I know next to nothing on American Geography, but Brazil is also a very big country, and we work with a systema that resembles the European one (althouugh we don’t have a 5th tier league… Actuallym this was the first year we had a 4th tier league). It’s not impossible to use this model in th US. I think it’s more of a cultural thing than anything else.

I know nothing of sports, but how does the saying go? “In America, 100 years is a long time. In England, 100 miles is a long distance.”

What SC said, and also, there is drama in whether or not you make the playoffs, that is something that all the major American team sports feature. That does have the unfortunate effect of making the regular season seem less important, but it ensures exciting finishes every year. No Barcelonas clinching the title in with six or seven then-meaningless games left to play (or however many, I made up the number.)

I’ve watched an Islanders game or two in my time. Please, for the love of whatever deity receives your devotion, do not confuse whatever the hell it is that the Islanders do on the ice for hockey.

Although better known as a football color commentary man, Myron Cope (RIP) wrote an article on it a few years ago
http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A37157

That would be the question of whether your team wins or not.

Though i’m a middlesbrough supporter, a town a little rough around the edges and still pretty solidly working class rooted, so you do tend to hear a bit of strong language.

I mean, maybe im a bit biased as I dont enjoy many sports beyond football, I find the fluid constant excitement somewhat lacking in North American sports.

But the beauty of following the league isnt just “who will win” but if your team will survive, or go back up to the top. Its a constant struggle, thats the fun. I think thats the main reason you guys should consider a switch, not just the “adding a freemarket to avoid bare minimum quality” aspect.

Of course, in a tiered system, had the Wolves risen, I soon wouldn’t have been able to afford to see them on a regular basis, and when I did see them, I wouldn’t be five rows up on the blue line.

Another good point of the tiered system is that it is less likely that an area would lose its team, and all the things that that loss does to a community. Having a mid-table second tier team is far superior to none at all – something else I went through when living in Winnipeg when we lost the Jets. And no matter how good the Moose get, they will never be the Jets.