more excitement at the bottom end of the table. That may be true, but it is also true that the middle of the table gets pretty boring late in the season. Playoff races, however, serve a similar function, keeping more than just 5 or 6 teams in the hunt for glory.
Finally, proponents argue that pro/rel is good for player development. But the system of affiliation between top tier teams and lower tier teams, which exists throughout US sports, serves the exact same function. There are plenty of problems stunting player development here, but pro/rel won’t fix them.
The Case for Pro/Rel
By Harry Harris
Like my colleague John, I also hail from the United Kingdom, but our stances on the promotion and relegation debate differ.
For the majority of soccer fans, Major League Soccer isn’t the only league that catches their attention. European leagues are the biggest in the world and the drama that unfolds in those leagues is exhilarating. One of the biggest talking points during a season in Europe happens to be the dreaded relegation battle.
My big reason for implementing pro/rel: Drama.
Major League Soccer doesn’t lack drama, but promotion/relegation would bring a lot more to the table for the league. One method that I’ve personally adopted is combining the 8 teams from NASL, and the 30 teams from USL, before splitting them into two leagues of 24 teams. Now most of the USL sides have MLS affiliates, which throws the idea into a bit of a predicament, but by allowing those teams to fight for promotion into MLS, affiliation can turn into more of a “parent club.”
By creating two divisions of 24 teams, it creates a stronger level of competition for the lower teams, who are fighting for their chance to be promoted into Major League Soccer. On the other hand, MLS teams who have seen their playoff chances end early in the season would suddenly have to fight for first division survival.
There are plenty of issues to figure out regarding promotion and relegation becoming a part of American soccer, such as the franchise system and the distance, but the idea of it is extremely appealing. While there is a substantial difference in quality between some MLS teams and NASL/USL sides, teams like Cincinnati FC and Miami FC have proven that they can handle their own and compete.
As expansion in soccer occurs all around the United States, what better way to introduce more competition and drama than to allow teams to fight for their futures?
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So those are our positions on the matter. Where do you stand? Vote in the poll below and let us know your opinions in the comments.