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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowWho needs Major League Soccer? Apparently not the Indy Eleven, as the club on Wednesday indicated it might seek a bid to join the new top-tier competitive offering from United Soccer League set to launch in 2028.
The team said in a news release—tied to the formal approval of the USL’s Division One league by team owners—that the move “provides Indy Eleven the opportunity to play at the top tier, the highest level of soccer in the world.”
While Indy Eleven CEO Greg Stremlaw declined a request from IBJ to discuss details of the team’s plans, he said the club’s news release “outlines the necessary information and provides the latest updates” on where the club is in its process.
Since 2018, Indy Eleven has played in the second-tier USL Championship league, which will remain part of the competitive landscape for USL, along with the third-rung League One. However, it’s unclear how many of the 31 current and forthcoming teams participating in the USL Championship could be promoted to the new Division One level and exactly what requirements must be met.
The U.S. Soccer Federation, which sanctions the USL and MLS, said teams must have a stadium with a capacity of at least 15,000 by 2028 in order to receive Division 1 status. The Indy Eleven said that is why it has been pursuing a stadium with a capacity of more than 20,000.
By establishing a three-tier system, the USL will become the first professional sports league in the United States to implement a promotion-and-relegation system in which teams can advance to a higher division or fall to a lower division based on their performance during the season. Similar systems are used by the world’s top leagues in Europe, most notably in European programs like the Premier League in England, La Liga in Spain and Ligue 1 in France.
Major League Soccer has generally resisted adopting the promotion-relegation system, instead focusing on creating a development pathway for players through MLS Next Pro, a third-tier professional league, and academy programs.
“The decision by our owners to approve and move forward with this bold direction is a testament to their commitment to the long-term growth of soccer in the United States,” Alec Papadakis, CEO of the United Soccer League, said in written remarks. “This is a significant milestone for the USL and highlights our shared vision with our team ownership to build a league that not only provides top-tier competition but also champions community engagement. Now, just as it is in the global game, more communities in America can aspire to compete at the highest level of soccer. It’s time.”
The Indy Eleven franchise has already been awarded a top-tier women’s soccer club through the USL Super League. That club has not begun play, but team majority owner Ersal Ozdemir plans to build a 10,000-seat soccer stadium for the team at Grand Park in Westfield.
The USL announcement comes as the city of Indianapolis nears the one-year mark of its own pursuit of MLS, separate from longstanding aspirations by Ozdemir and other team owners to eventually make the jump to the league.
Announced last April by Mayor Joe Hogsett, the city’s effort was tied to an abrupt end to negotiations for Indy Eleven’s proposed stadium and the surrounding Eleven Park commercial district at the former Diamond Chain Manufacturing Co. site. Instead, the city has chosen to bring on a new investor group and use a pocket of mostly undeveloped land and the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport on the east side of downtown.
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber has expressed interest in bringing a team Indianapolis, but has not made any formal commitments. In February, he and a contingent from the league met with city leaders, Gov. Mike Braun and representatives of Pacers Sports & Entertainment during a 24-hour trip to the city.
It is not immediately clear whether Indy Eleven’s interest in pursuing the USL Division One designation would affect the city’s bid for MLS.
Indianapolis is one of just three cities that either already have or are expected to have both an MLS team and a USL Championship team in the same metropolitan area, along with Miami and Dallas (which will add a USL team in the coming years).
Over the past several years Major League Soccer has moved several USL teams operated by its clubs over to its MLS Next Pro league, including Atlanta United 2, Ventura County FC (formerly LA Galaxy II), Orlando City B and Philadelphia Union Ii.
The USL said it plans to share additional information about its plans for its new top-tier division in the coming months.
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So, Ozdemir isn’t selling the Indy Eleven but the team is at least admitting the MLS thing will never happen for them.
That’s progress, I guess.
It remains to be seen whether this new top level league from USL will be the AFL or the WFL of pro futbol.
Why would he sell the team? MLS won’t happen for him when the city won’t support it and pulls the rug out from under them.
The City didn’t support it because 11 wasn’t going to be allowed in the MLS and the stadium and development costs were increasing, which 11 wanted the City to cover.
What Mike said.
Ozdemir had two chances and failed. MLS has made clear he will never be an owner in the league. The price has gone up substantially in the interim. Hogsett should have moved him aside years ago.
There is much to like about this, maybe? Tiered soccer is a solid way to build depth and quality at the top. It’s similar to what baseball has been doing for a hundred years. Costs should be much more reasonable while providing a solid, high end product. I hope Keystone can develop on Kentucky Avenue in spite of all the ongoing obstacles. As it is, almost prohibitive $$$ in order to gain entry into MLS is more about status. Remember: MLS franchises are owned by MLS, not franchisors.
Yep, $500Million just to say we belong but we don’t own. What a deal, almost even better than the costs of an F1 team. The new USL top tier sounds better than the arrogance of MLS.
I admit it, I’m not a soccer fan. but is either of these teams supportable in Indy over the long run? Or will the stadiums (whatever is built downtown, and the Grant Park facility) become albatrosses around the neck of taxpayers or investors? I know we’ve gotten away with “build it and they will come” with The Hoosier Dome, but there we had an owner of a top level professional team. This does feel like NFL/AFL. NBA/ABA. I’d rather we were on the NBA/NFL side, not the other, of history on this one. I feel a tax increase coming…
“USL will become the first professional sports league in the United States to implement a promotion-and-relegation system in which teams can advance to a higher division or fall to a lower division based on their performance during the season.” This is the most exciting news to come to soccer in the USA ever! Now you will get a deep community fan interest and loyalty. MLS is an arrogant system based on a buy-in that has nothing to do with team performance.
I wish Ersal Ozdemir would build a 20,000 fan stadium at Grand Park, far away from Indianapolis’ plan for their MLS team. USL will become the Premier League of the USA. He could even sell stock in the Indy Eleven Team to enhance the fan base.
I’ve long wondered how the soccer teams in Europe continue to get fan support / merch sales / etc. when they could be the equivalent of major league one year then single A the next, depending on how they performed the previous season. If you knew there were no chance of being in the championship at the start of the season, then why bother? I admit I probably don’t know how this works as I’m not a soccer fan, but I’ve always been curious.
This is good news. What the USL is doing is like the successful European model. I hope we can proceed. I believe the soccer fan base is much more in favor of this than the top-down daliance with the MLS.