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USL outcasts to launch new league in 2010

Six ownership groups that were previously part of the USL-First Division have joined forces with St. Louis Soccer United to form a new professional soccer league that will begin play in 2010.

The Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps have joined St. Louis in an as-yet-unnamed league that has submitted an application for the sanctioning of the new league as a Division 2 league. The league will apply to be a Division 1 league in Canada.

“This is not your typical new league,” said Montreal owner and league chairman Joey Saputo.  “Most of our teams have existed for years.  We have united some of the best owners, teams and markets around a new vision for a professional soccer league in North America.
 
“We look forward to elevating our teams and league in order to give more opportunities to players, coaches, media and sponsors, entertain our fans and play our role in helping soccer truly recognize its potential in the United States and Canada.”

The application for recognition of the new league must still be approved by the U.S. Soccer Federation.

As for the USL, it will continue operation in 2010 with as many as 11 teams. Austin, Cleveland, New York, Puerto Rico, Portland, Rochester, Tampa Bay, Edmonton and Ottawa had representatives at a recent meeting to discuss the future of the USL, while Baltimore and Detroit were also represented.

What do you think of this news? Like the idea of a new league to rival the USL? Hoping these leagues work with MLS to improve player development? Plan on watching any of these teams play in 2010?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. If you think St. Louis is the American “mecca” of soccer, you’re absolutely crazy. You don’t even have an MLS club.

    Seattle is the city that averages over 30,000 fans per game.

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  2. They should start some sort of relegation with the mls and the usl. It would bring the best of the usl to the mls and the worst of the mls to the usl

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  3. You’re assuming those ownership groups are the same? Perhaps in Baltimore, but I don’t think the PDL Fury are anything to do with USL 1 candidates from Ottawa.

    In addition to FC NY and Tampa, the other two mentioned sides in Edmonton and Detroit would also be true expansion sides, meaning 5 or 6.

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  4. Could be a step to becoming MLS2 (without relegation/promotion). Also apparently Saputo is still in discussions with the USL.
    Shame my most hated team could disappear because of his incompetence. Well. Kinda a shame.

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  5. Awesome its great to hear.It seems that there would be much more competition among pro teams in the US and players would have more to play for (i.e. to keep their team above relegation, or to fight for promotion, which would gain revenue for all leagues/teams.

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  6. I also think that as higher league teams get relegated they will bring revenue to the lower leagues simply by fan following and ticket sales to see the games, and it is the converse with the promoted teams, as they are promoted they will gain revenue because they may pick up fans or ticket sales form playing games in higher leagues will contribute to overall revenue.

    We just have to make sure that if this model takes off, fans have to be fans and not ditch them when they get relegated, as is common in most US professional sports (let’s face it the US is the home of the “fair-weather fan”, fans in Europe are fans for life, and there is often bloodshed because of those rivalries).

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  7. I mean to say that the USSF doesn’t dole out fines/suspensions/punishments another reason the USSF seems to be a figurehead. It seems pretty hands off in dealing with pro leagues.

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  8. Ok. I’m confused as to why there is no Relegation/promotion system among the US Soccer tier. It seems that the US pro soccer system would earn much more respect worldwide if this were the case, as this is the way practically all of the leagues in Europe work and many throughout the rest of the world (not too familiar with South American, African, Asian leagues). It seems that there would be much more competition among pro teams in the US and players would have more to play for (i.e. to keep their team above relegation, or to fight for promotion, which would gain revenue for all leagues/teams).

    Sure it would be unfair due to the extreme revenue gaps between some USL-1/TOA squads and MLS squads but there are models of that in the EPL and all over Europe (just look at the Big Four in the EPL versus someone like Hull City, Birmingham City or one of the other bottom teams).

    It seems to me that the USSF is really just a figurehead and has no real say as to how the leagues work and this is not the way European leagues work, the football federation in each country dictates how the leagues work and also dole out punishments/fines/suspensions.

    Again, I think that to earn more worldwide respect, and perhaps, more competition among US players for USMNT spots this should be the model for the future. The USSF needs to take more of a role in making this so. But then again we are a capitalist country and as such money is a huge factor.

    I think we also have to keep in mind that Pro Soccer in the US is a relatively recent thing compared to other leagues throughout the world. So, fine tuning everything will take more time.

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  9. I know Portland is not included in the TOA group and is still a part of USL. However, it seems like the teams in the TOA league are the potential MLS expansion cities. Just look at the footprint MLS will have with those cities included. Along with the management differences, perhaps this is a way to keep a stable USL while having the other soccer markets grow and then become part of MLS. Also maybe Portland will join the TOA league later.

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  10. I don’t understand this. Division 2 (whether it’s USL or TOA or whatever) will only succeed when it can get as many teams as possible under one umbrella. Breaking out and forming new, rival leagues, isn’t going to help.

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  11. This has mls2 written all over it, but instead of centralised ownership it will be decentralised – the clubs will be in charge, much like EPL.

    Don Garber will have to start selling MLS ownership to the team franchise holders and give them more control over regulations, or the breakaway group will sweep up!

    It’s a smart move by Saputo because Garber is hindering growth of the pro game by putting a limit of 20 teams on MLS – the Impact and STLUtd groups are obviously upset and this gives them a strong bargaining chip in future negotiations.

    Expect more ambitious cities to be cherry-picked for inclusion in the off-season – how about USA2018 bid cities San Diego, Nashville and Detroit to build their soccer base? Or Des Moines to join Ottowa as a promoted PDL team?

    This is where soccer takes off in US public consciousness!

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  12. Not glad to see a rival to USL. I don’t think this is one of those situations where a fractious setup is beneficial to US soccer. All these leagues need to have a closer relationship

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  13. its unbelievable that they continue to battle with MLS by making stupid propositions like this

    # 1 priority should be joining best league in continent as a second division(MLS), but no we are going to try to make the best league in the country fail when it isnt even possible…..sure go ahead

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  14. Agreed
    This entire bru-ha-ha is bunk

    kiss make up and join and strengthen the USL or cough up the cash join MLS and start that Dynasty

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  15. My guess is they know they won’t get talent superior to MLS so they are creatively stating they’ll have lesser quality. They will be what a Division 2 league would be if there were such a thing in MLS. Which there isn’t.

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  16. See ya when I see ya. No hard feelings.

    But let’s just sort of give a Yanki-Yank review of the franchises in question (just for kicks):

    Good luck with your new league when Vancouver heads to MLS.

    Montreal Inmpact: Uncel Joey Saputo didn’t have any interest in the MLS model (blasted it publicly in fact–the business model as well as the play). Then he wanted in and expected and discount when he filed his bid. Now he is at the vanguard of the breakaway league.

    Carolina Railhawks: Ownership is delusional (you want an automatic berth to Champion’s League play for winning a second division league–are they on crack and crystal meth??). They have a nice, intimate venue, get great friendlies with Latin (especially the Mexican clubs), have an impressive front office and sweet production studio at the stadium. In my opinion, Carolina is rolling the dice more than anyone. MLS is not an alternative for them. It never will be. They have decided to hitch their wagon to a league that might not be around in two to three years. Say what you want about the USL pro divisions-They have evolved, shed teams but it still exists. Might not be able to say the same about the league that Carolina has decided to align itself with.

    Minnesota Thunder: a club with fantastic fans that deserve mad props–can’t make payroll since September and release it’s players and front office staff. Employees are using their personal credit cards to pay operational expenses. Thier participation and thier owners quotes about it in the new league are like a bad joke. The only thing Mr. Johnson is missing is, a multicolored outfit, a bright red nose and big funny-looking shoes. Enough, already…

    St. Louis: That “team” hasn’t even kicked a ball yet–won’t miss them. any. In fact, they don’t deserve any more mention. Movin on…

    Miami: Want to fold because they are bleeding money. Then they want to be in on MLS with Claure. Then they want “protection” from MLS. Then wants back in on MLS. Nuff said about the Americas’ team.

    Atlanta: Boris don’t have the best rep, does he? Word is that he didn’t do right by his players and front office when he pulled the plug on the USL1 men’s side. But hey–Dude is smart. He got a boatload of money for Khandji from MLS and Energy Drink FC.

    I got $5 bucks that says that the USL will be still around when some of the clubs that manage to survive come back asking to kiss and make up after the new league proabably goes belly up.

    Did the teams that might not make it learn anything from the indoor debacle of the MISL(NISL)/Xtreme Soccer divorce???

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  17. renegades that might find themselves scrapping even further then before….

    IF they succeed it’ll be interesting, but more likely with the limited teams in the league, they will simply bleed money until they fold… this isnt good… the leagues in the US need to compromise and work together if this country is to change its take on the sport

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  18. agreed, traveling that much to face the same 6 teams will doom the league….

    they need to develop several other markets and push from there….

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  19. but seeing as their is no promotion or relegation, whats the point of labeling themselves thusly…

    are they looking at MLS to be the top dogs, and they are fighting for next best with USL???

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  20. These franchises are hardly outcasts. It’s not the USL forced them out. They left not wanting the scraps the USL offered them. They’re renegades more than outcasts.

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  21. Question. They are starting in 2010. Will that be in the spring and play like the other US leagues or are they gonna try to go to a Aug/Sep to May schedule?

    That would definitely make them different, possibly more marketable?

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  22. From the arguments presented here, I’d say St. Louis WAS a mecca of soccer, not “is.”

    Not denigrating the St. Louis love, which seems very sincere, I just don’t see how it’s rational to call a city a soccer mecca when it hasn’t supported a pro team at any significant level in years.

    Regardless of corporate cowardice, if it were that popular in St. Louis, public demand would’ve led to it flourising above the PDL level.

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  23. Thou hast a name, new USL offshoot league, and that name is “Disaster.”

    Honestly, unless the league owners are ESPN, I can’t see how this is an improvement to the USL or a rival to the MLS.

    Should the USSF be trying to help sort this mess out? If no relagation, perhaps what is needed is farming a la MLB.

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