Relegation

[IrishAnto]

I don't want to waste this thread "selling" anybody on soccer. Like most sports, if you spend the time to learn about the tradition and nature of the EPL, you'll develop an appreciation, but that's neither here nor there.

What I do want to promote here is one of the greatest things about soccer: Relegation.

Yes, winning the whole dadgum tamale is what it's about. But what about mercilessly punishing the losiest of losers for good measure? That's what relegation does.

I'll preface this by admitting this is obviously more difficult in the NFL than it would be for basketball, baseball, or hockey, but just imagine for a moment the look on Jeff Lurie's face knowing that, no, the Eagles won't get to play in the NFL next year. Glorious. Philly might burn to the ground. Finally.

For those not familiar with relegation, basically it means if you finish in the bottom three teams in soccer, you get sent down to a lower the league for the entirety of the next season, and you have to earn your way back. The top three teams from the lower division then take your place.

It adds tremendous drama to the bottom of the standings, not just the top.

Granted, the Cowboys might have come dangerously close to such a reality this past season, and seasons stuck in the Viagara League One would be dark and lonely. Careful what I wish for, no doubt.

But imagine replacing Cleveland, Jacksonville, and Tennessee with Birmingham, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas.

It could also jumble up the divisions, too. Cleveland drops out, and Las Vegas fills in. Then Cleveland earns it's way back in to the NFC South when Tampa gets relegated.

Again, I realize this isn't really plausible for a sport like football. Perhaps baseball or basketball would benefit much more in interest, and it would be easier to do, especially with basketball.

But it's fun to imagine the NFL with that albatross hanging over each team's head.

In theory a good idea, but in practice I don’t see it happening.

For starters you’d have to have every team play all the other teams in their division home and away like you do within your division at the moment.

To do that you’d have to split the league into small enough divisions so that you could play all games within 7-9 months of any year.

I don’t know how you would go about the initial split.

 

[daschoo]

A number of reasons it wouldn't work. The structure of the league being the main one. A four team division seems far to small to me to introduce relegation. How would the draft work if you had different tiers of competition? American sport is much more commercially driven than over here, would the tv companies be able to market second tier nfl? The reason we are able to have promotion and relegation is due to the number of clubs we have, you simply don't have the numbers over there and if you just created new teams to make up the numbers would enough people care for them to be a success? I love the structure of the nfl including the draft and (commie style?) pooling of resources attempt at parity but think it would be daft to try and force that on "proper" football. Likewise while our system fits our sport it wouldn't work for American football.

Also to address a few points that have come up in the thread.
The rules of football change and are rewritten most years (interpretation of the offside rule for example) but aren't changes that are going to completely change the game - the same way the nfl aren't suddenly going to allow 2 forward passes to try and increase scoring.
Teams defending a lead, in American football you can take a knee and let the clock run out to end a game.
The one that gets brought up most is the lack of scoring. I guess it's what you're used to and have grown up with but that's what I love about the game. I just don't get excited by a basket, teams score 90 odd points and lose regularly so why do I care about the two points you just scored? The feeling you get when your team open the scoring in the 80th minute on the other hand...

 

[LandryFan]

Yes there are season ticket holders. At some clubs people have them handed down through generations after death because the wait lists are truly numbering into the tens of thousands.

I had a season ticket at my local club for twenty years before I moved to Toronto. I miss those Saturday's following my team up and down the country more than anything.

Prices vary according to supply and demand and typically yes, if a club gets relegated they either freeze ticket prices or have to drop them in order to attract the same volume of people.

A major difference is tv viewing. Whilst most premier league games are accessible on tv here in North America most games played on a Saturday in England are NOT live on tv. They have one game on a Saturday at 5pm live on Sky, a couple on Sunday and maybe one on a Monday night.

None of the 3pm Saturday games are in tv. If you want to watch it you go to a game.

None of the lower league games are live on tv, except for the odd game and playoffs.

It's apples and oranges to compare the two sports but you will never experience an atmosphere like a real "football" game. The noise can be off the charts. Seattles 12th man has nothing on a Rangers/Celtic sound or any local derby for that matter.

Very interesting. Thanks for taking the time to enlighten me a little bit...I appreciate it!