American Soccer Pyramid: What If?

What if… lets speculate on how the North American soccer pyramid would have looked this year if there were promotion/relegation. No playoffs. Just a full season that would mean everything. A long-shot with the current state of U.S. Soccer, who is supposed to govern the entire sport in this country.

MLS had a tremendous race for the Supporters’ Shield this season with four clubs within four points! The New York Red Bulls should be praised for months for their accomplishment! Instead they were eliminated from the 10-team MLS playoffs just two games later by a mid-table club and what they achieved is long-forgotten in the American soccer fans’ mind.

Imagine the relegation race between Toronto FC and Chivas USA? Or the year-long promotion fight between Carolina, Tampa Bay and Atlanta in NASL? Richmond Kickers and Orlando City SC would have earned their promotion from USL Pro (not AWARDED an MLS franchise)!

England has it. Germany too. Russia, Spain, Colombia, Peru and even Uzbekistan! So why not here?

Major League Soccer (MLS)

Will there ever truly be a UNITED States Soccer federation?

1. New York Red Bulls * 59 pts.
2. Sporting Kansas City 58
3. Portland Timbers 57
4. Real Salt Lake 56
5. L.A. Galaxy 53
6. Seattle Sounders 51
7. New England Revolution 51
8. Colorado Rapids 51
9. Houston Dynamo 51
10. San Jose Earthquakes 51
11. Montreal Impact 49
12. Chicago Fire 49
13. Vancouver Whitecaps 48
14. Philadelphia Union 46
15. FC Dallas 44
16. Columbus Crew 41
17. Toronto FC 29
18. Chivas USA 26
19. D.C. United ^ 19

North American Soccer League (NASL)

1. Carolina RailHawks ** 43 pts.
2. Tampa Bay Rowdies 38
3. Atlanta Silverbacks 37
4. Minnesota United FC 34
5. New York Cosmos 31 (played half of NASL season)
6. FC Edmonton 30
7. San Antonio Scorpions 30
8. Fort Lauderdale Strikers 26

USL PRO

1. Richmond Kickers *** 55
2. Orlando City SC 54
3. Charleston Battery 44
4. Harrisburg City Islanders 43
5. Charlotte Eagles 41
6. L.A. Blues 40
7. Pittsburgh Riverhounds 38
8. Dayton Dutch Lions 37
9. Wilmington Hammerheads 36
10. VSI Tampa Bay 32
11. Rochester Rhinos 28
12. Phoenix FC Wolves 22

* = Supporters’ Shield winner

** = Woosnam Cup winner

*** = Commissioners’ Cup winner

^ = U.S. Open Cup winner