It's been a rallying cry, a fiery debate, a humble plea for decades. American soccer fans have been calling for the implementation of promotion and relegation - just like the rest of the world.
The USL is answering that call as it plans to implement pro/rel, plus a newly sanctioned Division One league, in 2027.
In Episode 72 of the Because Football Podcast, Jeremy Alumbaugh, President of USL Championship, tells us the motivations for that decision and how the league is aiming to capitalize on a new wave of soccer fans in the United States.
But this conversation covers more than the hottest topic in American footy - we start at Jeremy's roots - as a young kid in a soccer-rabid Midwestern town, to playing, coaching, and leading at all levels of the game. He talks about the learning he had to do as he transitioned from coach to General Manager to league President, and how he has had to rely on his team to back him at each step.
Jeremy shares the mindset of USL club owners, the league's push for a groundbreaking media rights deal, and how the World Cup will propel soccer culture to another level here in the United States.
We also discuss how USL clubs have succeeded in tapping into local fan bases - especially in small markets like Chattanooga or Vermont or Portland, Maine - by doing the hard work at grassroots level. Our conversation delves into important concepts of fan culture, relevance, and how that will hopefully grow as USL institutes pro/rel in the near future.
It's an extremely exciting moment in American soccer - but can we truly believe the hype?
Connect with Jeremy and USL here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-alumbaugh/
https://www.instagram.com/uslchampionship/
https://www.facebook.com/USLChampionship/
Connect with Because Football here:
https://www.youtube.com/@BecauseFootball_
https://www.instagram.com/becausefootball_/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/because-football-media/