Unlike Don Garber, when Jake Edwards smiles it doesn’t look like he hates it.

As you may know, last weekend was the United Soccer Coaches (formerly National Soccer Coaches Association of America) Annual Convention in Chicago. It’s usually paired with the MLS (and, now, NWSL) draft. It’s also usually paired with a lot of soccer news, as attendees comprise a who’s who list of collegiate and professional soccer coaches, front office personnel, league administrators, and, of course, journalists.

USL’s own Jake Edwards, never one to shy away from the spotlight, has definitely Raised his GameTM in the past couple days with some really interesting interviews, one with SportsPro and the other with the far better known Sports Illustrated. In those interviews, he lays out a pretty ambitious plan for what our league will look like in the coming decade:

  • 40 teams in the Championship and League One
  • 15 new Championship teams, as some existing teams will likely move down to League One if they can’t or won’t meet standards
  • A League Cup between the Championship and League One with an actual cash prize for the winner (imagine!)
  • A broadcast deal for League One teams

More important to a lot of the soccer internet, Edwards hasn’t shied away from the the topic of promotion and relegation between USL leagues:

In terms of our ecosystem, between our two divisions – and maybe one day our League Two as well – there may well be options for movement. […] The question is would that accelerate the growth of the sport here? Would that be better for attracting players to a more competitive league structure? Would it add value from an ownership point of view? So we have to weigh up all those things, and I think there’s a good conversation going on about it now.[…]

We’ll have to do an analysis of the pros and cons, and if it does make sense we’ll have the infrastructure to do that. It could be a way to be more compelling, to differentiate the league, to have more fan engagement and more interest from the media. There are some inherent risks, obviously, but if there’s buy-in from everybody then we’ll be in a position to do that.”

Jake Edwards, “USL’s Jake Edwards on the league’s English-style rebrand,” SportsProMedia.com, January 14, 2019

“I think there’s a realistic possibility [of promotion and relegation].”

Jake Edwards, “As American Soccer Builds Toward 2026, USL Ramps Up Its Ambition,” si.com, January 14, 2019

Before anyone gets too excited, no, none of this includes getting promoted into or getting relegated out of MLS. MLS’s structure does not lend itself to that sort of thing, and, unless Major League Soccer, LLC dissolves, it simply won’t be virtue of the kind of entity it and its member clubs are. Still, promotion and relegation of any kind in professional soccer could be a good thing. If it works at lower levels in the pro game here, that could turn some heads elsewhere.

Or it’ll crash and burn and prove the would-be opposition right. Exciting times either way!

No United Soccer Links today, as El Presidente Jake has done enough speaking to occupy your minds for a while. Hasta mañana!