MLS Shuns Promotion/Relegation Even for Future Speculation
by Geoff Gibson on Apr 21, 2011 11:04 AM PDT
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PrintNot like it's a huge surprise to anybody, but MLS has come out and acknowledged this morning to the Associated Press that they are neither exploring, nor are they interesting in pursuing a a promotion/relegation system for the league now or in the future. Here is the exact quote from MLS president Mark Abbott:
"[P]romotion-relegation is not something we're looking at. I don't see that in the future, certainly in any reasonable future for us.''
Honestly, this really shouldn't be a shock to anybody. MLS is a closed system currently making the whole idea of promotion and relegation impossible. The mere thought of dropping below to the NASL is an unthinkable move right now for MLS owners, especially ones that recently put up between $30-$40 million to get into the league.
The only way such a system could work is if MLS went out and created or bought it's own second division soccer league and dubbed it MLS 2. Such a system would still be closed, television revenues would still be split and after a few years without a pro/rel system to build up the second division's numbers and popularity they could gradually introduce it. It's the only viable way currently.
Given that MLS is still actively pursuing teams to add to its first division (Montreal Impact in 2012) the idea they're even conceiving creating or buying an "MLS 2" D2 league is outlandish at best. My best, most generous estimate puts the implementation of pro/rel at 2030... and that's if everything from this point on goes absolutely perfect for the league in terms of financial viability, popularity, and television ratings.
[via Sports Illustrated]
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Lame
but, as you said, not really unexpected. I’d really like to see this implemented at some point in the future because it’s probably my favorite thing about the European leagues, but it’s not really viable at this point.
"Everything's gonna be awesome." -Ken Oberkfell
"ARSHAVIN IS MAGIC" -Brooks Peck
by Thomas Wachtel on Apr 21, 2011 11:10 AM PDT reply actions
Relegation
I’m okay without Relegation in the MLS. It’s different from the rest of the world and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I understand purists would be upset, but relegation/promotion opens up a brand new can of worms and soccer isn’t the most popular sport in the US at the moment, and it may never be. It would be awful to see a team promoted that plays in some high school football stadium with god awful lines all over the field.
no need for it
there is no need for relegation at this point and besides the talent pool in the US is not deep enough to run a true 2nd division.
I think the MLS has it right lets develop the best players we have now, using the MLS, sell the few that have it, to the european leagues for big money, and keep the MLS healthy.
dg
Cascadia alone is 5 times the size of England....
let that sink in for a bit….5x of England.
silent observer....
Not only that
Oregon alone is larger than the entire United Kingdom.
Also
Of the Professional sports we have in Oregon the oldest in the Blazers est. 1970. The oldest in England is Sheffield FC est. 1857. Fans are more set in the fandom then we are and will follow the team no matter what division they are in.
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
More fun geography facts!
While the UK is smaller than Oregon in total land area, it’s population is over 16x larger and almost twice that of California.
by Boz86 on Apr 21, 2011 5:42 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Now this might be the better future
If the popularity of the sport gets widespread enough. As somebody noted, that may never happen here in the states.
Develop 20 dividions in geographic regions in US and Canada and each years league champion plays the following season in the 20 team MLS as well.
Then you would have like a Cascadia region of Eugene, Salem, Portland, Vancouver, Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle, Spakane, Vancouver BC, Victoria, Bellingham you get what I am getting at here. Local rivalries build into qualyfing leagues every season, that could be fun…
This would be a way out time line kind of plan, but it addresses the fan rivalry/travel problem we face as such a large country (honestly how many people can make it to Columbus Ohio unless you have family there to see too, like me) while maintainting a top flight league…
"What and how much had I lost by trying to do only what was expected of me instead of what I myself had wished to do?"
— Ralph Ellison (Invisible Man)
with about
25% their population.
Scoreboards, not billboards.
Regular season, not pre-season.
I'm not holding my breath for promotion/relegation.
But I do wish they’d do away with the conferences and move to a single table. Doesn’t sound likely from that article.
Or, If they are going to do conferences then actually build the playoff system around that fact
"What and how much had I lost by trying to do only what was expected of me instead of what I myself had wished to do?"
— Ralph Ellison (Invisible Man)
Good
Hopefully we never have to talk about it again.
by pecorasc on Apr 21, 2011 7:23 PM PDT reply actions 5 recs
I love the idea of promotion and relegation eventually being a part of the United States major soccer league simply because it’s one of the bigger draws of the sport world-wide – and that would guarantee that we’d move to a single table – but if it happens before the league’s 30th anniversary or so assuming the slow but steady rate of growth we’ve seen for so long, than the league will be dead within a year.
This league can barely keep fans in the seats for some of the teams as it is, lets see how terrible the fan-bases of the Revolution or Chivas dwindle if the teams get sent down. There’s not enough football-loving places to put franchises to get even a ten team second level of the pyramid, either. If a team like San Antonio or St. Louis or something got promoted and only had 4000 people in the stands, it would be just pathetic.
The 2011 Colorado Rockies - Starring Johnny Herrera as THE ANSWER
Burgundy Wave - SBnation's Colorado Rapids site
Mountain roads, take me home, to the place where I belong...
Crystal Palace FC - Eternally a point from relegation (._. )
In other news, @Soccerreformer on twitter is one of my favorite people ever
The 2011 Colorado Rockies - Starring Johnny Herrera as THE ANSWER
Burgundy Wave - SBnation's Colorado Rapids site
Mountain roads, take me home, to the place where I belong...
Crystal Palace FC - Eternally a point from relegation (._. )
He was trying to placate The Blatter infection
Just trying to get the US the World Cup bid.
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
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