Another NASL owner is willing to throw a large chunk of money into American soccer in order to get his league back off the ground and implement a promotion/relegation system in the United States.
This time it’s Rocco Commisso, the owner of the New York Cosmos. In a series of letters to and from U.S. Soccer made public on Monday, he expressed his desire to send the federation $250 million in exchange for a few provisions. Commisso added that the investment could end up doubling in due time.
He calls for the usual things the NASL has called for in the past few years: the severing of the relationship between the USSF and Soccer United Marketing, and end to what they feel are discriminatory practices against leagues that aren’t MLS and the USL, and, of course, a league system featuring promotion and relegation between leagues.
He also wants the USSF to give new leagues ten years to meet with the professional league standards, citing the history of exemptions granted to MLS and the USL as examples.
Finally, he requested a meeting with U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro and other top members of the federation to discuss a way to make this happen.
Cordeiro responded to the letter saying he was busy travelling across the world in support of the United 2026 World Cup hosting bid and would be unable to meet, although he as more than willing to.
“Unfortunately, I must continue to devote myself virtually full-time to World Cup matters over next the month or more,” he wrote. “Nonetheless, I am in the process of determining who from U.S. Soccer’s leadership should lead the discussions with you as well as their availability to meet in the next few weeks.”
Cordeiro also asked Commisso to provide a more detailed proposal before said meeting could take place, something Commisso refused to provide in his next letter. He was also rather upset that the president was unwilling to take time out of his busy travel schedule to sit down with him.
“So, while hosting the World Cup is a goal which all of us dedicated to advancing U.S. soccer can rally behind,” Commisso wrote, “I nonetheless am more than a little disappointed that you, as USSF’s most visible and influential executive, could not spare even a few hours to personally explore the unprecedented opportunity represented by my proposal.”
The USSF’s response to this letter came in the form of an email from its CEO Daniel Flynn, who would be Cordeiro’s representative at a sit down meeting., on Sunday.
“I am responding to you on behalf of Mr. Cordeiro,” Flynn wrote. “As I believe he stated in his previous letter, he is traveling out of the country in support of the World Cup Bid. This week, he is between Jakarta, Copenhagen and Dubai! This pace of travel is likely to continue up to the vote on June 13.
“Nonetheless, his offer to re-open a dialogue in his April 19 letter was made in the spirit of finding a path forward, and so, as previously noted, he has delegated this matter to me and Board representative(s) to meet with you. Mr. Cordeiro asked me to reiterate in particular that he has full confidence in my role as CEO of the Federation.”
Flynn also reiterates the need for a more detailed proposal before a meeting can occur.