re: NASL, NPSL teams file with CAS to introduce pro/rel in U.S. soccer

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Draconian, what would be your timeline be for instituting pro/rel? If you were the powers that be, how would you do it?

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#1 I would say okay we're going to have pro/rel in 5 years. This would give MLS and everybody a timeline to work towards as I dont think it would be fair to just drop it on everyone overnight. If MLS or any other league doesn't want to participate they don't have to, but they will be operating as an unsanctioned league.

We'll just say for our purposes that MLS, NASL, USL, and NPSL all agree to be involved and those are your 4 main leagues in our pyramid, in that order.

#2 I would utilize the Mexico style of a 3 year rolling "score" by which clubs are relegated from a league. I understand that the US is still a "young" soccer country in many ways and I'm not interested in punishing a club over one bad season, which may be more due to bad luck than anything else. Using this system relegates only those clubs that are consistently struggling to compete at their division level. You may even have years where nobody is relegated.

For example. Lets say the Colorado Rapids are relegated and the San Francisco Deltas are promoted. San Francisco would not be "eligible" for relegation until 3 full years in MLS. They they finish bottom in the MLS West those first 2 years then nobody would be relegated as the bottom club in that conference isn't eligible for relegation at that point.

#3 It would have to be regionalized. The US being wayyyyyy bigger than other countries makes a pro/rel system that doesnt take geography into account untenanble. From MLS I would relegate 1 club from each conference down to NASL, which would need to have conferences set up as well. Relegation from NASL to USL and USL to NPSL would probably be even more geographic specific. You'd also probably have to start pro rel between USL and NPSL for a year or two before incorporating it with NASL and then another year or two before bringing in MLS.