Soccer never failed in the United States. Soccer always fails without promotion and relegation. I tell this inconvenient truth.
I find both sides of this coin interesting: 1.) MLS, their legal team and their allies will use this as evidence that any league can obtain a D1 sanction - if they meet the requirements. This will set forth a precedent that they hope covers them from legal action on antitrust grounds. 2.) Independent minds at US Soccer will see this as a ray of hope that another men’s league can establish a D1 sanction - along with a system of promotion and relegation supporters increasingly demand - to go with it. Heads they win. Tails we lose. Instead, we need an authentic and fully open system that appeals to both supporters and investors. Any league doing pro/rel with itself won’t fit that bill. That’s why some who are opposed to pro/rel support the league based imitation. They agree with me that it’s flawed idea that won’t work.
Soccer, intended as a battle between clubs, finds itself ensnared in a perilous deviation from its essence. The misguided presence of two division 1 "leagues" disrupts the sport's fabric, presenting a distorted version of competition. This dual-league paradigm, whether manifesting as a duopoly or monopoly, erects a formidable gatekeeper system. Far from embodying principles of freedom, opportunity, and merit, it operates as the antithesis, undermining the very core of fair play. It is imperative to confront this unsettling reality, challenging the status quo that prioritizes power structures over genuine competition. The call for a recalibration is loud – a return to a soccer landscape where clubs, not leagues, take center stage, fostering an environment that truly values meritocracy and the spirit of the game. https://lnkd.in/e7Gnkjt9
Somewhere, Francisco Marcos is sipping champagne 🍾
Founder at Futbol Academia
8moI agree with Cindy Parlow Cone and NWSL that it’s a good thing that USL SL brings all the D1 requisite resources to the game and provides more players more and better opportunities. And given USLs success on other fronts this league and its expansion has incredible potential and will only make NWSL better.