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Pro/Rel questions
Posted on 7/9/26 at 10:43 am
Posted on 7/9/26 at 10:43 am
I see a lot of talk and chatter that the US soccer pyramid is nonfunctional because it doesn't embrace pro/rel like the Euro leagues.
This isn't a flame. It's a genuine question. What major advantage would pro/rel have with introducing it to the US pyramid? Why would MLS become a better product and produce more/better/talented players if Minnesota United could get swapped out for FC Chattanooga at the end of the year?
Maybe more succinctly, what would be added by potentially destabilizing the nature/roster of the MLS teams?
This isn't a flame. It's a genuine question. What major advantage would pro/rel have with introducing it to the US pyramid? Why would MLS become a better product and produce more/better/talented players if Minnesota United could get swapped out for FC Chattanooga at the end of the year?
Maybe more succinctly, what would be added by potentially destabilizing the nature/roster of the MLS teams?
6
Posted on 7/9/26 at 10:59 am to RoyalAir
The argument for relegation is that the huge financial loss of potential relegation forces clubs to focus / invest more on youth development.
Mainly to have youth assets ready to step in and play if relegated and ones that can be sold. Also, relegation battles in Europe usually see a lot of youth players being given more first team minutes/chances.
I follow Serie A, but sure the other leagues are similar. One of the main places you see young players "break out" is playing for Serie B clubs fighting for promotion too.
Mainly to have youth assets ready to step in and play if relegated and ones that can be sold. Also, relegation battles in Europe usually see a lot of youth players being given more first team minutes/chances.
I follow Serie A, but sure the other leagues are similar. One of the main places you see young players "break out" is playing for Serie B clubs fighting for promotion too.
This post was edited on 7/10/26 at 1:24 pm
Posted on 7/9/26 at 11:00 am to RoyalAir
It would financially incentive owners to try and develop players to sell them, to win, and to be the best.
Right now, that incentive is not there.
Right now, that incentive is not there.
Posted on 7/9/26 at 11:04 am to BamaCoaster
quote:
Right now, that incentive is not there.
Here’s looking at you, Sporting KC!
Posted on 7/9/26 at 11:33 am to RoyalAir
USL will be introducing pro/rel in 2028. We'll see how that goes in terms of putting pressure on the MLS to come to the table in hopes of absorbing USL and creating pro/rel across 4 divisions.
Not sure it will, but crazier things have happened
Not sure it will, but crazier things have happened
Posted on 7/9/26 at 11:55 am to BamaCoaster
quote:
financially incentive owners to try and develop players to sell them, to win
Correct
Posted on 7/10/26 at 12:03 pm to RoyalAir
The tanking to get first pick is bush league shite.
Obviously you can't do relegation trying to grow the league and get investors.
But we reward losers in this country.
Obviously you can't do relegation trying to grow the league and get investors.
But we reward losers in this country.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 12:08 pm to RoyalAir
Relegation can lead to financial ruin. American sports are about the owners making money. Will never happen.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 3:52 pm to RoyalAir
In current sports like the NFL and NBA doing poorly gives you the benefit of better draft picks. With no threat of losing your place in the league there is a benefit to tanking once it is clear the season is over.
With promotion/relegation the hungry teams/owners advance up the pyramid towards the top, while the complacent ones get bounced down. There's a tremendous incentive to both reinvest the money made by the team, tv deals, merch, player sales etc into improving the team both by adding big name players to the roster (often from other leagues) and by developing your youth players to either become new faces of the team, or sold to other leagues to help fund the team's ambition.
So it creates a farm system that is sharpened over time, and relegation is such a threat (loss of tv revenue etc) that teams have an incentive to be competitive.
With promotion/relegation the hungry teams/owners advance up the pyramid towards the top, while the complacent ones get bounced down. There's a tremendous incentive to both reinvest the money made by the team, tv deals, merch, player sales etc into improving the team both by adding big name players to the roster (often from other leagues) and by developing your youth players to either become new faces of the team, or sold to other leagues to help fund the team's ambition.
So it creates a farm system that is sharpened over time, and relegation is such a threat (loss of tv revenue etc) that teams have an incentive to be competitive.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 4:48 pm to Broski
quote:If a league pro/rels in a forest and no one is around to watch it, does it induce pressure?
USL will be introducing pro/rel in 2028. We'll see how that goes in terms of putting pressure on the MLS
There isn’t going to be a surge in watching play that’s inferior to MLS in small tiny markets just because they have pro/rel. And the first relegated USL teams are really going to feel it when they’re pushed to insolvency
I would give it 1-2 seasons before they realize they have to can it. They don’t have the stability in support
Posted on 7/10/26 at 6:35 pm to AUin02
quote:
In current sports like the NFL and NBA doing poorly gives you the benefit of better draft picks. With no threat of losing your place in the league there is a benefit to tanking once it is clear the season is over. With promotion/relegation the hungry teams/owners advance up the pyramid towards the top, while the complacent ones get bounced down. There's a tremendous incentive to both reinvest the money made by the team, tv deals, merch, player sales etc into improving the team both by adding big name players to the roster (often from other leagues) and by developing your youth players to either become new faces of the team, or sold to other leagues to help fund the team's ambition. So it creates a farm system that is sharpened over time, and relegation is such a threat (loss of tv revenue etc) that teams have an incentive to be competitive.
Relegation only helps the very top because the lower end are constantly having to take shortcuts to avoid financial ruin.
Compare the variety of champions across any of the big 3 us leagues recently compared to bundesliga ligue 1 serie A or La liga.
This post was edited on 7/10/26 at 6:41 pm
Posted on 7/10/26 at 6:35 pm to RemouladeSawce
quote:
I would give it 1-2 seasons before they realize they have to can it. They don’t have the stability in support
Could do something like the prem does with parachute payments.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 6:40 pm to Bigbens42
Great idea for a fledgling league to pay teams that aren’t in it.
Definitely going to work
Definitely going to work
Posted on 7/10/26 at 7:32 pm to RemouladeSawce
quote:
I would give it 1-2 seasons before they realize they have to can it. They don’t have the stability in support
Considering there isn't a drastic CBA difference in salaries currently between USL Championship and USL League One, they can definitely support arbitrarily moving up and down divisions without their current payroll really changing all that much.
With that said, you're correct in saying that pro/rel won't suddenly make the USL compete with MLS in terms of viewership... no matter how many times SCH has said it would on here.
This post was edited on 7/11/26 at 12:41 am
Posted on 7/11/26 at 8:12 am to Broski
MLS has to get viewership up on the broadcast level. .ore eyes on the tube leads to more sponsors. I'd keep the hydration breaks.....could be prime commercial revenue times.
More money coming in would lead to a lot of positive things. Also, as much as many want to move the season in line with Europe, that would be a suicide moment. Competition with the NBA and MLB is far easier than compering with the NFL, CFB and NBA
More money coming in would lead to a lot of positive things. Also, as much as many want to move the season in line with Europe, that would be a suicide moment. Competition with the NBA and MLB is far easier than compering with the NFL, CFB and NBA
Posted on 7/11/26 at 10:36 am to KiwiHead
quote:Well we're about to watch a death because that's happening next season
Also, as much as many want to move the season in line with Europe, that would be a suicide moment
This post was edited on 7/11/26 at 10:49 am
Posted on 7/11/26 at 11:46 am to RemouladeSawce
quote:
Well we're about to watch a death because that's happening next season
This is a big reason that I'm glad to see Garber go, obviously he's been amazing for the league & had his day, but the last few years it feels like MLS has completely stagnated because of decisions like this.
Posted on 7/11/26 at 12:13 pm to RemouladeSawce
The physical distances between teams and travel also play a role in how a promotion/relegation system would work here. The entire UK is roughly the size of Michigan. The largest country in Western Europe, France, is a little smaller than Texas. To make any true promotion/relegation system more feasible, we would probably have to regionalize lower tiers and keep the top league as the nationwide league.
Posted on 7/12/26 at 8:14 am to RemouladeSawce
What a colossally stupid move. I understand the reasons for it, but in the US competing with the NFL, CFB and the NBA is suicide due to sheer stupidity. It should be part of that show "1000 ways to Die" Right up there with the guy who injected himself with the chem light gel so he could make his veins glow while DJ.
NFL owns Sunday and Monday night and halfway has Thursday night. CFB owns Saturday. What are they going to do....Wednesday Night Soccer?
Keep it in Spring and Summer and into the early to mid Fall. Less people like baseball and the NBA than NFL and CFB.
NFL owns Sunday and Monday night and halfway has Thursday night. CFB owns Saturday. What are they going to do....Wednesday Night Soccer?
Keep it in Spring and Summer and into the early to mid Fall. Less people like baseball and the NBA than NFL and CFB.
Posted on 7/12/26 at 8:55 am to Broski
I can't wait for this.
I think all sports should have it.
I think all sports should have it.
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