Predictably, Soccerocalypse has brought out the usual arguments from the promotion/relegation crowd: Youth development will be so much better! Players will be under constant pressure! If anyone could turn their attention away from Twitter long enough to read something longer than 280 characters at a time, they would have seen this addressed in the pro/relContinue reading “The best post-T&T pro-promotion/relegation argument”
Tag Archives: promotion/relegation
Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 5: Cons
You’ve read about the pro/rel pros, the history of the U.S./Canada debate, and the major players in the U.S. (including U.S. Soccer). Now it’s time to read about why promotion/relegation can be a bad idea. Yes, promotion/relegation has pros and cons. That’s heresy in some quarters. But what doesn’t have pros and cons? The U.S. sports system hasContinue reading “Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 5: Cons”
No one injured in Spirit-Breakers game
Neither the Washington Spirit nor the Boston Breakers tanked Saturday night’s game to get the No. 1 draft pick. For once, my prediction was right. But it wasn’t pretty. I didn’t notice any Spirit Academy kids in the crowd, and that’s probably for the best. You don’t want them to learn anything from this. TwoContinue reading “No one injured in Spirit-Breakers game”
Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 4: Pros (positives)
Saturday night, the Washington Spirit will host the Boston Breakers. It should be a beautiful night at the Maryland SoccerPlex, and the team is celebrating a “Night of Kindness.” Also, both teams will have incentive to lose. Not that they’ll try to lose. Both teams are honorable. Both teams have a lot of injured startersContinue reading “Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 4: Pros (positives)”
Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 3: U.S. Soccer
There’s no organization in the world quite like U.S. Soccer. That’s not a compliment. That’s not an insult. It just … is. U.S. Soccer is unique among major U.S. sports federations in that its mandate goes beyond organizing national teams and developmental programs. It’s responsible, by FIFA fiat, for regulating professional soccer competitions. (Or, inContinue reading “Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 3: U.S. Soccer”
Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 2: The players
Like the new production of The Tick, the pro/rel debate sometimes muddies the waters between the two “sides.” Is Overkill a trustworthy ally against The Terror? Are we supposed to root for Miss Lint to overthrow Ramses? And like The Tick himself, a lot of people pop into this saga with no memory of what happenedContinue reading “Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 2: The players”
Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 1: History
For nearly 25 years, promotion/relegation has been a blood-soaked battleground in U.S. soccer. The worst place to be is in the middle of that battleground. Those of us who engaged in pro/rel chat — see Jason Davis, now a host on SiriusXM FC who devotes a considerable amount of air time to pro/rel and lower-divisionContinue reading “Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 1: History”
Podcast: Ep 5 — Promotion/relegation with Peter Wilt
For more than a decade, promotion/relegation talk has been the bane of the U.S. soccer community’s existence. It wasn’t going to happen any time soon, and some people reacted to that news by harassing and slandering the people who explained the reasons why. But now? We have a former Chicago Fire president — Peter Wilt, who hasContinue reading “Podcast: Ep 5 — Promotion/relegation with Peter Wilt”
The probably counterproductive promotion/relegation legal action
“Wow, it really looks like things might be happening with promotion/relegation in this country! Peter Wilt’s third-division league, intending to link D2 with the top amateur/semipro leagues, seems to be getting a good reception. And most of the responses to my survey are positive. Granted, a lot of those responses are self-selected — the USL,Continue reading “The probably counterproductive promotion/relegation legal action”
The Big Promotion/Relegation Survey, 2017 edition
It’s easy to debate promotion and relegation when you have no money or livelihood at stake. What about those who run or coach teams up and down this weirdly constructed pyramid of U.S. leagues? I’ve sent out a survey to the following: All NASL teams All independent USL teams (not MLS reserve teams) NPSL: TheContinue reading “The Big Promotion/Relegation Survey, 2017 edition”
