What if MLS & USL had used relegation & promotion in 2016?
A long debated topic for North American soccer, what if the MLS and USL had been under the relegation and promotion system for 2016?
Outside of expansion, the relegation and promotion system used around the world is the most discussed MLS topic throughout the years. There are many points both for and against the structure at this junction in the league’s growth.
Those in favor point to the way soccer/football is built around the world, increasing the interest in the bottom of the table, and overall interest as small clubs have a chance to advance upward.
While, opponents to the move would point out the huge investment made my recent expansion sides and their fear of dropping, or that second tier teams and stadiums aren’t built for MLS standards yet.
Either way, nothing is changing this year or anytime soon. However, what if 2016 had used a relegation and promotion system between the MLS and USL?
Who drops out of the MLS in 2016?
The bottom three clubs in the full league table get removed.
- Chicago Fire – Dead last in the table with 31 points and only seven wins all season.
- Houston Dynamo – Last place in the West with 34 points, only two road wins see them drop.
- Columbus Crew – It came down to the last weekend, but the Crew stay below the red line (36 points) as San Jose survive (38 points).
2016 was a tough year for former champions, as all three clubs who drop into the USL had won the MLS Cup. Now comes the test for their fan base and owners as they battle among new clubs and second squads from their former MLS counterparts.
Welcome to the MLS…
Note, just like in La Liga, Barcelona 2 cannot be promoted into the top division. The USL is full of high performing second teams from the MLS, which made promotion interesting.
- Louisville City FC – Three of the top four finishers in the playoffs were MLS-second teams. Thus Louisville’s spot in the final four earn them a spot in the big leagues.
- Rochester Rhinos – Four additional clubs made the quarterfinals and loss, but Rochester was the highest seed of those, giving New York another team.
- Charleston Battery – Having beat Cincinnati in the first round, the Battery hold on to the final spot. Adding another southeast team to the MLS to join Atlanta in 2017.
Rochester and Charleston have long histories and will have the fan base to help support them in year one. Louisville is part of a new breed of recent USL clubs that can likely growing quickly, similar to Orlando during their move up.
Next: USMNT Keeper Brad Guzan to join Atlanta United in 2017
Had 2016 been the start of relegation and promotion you can be assured that the three MLS clubs would have spent more to stay up. But then how would that impact club finances without the TV money of the EPL to help ensure organizations don’t go bankrupt?
Three former MLS champs are out, and 2017 would have been stock full of new clubs with the three from the USL, plus Minnesota and Atlanta. Would those two have been the last buy-in expansions?
Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.