The most exciting thing that happened at the MLS Cup | The Boneyard

The most exciting thing that happened at the MLS Cup

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Was the biplane towing the "Promotion/Relegation" banner. Love the fact that Garber and Gulati were subjected to that sentiment. Fans aren't too terribly pleased with the package MLS has put together. They don't like single entity, no free agency and the minuscule $3 mil salary cap that allows Billionaire owners to run this league on the cheap.

Promotion and Relegaion is to soccer here, what the playoffs were to college football. It will happen sooner or later but probably later.

Oh and the soccer was pretty brutal as well. For all of the fanfare, Landycakes played like he took too much of his depression meds. Good riddance.
 
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Hypothetical: You're a billionaire owner, co-owner, whatever of an MLS club. What's the likelihood you'll vote in favor of Promotion/ Relegation let alone allow it to come up for a vote? Similarly, TV market size will also minimize the potential for Promotion/Relegation. TV network execs tell you their MLS contract specifically stipulates the largest markets will be represented, and any agreements are null and void should MLS owners consider Promotion/Relegation. Removing individual personal preferences, how do you think MLS owners will act? For example, Rochester or New York? Sacramento or Los Angeles?
 
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Hypothetical: You're a billionaire owner, co-owner, whatever of an MLS club. What's the likelihood you'll vote in favor of Promotion/ Relegation let alone allow it to come up for a vote? Similarly, TV market size will also minimize the potential for Promotion/Relegation. TV network execs tell you their MLS contract specifically stipulates the largest markets will be represented, and any agreements are null and void should MLS owners consider Promotion/Relegation. Removing individual personal preferences, how do you think MLS owners will act? For example, Rochester or New York? Sacramento or Los Angeles?

Until:
-We have at least two viable and financially solvent divisions
-There is money to be made in a US Open Cup TV Contract
-There is money to be made in a Second Division TV Contract
-The "First Division" can afford to pay massive parachute payments to relegated clubs in order to take the sting out of relegation
-Have a uniform CBA across all divisions
-And Second Division Teams that have never been in MLS can afford to pay a nominal "expansion fee" of at LEAST 75 Million Bucks to MLS upon their first promotion.
(and that's just for starters)
I just don't see how it could work. We might be a good 20 years from where those conditions could be met.

But the idea of an "Open" system is still alluring to a great many people.

The Pro/Rel debate is much like what the College Football Playoff debate was like. But we don't have the resources yet to make Pro/Rel work right at this time.
 
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None of which addreses the cited reasons Promotion/Relegation is likely to occur in the MLS.
 
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None of which addreses the cited reasons Promotion/Relegation is likely to occur in the USSF.

Fixed it for you. MLS is just the first division. MLS was dealt the perfect hand by the USSF years ago. If the NASL continues to grow and actually prospers they are going to get even noisier.

They are all already claiming that they deserve a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League since they are easily the third strongest league in the confederation.

USL has already resigned itself to being a farm league.
 
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None of which addreses the same ownership and TV market size facts supporting why the MLS will continue to be THE league in the US, and Promotion/Relation is highly unlikely to occur even within 2 decades. Small cities simply don't compete in TV eyes, and billionaire owners or ownership teams aren't going to throw multiple millions of cash away at Rochesters, Hartfords, or other marginal markets. Continue spinning whatever you'd like, but it doesn't change those hard facts.
 
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None of which addreses the same ownership and TV market size facts supporting why the MLS will continue to be THE league in the US, and Promotion/Relation is highly unlikely to occur even within 2 decades. Small cities simply don't compete in TV eyes, and billionaire owners or ownership teams aren't going to throw multiple millions of cash away at Rochesters, Hartfords, or other marginal markets. Continue spinning whatever you'd like, but it doesn't change those hard facts.

You mean big markets like Columbus? NASL has teams in Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Atlanta, NYC and they even have a reasonably successful one in the greater Miami area that was recently sold to some deep pocketed Brazillionaires. Remember the last time MLS tried to run a team in Miami? Good times.

These aren't small cities. Some of these clubs even have soccer specific stadiums, which is more than a few charter members of MLS can say. These are also cold hard facts.

Rochester is third Division, just like Montreal, Orlando and Seattle were not too long ago.
 
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Citing Columbus, an MLS charter team from 1994, is not going to get small cities into the MLS. Carry on ... you'll continue ignoring current and likely future MLS owners and TV networks will stick with the existing model.
 
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Citing Columbus, an MLS charter team from 1994, is not going to get small cities into the MLS. Carry on ... you'll continue ignoring current and likely future MLS owners and TV networks will stick with the existing model.

Which small cities are you referring to? Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Sacramento, New York City and San Antonio? There are plenty of big cities represented in the lower divisions. And those are where the quality is anyways.

If the conditions that I mentioned above could be met, it could work. I am totally fine with ignoring the interests of absentee landlords like Kraft and Kroenke if proactive owners in lower divisions actually can build something competitive.
 
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You must be right Zoo. Minor challenge is you're not a major sports network decision maker nor putting up some millions as a current or future owner. Maybe the Cosmos or the Brazilian investors' other Miami team will be invited to MLS soon. ;)
 
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You must be right Zoo. Minor challenge is you're not a major sports network decision maker nor putting up some millions as a current or future owner. Maybe the Cosmos or the Brazilian investors' other Miami team will be invited to MLS soon. ;)

Pretty sure that the Cosmos are not interested in MLS.

I know this, major sports decision makers are aware that MLS Cup pulled .6 overnight. There are deer hunting shows on NBC Sports that pull better ratings. The 90 Million a year looks more and more like a gift. But yeah, your preconceived notion that Pro/Rel would only involve small markets is not valid. But until we have two completely solvent and successful divisions it's not going to happen, and right now we barely have one if that.
 
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Yup, pretty sure Promotion/Relegation ain't happening for the reasons repeated several times. Other than that, good point. :rolleyes:
 
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You must be right Zoo. Minor challenge is you're not a major sports network decision maker nor putting up some millions as a current or future owner. Maybe the Cosmos or the Brazilian investors' other Miami team will be invited to MLS soon. ;)

I don't think it will happen anytime soon, but it will happen at some point.
 
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