Major League Soccer could consider a promotion/relegation structure once the organization expands to 40 teams.
Currently, the United States is one of the few countries in the world that does not have a pro/rel structure in its soccer leagues, despite having a fully developed soccer pyramid.
In an interview with AFP (via Yahoo), Charles Altchek – president of the reserve league MLS Next Pro – suggested the option of developing some sort of structure that would create two divisions within the MLS.
“We're still a ways away from that, but when you start playing with 40 teams, you have some scale there,” Altchek said.
'Would you consider adding a second division? If you get to that point, can we come up with some really creative, competitive formulas between the divisions?
The MLS could consider adding a second division if the top league grows to 40 teams
'Certainly between divisions two and three within Next Pro. And then the question is: what can you come up with that is really creative, including division one?'
The topic of promotion/relegation in American football – or lack thereof – is a frequently discussed topic among fans of the sport in the country.
Several proposals have been submitted for MLS, none of which have achieved any success in terms of implementation.
The concept has gained at least some traction within other competitions, but nothing has been adopted there either.
The United Soccer League operates three levels of competition – USL Championship, USL League One and USL League Two – and league president Paul McDonough says promotion/relegation up and down this system is “still on the table.”
But McDonough said there is “a lot of logistical work still to be done” and that has led to the vote on the issue being postponed from August to an unspecified date.
When it comes to promotion to the first division, the matter lies with US Soccer and FIFA. While wealthy owners may not like their teams being taken down, they can be overruled.
But if MLS really waits for 40 teams to join before implementing a pro/rel system, it could be a long time before such a structure is in place.
The president of MLS Next Pro thinks 'creative, competitive formats between divisions' could emerge if MLS decides to expand further in the coming years
The MLS will add a 30th team in 2025 when FC San Diego joins the league
Between 2013 and 2023, ten teams joined the MLS: Orlando City SC, New York City FC, Minnesota United FC, Atlanta United FC, Los Angeles FC, FC Cincinnati, Nashville SC, Inter Miami CF, Austin FC, Charlotte FC and St. Louis City SC.
The arrival of FC San Diego in 2025 will bring the league to 30 teams.
While it's possible there could be ten more teams in MLS by 2033, the question of ownership and cities with enough demand is worth discussing.
The eleven largest media markets without MLS teams (or incoming MLS teams) are Phoenix, Arizona; Tampa, FL; Detroit, MI; Cleveland, Ohio; Sacramento, California; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Indianapolis, Indiana; Pittsburg, PA; Baltimore, Maryland; and San Antonio, Texas.
All but Cleveland and Baltimore have teams competing in the USL Championship, and five of those markets (Tampa, Cleveland, Sacramento, Raleigh-Durham, Pittsburgh and San Antonio) are in states that already have MLS teams.
The next two largest markets with USLC teams are Hartford, Connecticut and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Synergy between the two leagues isn't as simple as just saying the worst teams in MLS go to the USLC. First, nine of the 29 MLS stadiums use non-natural turf, while ten of the 24 teams in the USLC use artificial turf.
Additionally, while PayPal Park in San Jose is the smallest stadium in the MLS with a capacity of 18,000, it is nearly six times the capacity of the USL's smallest stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex, home of the Charleston Battery with a capacity of 3,900.
Pro/rel between MLS and the second division USL Championship has not materialized
But beyond that, expanding to 40 teams is hardly a guarantee, especially in a league structured like the MLS currently is.
With the league winning its 30th team in a few years, they are closing in on a sweet spot in American sports. The NBA and MLB each have 30 teams, while the NHL and NFL each have 32.
Finding another ten markets with a hunger big enough to house an MLS team will be no easy task. Add to that a franchise fee of around half a billion dollars and it will be difficult to convince owners that it is even worth it.
Some, like FOX's Alexi Lalas, have suggested that the MLS buy the USL outright and merge the two leagues to create a pro/rel system.
But again, synergy and culture within the two leagues could make that a more difficult task than it sounds.