Could the Future of MLS Have Relegation and Promotion?
By
Dan Holmes
Contributor Updated: 15 August 2024
Dan Holmes Contributor
Dan Holmes, a content creator and sports betting enthusiast, brings over a decade of experience to Betting.US. His extensive writing background spans from the internet to prestigious roles at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Dan’s articles, featured on numerous websites, cover various sports, from bowling to disc golf.
The Future of MLS
The increased popularity of soccer in North America has some wondering if MLS relegation could be in the plans for that league in the future. The notion of using promotion and relegation in the top soccer league (Major Soccer League) in North America might make a lot of sense.
Will MLS ever have relegation? The question might be answered soon, as league officials and team owners consider a strategy to elevate the league to a status where fans on this side of the Atlantic Ocean will turn their attention from the Premier League.
How Relegation and Promotion Works in Football
Let’s dive into the wild and wonderful world of promotion and relegation in soccer. Strap in, because this is where things get seriously exciting.
Picture this: You’ve got your typical soccer league, right? Teams battling it out week after week, trying to climb to the top of the standings. But here’s the twist – it’s not just about winning games. It’s about survival. Welcome to the world of promotion and relegation.
At the end of each season, the teams at the bottom of the league table get a not-so-friendly reminder that they’re on thin ice. These are the teams that have been struggling to keep up, racking up more losses than wins. And guess what? They’re about to face the ultimate consequence – relegation.
Relegation is like the soccer equivalent of getting kicked out of the cool kids’ club. These teams don’t just drop a few spots in the standings – oh no, they get sent packing to the league below. It’s a brutal reality check, but hey, that’s the beauty of the game.
Now, on the flip side, you’ve got promotion. This is where things get interesting. While some teams are fighting to stay afloat, others are clawing their way up from the depths below. These are the underdogs, the dark horses, the ones with fire in their eyes and dreams of glory.
In the lower leagues, there’s just as much drama as there is in the top flight. Every win, every goal, every moment matters. Because if you can prove yourself worthy, if you can rise above the competition, you’ll earn yourself a ticket to the big leagues. The excitement fuels activity at sportsbooks with MLS betting options.
But here’s the kicker – promotion and relegation aren’t just about the teams. They’re about the fans, the cities, the communities that live and breathe soccer. When your team gets promoted, it’s like winning the lottery. Suddenly, you’re rubbing shoulders with the big boys, taking on the best of the best.
And when your team gets relegated? Well, let’s just say it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a gut-wrenching experience, watching your beloved club fall from grace. But true fans stick by their team through thick and thin, ready to fight another day.
Promotion and relegation add a whole new layer of intensity to the beautiful game. It’s not just about winning trophies or racking up stats – it’s about the thrill of the chase, the agony of defeat, and the sheer joy of triumph. MLS relegation and promotion is not a reality: yet.
But wait, you might be thinking, does every soccer league use promotion and relegation? Ah, my friend, if only it were that simple. While promotion and relegation are a staple of soccer in many parts of the world, not every league embraces this rollercoaster ride of emotions.
In some countries, like the United States and MLS, leagues operate under a franchise system, where teams are more like businesses than traditional clubs. In these leagues, promotion and relegation are about as rare as a unicorn sighting.
But hey, that doesn’t mean the soccer isn’t still top-notch. It just means the drama plays out a little differently. Instead of fighting for promotion, teams battle it out for playoff spots and championship titles. It’s a different kind of excitement, but excitement nonetheless.
So, whether you’re cheering for your team to climb the ranks or holding your breath as they fight to avoid the drop, one thing’s for sure – promotion and relegation are what make soccer the greatest sport on earth. So here’s to the underdogs, the comeback kings, and the eternal quest for glory. May the best team win.
Major League Soccer: A Brief History
Major League Soccer (MLS) kicked off in 1996 with a bang, aiming to fill the soccer-shaped hole in American sports. Back then, soccer wasn’t exactly the hottest thing in the US sports scene. But hey, they had a vision, and they went for it.
The road to MLS wasn’t a smooth one. Before its birth, there were several attempts at starting a professional soccer league in the States, but none really hit the mark. Then came MLS, backed by some serious investment and the promise of making soccer a big deal in the land of baseball and football.
The inaugural season of MLS saw ten teams, and boy, was it an adventure. From shootouts to funky team names like the MetroStars and the Kansas City Wiz, it was like the Wild West of soccer. But you know what? It worked. People started paying attention, and the league began to grow.
Over the years, MLS expanded faster than a balloon at a birthday party. New teams popped up all over the country, from Seattle to Miami. Some were hits, others, well, not so much (*cough* Chivas USA *cough*).
One thing people often wonder about MLS is relegation. You know, that whole system where teams get demoted to a lower league if they stink it up enough? Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but nope, MLS doesn’t have relegation. It’s all about that American-style franchise system, where teams are in it for the long haul, for better or for worse.
But hey, who needs relegation drama when you’ve got the playoffs? MLS knows how to throw a party when it comes to the postseason. Every year, teams battle it out for the MLS Cup, and let me tell you, it’s always a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
Sure, MLS had its fair share of bumps along the way. The early days were rough, with teams folding faster than a cheap lawn chair. But they stuck it out, learned from their mistakes, and kept pushing forward.
Nowadays, MLS is a force to be reckoned with. The quality of play has improved, big-name players are flocking to the league, and soccer is finally getting the respect it deserves in the U.S.
So, does MLS have relegation? Nope, but it may not matter. With all the excitement and growth the league has seen over the years, there’s never a dull moment in the world of Major League Soccer. And you know what? That’s what makes it so darn fun to watch.
How Would MLS Promotion and Relegation Operate?
No soccer leagues in the United States (or competing in North America, meaning the U.S. and Canada), have utilized relegation and promotion. An MLS relegation system is a possibility, however, according to rumors from inside the league.
If the MLS adds relegation/promotion, it will need to create a second level of teams, or another entire league. The MLS, according to some reports is considering adding a second circuit, with as many as 10-12 teams, that would compete in a tiered system of MLS promotion and relegation.
With 29 teams currently, as of the 2024 season, the MLS has enough teams where it could support two or maybe even three levels for promotion and relegation if it expanded.
For example, the MLS could have a top tier called “MLS Elite” with 20 teams, a second tier called something like “Second League Soccer,” (SLS) with 12 teams, and a third tier with 12 teams. That would require 15 new teams in new markets, or possibly even the merging of the MLS system with USL Championship, which has 24 teams of its own currently.
USL Championship is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, and is classified as a Division II league, under MLS in an unofficial hierarchy. All that would need to happen is a formal merger of MLS and USL Championship into one system for promotion and relegation.
USL Championship has teams in markets that do not have an MLS presence, like Detroit, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Charleston, and Indianapolis. A merging of the leagues into a single hierarchy would extend MLS into more than 30 states, as well as multiple teams in Canada.
