USL to implement promotion and relegation

A couple of years ago I saw a comment by an American fan bemoaning that the US didn't have an equivalent of the FA Cup.

 

He probably loves the Open Cup now and despises Leagues Cup despite not watching either.

 

Probably only watches when it's USL vs MLS, then bounces.

 

There was a guy, I wish I could remember his name (Ross something), who said MLS would never participate in such a tournament lest they be embarrassed if one of their teams lost to a lower-division team.

 

And probably only watched when it was NASL before, because then NASL was the "authentic" one and the USL was evil. Now USL is the goods because they are instituting pro/rel.

 

USL Premier 2028: Tiering Every 2026 USL Championship Club by Launch Readiness

https://midfieldpress.com/2026/02/1...26-usl-championship-club-by-launch-readiness/

 

This publication is still around? I remember when they were so pro-NASL and anti-USL. Ironic how they hitched their wagon to the latter now.

 

I wonder if the guy has moved to New Jersey.

"Chris Kivlehan is a New York Cosmos supporter".

 

It’s funny, I bet a lot of current USL die hards might not be aware that as late as 2018 or so the hardcore pro/rel crowd thought USL was just as greedy and corporate as MLS.

 

HQ is probably greedier.

 

God, spare me from "tiers." ESPN does this nonsense all the time, and it has filtered down to everywhere. Look, "tiers" and "power rankings" and all that are not an attempt to do anything but get you to disagree and engage. They don't have the first idea how ready anyone is in 2026 to be D1* in 2028.

"I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind is Vichy."

The NASL was "authentic" for some reason. (That reason being "they were not MLS.")

No one gave a f*** about lower-level soccer until The Split and suddenly everyone chose sides and acted like they had been following the Orlando Sun Dogs.

Dear God. You REALLY have a thing for this, don't you?

I mean, I literally got screwed over by them and have every reason to be anti-USL and even I'm not constantly going on about this.

 

I'm not anti-USL. The more soccer the better. I just react badly to sanctimoniousness.

 

Only fully self-driving cars will, eventually, happen.

 

BREAKING: per multiple sources, South Georgia Tormenta will not field a team in 2026. Players will go through a draft or enter free agency with severance pay. More details: https://t.co/nrtUZ5RYIu

— Alex Ashton (@league1updater) February 21, 2026

BREAKING: per multiple sources, South Georgia Tormenta will not field a team in 2026. Players will go through a draft or enter free agency with severance pay.

 

So more info on @STR1 's news breaking:

Per sources, South Georgia Tormenta won't be participating in the 2026 USL League One season, and that's creating an unprecedented situation for the league. I dig into the troubles that came to a head in Statesboro and what that means for the USL.https://t.co/nBWXFMXWlR

— John Morrissey (@USLTactics) February 21, 2026

 

"Unprecedented," say people who don't know that this happened in the 90s, before they were born.

Also, of course, if a team in Statesboro, Ga. (metro population 650,000) could be promoted from a league they can't afford to play in to a league they really can't afford to play in, that would solve everything. #sportingmerit

 

Statesboro, GA had to be one of the smallest markets in USL. Definitely not 650K (unless you're tying in Savannah, GA as well) but close to 80K. No surprise when Tormenta FC averaged 680 fans to their games last season.

 

Some more info:

https://beyondthe90.substack.com/p/south-georgia-tormenta-will-not-field

Lack of funding for required insurance. Teams are now scrambling to fill open dates with friendlies to meet season ticket commitments on home games.

 

Savannah–Hinesville–Statesboro combined statistical area, yes.

 

It's 60 miles from Savannah and there's zero between.

 

Tell it.

To the ********ing.

Office. Of

********ing.

Management. And. Budget.

I didn't make up the term "Savannah–Hinesville–Statesboro combined statistical area," jagov.

 

I was just questioning why they put a professional soccer club 60 miles from civilization.

 

If you live in Savannah, you sure as hell ain't driving an hour or so to the sticks for a low level soccer game. Move the club to Savannah proper or give up.

And it's not like there's no audience for sports in the area; Banana Ball started there and they got a decent minor league hockey team. But you ain't getting people driving to the boonies.

 

Kicking themselves for not naming the team Statesboro Blues, that'd've drawn people....

 

The USLPA throws more gas on the CBA fire:

USLPA Statement pic.twitter.com/UvtyBcjLKV

— USLPA (@USLPlayers) February 23, 2026