U.S. Soccer has scheduled a 3pm conference call to discuss the resolution of the conflict between the USL and NASL, a conflict that led U.S. Soccer to reject both leagues' applications for approval as second-division leagues last week.
The USSF is expected to announce the formation of a combined league that will operate in 2010. There are no details yet on how the league will operate, or who will run it.
NASL Conference
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AC St. Louis
Carolina RailHawks FC
Crystal Palace Baltimore
Miami FC
Montréal Impact
Vancouver Whitecaps
USL Conference
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Austin Aztex
Minnesota Thunder
Portland Timbers
Puerto Rico Islanders
Rochester Rhinos
Tampa Bay Rowdies
They could call it the
Haters
American
Soccer
Leagues
United
So the article says that they will play between 28-34 games…who are they gonna play? Are they gonna play each other five times?
Thanks Gold medlacam!
Glad to know there will be professional soccer in Miami this year.
EST. Just announced there will be one league, two divisions (just for 2010) – one will be the USL division, the other NASL.
2011 – long term plan to go into place. This works for now. I know in St. Louis this team would have been skewered if they didn’t start up in a legit league soon. People are tired of waiting. Hopefully MLS can get their act together and partner up.
Here are the initial details of the deal that has been reached.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2010/01/usa_2nd_division_set.html#comments
Uh, whose 3 PM? EST or CST?
may, at the latest
if no arrangement is possible, perhaps MLS could maintain the viability of Portland, Vancouver, and Montreal, and a 4th team, all in an extra non-playoff bound division within MLS’s upcoming season. Just an option in case of a doomsday scenario. Actually, the doomsday scenario is MLS having a lockout.
if US Soccer doesn’t take control, i feel this is bound to happen numerous times in the future.
Probably something dumb that they’ll attempt to make sound catchy and market savvy, but will end up being irrelevant.
I agree with this developing into an MLS farm system. That’s the best hope for both MLS and DII. For MLS, it gets their players much needed experience. For NASL/USL it gives them some good players they’d never be able to afford.
heard rumors that USSF will make a combined second tier league that will run in 2010, and over the course of the next year they will work out their differences and make a much more concrete plan, whether it be more towards how the USL wants to run things, or how the NASL does. Cross your fingers something like this goes down…
Obvious. MLS and USSF executives are business people. A lockout for MLS and failing on a second division league would be suicidal for US soccer. They can not allow that to happen.
If it is a combined league, I wonder what the name will be…
oops, sorry. commeneted on the wrong thread.
Quit his last job after seven weeks. And, to quote the article, “Backe has previously coached at FC Copenhagen and Aalborg BK in Denmark, as well as Swedish side Hammarby, SV Salzburg in Austria and Panathinaikos in Greece.”
Sounds like the model of stability that RBNY so desperately needs. Bet he’s gone by June.
Can we get that conference call number Ives? I promise to just listen…I’m sure the USSF has the bandwith.
Get serious. None of these people are investing the kind of money required to run an MLS team. The best case is if this could turn into a development league for MLS players, e.g. if some of the younger players who can’t get playing time in MLS can be loaned to this league to get vital playing time. I know very little about the coaches at this level though. Still, even playing for a poor coach is better than sitting.
In terms of a stop gap to give both sides a year to get themselves organized, not a bad approach. This will allow the teams to keep the players under contract and meet financial obligations already committed to, like stadium leases, etc. Hopefully by USSF stepping in as the uber-league, things won’t go pear shaped in working out the details.
It would be funny if these leagues combined to form a stronger, better, more copetitive option to the MLS.
About time. This was suicidal. NAPL had about eight teams and USL like three.
Three (PortlandVancouver/Montreal) are or are probably going to be going up to MLS eventually, Minnisota and Atlanta are financial messes, New York/Tampa Bay/St. Louisa doesn’t exist and might never actually exist, Charleston voluntarily was moving down a division, Austin is hardly stable, Cleveland going out of business, Rochester almost folded last year.
There’s barely enough teams for one league! Some might say there flat-out isn’t enough teams for one league already.
Hopefully some sort of sanity might prevail. USL plays a vital role in the US soccer systems and a handful of egos shouldn’t interfere in development.
Finally a step forward. But for Chrisskes, don’t call it NASL !!!!!
http://bit.ly/4shCrd
Still, the new U-NA-SL won’t likely be that strong of a league. Perhaps stronger if they combine. Hopefully it’ll have closer ties to MLS.
Waiting with bated breath.
Someone please get a CBA in place. I am counting the minutes until kickoff, I don’t want to add extra time.
both will be solved.
Fingers crossed for good news. My hope is that a stronger, better run league rises from the ashes of this mess.
One soccer crisis solved.
Up next: a new CBA. Please. For the love of God.
Lets wait and see. I spoke to one of the owners and the bad blood is very deep.
Thank goodness. Crisis averted.