40 cities MLS 1/MLS 2

You might want to retitle this thread so people realize it's going to turn into that argument about promotion/relegation in the US... again.

I don't think it's possible for a long, loooooong time because the current league structure relies on enticing owners to pay 100mil up front just to have a team. If that team could then be relegated to a lower division the very next year, would they want in?

Think about how relegation/promotion would work in other major American sports leagues. Seriously. Apply it to football. The Saints would currently be stuck at pee wee level due to the awesomeness that was the 60s through the early 2000s. While I would personally be ok seeing the Buffalo Bills relegated to the CFL, I think that would be a hard sell to Jerry Jones and the Cowboys.

I want soccer to develop in our country. For the time being, and for the foreseeable future, I think avoiding the introduction of promotion/relegation is in our best interests, because we need MLS to grow and flourish for soccer in our country to keep gaining in popularity (as it does every year). For promotion/relegation to work, there really needs to be a grassroots love for the game, in major markets all throughout the country, with teams that truly represent the community and maintain an emotional connection with the fans. We are a good ways off from that day.

Everything cwil177 said.

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promotion/relegation system?

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Will never work with the American franchise model.

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Or is it not possible because of the greed of the owners who wouldn't stand for buying a franchise and being in a "lesser" league?

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Answered your own question