USL Votes to Bring Promotion and Relegation to the US
Image courtesy of The Athletic
By Griffin Cappiello
Just weeks following the announcement of the United Soccer League (USL)’s intention to start a new Division I soccer league in the US, league owners voted to become the first professional American sports league to implement a system of promotion and relegation.
“Promotion and relegation transforms the competitive landscape of American soccer,” said USL’s President and Chief Soccer Officer (CSO) Paul McDonough in a press release. “This shift challenges the status quo and brings a level of excitement and relevance that can elevate the game across the country.”
Currently, USL operates two professional leagues: the Division II USL Championship and Division III USL League One. With the proposed addition of the new Division I league in 2027, USL plans to implement promotion and relegation between the three leagues in 2028.
The addition of promotion and relegation would put the USL on par with other soccer leagues all over the world; this is the most common league system used worldwide. In short, the worst-performing teams move down to a lower league, while the best-performing teams from the lower league move up.
Americans have been hesitant to adopt this system from other parts of the world, though the USL has had discussions of implementing the system in the past. American soccer fans will note that Major League Soccer (MLS) does not use promotion and relegation, instead operating with a single-entity, closed-league model more in line with other American sports leagues.
The USL, as McDonough mentioned, hopes to break this norm by introducing promotion and relegation to American sports fans. US Soccer has strict standards for each of its professional leagues, and some suggest that promotion and relegation could inspire a potential change to the standards.
This announcement is not without its critics. Owners and fans alike share concerns of the financial viability of both the clubs and the USL itself. While some may point to the success of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham AFC as an indicator of the benefits of promotion, teams like Sunderland have struggled through financial woes as a result of relegation.
As is, teams in the USL are already not financially stable; three different teams ceased operations in the last two years alone. Additionally, they do not have the decades of history and support that European teams have. If a USL team is relegated, there is no guarantee that fans will continue to attend matches in a lower league, unlike in European soccer in which fans will support teams through good times and bad.
Furthermore, the USL still needs to compete with MLS, other American sports leagues, and other non-American soccer leagues for viewership. While promotion and relegation should boost the reputation of the USL among fans that watch non-European leagues, it cannot be denied that the average USL match attendance pales in comparison to that of MLS.
On his podcast with Landon Donovan, Tim Howard, the legendary former goalkeeper for Everton and the US Men’s National Team, also made the argument that Americans don’t watch second division teams, regardless of the sport. He makes a good point—nobody gets fired up to go watch an NBA G League game. If a USL team is relegated, the few fans that do attend matches may no longer feel inclined to do so.
It is clear that the USL and US Soccer have some work to do before promotion and relegation becomes a reality in American soccer, but that is not to say that it will be a failure. Promotion and relegation is an entirely new and different system for the average American sports fan, so the USL will almost certainly capture the attention of sports fans who may not ordinarily be interested in soccer. It might be a good idea to claim a USL team now so you are at no risk of being accused of bandwagoning when your local team makes a promotion push in the near future!
