Larry Berg, the newly appointed commissioner of Major League Soccer, has firmly dismissed any immediate move toward promotion and relegation in the league.
His stance reflects the league’s unique single‑entity structure, under which clubs are owned by investors who operate the teams, a model that makes a European‑style pyramid both legally and financially intricate.
Berg warned that introducing relegation would expose clubs to severe financial volatility, especially given the hundreds of millions of dollars that recent expansion franchises have paid to join MLS.
The commissioner also pointed to the broader sporting landscape, noting that American sports fans are accustomed to a stable championship format and that a system that could relegate a high‑profile team might erode fan engagement.
The USL’s Ambitious Pyramid
The United Soccer League (USL) plans to roll out promotion and relegation in 2028, creating a three‑tier system with a summer‑based season that could reshape the domestic soccer hierarchy and push the league toward U.S. Soccer Division I status.
Although Berg and former commissioner Don Garber have acknowledged that relegation is not impossible, they agree that the financial and competitive hurdles make it unlikely for MLS to adopt the model anytime soon.