I’ve always wondered how a relegation system came to be in other parts of the world, yet the US has failed to picked up on it. We have multiple football (soccer) leagues (i.e. the MLS, USL first div, and USL second div) similar to other nations of the world. I think it would be interesting to at least give it a try, if not completely change systems. I don’t know all of what it would take for something like this to actually happen. I’m sure there would need to be some sort of agreement between the leagues before something like this could ever happen in America. I think it may make football more interesting in the U.S. and the concept is very different than to what we’re used to when every team remains in the same league for every year no matter how bad they were in the season. So what does it mean to be relegated? In case some reading may not know, in leagues such as the Spanish League where the bottom three teams at the end of the season are relegated to Spain’s “Segunda League.” The bottom three teams meaning the three teams with the lowest amount of points. While at the same time the top three teams from the Segunda are promoted to Spain’s La Liga. The same idea could work for the three leagues we have here. For example, the MLS would be the United States’ first division or USPL (United States Premier League), USL first division would be the league below the MLS, and the USL second division would be the lowest league. (Source: ESPNsoccernet.com)
This is an example using the Spanish League results from last season. The teams highlighted in red are teams who were relegated and are now playing in Spain’s Segunda.
So how would this work in the U.S.? We’ll use 2008’s season results as an example and implement them into this year to see. If I were designing it, here’s how I would do it. The top two teams from the USL second division would be promoted to the USL first division. From the end of 2008 those two teams would be the Charlotte Eagles and the Richmond Kickers. Charlotte and Richmond would be promoted to the USL first division this year. From the USL’s first division the Atlanta Silverbacks and Portland Timbers would be relegated to the USL second division. In addition to those relegations, the Puerto Rico Islanders and Vancouver Whitecaps would be promoted to the MLS. Finally from the MLS, the LA Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes would be relegated to the USL first division based off of last year’s final standings. That’s all there is to it. It would introduce new teams into the league every season, and more teams would be able to play in the MLS without having “expansion teams.” Once relegated does not mean always relegated. Perhaps the Galaxy or San Jose did well in the USL first division and were one of the top two, then they would be back in the MLS the following year. However, if they were to be among the bottom two in the USL first division, down they would go to the USL second division. There has to be a stopping point as to how low one can go and that would be the USL second division. The bottom two teams cannot be relegated any farther than the second division.
However, there are a few big problems with this at the moment. One of them being that the MLS is still adding “expansion teams.” Philadelphia is to be added in 2010, and Portland and Vancouver are yet to be added in 2011. The MLS is supposed to expand to 20 teams by 2012.
These guys plus two more are supposed to be introduced into the MLS by 2012.
Once those teams are in, the MLS would need to stop with the expansions. End it! Two, the MLS would have to rid themselves of Western and Eastern Conferences. I don’t know what the fascination is, other than grouping teams based on their location. It’s understandable to want to have teams play close to one another, and that may be an issue with this idea going forward (money = traveling expenses). However, for this to work, East and West must go. The reason is because the two teams who would be promoted from the USL first division each year may overload one conference and/or deplete the other. If we used the example from 2008’s season, the Western Conference would have lost two teams in L.A. and San Jose, and the Eastern Conference would have gained one extra (Puerto Rico) while the Western Conference would have gained only one back (Vancouver). It wouldn’t make sense to place both promoted teams in the conference that was depleted because the conferences are all based off of location, so the MLS would need to get rid of East and West. Another issue is with the powers that be from the MLS, and USL divisions. I’m not exactly sure of what would need to be done between them or if any type of agreement would need to take place before this could happen, but I do know it must start with them.
Don Garber (left) MLS commissioner and Francsico Marcos (right) USL commissionermight need to have a little “pow-wow” and discuss relegation coming to America.
Another problem may be with the actual popularity of the sport here at this moment. The overall popularity may not be enough, but the overall popularity may increase with some sort of relegation system. Another issue is with the amount of matches played. Currently in the MLS, teams such as the K.C. Wizards will play the N.Y. Red Bull many more times than they will play someone from the West. With the new system since East and West will be eliminated, there will be no need to overload one team’s schedule with teams from one side of the country. With 20 teams by 2012, why not a round robin where each team plays each other twice (one home and one away)? That’s 38 matches, compared to the 28 if each team played each other twice now, and to the 30 the teams will eventually play by season’s end. Another issue is the question of when would they begin the league and when would it end? We are one of a handful of nations in the northern hemisphere who begin their league when a lot of the others are finishing up. I guess you could say the “norm” (what I’m used to) is to begin in July/August and end in May which is what the majority of Europe does. But would beginning in April and ending in October be enough time to fit in 38 matches? Perhaps, but the playoffs would need to be dropped as well, another American “norm.”
The MLS has a tournament structure similar to the FA Cup of England and the Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) of Spain and that’s our U.S. Open Cup. The U.S. Open Cup has all of the professional soccer teams from the United States playing in one big tournament. Though the number of teams competing are very small compared to England’s 700+ teams, it’s the same basic idea. With all of the USL and MLS teams co-mingling in a tournament where some USL teams have beaten MLS teams in the past, present, and will in the future. realizing this, sparked the idea (in me) that soon could be a great opportunity to introduce a relegation system into United States soccer. It also made me think, “why hasn’t the U.S. done this yet?” I believe it would make football here a little more interesting because, one, it’s a new system for many in this country. Probably 50 to 60 percent of the U.S. population who follow sports are not familiar with what a relegation system might be. For me, and I’m sure football savvy fans/players in the U.S., we think it’s the way soccer is meant to be structured. It’s time to move U.S. soccer away from the East-West Conferences, “All-Star games”, and playoffs that every other sport and “sport” in America uses. Also, it’s a great chance to see new teams in the MLS without expansion (after the current expansion is complete). We won’t see the same teams in the league every year, thus a poor team in the MLS this year (i.e. the New York Red Bull) won’t be in the MLS next season. This may also help motivate some of the players to be more competitive and managers to take their job more seriously. It sounds stupid, but the idea of being relegated to a “lesser league” shouldn’t sound all that great to any team/player/manager/fan. Honestly, who wants to dominate a in the USL first or second division year in and year out? Wouldn’t it be better for your team to be rewarded for their supremacy in a weaker league by being promoted into a tougher league? Well…I think it would and so do most of the leagues around the world.
There is also a potential negative “side effect” of implementing a relegation system here in the U.S. The fans would benefit/detriment from knowing what it feels like to have the team you love drop down to a lesser league because they couldn’t cut it in the “premier” division. This may actually turn fans away from the sport or even their team wondering “just who in the world decided to replace the old system and why?” Remember we Americans are used to seeing the same 30 teams in baseball’s top league every year, the same 32 teams in American football’s top league every year, the same 30 teams in hockey’s top league, and the same 30 teams in basketball’s top league every single year with some variability with moving franchises or expansion teams. So the poorest MLS team the N.Y. Red Bull who have 14 points and are 4-4-16 as of (1 September) will be back at it next April regardless if they lose the remainder of their matches. We (as well as their fan base) will see them back in the MLS next year. As Americans, we’re used to that. The idea of a team being punished for being so abysmal may not sit so well with some fans. There’s also the risk of Americans just flat out hating a relegation system not due to the fact that their team was relegated, but just on principle, because it’s a change and believe it or not people…people generally don’t like change. Another negative that I’ve mentioned before is money. Many MLS teams don’t have too much funding (because of the relatively low popularity and other factors) and traveling 18 times a year may not be in one’s budget.
A lot of changes have been mentioned as well as potential problems that may arise before relegation can work, but I believe that the eventual pay off will be beautiful. The ingredients are there and everything is set up for a relegation system to happen in the United States, the question is, who is willing to open their eyes and put it together? It will make the league more interesting.
Posted by Adam 
Posted by Adam 
The MLS is nearing the All-Star break (Wednesday), but this World Challenge thing has been a little interesting. Seattle against Chelsea was something I want to see more of! MLS vs. EPL or MLS vs. La Liga (5 August vs. Barcelona!!!). Though Chelsea is in their preseason and Seattle is in midseason, it showed how far some MLS teams need to go to reach a preseason level of a great EPL squad. Seattle did fairly well, Ljungberg seemed to be the only player who had that extra gear to play up to Chelsea. I wanted Montero to do well in that game, he has such potential. 
Inter Milan has surprisingly lost two (though one is technically counted as a draw), and A.C. Milan looked very, very sloppy against Club America. But, they are in preseason and the managers are looking to see who’ll fill in some spots or who may take over a spot. While the normal starting players are looking to get their fitness and touch back. Club America look very sharp as did Chelsea against Inter. A.C. Milan looks like the most sluggish team, but how can you expect them to replace Kaka? Congratulations to Onyewu for sporting the rossoneri’s jersey. Boa sorte em Italia Onyewu!! 
I completely forgot that there was a vacancy in defense after a legend (Paolo Maldini) retired at 41. Somebody at right back has some impossible boots to fill. I’ve enjoyed watching Chelsea, Inter, Milan, and Club America, but I just wish we didn’t have to listen to the American commentators. Harkes seemed to wet himself whenever another player came off the bench from Chelsea and Inter Milan. Yes, they have great players but every single player on their roster is not spectacular. I can bet $1,000,000 that JP Dellacamera will reminisce/suck up to John Harkes about his career at some point in the next match they do together. Every match they call together, it’s like clockwork. Alexi Lalas, don’t understand the pairing with Derrick Rae for the Milan-America match. Lalas seems like the average beginner American fan who appreciates the goals rather than the game itself. Perhaps I’ll mute the next match I watch to solve these annoyances.
Oh yeah, Beckham gets booed after returning from Milan. The fans have every right to boo him, yet Beckham has every right to do what he’s doing. Beckham wants to play for England in next year’s World Cup, and playing games only with the Galaxy in the MLS will not keep Beckham in top form for that competition and give him the best chance to make Capello’s squad. Think about it. Let’s say an aging LeBron James was bought by an British basketball club for a substantial amount of money, to help make basketball more popular in England. Turns out LeBron wants to play in one more Olympics for the USA. Do you think he would spend most of his time in England playing for a team in a 6-year old league, or do you think he would go to the NBA and play as much as humanly possible there, then go back to England just to keep in shape and/or play games? 
For me his (Beckham’s) country comes first. He wants to play for his country and be the best he possibly can be for his country in the biggest competition in the world next summer. Playing in the MLS for extended periods of time will not cut it especially with the players England has. Perhaps Beckham’s leaving and staying in Milan wouldn’t have been an issue if Beckham’s home country was the U.S. The fans have every right to be angry, but more of that anger should be directed at their management and at sponsors who payed (wasted) $250 million for Beckham’s services. Also, he was bought injured in his first season. Who buys damaged goods for $250 million? I never thought he was worth that much, heck, Cristiano Ronaldo (my favorite player) is not worth the $130 million Real Madrid paid for him, nor is Kaka worth $100+ million Real Madrid paid for him as well. That’s another story for another time. The Galaxy are lucky to have Beckham on their roster.
Posted by Adam 
