The debate over promotion and relegation in Major League Soccer (MLS) has resurfaced once again, fueled by recent comments from longtime U.S. Soccer power broker Alan Rothenberg, who described the concept as “inevitable.” While fans continue to push for a European-style system, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, along with American soccer icons Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, offered a sobering, behind-the-scenes explanation of why promotion and relegation remains unlikely in the near term.
Their discussion reveals not just philosophical differences, but deep economic, legal, and structural realities that define professional soccer in the United States.
Why Promotion and Relegation Appeals to Fans — and Alarms Owners
From a sporting perspective, promotion and relegation is attractive. It creates drama at both ends of the table, rewards ambition, and punishes failure. However, Garber made it clear that MLS owners are not signing up for existential financial risk.
MLS, even after nearly 30 years, still operates like a long-term startup. Owners have collectively invested billions of dollars into:
- Soccer-specific stadiums
- Training facilities and academies
- Player development and rosters
- Marketing, staffing, and league operations
With roughly 10,000 employees league-wide, MLS functions as a massive economic engine. Garber emphasized that owners are not philanthropists — they are investors who require predictable returns to secure financing, debt guarantees, and long-term stability.
In a promotion-relegation system, a single poor season could erase revenue streams overnight, threatening loan structures and stadium financing. In Garber’s words, that scenario would be “going out of business.”
The European Model Doesn’t Translate Cleanly to the U.S.
Former Premier League goalkeeper Tim Howard, who lived inside the English system for years, added crucial context that often gets lost in fan debates.
In England:
- Clubs are deeply embedded in small local communities
- Even relegated teams continue to drive local economies
- Football remains the primary economic and cultural anchor
In the United States, the reality is different. A relegated club in New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago competes with countless other entertainment options. If a team drops out of top-tier relevance, fan attention and spending disappear quickly.
Howard warned that while promotion battles make great headlines, the long-term economic punishment often destroys clubs — some never recover.
MLS vs USL: Competition or Collaboration?
The conversation also touched on the evolving relationship between MLS and the United Soccer League (USL). Once loosely aligned, the two leagues have increasingly diverged.
Garber acknowledged:
- Early collaboration attempts between MLS and USL
- MLS ultimately launching its own reserve league (MLS NEXT Pro)
- USL’s stated interest in building a fully independent professional structure
While Garber expressed respect for USL leadership and its role in growing the sport, he cautioned that fragmentation could hurt American soccer overall. Collaboration could benefit fans and development; conflict could slow momentum.
Is Promotion and Relegation “Inevitable” in MLS?
Garber stopped short of saying never — but emphasized uncertainty. Soccer in the U.S. has already defied expectations:
- MLS survived when many predicted failure
- An international calendar once seemed impossible — now it exists
- Continental competitions like the expanded CONCACAF Champions Cup are growing
As Garber noted, the sport evolves by constant forward motion, not fear. The landscape in five, ten, or twenty years could look dramatically different.
However, today’s MLS reality — with expansion markets, stadium construction, and investor guarantees — makes promotion and relegation structurally incompatible with the league’s business model.
The Bottom Line: Fans Decide the Future
Despite the noise around promotion and relegation, one point was clear: fans ultimately determine success.
MLS now welcomes over 12 million fans annually, with:
- Record revenues
- Rising television ratings
- Growing international relevance
Garber stressed that leagues do not choose popularity — supporters do. For now, fans are choosing MLS.
Whether promotion and relegation ever arrives in American soccer remains an open question. But as Donovan, Garber, and Howard made clear, the issue isn’t resistance to competition — it’s the reality of building a sustainable league in a fundamentally different sports ecosystem.