Photo courtesy of NASL
The North American Soccer League is growing in stature and franchises, and such growth will be managed by Bill Peterson, a former NFL Europe executive who takes over as the new NASL commissioner, effective immediately.
Peterson, a former vice president of AEG Sports and managing director of the Home Depot Center, has experience beyond working with Major League Soccer. He’s the chairman of the USA Cycling Board of Directors and guided the United Football League in 2010 and 2011 as chief operating officer.
Peterson enters the NASL top post with the New York Cosmos set to debut in 2013 and expansions teams coming soon in Ottawa and Virginia. The addition of those teams will give NASL nine teams.
“There is an opportunity here to cement the NASL as a league that can thrive and expand while providing compelling soccer for the game’s fans,” Peterson said in statement from the league issued Tuesday.
“The roots of the NASL triggered a soccer explosion in North American in the 1970s and I am delighted to be leading this new chapter as we take the league and its teams forward into an exciting future.”
What do you think about the hiring of Peterson? Does the NASL have a bright future? Looking forward to the new teams coming to the league? Share your thoughts below.