It’s that time of year again, when the ‘richest game in football’, the play-off final to decide the third promotion spot from the EFL Championship to the Premier League, leads proponents of pro/rel in the USA to bemoan the absence of a similar structure in North America.
The difference this year is that, of course, USL has announced its intention to create a system of promotion and relegation after the creation of a new USL Premier top division in 2028, and so it is worth considering the old debate in this new context.
The positive case for pro/rel is well established – it creates intense competition, great storylines and drama, it encourages investment and drives improvement in standards and it results in a ‘pyramid’ of divisions where even clubs in the lowest tiers can dream of reaching the top. That latter appeal has been well illustrated by the Wrexham story. The approximately $250 million in revenue that victory in Saturday’s game between Hull City and Middlesbrough will earn is a remarkable prize but it comes at a cost for the financial well being of the pyramid.
But, while I would never argue for removing pro/rel from English or European leagues, an honest assessment of the system should include the negative impact it has, particularly on the economics of the game. These include:
- Significantly increased rick for investors: The fact that big, established clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur or West Ham United could find themselves no longer Premier League clubs on Sunday is a stark reminder of that risk and that it is not limited to the typical ‘yo-yo clubs’.
- Inflationary effect: the desperation to avoid ‘the drop’ or ‘reach the promised land’ pushes clubs to over-spend on players and wages. It contributes to the overspend on agents fees and drives the high turnover in managers and coaches which also has a significant cost impact.
- Instability or market distortion? Either you have a ‘cliff edge’ in terms of revenue between the top tier and second tier (which further increases the damage caused by relegation) or you compensate with ‘parachute payments’ which distorts the fairness of competition in the second tier. Neither are a good thing. Pick your poison.
- Negative impact on player development. Clubs around the relegation zone and the promotion zone are less likely to give young players a chance to develop and are more likely to spend on buying players for a quick fix.
- The ‘Wrexham model’ is the exception not the rule. Rich celebrity owners, documentary series, global media attention — they are an extraordinary outlier. They are not a story that you should look to as an example of something sustainable to build.
American soccer is not English soccer and USL is not the EFL and there are different factors at work. I’m not arguing that pro/rel can’t work in the USA but rather these negative factors need to be acknowledged and considered when creating a new structure.
So what are these different factors?
Read my full article here.
We'll be discussing some of the issues raised around pro/rel in our next podcast which will be out by Monday.
Soccerbiz bytes
Marketing Dive has a really informative round-up of how major brands in the U.S. market are approaching the World Cup. They have a series of articles on how alcohol, beverage, snacks and retail brands are looking to engage with soccer this summer. You can find it here.
GOTHAM FC IN ADVANCED TALKS TO RELOCATE TO NEW QUEENS STADIUM Sportico reports that Gotham FC is in advanced negotiations to move from New Jersey to NYCFC’s new $780 million stadium in Queens starting in 2028. The move would shift the NWSL club roughly 20 miles east to the privately financed Etihad Park, which is scheduled to open in 2027.
While a final decision has not been made, the move represents a major geographic shift for a team that has averaged roughly 8,000 fans per game at Red Bull Arena. Gotham FC recently launched a "Blueprint" membership campaign guaranteeing price freezes for five years, raising questions about how a relocation might affect those fans.
COLUMBUS HASLAM GROUP NAMES TIM BEZBATCHENKO PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL SOCCER: Tim Bezbatchenko is returning to Ohio to serve as President of Global Soccer for Haslam Sports Group (HSG), overseeing the Columbus Crew and the launch of the city's NWSL expansion team in 2028. Bezbatchenko previously led the Crew to two MLS Cups before spending the last two years with Black Knight Football Club in Europe. He previously worked at MLS head office and Toronto FC.
In his new role, he will be responsible for building the technical staff and roster for the upcoming NWSL side while supporting existing technical leads for the Crew. HSG highlighted his experience with European clubs like AFC Bournemouth as vital for their domestic and global soccer investments.
U.S. WOMEN’S LEAGUES DISCUSS POTENTIAL INTERLEAGUE COMPETITION: ESPN reports that U.S. Soccer is facilitating preliminary talks between the NWSL and the USL Super League regarding a new interleague competition, that could launch as early as 2028. Both leagues currently hold first-division status, and the proposed tournament would address a long-standing lack of a domestic “US Open Cup" style competition for women’s soccer.
Scheduling remains a primary hurdle, as the NWSL follows a spring-to-fall calendar while the USL Super League operates from August to May. Sources indicate the competition is being approached with a "blank slate" to avoid directly copying the format of the men’s U.S. Open Cup.
SPOKANE ZEPHYR FC TO CEASE OPERATIONS AFTER SECOND SEASON: Spokane Zephyr FC has announced it will fold following the conclusion of the 2025/26 season after just two years in the USL Super League. Despite missing the playoffs by only a single point in both seasons, the club experienced a 38% drop in average attendance this year, which fell to just 1,564 fans.
Aequus Sports, which also owns Spokane Velocity FC, cited careful consideration in the decision to end professional women's operations. The club likely faced significant financial pressure due to having the highest travel burden in the league, with most opponents located over 2,000 miles away.
AC GRAND RAPIDS NAMES B.J. SNOW VP OF SPORTING OPERATIONS: AC Grand Rapids has appointed two-time World Cup-winning coach B.J. Snow as Vice President of Sporting Operations and Strategy ahead of the MLS Next Pro expansion club's 2027 inaugural season. Snow, who served as an assistant for the USWNT during their 2015 and 2019 championships, will lead the club's scouting, player development, and technical identity.
Club President Darrius Barnes noted that Snow will be instrumental in building the sporting foundation at the new Amway Stadium from the ground up. His role will also involve formalizing the club's development pathway through a partnership with the Michigan Futbol Academy.
SAN ANTONIO MAYOR SEEKS REPAYMENT FOR FAILED MLS BID: San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is pursuing roughly $2.1 million from Spurs Sports & Entertainment following a failed attempt to land an MLS franchise for the city. According to KSAT, a prior agreement stipulated that the city and county would receive $5 million in repayment if an MLS team was not secured within five years.
The Mayor highlighted the city's current "structural imbalance" and budget deficit as reasons for seeking all owed resources to minimize service cuts. .
PORTLAND HEARTS OF PINE ADVANCES WOMEN’S TEAM AND STADIUM LEASE: Portland Hearts of Pine is moving forward with plans to launch a USL W League pre-professional women’s team in 2027. The club has hosted a series of community town halls to gather input from fans and business leaders, emphasizing a vision to be a "soccer club for all of Maine".
To accommodate the expansion, the club is in talks with the city to expand its lease at Fitzpatrick Stadium to host 33 total matches next year. This includes 25 games for the USL League 1 men’s side and eight for the new women’s team, with city leaders expected to review the proposed changes soon.
FOX ANNOUNCE FULL WORLD CUP LINE-UP: FOX Sports announced the full lineup of its coverage team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Among the names that will join FOX Sports in studio as analysts for this summer's 48-team tournament include Thierry Henry (France), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden), Clarence Seedorf (Netherlands), Javier "Chicharito" Hernández (Mexico), John Obi Mikel (Nigeria), Thiago Alcântara (Spain), Juan Pablo Ángel (Colombia) and Peter Schmeichel (Denmark). Release here.
APPLE TV TO BROADCAST MLS MATCH ENTIRELY ON IPHONE: This Saturday, May 23, Apple TV will achieve a broadcasting milestone by streaming the LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo match shot exclusively on iPhone 17 Pro. This marks the first time a major professional live sporting event will be captured entirely on a smartphone, utilizing the device's small form factor to provide dynamic new perspectives such as in-net goal angles and on-pitch warmups.
Apple previously integrated iPhone technology into "Friday Night Baseball" workflows in 2025, a production that was later added to the National Baseball Hall of Fame's permanent collection. The upcoming MLS broadcast will leverage pro-level features like Apple Log 2 and the equivalent of eight lenses to maintain the high video quality fans expect.
TUBI LAUNCHES FREE 2026 WORLD CUP STREAMING HUB Tubi has introduced a dedicated 2026 FIFA World Cup hub, representing the first time the free ad-supported platform has created a unified experience for a global sporting event. The hub will centralize select live matches, highlights, and analysis, including live coverage of the U.S. vs. Paraguay on June 12 and daily recaps of the tournament’s most notable plays.
The strategy aims to follow modern viewing patterns by mixing full games with short clips and creator-led content in a single location. Tubi's research suggests that 74% of viewers feel loyalty to streaming services that effectively support their interests in specific teams or sports.
NETFLIX CONFIRMS INTEREST IN 2030 WORLD CUP MEDIA RIGHTS Netflix VP of Sports Gabe Spitzer has confirmed the streamer's intent to pursue media rights for the 2030 FIFA World Cup as part of a broader global sports strategy. Reports from Awful Announcing indicate that Netflix is prioritizing global rights acquisitions, having already secured U.S. rights for the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups. Spitzer says the streamer wants to "be in the conversation" for FIFA rights.
The move comes as Fox Sports' current distribution deal ends with the 2026 tournament, and Fox may need to "rebalance" its portfolio to accommodate future NFL rights. Spitzer noted that the scarcity and high status of World Cup events make them key targets for the platform's expanding live content library.
U.S. SOCCER SECURES AI-DRIVEN PARTNERSHIP WITH GOOGLE: U.S. Soccer has signed a multi-year agreement with Google to make its Gemini AI brand a sponsor for both the men’s and women’s national teams. Sportcal reports the deal spans the 2026 World Cup, the 2027 Women's World Cup, and the 2028 Olympics, focusing on using AI to enhance fan engagement through custom visuals and match performance analysis.
Google will also serve as the presenting partner for the upcoming national team roster reveal and fan celebrations. The federation has been on a commercial push ahead of the 2026 tournament, recently adding partners like Oura, CVS Health, and Veritone to its portfolio.
SEATTLE STARTUP TEMPORAL TO SPONSOR CRYSTAL PALACE: The Bellevue-based workflow orchestration company Temporal has announced it will become the front-of-shirt sponsor for Crystal Palace starting with the 2026/27 season. GeekWire reports the $5 billion startup is taking advantage of the Premier League's upcoming ban on gambling sponsors to reach a global audience of developers.
Beyond the logo placement, the club will become a Temporal Cloud customer to modernize its e-commerce and matchday operations during its stadium redevelopment. The partnership follows a successful period for the South London club, which secured its first-ever FA Cup title in 2025.
FANATICS SIGNS EXCLUSIVE TRADING-CARD DEAL WITH THE FA: Fanatics and the Football Association have struck a historic exclusive licensing deal for trading cards, stickers, and games featuring the England men’s and women’s national teams. The partnership officially begins in 2031, allowing the Fanatics-owned Topps brand to use official names, logos, and player images for sought-after autographs and memorabilia.
Topps already holds exclusive global rights for the Premier League, Bundesliga, and UEFA club competitions, with its FIFA partnership also set to start in 2031. Fanatics has served as the FA's official retail and e-commerce partner since 2018.
SAMUELSOHN TO OUTFIT CANADIAN MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM: Luxury menswear brand Samuelsohn has been named the official fine clothing outfitter for the Canada Soccer Men's National Team. The "Made in Canada" partnership will provide custom suiting for the team on the global stage, with the official designs set to be unveiled in early June 2026.
Harry Rosen will serve as the retail partner, offering a dedicated made-to-measure program for fans to commission the same suits worn by the players. The deal was facilitated by Brevettar and includes the Canadian Men's National Soccer Team Players Association.
ARSENAL EXPLORES EMIRATES STADIUM CAPACITY EXPANSION: Arsenal is in talks with architects Populous regarding a potential expansion of the Emirates Stadium that could see capacity increase beyond 70,000. Reports from City A.M. and Yahoo Sports indicate that while executives feel no immediate pressure, all options—from major works to minor hospitality upgrades—remain on the table.
New board member Otto Maly, who played a key role in building SoFi Stadium, is reportedly tasked with the expansion project. Populous previously designed the original Emirates Stadium as well as Tottenham Hotspur's new ground.