Before you get into the meat of this article, know that this is an editorial piece. This is my thoughts and opinions on a story, not new reporting. If you want real reporting on this story, click the link in the first sentence, Paul Tenorio did some great work.

According to Paul Tenorio, writing for The Athletic, USL owners have voted “to become the first professional soccer entity in the United States to adopt promotion and relegation.” This has also been confirmed today by an announcement today from the USL. Of course, this comes on the heels of the league announcing plans to create a division one league, with plans to begin play in 2027

For proponents of promotion/relegation, this is the news they’ve been waiting for. Fans of that approach to league management have long argued that the lack of such a system in the United States has limited and dampened the growth of the sport in the country. And while MLS has grown dramatically over the last 30 years, critics have long-complained about its use of the closed, single-entity system, which highlights stability and control over club movement and growth.

Proponents of MLS argued it was a necessary evil, used to stave off the consistent collapse of soccer clubs and leagues in the United States. And while that may have been true in the first decade, the last 15 years has seen MLS maximizing growth and control through the use of questionable club valuations and ballooning expansion fees. That approach appears to be infecting the NWSL’s model for growth as well.

And MLS fans (and NWSL fans to some extent) seem to have little problem with the flaws in their league’s approach. A limiting salary cap, seemingly-rigged free agent acquisitions, and skyrocketing ticket costs are glossed over by visits from an aging Messi or some other Euro has-been. This has been the model of many an American soccer league, but MLS has really taken it to the next level. Maybe that’s a little mean and a tad-unfair, but I am not an unbiased observer.

But before they get too high and mighty, USL has to admit they don’t have entirely clean hands. USL fan boys need to figure out how they feel about their league’s approach to territory rights (talk to any Chattanooga soccer fan for more details on that). Territory rights have certainly held back the growth of soccer in the United States and USL has to own that part of their approach. It is an issue that will definitely have to be sorted before the launch of pro/rel. One would assume they would have to scrap it entirely, but maybe there’s work-arounds.

A further issue that might get glossed over in all this was brought up by James Nalton, an excellent journalist from Europe, on social media. To quote his BlueSky post, “USL introducing promotion and relegation within and confined to its own leagues isn't an open system, unless there is a way into the lower divisions from outside USL.” This proposed implementation of pro/rel is still within a closed system that requires a buy-in. It is also only within USL’s three professional leagues (USL Premier, USL Championship, USL League One). This is a massive difference from what we see in other countries, where amateur sides can play up through a system to top tier. In the end, USL still controls who gets to play and who doesn’t.

The reality is that pro/rel is no panacea (regardless of what certain social media accounts may tell you). For all the glory of the Pro, there are crushing issues that come with the Rel. Tenorio smartly highlights that the USL’s financial model, which leans less on media rights and more on ticket sales, may make this move slightly easier, but there are some fans that will get hung up on playing in League One versus Championship. How many will stop buying tickets remains to be seen. We’re in uncharted waters here.

But no matter how jaded I’ve become over the last decade of covering soccer, I’m thrilled that USL is giving promotion/relegation a shot. The league has been very savvy in its growth over the last few years and I, for one, think there’s enough smart people in Tampa to make this thing work. Soccer nerds will certainly rejoice and hopefully investors will take note and get involved.

Just a closing note, cynically, I’m also ready for all the pro/rel diehards to shut up and start rooting for a soccer team playing in the United States. Some of you have made a living (probably the wrong word) decrying soccer in this country because of a single issue. Well, here’s your chance to be a fan instead of a critic.

- Dan Vaughn