Brief
The owners of the United Soccer League (USL), the antechamber to MLS, voted by a majority to introduce a promotion-relegation system / ©United Soccer League

A revolution in the American sports landscape! The owners of the United Soccer League (USL)—considered as the entry hall to the MLS - have overwhelmingly voted to implement the promotion-relegation ("pro-rel") system in the second and third divisions of American soccer. “By drawing inspiration from series like "Welcome to Wrexham" and "Ted Lasso," which introduced fans to the "romantic" aspect of this system, the USL hopes to increase its appeal in the eyes of the media,” as reported by the American media outlet The Athletic. “The USL relies almost exclusively on match-day revenue and local sponsorship deals. These revenues are less likely to be affected in the short and medium term by the implementation of relegation.” For the league's owners, the introduction of this model, used worldwide and called for by some fans, could therefore have more positive repercussions than the closed league model. This discussion goes against the grain of many European presidents, who would like to draw inspiration from the MLS or the NBA, to limit uncertainties in their own championships.