The cited article is behind a pay wall. But the Athletic is a good source. I will bet details coming soon.
Big USL News
- Thread starter drboobay
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The cited article is behind a pay wall. But the Athletic is a good source. I will bet details coming soon.
Not for me.
Promotion-Relegation Coming to American Professional Soccer, per Report
Promotion and Relegation is coming to American professional soccer for the first time, according to a report from The Athletic's Paul Tenorio.The United Soccer Leagues (USL), representing American professional soccer's second and third tiers, voted to add promotion-relegation to their system. Currently, it is set up with the USL Championship featuring 24 teams and the third-tier USL League One featuring 14 teams.
Many teams are in non-MLS markets, allowing cities a cheaper point of entry for owners and a separate set-up to the 30-team top division. In February, the USL also applied to U.S. Soccer for first-division status, aiming to establish USL Premier, which would be classified as a first division alongside MLS.
If the USL Premier becomes a reality, it will likely have promotion and relegation through three divisions in the USL Championship and USL League 1. At the same time, MLS remains a separate single-entity structure.
As things currently stand, the USSF has strict requirements for professional club standards at each tier, with the top tier needing 12 teams across more than one time zone and stadiums above 15,000. 75% of clubs must also be located within a city with over 1,000,000 people.
It is unclear when promotion and relegation may be introduced to the USL. Still, the vote clearly indicates the desire to continue shaping the American soccer system beyond MLS, which is structured like other top North American professional leagues without fluid divisions.
While the system may come to the U.S. soon, don’t expect to see Inter Miami or other MLS clubs sent down to the second division. Given lofty expansion fees, franchise values, and ownership structure, MLS is extremely unlikely to adopt another system.
However, the league and its owners will be watching closely, especially after recently dealing with a lawsuit with the North American Soccer League, a previous professional circuit with first-division status, which accused MLS and U.S. Soccer of colluding against them.
The USL Championship and League 1 schedules began on March 8 and continue through their regular seasons until late October.
This likely only works with USL Premier becoming an actual thing. And there are plenty of clubs wanting in to the USL Structure. I would not be surprised if they go with a 16 team Premier Division, 20 team USL Championship, and the rest in USL One and I wouldn't be shocked if they adopt a pro/rel system similar to what you see in England's top 3 tiers.
The big question for me is which USL Championship sides have everything in place to jump to Premier now? The 15k stadium capacity is going to leave many of those sides wanting. I can see Louisville in that group for sure. There are sides that can build the teams easily but meeting the other needs is the issue. I would almost guarantee the new OKC team will be jumping in for 2027. They meet several of the requirements with the question being can they fit 15k in Taft or would they build a new pro-soccer specific stadium. Will the Craft's begin to push for a new soccer specific stadium in Tulsa?
The next question is what is the player financial structure going to be. Where's the money coming from to pay those older, outside their prime former Euro and South American players who draw fans and sell merchandise. MLS is plugging along because of players like Messi, Giroud, etc. Trying to be top division soccer with 2nd and 3rd division players will not work for long term sustainability.
And what for teams like FC Tulsa...if they earn promotion will they be allowed to accept it playing in a stadium not acceptable for that level according to USSF? There are a ton of USL Championship stadiums that don't meet that standard.
And jumping the gun a little...Will the Premier champion be on line for a bid to CONCACAF Championship League? That'd be cool...Club America making a trip to play FC Tulsa on a baseball diamond
The big question for me is which USL Championship sides have everything in place to jump to Premier now? The 15k stadium capacity is going to leave many of those sides wanting. I can see Louisville in that group for sure. There are sides that can build the teams easily but meeting the other needs is the issue. I would almost guarantee the new OKC team will be jumping in for 2027. They meet several of the requirements with the question being can they fit 15k in Taft or would they build a new pro-soccer specific stadium. Will the Craft's begin to push for a new soccer specific stadium in Tulsa?
The next question is what is the player financial structure going to be. Where's the money coming from to pay those older, outside their prime former Euro and South American players who draw fans and sell merchandise. MLS is plugging along because of players like Messi, Giroud, etc. Trying to be top division soccer with 2nd and 3rd division players will not work for long term sustainability.
And what for teams like FC Tulsa...if they earn promotion will they be allowed to accept it playing in a stadium not acceptable for that level according to USSF? There are a ton of USL Championship stadiums that don't meet that standard.
And jumping the gun a little...Will the Premier champion be on line for a bid to CONCACAF Championship League? That'd be cool...Club America making a trip to play FC Tulsa on a baseball diamond
I don't think they will keep them out for the stadium issue. It is probably for the initial go. Only THREE teams meet the last part. FC Tulsa hasn't been that successful overall. They have made it to the playoffs 3 out of 10 years. I think a soccer-specific stadium helps the atmosphere. Sitting so far back takes away from the vibe so much. I personally really like going to games. It could be better but I like going downtown and taking a stroll. I am sure people ***** about parking but people cry so much about that. I
The premier league has a standard about stadiums where they are supposed to increase capacity after a certain number a years too for the more petite guys. They don't keep them out upon promotion. I think they get fines if they don't make it. I am not sure that has ever happened.
I personally really like going to games. It could be better, but I like going downtown, taking a stroll, eating down there, or grabbing a beer. I know people ***** about parking, but I feel Tulsans will cry about anything that isn't perfect. You have to park far away in tons and tons of professional environments. Thunder games are a prime example of this. Honestly, I am not sure many Tulsans have ever been out of Tulsa. Since I have moved back, that has become more and more evident to me. Oh my god, it is a 10-minute walk! The humanity!
The premier league has a standard about stadiums where they are supposed to increase capacity after a certain number a years too for the more petite guys. They don't keep them out upon promotion. I think they get fines if they don't make it. I am not sure that has ever happened.
I personally really like going to games. It could be better, but I like going downtown, taking a stroll, eating down there, or grabbing a beer. I know people ***** about parking, but I feel Tulsans will cry about anything that isn't perfect. You have to park far away in tons and tons of professional environments. Thunder games are a prime example of this. Honestly, I am not sure many Tulsans have ever been out of Tulsa. Since I have moved back, that has become more and more evident to me. Oh my god, it is a 10-minute walk! The humanity!
It wouldn't be a TU board without someone bitching about not being able to park 10 ft from the entrance to your venue and having a pedi cab service to the door. I've never bitched about parking at TU or even downtown for events. I can always find a parking space and usually not have to pay for it. Heck, even in Boston at Fenway, go park in Brookline and take the subway into Kenmore Sq. Just don't park overnight there. There's always a place to park for free if you're able to walk just a few minutes to the venue.
And I like going to FC Tulsa games but the sight lines are pretty terrible with the exception of being behind the North goal. But then you're sitting near drunken idiots who enjoy the atmosphere but actually no little about the game (we sat next to that group last night at the US Open Cup game....the number of times my eyes rolled when they criticized the referee without having a clue what they were asking for).
I think there is an opportunity for a field and stadium complex that meets the needs of the D1 USL but also that FC Tulsa and TU could partner on and bid to host the College Cup. I mean honestly maybe build it out near the outlet mall and Riverwalk in Jenks. Build a pedestrian bridge to cross the river there. Add more restaurants and bars to the east side river area and you can have fans march across the bridge to the stadium before the game. Would be cool.
Just build it. Selfishly I want it close to me. Meaning near 11th and Peoria. So downtown or very proximal. But if it ended up further away I would still support the effort if it means First Division.
We’ve been to several Austin FC games and their stadium size meets the requirements. It’s a great venue and game atmosphere.
I just don't see the space available downtown for this type of development. Maybe one site just north of the IDL and east of OSU Tulsa (something fin tube site?) but the city has the development district have been arguing for years over how to use it and the group that won the bid to develop a mixed use shopping and residential district for it has now bowed out. I believe there was a soccer stadium group that submitted a bid for it to develop a stadium and restaurant entertainment area but that didn't satisfy the development committee's desires. There's not enough space other places downtown without tearing a whole bunch of stuff down. Either way, I don't think the Craft's are looking to do something privately so the city is going to have to figure it out if they're serious about it. And I'd suggest building something like what St. Louis City FC built in StL but in a slightly smaller scale. Heck, even Toyota Park in Frisco is a great place to see a game and there's a ton of restaurants and bars surrounding it.
Fintube is the main option.
The parking desert on the south end of downtown might work too but more acquisition and demolition needed.
The backline is way better than what they were running out there in previous years. They'll be able to hang around with teams. They are going to be a low block team. You're not going to see them high pressing USL teams and they're going to absorb the pressure and look for chances to attack instead of forcing the issue. I didn't get to watch the Tampa game but someone who was there said FC Tulsa just sat back and absorbed pressure and countered when they saw a chance and he said you could tell Tampa Bay started to get impatient and force the issue later in the 2nd half and FC Tulsa started controlling things a bit more and found there chances. My guess is that is going to be the game plan for most matches this season for Tulsa. And it's fine if you know that's who you are and you can find at least 1 goal a game which should be good enough to at least earn a draw in most games.
They were unlucky to not have scored 2-3 vs Athletics. Athletics GK was simply outstanding and I was wondering why he hasn't gotten a chance with higher division team...then they passed the ball back to him. His feet are a disaster. Because they're not able to play the ball back to him, they never attempted to play the ball out of the back. He punted or hit his goal kicks long every time. If this were Mexico, they would have stopped the game several times for derogatory language from the fans. But, he's big, moves well for his size, and is an excellent shot stopper. He was listed at 6'4"...FC Tulsa's starting keeper is listed at 6' and that was probably generous (he's also an excellent shot stopper at his size, has absolutely fantastic hands, but also has great feet and makes great decisions in distribution).
FC Tulsa doesn't have that hold up dynamic 9. They had that player last year and traded him away (maybe for a defender).
4 wins in all comps if you count the US Open Cup win vs Tulsa Athletics. I had a conversation with one of the ARs on that game BTW and we discussed the handball decision that led to FC Tulsa's PK that ended up being the game winner. He said the handball was apparent and there was no discussion to whether it was a handball or not but the discussion he and the center had was whether or not it was deliberate vs non-deliberate and DOGSO or not. I was sitting 5 yds from where it happened right behind the goal. When I saw it, I knew it was a handball because of the positioning of the arm. It wasn't deliberate IMO and where it occurred, I wouldn't have called it DOGSO either. AR confirmed my initial thoughts and how their conversation via the headset comms went. Actually pretty fascinating.
And yeah, FC Tulsa's defense has been stellar so far in the early going. Both GKs have been really good early on (Dowd and Penaranda). If they figure out how to score some goals consistently and stay healthy, they could make some noise this season. The 1 GA for Tulsa is the fewest conceded in USL this season. Out of teams currently in playoff position (and yes I know it's way too early), Tulsa's 3 GF are the 2nd fewest to only Tampa Bay's 2.
This game did take on a different feel than some of their previous games where they allowed the opponent to hold the ball and have a big edge in shots and possession time. This game, FC Tulsa controlled the ball more, had more shots, more corners, and generally controlled the game. And Sacramento is not a bad side in the early going. They have a really good shot at adding 3 more points this weekend against the Oakland Roots side who has conceded 9 goals in their first 4 games while only scoring 5. Tells me Oakland plays an open style and is susceptible to being countered.
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