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American Relegation


Lowerdeck

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In Europe, football uses a system of tables and points in order to determine ranking for the season. As an added bonus, the top teams get to play against the best clubs from other countries. And as a warning shot, the teams at the bottom of the standings get dropped to the next level.

In America, to shake up a sport, perhaps the system of relegation should be introduced. It would prevent like teams like the Boston Celtics from losing year after year, tanking in order to get better players. However, some sports like the NFL, MLS, and NBA do not have levels upon levels underneath them.

This leaves the NHL and MLB as eligible. With the system of relegation, we see new teams enter the major leagues on a consistent basis, and every team will strive to keep on their level and try to advance further on the table and in importance.

Take the NHL: Imagine what it would be like if Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Los Angeles got relegated to the AHL for next season. Granted, there would be a lot of pissed off fans. But, these teams have new motivation to improve. Meanwhile, the NHL gets to see new teams and new cities: Hershey (PA), Manchester (NH), and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (PA).

Take Major League Baseball: Imagine if Tampa Bay, Kansas City, and the Cubs got sent down to AAA. The entire team. Getting replaced with Tucson, Toledo (OH), and Round Rock (TX). Meanwhile, the worst in AAA gets dropped to AA and replaced with the best teams down there.

With hockey and even more so baseball, the contractual status of minor league affiliation would need to be dropped, where every player on the team is for that one club only and not able to be moved up or down in the system at free will. Transfer fees would need to apply, as is European football.

The more likely sport to pull a system like this would be hockey, even though baseball is deep enough to do a system similar to England with football. A system of relegation could spice up the NHL, make it pass the NBA as the #4 sport league in North America.

I know this would never happen in reality. But, opinions anyone?

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