USL to create a new 1st-division league with pro-rel to rival MLS starting in 2027, should the Sounders join?

The USL has always played the sad 2nd fiddle to the increasingly massive MLS. With the gap between the 2 leagues growling further and further with the MLS even making active efforts to distance themselves from the United State League. The USL however maybe out of revenge or pure greed has instead of accepting their role as the 2nd tier having decided to go into a prize fight with the MLS with the help of pro-rel. If US soccer is heading for a 90s American open wheel type split it does lead to the question of which side the Sounders should be on?

Before anything should be said, people should be reminded that the Sounders were once in the USL themselves. From 1994 to 2008 the Sounders were in the MLS only 1 year less than the time the Sounders have spent in the MLS. They won 4 USL league titles and 3 Commissioner's cups which were some of the 1st success Seattle had for soccer or sports in general. Not to mention before the MLS was a thought it anyone's head the Sounders were already in the top of the US game. Starting in 1974 the Sounders were in the North American Soccer League or NASL for short. Following the old top leagues trend of signing notable figures from overseas like firey English coach Alan Hinton and Man City flop Steve Daley. Also reminding people that the history of American soccer has been extremely chaotic and has seen many leagues rise and fall, so the MLS might feel unstoppable plus around for awhile but that hasn't stop leagues from falling before.

So the history is certainly there but should they? That depends on who pro-rel are and if them teaming up with USL really presents a chance for them to dethrone the MLS's American soccer crown. USL is taking a risk as they're the 1st sports league in all of America, a country with more sports league than any other to be using pro-rel or promotion regulation. Of course foreign leagues have had that for a century plus but could that work out in the USA, especially a league that isn't even the highest tier in said country.

The point the USL makes against the MLS is the amount of markets pro-rel is able to reach many more markets “We’ve been very public about trying to get there with (pro-rel),” McDonough said. “We’re not there yet, but we’ll continue to push forward with it.” “If soccer in the country is truly going to grow, it’s going to grow outside of 30 or 32 markets,” McDonough said. Right now the USL has a total of 24 teams with 2 pyramids so I'd imagine this would include merging or making partnerships with other American soccer leagues such as UPSL and NPSL. “What’s naturally happened for us over our conversations with owners is there is a desire for a higher standard, and we’ve leaned into that,” McDonough said. “When you look at the size of the country, and you look at what can happen in a place like Louisville or Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they’re doing so well with attendance and growing the game, our feeling is that if we can execute this well, with the size of our country, this can help soccer by providing more top-tier soccer in markets that traditionally wouldn’t see it.”

Another goal and this would be something that in Europe has provided teams with a massive money boost is more soccer specific stadiums in the US is these brand new markets. “Stadiums change the whole dynamic of the business model, so having the proper stadium and training facilities is really, really important for us,” McDonough said. “And we need more owners with that ambition to drive the game forward.” Stadium revenue is behind TV money in terms of what drives the financial success of all European teams. With success stories like Arsenal FC going from 4th every season to challenging for titles again and Tottenham Hotspur going from best of the rest to regular champion leagues ball, amazing what a NFL game a year and a Beyoncé concert will do for a team, eh? “Today is a defining moment for the USL and the future of soccer in the United States,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said in a statement. “Creating a division one league is a bold step forward, expanding access to top-tier competition, deepening the connection between our communities and taking another step in aligning with the structure of the global game. By uniting people through soccer and bringing division one to more cities, we’re not just growing the sport—we’re creating lasting opportunities while building a more sustainable and vibrant soccer ecosystem in the U.S.”

Though it does leave a open another question which is if these non-MLS markets he's reaching for really worth all that much, especially enough to compete with the markets the MLS has already cornered. "When you look at the size of the country, and you look at what can happen in a place like Louisville or Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they’re doing so well with attendance and growing the game, our feeling is that if we can execute this well, with the size of our country, this can help soccer by providing more top-tier soccer in markets that traditionally wouldn’t see it.” McDonough said. It is true that the USA has many more mid-tier markets to tap into the MLS hasn't reached yet. Though it's also true that MLS has many like the recent San Diego, Nashville and older teams like Portland and San Jose our fierce rivals. It'd be one thing if they were trying to build up their own ranks it's another to compete with the MLS. They are markets so huge like LA even with 2 MLS franchises in LA FC and the LA Galaxy then New York City even with it's own 2 MLS teams like New York Red Bulls and could handle another USL franchise but that's not the case for most cities and most cities left are slim pickings.

Biggest non MLS cities like Tampa Bay and Jacksonville have NFL teams to compete with Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Though cheap ticket prices and building a stadium within in the city getting those connections with the local community plus business could help them cut into that share a little bit. The likes of the San Antonio have the San Antonio Spurs the NBA team and 1 like Baltimore have another NFL team like the Baltimore Ravens plus the Columbus Crew in the same era as well. Detroit has no close MLS teams beside Minnesota United but while not the biggest city it's a sports haven with the MLB team Detroit Tigers, NBA team Detroit Pistons and of course the NFL team the Detroit Lions. The teams McDonough listed earlier like Louisville and Albuquerque are not only mid level American markets but ones without any pro sports team to compete with, something very rare in the US. If they're willing to go northward like the MLS cities in Canada like Ontario, Ottawa or Calgary are worth looking into. In the US though Las Vegas is by far the biggest market the MLS has yet to stake a claim in and if the USL get there first that'd be huge. Beyond that however are Fort Worth, Texas but have sports teams all around them even MLS teams like FC Dallas or the Houston Dynamo. The biggest city without too many pro sports teams around it is Newport News, Virginia which has a population of 183.000+.

Overall I admire their ambition but in terms of being a real threat to the MLS, I don't think teams in Newport News and a 10,000 capacity soccer only stadium in Fort Worth isn't deep enough to take on the MLS even with pro-rel unless some drastic shit happens. Thanks a bunch for reading!