After an offseason full of bad news for the New York Cosmos and the NASL, there could be a light at the end of the tunnel that could see the famed franchise return to the pitch in 2017.
Rocco B. Commisso, who is the CEO of Mediacom Communications Corporation is reportedly in talks to purchase the beleaguered franchise and have them operational for the 2017 campaign, according to Big Apple Soccer. That appears to be contingent on U.S. Soccer’s ruling on Division 2 status for the NASL and USL, which will be announced on Friday.
If the NASL is given Division 2 status, Commisso will go through with the sale and the Cosmos would be a part of an eight-team NASL for the 2017 season. Given all the ups and downs of a tumultuous offseason, playing with eight teams in 2017 has to be seen as a positive.
The Cosmos would play alongside North Carolina FC, Indy Eleven, Miami FC, FC Edmonton, Jacksonville Armada and Puerto Rico Islanders if the sale goes through.
It’s not quite time for promotion/relegation in US but folding NASL and giving USL div 2 status would be progress on that path.
The best thing about this is that we won’t have to listen to Erik Stover’s insufferable fantasies about stadiums and NASL’s prospects. Hopefully this guy has his feet on the ground and can deliver a Cosmos team that grows organically.
“The Cosmos would play alongside North Carolina FC, Indy Eleven, Miami FC, FC Edmonton, Jacksonville Armada and Puerto Rico Islanders if the sale goes through.”
That’s only 7 teams.
Okay he left out the Deltas. The bigger questions are, Rayo and the Strikers are dead? And the Armada is alive?
Also, Joe, you forgot the SF Deltas to get to 8 teams.
I get really confused why the soccer media is so worried about the negative press that would come with the NASL folding. I feel like the USL taking over D2 and eventually separating into two leagues (D2 and D3) with growing corporate money in its many successful markets is worth the short term PR hit versus watching the NASL perpetually treading water and floundering for all to see. They keep talking about turning this thing around and expanding but I’m betting these un-named expansion teams are no more real than the Virginia Cavalry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Cavalry_FC
I clicked to see how much a team with no fans and is reported to have lost $30 million, playing a league with no fans and on the verge of folding, sells for?
Why?