The first thing most American soccer fans think when they hear the name Riccardo Silva are the words “promotion” and “relegation.”



The Italian businessman made this association firm thanks to the eye-popping $4 billion broadcast deal he offered to Major League Soccer… if the league opened itself to promotion and relegation. While Silva has served as the owner of The Miami FC since their formation in 2015, his advocacy for an open system has arguably become a greater part of his identity in American soccer. That’s in part due to the leagues in which his club has participated in: the NASL wasn’t shy about their ambitions to challenge MLS directly, while NISA initially explored the potential to operate outside of the same closed pyramid as MLS — ultimately securing provisional third-division sanctioning from U.S. Soccer in February 2019.



Over the last two years, Silva’s role as owner has come with...