World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

[Jimjamesak]

to take a page out of other threads....Jimmyjam gonna Jimmyjam

That would be this:

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Oops, I forgot the .

Yeah it's what those crazies believe, not me. The MLS model is what has allowed the league to be where it is now: stable. That's more than any other league has achieved.

I think it would be very interesting to see a european style model here but you're right. The salary cap and the current structure are whats protecting MLS from its owners.

[Jimjamesak]

I think it would be very interesting to see a european style model here but you're right. The salary cap and the current structure are whats protecting MLS from its owners.

I agree and I certainly think, down the road, something like it is possible. The thing is that those people want it NOW! And MLS won't do it, so they must be destroyed!

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

I agree and I certainly think, down the road, something like it is possible. The thing is that those people want it NOW! And MLS won't do it, so they must be destroyed!

I don't see it ever happening here...not with franchise fees and the american sports structure. As great as it is at punishing bad teams, it just won't fly here. The owners have too much invested in things.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

I agree and I certainly think, down the road, something like it is possible. The thing is that those people want it NOW! And MLS won't do it, so they must be destroyed!

The only way to do pro/rel is to somehow incorporate it into a franchise structure. Like the EPL/FA system of "parachute payments", but on steroids. Even then, I don't think it'll ever work.

[Jimjamesak]

The only way to do pro/rel is to somehow incorporate it into a franchise structure. Like the EPL/FA system of "parachute payments", but on steroids. Even then, I don't think it'll ever work.

Yeah that's basically my thought. You'd have to have some system that creates a financial parity between the two league. It probably won't happen, even if it did we're still a good 30+ years away.

The biggest problem right now in the US is that, while MLS is stable, the lower divisions are nowhere near stable. The NASL is compounding the problem because they're trying to compete with MLS, not work with them. The USL is working with MLS but it's very recent and stability is off in the distance.

It's bad because it's effecting development. Player development, referee development, coaching development are all lagging because the lower divisions are a mess.

[LynahFan]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

effecting development

In this case effecting development would be a GOOD thing. Affecting development, on the other hand....

/grammar nerd

[FreshFish]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

The only way to do pro/rel is to somehow incorporate it into a franchise structure. Like the EPL/FA system of "parachute payments", but on steroids. Even then, I don't think it'll ever work.

It seems to me that one way it might work would be if MLS ownership becomes something like baseball, in which A / AA / AAA teams are "affiliated" with the major league team. Even then it would be problematic. To extend the baseball analogy, the analog to the major league Kansas City team is relegated, say, while the analog to the St. Louis AAA team is promoted. Then what?

Still, I'd think if each "team" were multiple teams, on different levels, and you spread out the "parachute payment" over several years instead of it being a one-time lump sum, something workable might develop.

The real question would be whether it was worth it or not. It seems perhaps that promotion / relegation is in lieu of a playoff structure more than complementary to a playoff structure, but maybe you could figure out how to meld the two models...

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup_squads

Any noteworthy snubs? Samir Nasri seems a notable one.

[jmh]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup_squads

Any noteworthy snubs? Samir Nasri seems a notable one.

His girlfriend certainly thought so.

[MountieBoyOz]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

But the US or England still aren't worthy hosts.

http://deadspin.com/qatari-governmen...ium=socialflow

[HumRsky]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

I really like pro/rel in general, as it makes for many more teams playing meaningful games at the end of the season. However, the way American sports are structured, I just don't see it happening, even in MLS. Instead of each small town and neighborhoods of larger locales having their own sports clubs in the league system, we have high school and college sports. I don't think the casual American sports fan, even on willing to watch soccer, would be that receptive, or understand a pro/rel system. I think it would be really interesting in college sports switched to having a bunch of divisions with pro/rel. I actually think it would make a lot of sense if that happened, but the NCAA has a hard time accepting good ideas that are much more easily implemented.

Also, there are pro/rel leagues with playoffs. The Swedish Hockey League (formerly Eliteserien) has a championship playoff for the top 8 teams. Two teams have no postseason and the bottom two teams are sent to a pro/rel playoff with four teams from the 2nd division HockeyAllsveskan. The top 3 teams from HA are automatically qualified for that playoff and the fourth is chosen via a playoff between teams placed 4-7. Once they have the six, they play double round-robin home and away against each team and the top 2 are sent to the SHL and the bottom 4 to the HockeyAllsvenskan. I think there are 7 or 8 levels to the Swedish hockey pyramid and similar postseason series to determine pro/rel.

[bigmrg74]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

I really like pro/rel in general, as it makes for many more teams playing meaningful games at the end of the season. However, the way American sports are structured, I just don't see it happening, even in MLS. Instead of each small town and neighborhoods of larger locales having their own sports clubs in the league system, we have high school and college sports. I don't think the casual American sports fan, even on willing to watch soccer, would be that receptive, or understand a pro/rel system. I think it would be really interesting in college sports switched to having a bunch of divisions with pro/rel. I actually think it would make a lot of sense if that happened, but the NCAA has a hard time accepting good ideas that are much more easily implemented.

.

That could be a hell of a way for non-revenue and women's athletics to become a bigger draw on campus and be much more self supporting on their own. You base promotion and regulation basically on the directors' cup standings based on how well all of your teams did in their respective postseasons. The football team could have a great year, maybe even win the national championship. But that NC would only be worth a hundred points. That school could still end up getting demoted if the rest of their program isn't strong enough.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

On a side note, might I say F the soccer universe. No one sells soccer merch in larger than 2XL. I want a jersey, polo, tshirt to wear when watching the world cup and I got nothing.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Buy Manchester City gear. That club is so fat and bloated that "larger than 2XL" shouldn't be a problem.