We are not ready for an open pyramid - some thoughts for the USSF and USL

USL and USSF are creating their own structure that leaves everybody else out- Should the most critical structural decisions in the recent history of soccer be left just to those two?

Okay. Like many others, I was shocked that USL actually announced their intention to implement pro/rel. After I got over the shock, I was ecstatic. I was happy to be proven wrong in my skepticism that they would never actually pull the trigger and venture into unknown territory.

But here we are, after the big Division One announcement, the majority of owners want to give pro/rel a go. Then the expected questions started coming. I can say I was in the number also. What future/current clubs could move to D1? Would they try to comply with the current PLS or get them modified? How are they going to deal with the size of the US in their plans?

Me and a lot of others wrote articles, made videos, made podcasts, and discussed online about how USL should go about implementing pro/rel. There were some others that pointed out, at the end of the day, USL isn’t really implementing pro/rel in the true sense. It’s still a closed league that's basically MLS Lite. It won’t be an open pyramid that connects with the lower leagues, which is what is truly needed.

These opinions aren’t wrong. According to some executives, USL is still working out the plan for how they’ll implement pro/rel. But let’s be clear. The biggest hurdle has been passed. Without a professional league, be it MLS or USL approving to implement pro/rel in their league, an open pyramid won’t really be possible.

It doesn't matter if NISA, NPSL, UPSL, The League for Clubs, or any other regional league implements pro/rel for their league. If no professional league has it, then an open pyramid isn’t possible.

But for funsies, let’s say some USL executives and USL owners like the plans I proposed here and here. After discussion, they make an announcement that there will be two pyramids (East & West) and regionalize further for North and South in each. So a total of four regions, twelve divisions (D1-D4) with 192 professional clubs. They also decide, after seeing how the USL Super League went, that they will move to a Fall-Spring season to line up with most of the world.

In addition, they mention that franchise fees will be lowered until both pyramids are filled out and then they will switch to a licensing model. Finally, they announce that non-USL clubs can be promoted into D4 if they meet the licensing requirements (stadium, attendance, income, etc.)

So here are some questions for the people that pointed out how USL wasn’t really giving us an open pyramid. Who exactly could be promoted into D4 out of “non-league”. What league would relegated D4 clubs go to?

From my research, UPSL is the only non MLS/USL league that currently plays year-round. In most of the world, their amateur leagues also play year-round. Pro/rel in their pyramids just works. Are you expecting D4 clubs to go from a year round calendar to a spring-fall one with much less matches? It’s as if some people are expecting USL and USSF to “fix” this whole pro/rel thing.

Be honest, do you REALLY want USL and USSF alone to dictate how pro/rel works in the US? We have thousands of amateur clubs and tens of thousands of youth clubs that would be affected. Given that USL has already said that at a minimum, they will regionalize at D3, how would this affect all the lower leagues? Have leaders from NISA, NPSL, UPSL, League for Clubs and regional leagues reached out to USL about how they can connect to their pyramid?

Better yet, are any of these leagues talking about changing to a Fall-Spring season in case USL does? Most of them use college players. Are they in talks with schools for how players could be shared? Even bigger, how would these national amateur leagues continue to work? It makes more sense for there to only be regional leagues going forward. Otherwise, how do you determine where clubs are promoted from and relegated to?

Incidentally, moving to regional leagues would have so many benefits. There are enough clubs in each state, spread across the different leagues, that there is no reason for most clubs to travel out of state.

If we truly want an open pyramid, we can’t leave this to just USL and USSF. The lower leagues should be meeting and making plans also. An open pyramid is for everyone. Which means everyone needs to get involved in this process.

George Pasley is the author of A Fan's Dream: The Evolution of Soccer in the US to Promotion & Relegation