Why USL owners took the leap to vote for promotion and relegation
Charleston Battery owner Rob Salvatore was on the stage at his club's annual 'Fan Fest' last month for a question-and-answer session with supporters when a fan stood up and asked something Salvatore wasn't expecting.
Did USL's announcement in February that it intended to launch a Division 1 league mean that it would institute promotion and relegation next?
Advertisement
'When I said I was for it and I hoped our league can figure it out, it was the loudest cheer of the night outside of introducing (coach) Ben Pirmann,' Salvatore told The Athletic in a phone interview.
The moment stuck with the 49-year-old entrepreneur, who leads the ownership group that bought the team in 2019. Founded in 1993, the Battery are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer club in the United States. They were the first non-MLS club to build a soccer-specific stadium back in 1999. And in a setting with between 400 and 500 of its most diehard fans – people who had followed the club for decades – the desire for promotion and relegation sent a clear message.
'I was not expecting that to happen,' Salvatore said. 'I didn't know the question was coming and I certainly didn't know a rousing cheer was coming. But I went home and I was like, 'Whoa. They really want it.' … I think this is a product and an audience and a consumer decision that makes a lot of sense. I see that demand, I see that signal. and I'm like, 'Man, we've got to do this.' And I think everybody read that in their local markets, and I think the league did a great job of realizing we can do this now and we really, in a way, have to do it now.'
As first reported by The Athletic, USL owners voted Tuesday to adopt promotion and relegation, becoming the first professional soccer league in the history of the United States to do so. Owners passed the vote with a supermajority.
The plan is for USL to implement pro-rel in 2028 when it launches the new D1 league.
The USL previously had discussed implementing pro-rel in 2023, but had not been able to get enough support to bring it to a vote. But Salvatore's experience in Charleston wasn't an anomaly. It created a buzz for USL, and owners continued to discuss the option before calling the vote.
Advertisement
'I've always said that it was just going to take time, and we were doing the work,' USL president Paul McDonough told The Athletic in a phone interview. 'The owners did the work. We did the work. We had a lot of discussions. And everyone realizes the opportunity to be bold and ambitious and be a first mover in this area.'
The vote could be a key moment in the history of the sport in the U.S. It certainly will lead to different types of discussions around the USL, which is, of course, the point. But there are areas of the game's governance that will have to be considered, too. U.S. Soccer's division sanctioning includes rules around the size of a team's stadium and the net worth of its ownership group. Promotion and relegation will force conversations about those standards — though it is worth noting that the federation has often provided waivers for leagues.
Brett Johnson has ownership stakes in the USL Championship club Rhode Island FC as well as Premier League club Ipswich Town. Johnson invested in Ipswich when it was in England's third tier, League One, and so directly experienced the benefits and romance of promotion and relegation.
He's been an advocate of the system for years.
'The journey with Ipswich Town and seeing what (promotion) does to revitalize a club and, by extension, a community, I truly believe there's nothing like this construct in sport,' Johnson said in a phone interview. 'Every single game matters. It requires excellence on and off the pitch. And I'm excited to adopt it on our shores and I think for USL, it's a brilliant move, if you will.
'I think USL is already creating itself as one of the best developmental leagues in the world. I think it will take us to another level. The timing is perfect, because I think increasingly, a lot of eyes are looking to America with the World Cup coming up.'
Advertisement
Johnson said his group specifically targeted a club at the third division level with the goal of getting a team back to the Premier League. Things don't always work out as planned, but the fact that more investors have targeted this type of investment gives Johnson hope of what could come down the pipeline for the USL.
It was no easy task to bring USL owners to a vote. Years of discussion took place. There were false starts on league-wide votes. But the momentum was there after the D1 announcement, and with the World Cup approaching there was a belief that the status quo would not be enough for USL to grow.
'It clearly passed with a very strong mandate,' Johnson said. 'Everything's about timing, and I think it took a while for a lot of people to get their head around it. But it was really clear that the time was right here. I give everyone, collectively, a lot of credit. This feels like the right time to do this. And I think we're all in the right mind space in terms of trying to now do what's necessary, which is to execute effectively to make this a reality.'
The vote Tuesday was very much a first step. There is a lot of work to do.
USL will work with owners, TV partners and fans to determine what exactly its pro-rel system will look like. McDonough pointed out that an American league has a unique problem: it needs to put a spotlight on both its playoffs that determine a league champion, as well as pro-rel battles. How it balances those two respective competitions is crucial.
But the league had 'to try to do something that's going to cause a level of differentiation,' McDonough said. 'With everything going on in the country and the opportunities for growth with the World Cup, it just doesn't make sense to stay the status quo.'
USL will study variations of pro-rel, including the possibility of having the top teams from a lower division play in a playoff against the bottom teams from the higher division to determine if teams move up or down. Much is still to be determined, including the number of teams that will go down and up from each division, respectively. USL also still must determine how many teams will play in Division 1. Currently, it's aiming for 12 or 14 teams. The third division, USL League One, would be the bottom of the pyramid, and teams would not be relegated from there.
Advertisement
Whatever format the leagues settle upon, McDonough said the USL feels confident promotion and relegation will drive growth for the whole.
'People want something different,' McDonough said. 'A lot of people now in this country relate a lot to European soccer, because so much of it is shown on TV and they play over here. People are drawn to that. And they see what happened at (a club like) Wrexham. They romanticize about something like that.
'Now that's not going to be us initially, but if this can help push the relevance of soccer in our communities and nationally across the board to become more relevant, then you've got to do it.'
Salvatore went back again to that night in February and the overwhelming response from fans. It eliminated any doubts he had that this was the right next step for USL.
'I was very happy to see that not only it passed, but it passed decisively,' Salvatore said. 'I just felt that at the end of the day, we're businessmen and women who own and run these teams, and you're going to listen to the market. If you think there's that demand, you gotta go get it.'
Join The Athletic's MLS WhatsApp channel. All the latest MLS updates straight to your phone with exclusive content from our writers in the form of messages voice notes, videos and more. Paul Tenorio, Felipe Cardenas, Jeff Rueter and Pablo Maurer will bring you their views and observations as MLS embarks upon its biggest season yet.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
5 hours ago
- New York Times
Blue Jackets prospect Cayden Lindstrom looks forward to ‘long career,' with his next stop at Michigan State
Cayden Lindstrom was flying home to Vancouver on Wednesday, ready to enjoy a full offseason of conditioning and buoyed by the knowledge that the worst of his medical issues — fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc. — were finally behind him. His surgically repaired back has healed and is continuing to strengthen. That much was proven by Lindstrom's late-season return to action with the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers, first in the WHL championship series and then in the Memorial Cup, where Medicine Hat lost in the championship game. Advertisement Lindstrom, the Columbus Blue Jackets' No. 4 overall pick last summer, will need to pay attention to a summer workout program designed to avoid putting too much stress on his back. But he is cleared to return to the routine of being a full-time hockey player. 'Playing those games really helped me (determine) where I'm at physically and mentally,' Lindstrom told The Athletic on Wednesday. 'Now I know what I need to work on during the summer. Now I know I can play games and push myself through some of the effects and it won't harm me in any way. '(My back) is a lot better. It's still going to take some time to fully feel (like) myself again. That's what it's like when you miss a full year of hockey. But the rest of it (the herniated disc in his lower back) is behind me.' This is, quite obviously, a huge sigh of relief for the Blue Jackets, who expected Lindstrom to miss the entire season after he had surgery in late November. Medicine Hat's long postseason run and Lindstrom's patient relentlessness in rehabilitation, made it possible. 'We were all watching nervously, of course,' Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said, referring to the club's hockey operations staffers. 'It was important for him to play for multiple reasons. But psychologically, after being out so long and putting in all that work, he could get back into a game and find out he can play without having any issues going forward. That's big for him.' Lindstrom is now able to make plans for the future. On Wednesday, he confirmed The Athletic's report in April that he has committed to attend Michigan State University in the fall, making the leap from Medicine Hat — and the Canadian junior ranks — to the NCAA, a move that was forbidden by NCAA rules until recently. The Blue Jackets have known this was a consideration since they drafted him, which explains why they didn't rush to sign Lindstrom to his three-year, entry-level contract. If he had signed a pro contract, he would have been ineligible for college. Advertisement It will be easier for the Jackets to keep a close eye on Lindstrom in East Lansing, Mich., than it was in Medicine Hat. For Lindstrom, 19, the challenge of playing against older players will help get him ready for the rough-and-tumble world of the NHL, where he's projected to play center as a power forward. 'It was a really hard decision to leave Medicine Hat,' Lindstrom said. '(GM and coach) Willy Desjardins, and (assistant coaches) Joe Frazer and Josh Maser were such great supporters for me in my career. It was super hard, but I'm heading to Michigan State. I committed there, and that's where I'll be playing. 'The travel is so much easier (in college). The facilities (in East Lansing) are great. It'll help me recover my body and put me in a position to have a really long career.' As Lindstrom spoke on Wednesday, he sounded more relaxed and at ease than he had in previous interviews. He's in a better state of mind, it seems, after returning to hockey after more than a year-long absence. Lindstrom had two goals, two assists and a plus-3 rating in four games during Medicine Hat's series win over Spokane, and was a dominating force early in the tournament. In Game 3, however, he turned into a leg-on-leg hit with Spokane's Saige Weinstein that caused a few skipped heartbeats within the Blue Jackets' front office. The resulting injury was a charley horse, and Lindstrom was saddled with it the rest of the way. When Medicine Hat flew to Rimouski, Quebec, for the Memorial Cup, he suffered significant swelling in the leg during the flight, and the decision was made to sit him out in Game 1. He returned for the final three games, but he wasn't 100 percent. The Blue Jackets received daily updates from Lindstrom, and Waddell said they were pleased with how Medicine Hat and Lindstrom handled the situation. Advertisement 'It was pretty bad,' Lindstrom said. 'I tried to play through it (in Game 5 of the WHL championship series), but I didn't want to start compensating, because when you start compensating, it leads to other things. 'I want to play more than anything, but there's a risk-reward in that situation that wouldn't benefit me or the team in any way.' But his back was never the issue, Waddell said. 'He felt good,' he said. 'Back-wise, he's had no complaints at all.' CAYDEN. LINDSTROM. 1-0 TIGERS 🚨@TigersHockey | @BlueJacketsNHL | #WHLChampionship — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 12, 2025 Lindstrom will spend the next three weeks in Vancouver, he said, then fly to Columbus in advance of the Blue Jackets' development camp. After barely skating last year, Lindstrom will be a full participant this year, Waddell said. He will stay in Columbus after development camp, then head to Michigan State in early July for a six-week summer camp with many of his new teammates. Then he'll get a week back home in Vancouver before returning to Michigan State for the start of classes in the fall. Lindstrom is still a long way from the NHL, but he's now back on the road. 'Missing the whole season was tough,' Lindstrom said. 'But this was kinda my goal the whole year. I knew Medicine Hat was going to go far in the playoffs because we had a really good team, a skilled team. It was my goal to push and help the team for the playoffs. 'Don Waddell and (director of hockey operations) Rick Nash and (trainers) Mike Vogt and Dylan Dewey, they all put so much time and effort into me, and that really means a lot to me. They've helped me get better and get started on a long career.'
New York Times
6 hours ago
- New York Times
Tyrese Haliburton uses ‘extra fuel' from doubters when the Pacers need him most
OKLAHOMA CITY — Ask anyone in basketball circles five years ago about the impact Tyrese Haliburton would have on the NBA, and it's likely none would've said he'd lead a team to the NBA Finals. In his 3 1/2 seasons with the Indiana Pacers, Haliburton has emerged as the franchise star, the leader of the team both on the court and in the locker room. The team has been built to enhance and complement his skills. With Haliburton at the helm, the Pacers go as he goes. In April, Haliburton was voted the NBA's most overrated player in The Athletic's annual player poll. While only 90 players replied to that question, compared to 155 who voted on MVP, Haliburton noticed and responded after the Pacers eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks in a wild first-round Game 5. Overrate THAT — Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) April 30, 2025 He used that result as fuel to produce the best results of his career so far: an Eastern Conference championship and the Pacers' first appearance in the NBA Finals since 2000. 'I think that's part of my drive,' Haliburton said Wednesday. 'Obviously, I want to be the best. I want to be great. I want to squeeze every ounce of God-given ability that I have to be the best player I can be. But any doubt is always good for me. I think the greats try to find external motivation as much as they can, and that's something that's always worked for me. 'It doesn't solidify who I am; I know who I am. I don't need anybody to tell me who I am or who I am as a player or a person. I'm grounded in myself, and I think a lot of that is through … the Lord … and knowing who I am. But that extra doubt, that extra fuel, always helps.' Haliburton can take satisfaction in knowing he and the Pacers have proven themselves, if anything, underrated. Before the postseason, few had them making the Eastern Conference finals, let alone the NBA Finals. (Some people noticed early.) Haliburton is averaging 18.8 points, 9.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds during the postseason. His nearly 10 dimes per game leads all players in the 2025 playoffs. But outside of those numbers, his biggest impact has come in some of the most important moments. In one game in each of the Pacers' three Eastern Conference series, Haliburton has either tied or won a game in the last minute of regulation or overtime. Game-winners 🤯 Clutch plays 🙌 Incredible passes 😤 Tyrese Haliburton and the @Pacers have clinched a Finals berth for the first time since 2000! — NBA (@NBA) June 1, 2025 'He's a general out there,' Pacers forward Pascal Siakam said. 'He makes us go, so we're gonna ride with Tyrese until the wheels fall off. I think for me, he's such a special player just because he can impact the game not just by scoring, but being able to open the floor for everybody else, put everybody in the right positions — and, you know, doing it with swag. Advertisement 'At the end of the day, some people are gonna like it, some people are not gonna like it. I think he's an unselfish player out there when he plays. He has one thing in mind, to win, and he's always thinking about how to make us better.' In the fourth quarter of that crazy Game 5 against Milwaukee, with a chance to put the Bucks away for good, Haliburton missed a few key shots, and he thought he'd let Indiana down. But his teammates' belief in him never wavered. 'Go get the ball!' Pacers center Myles Turner yelled at Haliburton. In overtime, Haliburton had a chance to deliver. He'd missed six shots in the extra frame, but on Indiana's final possession, Haliburton blew past Giannis Antetokounmpo for a layup to close an 8-0 run that gave the Pacers the lead with 1.3 seconds left. 'When it comes to belief in himself, Tyrese has an iron will,' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said after that win. 'He works extremely hard on what he does. He works extremely hard on his craft, his skill. He's unafraid. 'He reminds me a lot of Reggie (Miller). This game will go down as one of the all-time great Pacer wins because of the circumstances in overtime and what was on the line, and Ty, obviously, authored a big part of this ending. So, congratulations to him.' The comeback win was marred when Haliburton's father, John, went onto the court and taunted Antetokounmpo. The elder Haliburton wouldn't attend another Pacers game, at home or on the road, until Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. The interaction between the elder Haliburton and Antetokounmpo was among the NBA topics of discussion for days after. But the Pacers guard was unfazed, choosing instead to focus on his team's second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Even with injuries to key Cavs players, the Pacers weren't favored to win the series. Advertisement Against the Cavs, Haliburton played hero once more. During the first half of Game 2, it was feared Haliburton sustained a wrist injury. But after undergoing an X-ray at halftime, Haliburton returned for a memorable second half. With 1.1 seconds remaining, he hit one of the biggest shots of his career. After grabbing his own rebound off a missed free throw, Haliburton dribbled out the clock until he could get separation, then stepped past the top of the key and let the ball go. 'I mean, it's a special feeling, man,' Haliburton said. 'It's a lot of fun. I mean, like any basketball fan, or anybody who's involved in basketball at all, everybody in their life has imagined being a kid, being in the driveway, being in the living room, lying down in their bed, shooting it, missing, putting more time on the clock. 'You know, all those things like, this is a kid's game, and I get paid a lot of money to play a kid's game. So, I'm just having fun out there, just having fun with what I'm doing. Winning is really fun, you know, but I love being in these situations. Somehow, someway, we find our way in these situations a lot, and, you know, we just got to find ways to win.' Since the Pacers' magical playoff run began, Haliburton has displayed both calm under pressure and a growing confidence not just in his team, but also himself. Before every game, when some players in high-pressure situations might sit stone-faced listening to whatever music motivates them, trying to lock in, Haliburton is the picture of calm. He casually walks through the locker room, often smiling as he interacts with his teammates. You wouldn't know from looking at him that he's minutes away from playing on one of basketball's biggest stages. Haliburton is a living example of the phrase often repeated by his teammates: 'Never get too high, never get too low.' The drama and intensity of the moment is in the background. Advertisement After wins and losses, Haliburton always takes the same approach: There are things in his game he can work to improve. The self-described 'film nerd' has discussed his love — no matter how painful the viewing experience — of watching and breaking down film with Carlisle. Haliburton just loves the game. 'As long as I got my dog, my video game and a court, I'll be fine,' Haliburton said. When it was time to meet the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals, Haliburton solidified his place as an antagonist in Knicks' lore. In Game 1, 25 years after Reggie Miller first did the gesture, Haliburton recreated the choke celebration after hitting an improbable shot to send the game to overtime. The Pacers won the first two games of the series on the road. After winning Games 3 and 5, the Knicks forced a Game 6. Haliburton said he would watch film and have a better Game 6. And just as he'd done in every other series of these playoffs, Haliburton delivered. Though he got off to a relatively quiet start in the first half, Haliburton, with 11 points, four assists and three rebounds in the fourth quarter, put the Knicks away for good. While Siakam was named Eastern Conference finals MVP, Haliburton played a critical role in Indiana's decisive victory and first trip to the NBA Finals in 25 years. After all, that's what he does. 'He's a point guard by nature, a classic point guard by nature, a guy running a team,' Carlisle said. 'But he's developed an ability to score and, you know, striking the balance is always a bit of a challenge. He's done a great job of migrating through it. 'Teams do a lot of things to make it hard on him. He's learned a lot about being in the fight when teams are doing things to disrupt him and try to physically intimidate him and do things like that. And our guys have his back.' In 2024, those 'guys' made a run to the Eastern Conference finals. There, the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics swept the Pacers. Haliburton only played in the series' first two games because of a hamstring issue. Despite the loss, there was hope in Indianapolis for the future of its young team behind its promising star. Since joining the team, Haliburton has embraced all the city has to offer and is proud to be one with the city. Advertisement 'I just feel like being in Indy, it's a great place for me,' Haliburton said. 'Indy is a much bigger place than I'm even accustomed to. … My whole family lives there now. We love being there. It's a lot of fun for me. 'I don't need the glitz and glamour of large city. I really like the hometown, small-town feel from our fans. Our home-court advantages are different, because people are really passionate about our teams, and their parents were passionate about the team. … That's why I enjoy being a part of it, why I want to be a part of it for the rest of my career.' The Pacers and Haliburton won't have it easy against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA's most dominant team throughout the regular season and playoffs. Again, the Pacers are underdogs. But in these playoffs so far, Haliburton not only has worn Indiana across his chest, he's also put the team on his back. (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; photo: Brennan Alspen / Getty Images)
New York Post
8 hours ago
- New York Post
FIFA lowers prices for Club World Cup opener as projected attendance looks weak
FIFA officials have lowered ticket prices for the Club World Cup's opening match — a contest between Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami and Al Ahly FC — over concerns that potentially scores of empty seats could overshadow the game. Tens of thousands of seats have yet to be sold to the game, according to The Athletic, which is set to take place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on June 14 and would be the first official match of the 32-team tournament being held across the United States. Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Dolphins, has a capacity of 65,326, and The Athletic reported that fewer than 20,000 tickets may have been sold for the match between the MLS side and the Egyptian club, though FIFA pushed back on that number in a statement. Advertisement Inter Miami's Lionel Messi (right) eyes the ball during the Inter Miami's win over the Columbus Crew on May 31, 2025. AFP via Getty Images Still, sources informed The Athletic that soccer's governing body grew concerned over ticket sales not doing as well as expected in recent weeks. The Club World Cup will feature teams from the top leagues across the globe, including powerhouses Chelsea, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Advertisement FIFA has been selling tickets for the Club World Cup using a dynamic pricing model, which means prices can spike or drop based on demand. The cheapest ticket for the Inter Miami Match against Al Ahly was just $55.75 on Ticketmaster when The Post searched late Wednesday night. Those tickets were listed at $230 in January, according to The Athletic. But prices for games involving other teams have gone the opposite way, such as matches involving Real Madrid, where ticket prices are in the hundreds of dollars. Advertisement Hussein El Shahat celebrates with Wessam Abou Ali after scoring the fifth goal during Al Ahly FC 6-0 blowout win over Pharco FC in the last of the final stage of the Egyptian Premier League (Nile League) on May 28, 2025. Middle East Images/AFP via Getty 'We are introducing many new, successful clubs from all over the world to the world through this tournament being staged in the 11 cities across the United States. Overall, we anticipate great attendances throughout the competition for this first-ever edition — a tournament that we believe will grow edition-on-edition,' FIFFA told the outlet in a statement. FIFA announced the training sites for all 32 teams in the tournament, which included four sites in New Jersey that would be utilized by African club Al Ahly FC, Brazilian side CR Flamengo, Portuguese club FC Porto and Red Bull Salzburg. Rutgers University's Piscataway campus and the New York Red Bulls' training facility in Whippany, New Jersey, will be among the places hosting teams.
