http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-...-deal-that-hinged-on-promotion-and-relegation Saw this link today, MLS passed on record rights fees partly because they would need to accept promotion/relegation. Wondering if with all the expansion going on if promotion/relegation is something necessary in the future. I think it would be great for the league if teams can understand the financial changes that go with that situation. Anyone else have a thought?
Not in the next ~20 years. Beyond that is almost impossible to predict because nobody knows what the world will look like (from a sporting perspective) at that point. I won't say its impossible after that but saying its possible at that point is fairly meaningless.
Pro/Rel won't happen until Philip Anschutz gives his blessing. I'm guessing it would take a lot more than $4 billion paid to him directly to make that happen.
The other issue is whether there is enough soccer culture 'fandom' for a team to follow a relegated team. If say the Chicago Fire get relegated will anyone show up the next season?
Does anybody show up now? There is enough fan culture for certain teams to survive; Orlando, Seattle, Portland, or most of the newer team. The teams that might not keep all their fans; Chicago, LA, DC, NE, or the old guard are the cities that were just given teams at the start and fan culture did not have to help will their team into existence. There is more a sense of ownership with most of the expansion teams.