MLS is set to appoint a new commissioner in 2027, but the competition is unlikely to introduce the promotion and relegation model used by many soccer leagues around the world in the near future.
Larry Berg, a co-owner of Los Angeles FC and the incoming league commissioner, said during his introductory press conference on Tuesday that he does not believe promotion and relegation is suitable for MLS.
Berg acknowledged that supporters may find the concept appealing, but argued that it would not provide the stability needed to develop a league, construct stadiums and training facilities, or encourage owners to invest in players and other essential resources. He said MLS should instead create greater competitive pressure through the regular season and playoffs.
MLS began operating in 1996 and differs from most soccer competitions because it uses a single-entity structure. The league’s central organization controls team ownership rights and player contracts, a system originally designed to limit financial risk and attract investors. Promotion and relegation was not introduced because there were too few clubs to support it and because relegation could have exposed team owners, who also invested in the wider league, to significant losses. Although the United States has a second-tier competition in the USL Championship, the two leagues have shown little interest in forming a shared system since MLS clubs withdrew their reserve sides from the USL following the Covid-19 pandemic.
MLS has expanded from only 10 clubs around the beginning of the century to 30 teams in 2026. That rapid growth has prompted speculation that the league could eventually create its own two-tier structure, potentially divided into MLS1 and MLS2.
Berg maintained that such a system does not currently fit the league. While he did not completely rule out a future change, he said he could not imagine promotion and relegation being adopted anytime soon.
His remarks were the clearest indication of his policy position during his first public appearance as commissioner-elect. The event was attended by MLS employees, several journalists, outgoing commissioner Don Garber, and succession committee co-chairs Jimmy Haslam, a Columbus Crew co-owner, and Bennett Rosenthal, an LAFC co-owner.
Berg was selected during a meeting of MLS owners on Monday, completing a recruitment process that Haslam said initially considered 125 candidates.
According to Haslam, the potential candidates came from a wide range of fields, including sports, media, technology and general business.
The search was ultimately reduced to Berg and former Fox Sports executive David Nathanson. Alongside his stake in LAFC, Berg is a minority investor in Italian club Roma and Welsh team Swansea City, which plays in the English league system and most recently competed in the Premier League during the 2017-18 season.
Berg also brings extensive private equity experience, having spent 30 years at Apollo Global Management before becoming a senior partner at 26North. He said this background should help him as commissioner, particularly when consulting specialists and evaluating important decisions.
He explained that private equity develops skills that can be useful in many industries, including acting with urgency, taking a hands-on approach, asking major strategic questions and bringing people together around shared objectives. Berg added that the commissioner’s role is fundamentally about governance, requiring cooperation among 30 owners and numerous other stakeholders.
What do you feel about this post?
Like
Love
Happy
Haha
Sad
