Decision-makers for USL clubs believe that a European model could breathe new life into American soccerRob Salvatore has heard the noise for years. Promotion-relegation was, for some time, the worst kept secret in American soccer. Someone, somewhere, at some time, was going to implement it. And the Charleston Battery owner had been on the receiving end of questions ever since it was even rumored to be a possibility.He was routinely pestered at home games, by both loyal regulars and European enthusiasts, as to when his team would be part of a grown up ecosystem, one that adapted the model found in global soccer.“When it initially came up, there was this real desire from the fan base,” Salvatore told GOAL.And now, those fans have their wish – at least, in some senses. The USL announced last week that it will implement promotion and relegation between three professional divisions by 2028, concurrent with launching a league with Division One status. Needless to say, this stands as a landmark moment in American soccer. And according to many owners, who voted overwhelmingly in favor of its implementation, pro-rel is the beginning of the second wind of a league that is properly starting to grow up.“It’s great for real soccer fans,” Orange County Soccer Club President Dan Rutstein told GOAL. “It’s great for the players and the future players. I know there’s a long way to go, but this really does feel like day one of soccer in America reaching maturity.”
