A Fix to the MLS and the US Football Pyramid
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a competitive league as is any league or sport - but a top class league or a respectable competition? For many, not really.
The MLS is a single entity in which the teams are owned by the league and is operated individually by the league's investors. It is a fixed membership system which does not allow for promotion and relegation. The top division of US Soccer gets a lot of stick for this and rightfully so.
Neglecting the other leagues and teams in the United States is not only losing fans and creating a toxic environment, but it also misses the whole basis of football. Rather than criticise, we are only going to suggest a few adjustments, a fix which the MLS should consider seriously.
The political football situation is a mess in the United States and needs fixing fast. Many have called for FIFA and CONCACAF to intervene on the matters. Much of these issues draw on one thing - the fight for recognition and an equal or proper share of the publicity and income that the MLS is hogging all for themselves.
Promotion and Relegation
The problem with United States Soccer runs beyond the MLS. The NASL, NISA and USL are all in need of fluidity and proper organisation within the US football pyramid.
Yes, the MLS is an independent brand and is the top tier of football in the USA - but everyone that plays football for a club in America should have a shot at having their club promoted to the glory of the MLS. That is the underlying complaint many make. Neutrals, fans and newcomers to the beautiful game point out the fact, and criticise the MLS for not having a promotion or relegation system.
Promotion and Relegation should fix this. Reorganising the football pyramid would not be that hard. The MLS would be considered the top tier, the USL, which is the second tier of football in America, would stay where it is. The MLS has its feeder clubs in this division, which is not uncommon in the world of football. Spain and the Netherlands are two of many countries which have feeder or youth teams that play in the official league system.
From there, the USL would use it's now re-branded League One and League Two to complete the four-tier promotion and relegation structure with the NASL and NISL blending into League One.
That fixes the promotion and relegation structure, but is that it? No.
The issue is that the MLS is a separate brand which owns the clubs who are run by independent owners - so you buy into the league, or instead, the league buys you. So what about expansion teams?
The easiest option would be to put the expanded teams in the second tier of football - but that would not work as they are supposed to be a part of the MLS. On the cards, three future teams are coming into the MLS; Austin FC, Inter Miami CF, and Nashville SC.
What if these teams have a terrible first season and then get relegated? That would not be fair to the owners and franchises who spend millions to get into the MLS.
The solution would be to give these expansion teams several year byes. No matter what position those three teams finish in, they will not be relegated for a certain number of season.
These clubs can still compete in the playoffs, get trophies or compete in the CONCACAF Champions League but not relegated for the duration of the bye. How long should the bye be?
The bye allowance would probably vary between three and five years, allowing the teams to get their feet firmly planted and set in the league. After the bye period finishes, the clubs are now susceptible to promotion and relegation.
Another issue arises, and it is that with the three new expansion teams coming in at the start of the 2021 season, there will be an odd number of clubs. With the promotion and relegation system, it can go back to an even set of teams (28 in total, 14 per conference). The recommendation would be to promote one other club from the second tier by the time the final expansion team arrives for the 2021 season.
For all other expansion teams, rather than buying into the MLS, they would be promoted into one of the lower tiers - League One or the USL Championship.
The Conference Structure
The issue with Promotion and Relegation in America is the conference structure. Unlike England for example which has the Conference North and Conference South which run in the same tier of football but as two separate leagues. The football pyramid structure in the US has it, so both conferences are in the same league, not just the same tier.
The easiest option would be to fuse the conferences and have one unified league, but that is probably not going to happen. Plus the USL Championship, League One and League Two already have conference structures. So what would be the best solution? It would be best to keep it as is and mimic the English league from the Vanarama Conference downwards.
Have two automatic promotions, the winner in each conference. The 'shield' or overall winner would be the team with the most points in the regular season (making them the number one team in that division). Those two teams replace the worst team in each conference from the MLS or division above.
From there a playoff structure can take place. Teams placed from 2nd to 5th will enter a playoff system for each conference. The winners of each playoff system would then get automatically promoted to the MLS, automatically replacing the second bottom team in each conference respectively.
A solution and coherent structure of football in the United States is now set out. It can work, and the playoffs, conferences and expansion teams can all stay. The only issue is that the USL Championship (2nd tier) is massive; 18 teams per conference, so 36 clubs in total.
It would be best to cut it down to a maximum of 14 teams per conference and allow League One and League Two to create a mimicked structure and fill out their leagues. So for every season until it is balanced out, the USL Championship will relegate another team per conference until the desired number of clubs are fulfilled. It is not like this is new or extreme; it has happened several times in many countries throughout the years.
The Playoff System
Do not worry; the playoff system can stay. The issue with it though is that way too many teams are allowed into the playoffs, the gap between games is too long and the season drags on forever. With the playoff structure sorted out in the lower leagues via the adjustments made, let us focus on the MLS.
More than half the league is allowed to get into the Conference Playoffs, seven out of twelve (the first placed team in each conference gets a bye into the Semifinals of the Playoffs). It's too big, takes too long and it rewards mediocre teams which deserve nothing for finishing mid-table. Realistically there should be only four teams per conference for the playoffs.
As per usual, the Supporters Shield will go to the best overall team along with an automatic spot in the CONCACAF Champions League. Then the top four clubs including the first place in each conference will go into the MLS Cup and compete in a playoff two-legged tie structure until the final.
The final will be a one-off game, not a two legged-tie. Plus the location of the final should be awarded at the beginning of the season. The playoff structure will still take place, but it would shorten the already edited playoff structure and ensure only the best of the league participate - as it should be.
Conclusion
It is not an immediate process. This whole restructuring will take several seasons to get right, but it is needed. With the new Canadian Premier League and several North American leagues getting revamped, the United States will fall behind. MLS and America cannot even get a team to win the CONCACAF Champions League. The last two MLS teams in the final were not even American; they were Canadian. The last American team to win it was LA Galaxy in 2000, something needs to change.
Will it happen, probably not, but it does seriously need consideration. The MLS for all its positives does lack a cutting edge and aura of desperation that comes with promotion and relegation, and a tighter playoff structure.
The MLS and U.S footballing structure would not dramatically change - everything can still be kept in terms of conferences, playoffs and the guaranteed three expansion teams. More teams can expand into the league system in America. They may not start in the MLS, but they have the potential to be in it through the promotion and relegation system.
Think about it, wouldn't the MLS be so much more entertaining? Would it not grow the game that much more in America if there was a fluid league system?
Finally, all that football-political bickering can cease and the U.S can focus on growing the game and making America into the powerhouse it can potentially be.