NEW YORK (AP) — major league soccer Commissioner Don Garber has not ruled out relegation and promotion, but says it doesn’t make sense for the league right now.
Speaking at a league event in New York on Thursday, Garber said new stadiums like New York City FC’s Etihad Park are among the investments that make promotion and relegation irrational for league owners. Etihad Park is Scheduled to open next July.
“Five years ago I wouldn’t have said it, so I’ll say it now. I never thought we’d change the calendar, and we did. I never thought we’d have 30 teams, and we have. We never thought we’d have 29 stadiums, and we will. I never thought we’d be talking about promotion or relegation,” he said. “If it makes sense that promotion/relegation is necessary for Major League Soccer to be what we want, then we’ll do it. If it doesn’t make sense, we won’t do it.”
In promotion/relegation, the team with the worst performance in the season is relegated to a lower league, and the top performing team from the lower league is promoted.
MLS was launched in 1996 with 10 teams and currently has 30 teams operating in a closed system. San Diego, a recent team, $500 million expansion cost It will begin playing in 2025.
In addition to capital investments, the league’s teams are also building academies and player development pathways.
“I don’t think that’s the key to solving the problems that people see with our sport. When we talk to the football community and investors, they don’t say, ‘We’re not going to invest unless there’s promotion or relegation,'” Gerber said.
Next year, MLS will move to a summer-spring schedule to align more closely with European leagues. As part of the transition, MLS will implement a shortened season from February to May in early 2027. The 2027-28 season is scheduled to begin in mid-to-late July.
The United Soccer League is scheduled to begin the USL Premier in 2028. The top league includes a promotion/relegation system with the second division, the USL Championship, and the third division, League One.
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