Wrighty said:
I bet if there was an opportunity for promotion (and the associated relegation), that cities like Austin (and San Antonio, Cincinatti, Nashville, etc etc) would already have strong division 2 teams with a regular attendance who would be more than ready to take Columbus place in the top league!
This is the obvious draw of a promotion/relegation system. It keeps ownership's hands out of taxpayer's pockets. Want a new stadium? Raise funds and build a new stadium.
Want to move the team? Fine. Move. Your strongest supporters aren't moving with you.
There is a great example of this in the English league right now. AFC Wimbledon. In the early 2000s, the old Wimbledon FC was given permission to move 56 miles away to Milton Keynes. Their supporters were outraged and obviously their support didn't follow. Instead, they founded their own grassroots club. It started in the 9th or 10th level in the English football league pyramid and through dedicated quality leadership (club chairman makes 1 guinea per year), good management decisions, and rabid support from their longtime fans, they now play in League One (third tier on pyramid; fully professional; players make ~ what MLS players make).
Having teams here grow up on a more grass-roots basis would be great, but who knows whether American sports fans are willing to handle their teams successes and failures tied to their actual support.