a rival of The Football Association but rather the top competition within it. The new league was not universally accepted as England's top-calibre competition right away. To help win fans of clubs outside The Football League, a system was established in which the worst teams at the end of each season would need to win re-election against any clubs wishing to join. A rival league, the Football Alliance, was then formed in 1889. When the two merged in 1892, it was not on equal terms; rather, most of the Alliance clubs were put in the new Football League Second Division, whose best teams would move up to the First Division in place of its worst teams. Another merger, with the top division of the Southern League in 1920, helped form the Third Division in similar fashion, firmly establishing the principle of promotion and relegation. See also Gate receipts History of Baseball Football in England Football in France Football in Italy Football in Germany Football in Australia European Football Football in Spain Football in the Netherlands Football in Portugal Football in Scotland Rugby Football League EuroHockey Club Champions Cup Handball-Bundesliga Liga ASOBAL EHF Cup List of largest sports contracts List of professional sports leagues Notes References Further reading Cain, Louis P. and Haddock, David D.; 2005; 'Similar Economic Histories, Different Industrial Structures: Transatlantic Contrasts in the Evolution of Professional Sports Leagues'; Journal of Economic History 65 (4); pp1116–1147 Sports culture Sports law Sports business organization