NASL in favor of promotion-relegation system with MLS

Recently Major League Soccer president Mark Abbott made a strong declaration that a promotion and relegation system will never be adopted in America’s top-tier league. While they might not be in favor of it, North American Soccer League commissioner Bill Peterson is in favor of it.

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“There’s no denying the excitement it creates, not only following the top of the table but following the middle and bottom of the table as well in some of these leagues around the world,” Peterson said, via Sports Illustrated. “We find that to be very, very interesting, so we remain very open to that concept. It’s not something that we’re looking to do today. … We won’t comment on what others say, but we also want people to be clear that we’re still open to it. The concept that there will never be promotion and relegation in North America, we disagree with.”

Both leagues operate and run differently, and that could be a hurdle. There are probably some things that both leagues do that, when compromised and merged, could make American soccer more successful as a whole. It is hard not to understand Major League Soccer’s side of the argument though, with owners investing tens of millions of dollars to get a franchise and to basically relegated to a minor league for finishing at the bottom of the standings.

Clint Dempsey, Seattle Sounders and United States men’s national team superstar, said he can see both sides to the argument.

“If you ask me at different times I think differently about it. I like the idea of promotion and relegation in terms of any team can make something of themselves and move up and play at the highest level possible, like a Cinderella story,” Dempsey told Goal USA.

“What I don’t like about it is the way it changes how things are, and even though it’s business, it makes it even more cutthroat. When you’re playing, it’s always stress because if the team gets relegated then you’re not going to be playing in the best league, you’re going to be playing down a league. It’s going to affect people’s wages. It could affect that club in terms of what the future holds because they’ll have to sell some players and try to keep some players because you’re missing out on the money from TV deals.

“I can see reasons why both are good and both are bad, but I think the stress it adds to it can sometimes take away from the fun of the game. That’s coming from a kid’s perspective where you grow up and just play for the enjoyment. You try to find that balance of playing for the enjoyment and the love of the game, but at the end of the day it’s also a business, and cutthroat. There’s also that loyalty issue between clubs being loyal to players and players being loyal to clubs.”

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