If MLS had promotion/relegation...

**profit89** · 08-30-2008, 01:08 PM

I did an analysis of the last 3 seasons and asked which team would have been relegated had MLS instituted promotion/relegation along the lines of the Mexican League: whereby the relegated team is determined by computing the points-per-game-played ratio for each team, considering all the games played by the team during the last three seasons. The team with the lower ratio is relegated.

That team would have been Colorado.

Not surprised. By far, the most mismanaged team.

Supposing we had pro/rel with USL, I then asked which team would have been promoted for this year. Answer: you guessed it, Seattle Sounders.

What team would you rather have in your premier league? Seattle or Colorado?

Now, before people start up with the pro/rel is not feasible, MLS is not yet profitable, this IS NOT what the thread is about. The question is which team would you rather have?

People will say the league cant survive a NY or LA going down. That's not the question here, but I disagree anyway. They deserve to go down if they've been mismanaged for 3 straight seasons, whoever the team. They would have to clean house before returning to top flight. In this case, Colorado would have to clean house, which is exactly what that FO needs frankly. They're a bunch of wankers.

And anyone who thinks that USL is inferior need only look at recent USOC and CCL results. The team coming up would be competitive. Further, we can ensure that the teams coming up meet MLS requirments (eg, stadium etc) by the issuance of certificates at the start of the season ala FMF. Only teams that win it all and hold a certificate have the possibility of being promoted.

Teams need a fire lit under their ass. Nothing does that like pro/rel.

Thoughts?

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**rocker** · 08-30-2008, 01:18 PM

even joey saputo said USL teams would not do that well over the course of a whole season. so for the question of which team would i want, I would say it doesn't matter. seattle would probably still be the worst team in the league in their first season. and since i don't know what the track record of seattle will be in MLS (whether better or worse than Colorado, despite perhaps a seemingly well-intentioned FO), i can't choose.

promo relegation always seems like a solution to encourage teams to win more.. to push them... but then how does one explain RSL this year? or Chivas success last year? they started off bad after expansion and -- without the pressure of relegation -- made themselves better.
i think it's overrated as a incentive for success since teams already want to win, and they can do so relatively easily in the parity league with some changes each season.

**profit89** · 08-30-2008, 01:25 PM

Seattle, the winning city, a city who have shown they can sell 16K season seats if given a chance in MLS. Or Colorado, soccer-mom-ville with their nice empty.... *crickets*.... stadium.

I wonder which team will make MLS a profit... Hmmmm.

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**profit89** · 08-30-2008, 01:31 PM

You don't win USL that easily, and you dont win without a good fan base... that has clearly been shown.

And conversely, you don't mismanage a team for 3 straight seasons unless your front office in a bunch of wankers and refuse to invest in the team.

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