North American Soccer League Submits Bid with Eight Teams
IMS has learned that the North American Soccer League (NASL) has submitted a bid with the required eight teams mandated by USSF requirements.
Sources have revealed that the organization will be releasing a press statement later today announcing the teams listed on the bid. The teams known to be listed on the bid are the: Carolina RailHawks, FC Edmonton, FC Tampa Bay, Montreal Impact, Miami FC Blues and the Puerto Rico Islanders. It’s believed all 8 teams will be announced in the press release. It’s also believed more teams could yet be announced at a later date.
The NASL just wrapped up their Annual General Meeting that started Sunday evening and ran through Tuesday. The meeting was said to be more of a summit than an AGM and if the USSF gives approval to the organization, another “operational meeting” will likely be needed.
It’s believed that US Soccer wanted the bid submitted to them in time for their next board meeting that will take place during the weekend of MLS Cup. The USSF board of directors most likely will take action on the bid at that meeting.
Edited 11/10/10 -7:00 CT
The NASL press release has been delayed and should be released tomorrow 11/11/10. IMS will post it when it becomes available.
Comments are closed.
If St. Louis, Baltimore, and Minnesota join, that would be 9! Then if San Antonio and perhaps Atlanta (Kickball?) come in that would 10 in 2012 and 80% would be American teams. What about Austin on top of that?
Fingers crossed!
I only count 6 teams there. I wonder who the other 2 are? AC St.Louis and Minnesota?
My guess is that St. Louis and Minnesota found the needed investors. (Unless they are counting on 2012 expansion to meet the required 8.)
It sounds like we will know, soon enough.
Grant, please share whatever information or substance you taking. Baltimore: almost broke, so is St. Louie. Minnesota they haven’t been able to sustain themselves. The NASL is a financial loser. The teams are too far apart. Let them die in piece USSF
irv, evidently you don’t read IMS daily and are way behind on your news. Better start checking the archives for information on some of those teams you listed.
Yes, Irv…The information is called ‘hope’ (those of us with teams in the NASL camp cling to it often) as for the substances…you’ll have to find your own. As for dying in ‘piece’, was that a pun?
Since there isnt much news, speculation runs rampant…its just the way it is! Sorry, but this whole message board is built off of speculation. BQ reports what he can, and the rest of us speculate/hope/wish/dream/ponder/conjure/hash (not the substance)/re-hash/etc.
One thing is for sure, I hope The USSF doesnt take the same approach to NASL that you do…
IRV is a fool…
We should have made bets at the beginning of the year on which teams would be Div 2 in 2011. I bet no one would have thought Rochester was going to go down to Div 3.
(Frowny Face)
Maybe I’m glass half empty, but I’m not liking Minnesota’s absence from the list.
I imagine Minnesota and St. Louis are the two teams that would fill out that list to 8. All they really needed were new investors to get them on stable footing. Worst case Traffic will probably be that investor.
Hopefully Austin joins San Antonio in 2012.
I think Minnesota is being helped out by Traffic and St. Louis might be close to a new owner.
I hope the NASL is successful.
I hope USL-PRO is successful.
Shouldn’t we all want soccer at any level here in the US to succeed?
I’m with Dan – I’m betting Traffic bought into Minnesota and St. Louis got straightened out with a new owner.
I also agree with Tom – I want both of these leagues to succeed! It’s time to get pro-level soccer straightened out, and the sooner it gets done (with a methodical, long-term plan to minimize risks and won’t run it into the ground), the better for all.
Agree with Tom!
Yes, we want soccer to succeed at all levels. Let’s see what happens in the next 2 weeks so we can support both.
The top item on my Christmas wish list is a professional soccer in MN for summer 2011.
OK, I’m spreading unsubstantiated rumors but here goes…
As I was attending the ACC Mens Soccer tourney today there was a guy yaking on his phone right behind me. He said the word coming out of the AGM is Minn. has new investment and will play in 2011. He didn’t say who the investor was or provide any other details. I don’t know who he is, but he was hanging out with some Railhawks players at the time.
I realize gossiping isn’t cool, but I thought this “news” might lift the spirits of some of the suffering Stars fans who come to this site. As a Railhawks fan, I would hate it if the Stars folded because they are a class team who achieved a lot in a short time, and under some duress. I still think someone ought to approach His Purpleness and see if he’s willing to bankroll the Stars. How cool would it be if they played in Paisley Park?
…and what if they had paisley uniforms. Hey, couldn’t be any worse than this:
http://backpost.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/caribous-78-home-shirt.jpg
“Number of teams” wasn’t the major issue keeping the NASL from being sanctioned last time around, just keep that in mind. Eight may be a magic number, but there still has to be some substance behind the eight.
IF USSF is as serious as Sunil made them out to be about cleaning up D2 going forward, they need to be pretty strict and hold ANYBODY’S feet (be they NASL or USL or whomever) to the fire.
As for the Minnesota folks, obviously you want to have a team. If – seemingly out of nowhere, because I always take the under – there’s been a white knight investor (which would be two in two years now, right?), that’s great. If it’s Traffic, not so great. Just propping up this problem and that problem from year-to-year and putting band-aids on things is what has us in the predicament we’re in now.
Well that and Selby Wellmann being unable to get a freaking van rental deal.
MH – thanks for the spirit lift… even if it doesn’t pan out
BQ – thanks for the photo of the worst jersey ever….
I’m an AC St. Louis fan (hoping for the best), but IF Minnesota was bought by Prince and played in Paisley Park I would have to support them. Also, the supporter’s section would have to all wear Raspberry Berets.
Brian,
Any idea if Puerto Rico counts as a U.S. team per U.S. law? Even though the Islanders aren’t a member of the USSF, nor participate in the US Open Cup, that doesn’t change the fact that Puerto Rico is part of the United States. Any requirement mandating a percentage of U.S. teams would, from my reading of the law – Interstate Commerce and possibly even Labor Law, necessitate Puerto Rico being counted towards the percentage of U.S. teams.
Obviously, the USSF has a bunch of smart lawyers and should have known this when they set the 75% line.
I’m hoping that my suspicions all along that the league would have to find a way to prop up MN for sure, and possibly STL as well, were correct. It’s buying time and at least giving a chance for a foundation to be built. With the only recent new addition to the league in SA not being set to play until 2012, I don’t see how any other scenario could result in 8 teams. Still can’t figure out what CPB was doing at the meeting as everything out there about them seems to point to their finances being far far worse then MN and STL. Maybe they have somehow risen from the dead, but I’d be skeptical about it.
The only other possible scenario I can envision is Vancouver having decided to field a reserve team in NASL. This to me would actually be a great development. I think the best chance NASL has for a long term future as a D2 league is to somehow get MLS tied in to them, even if it is just piecemeal. If that were the case, I’d guess MN would be the one Traffic would choose to help support and then hope that STL could find it’s own investor. SA comes in 2012 to replace Montreal and it is looking like we’ll have a good shot at, at least two years worth of D2 action. Then what happens will be in large part dependent on us the fans supporting the clubs.
Whatever the scenario that comes out tomorrow, I for one am very happy to see NASL continue to forge ahead and try to make D2 in this country a success.
@MH – Prince has huge multi-million dollar property tax problems with the city of Chanhassen MN regarding PP. I know it’s just wishful, playful thinking on your part.
But I don’t know if he has resolved them yet. I would love for a pro-team to be a bike ride away, but there is not a large enough facility at PP and I am fearful that we would have to listen to his music at the games. There is not enough beer that could be served
@ Andy – “smart lawyers”? Is that an oxymoron
So I’m guessing Miami/Traffic will be financially propping up the teams not yet mentioned. Can anyone tell me how a league filled with puppet clubs is good for the DII?
@James – There is still DII soccer.
@James & JJE – JJE you are right on. NASL needs to get things as stable as they possibly can for 2011 & 2012, even if it means “propping up” a couple of teams short term to meet USSF requirements. Considering those two teams appear to be MN and STL, I’d say it’s not a bad gamble anyway. Last year was the first for both teams in the league, and both areas have a long history of soccer attached to them. Stories were that STL was close to a new investor anyway. If the league can find a way to stabilize a core group of teams, it will be more attractive to investors down the road.
Don’t forget that Vancouver and Montreal were firmly in the NASL camp as well. If they go on to be successful in MLS, no reason I can see for not expecting them to, it’s pretty easy to envision them fielding reserve teams in the NASL as well. One of the main culprits in inhibiting the success at this level has been marketing. The new USSF standards include items to address this issue. I think the NASL is putting the pieces in palce for a foundation. Two things will determine its success or failure – the organizations and league doing a good job of operating themselves in all aspects, and the fans supporting the clubs. Obviously those are big IFs, but at least they’ve put themselves in a position where there is a positive outcome possible.
Looking forward to the release later today!
Out of curiosity…what if they dont get sanctioned? Will they still band together and form a league? These 6-8 teams need a place to place regardless, dont they?
As has been bantered about many times, if you play unsanctioned you have a lot of issues with player contracts and basically Montreal’s contract would pretty much be void. Pro players do not want to play for unsanctioned teams which perhaps someone else can explain I just don’t have the time to go through all the scenarios again.
Also, some teams would definitely fold and others might look for options. You would certainly not get 8-teams to form an unsanctioned league. Not going to happen.
Andy, I’ve had a number of conversations with folks and the determination of domestic status for Puerto Rico is not their geopolitical status (a US Territory), rather, their membership in a FIFA sanctioned organization. In this case Puerto Rico is considered a non-domestic organization as they are not part of USSF, rather, Puerto Rico has their own FA.
BTW, there were rumors that a minority owner for the Aztex was at the AGM. What I’m hearing from sources that are familiar with the former Aztex minority owners is that they were all in locations this past weekend other than the AGM, so I’m guessing that if someone representing the former Aztex club was there, they were likely not tied to any ownership group. A possibility would be the Board, but I have zero confirmation on this.
As to ‘propping the league up until it gets better’… you see, the problem is, that’s what’s basically been going on under the USL for YEARS. I don’t see why propping the league up under the NASL is any more acceptable. Or any more likely to succeed.
If NASL does not get sanctioned, my guess is that one of the following 2 things will happen:
1. USSF operates D2 again.
2. Some current NASL teams (in the right regions) self-relegate to USL-Pro, and the rest fold.
I think #1 is much less likely. If there aren’t enough teams in the NASL bid to meet the D2 standards, I don’t see why the USSF will operate the league for them.
I really hope NASL gets sanctioned.
#1 ain’t going to happen.
#2 is more likely but it’s more than the right region. No way would the Railhawks ever have anything to do with USL and would fold first.
I for one am assuming for the moment that USSF wants a proper D2 under its umbrella, and didn’t spend time and money coming up with standards just so they could kill it off and let the USL weasels go around proclaiming they are the top league beneath MLS while completely ignoring the USSF standards. I know D3 standards are coming, but that’s another discussion.
With this in mind, I’m guessing that the USSF will work with the NASL in allowing them a timeframe to get themselves established and see if they can make it work. From all I’ve seen to this point, it looks as if that window of opportunity, so to speak, will be 2011 & 2012. The initial core group of six, by all accounts, seem to meet the standards. So the burden is now on the league to finish the 2012 season with that number being at least 8. Seems like a very reasonable scenario for all parties invovled.
@Eric – If Austin and Rochester hadn’t of self-relegated themselves to D3, we wouldn’t be having all this discussion. NASL would have 8 teams that meet the standards and would move forward looking to grow. Again, USSF didn’t waste the energy on creating D2 standards with the expected result being the immediate death of D2. They have plenty of reasons to work with the NASL to at least give them a chance. Lord knows the USL isn’t going to be in ANY position to petition for D2 sanctioning ANYTIME soon, and most likely never. The USL had YEARS to try and run D2 and utterly failed at every turn. Why shouldn’t the NASL get two years to see what they can do?
Minnesota and Atlanta! Didn’t see Atlanta coming back!
Poor old AC St Louis, although there is an unnamed team
coming in 2013.
As I have stated a number of times Sean, there may be more teams yet. These are the 8 submitted but it doesn’t mean there might not be 9 or 10.
Austin no longer has a team. You must be thinking of Orlando SC.
There may not be an Edmonton team if the Alberta Soccer Association is suspended from the Canadian Soccer Association as per the note below.
Full details can be found on the following website:
http://www.reformalbertasoccer.com/
The letter from FIFA is addressed to Mr Maestracci and is as follows:
We refer to the situation of the Alberta Soccer Association characterized by internal wrangles and the fact that some people decided to seize the Alberta jurisdiction which in turn nominated two caretakers in charge of running the said association.
This situation is of most concern for FIFA as the seizure of an ordinary court is prohibited by the FIFA Statues (article 64 par.2) and it is not admissible to have people nominated by a third party at the head of the Alberta Soccer Association as it violates article 17 par.1 of the same statues.
Under these circumstances, we agree with your proposal to bring all the claimants at the origin of the Alberta jurisdiction award before the CSA Disciplinary Commission. We also remind you that all FIFA members must ensure that their own members comply with the FIFA Statues (article 13 par.1(d) ) and we therefore ask you to sanction the Alberta Soccer Association in compliance with article 15 par.2 of the FIFA Statues.
We suggest that you give a final deadline to the concerned persons to give them a last possibility to withdraw the case. You should then proceed with the sanctions against these persons and against your member.
We hope that you will be able to solve rapidly the current problems and do not hesitate to contact us in case you need additional assistance.
There are a lot of factors driving the issues here. Money is always one of them. My club did a cost breakdown of what it would take to play in the NASL, and to operate as a professional club. For us, we could do it with $1.0-1.5M a year. In reality, that is not a lot of money. Far less than the cost of opertating a AAA baseball, or AHL hockey team. There are a lot of stadiums in the area we could use, plenty of local talent, but the key thing missing is simple. The lure. How do we get the fan support to bring in 5,000+ a match? By turning our players into local stars. A $200K campaign that gets our players onto billboards, into the comminuty, and into the hearts of our fanbase.
Here, we could do it all entirely in Spanish and reach 97% of the target market. By taking the local players, and focusing on the top young talent, we could build a powerhouse that would be the thorn in the MLS Dynamo’s side.
We are trying to do this now on a much smaller scale. Our operating budget for the 2010-2011 season is under $100,000. The big question is simple, why would we want to raise our expenses to $1.5M when we can accomplish 80% of our goals for $100K?
The NASL should look the other way. Let the USL do what they are going to do, tell the USSF no thanks, and restructure as a true developmental tool.
Take the top 5 local high school sophmores, junior, and seniors. Mix them with 5 elite amatuer adult players, Add 4 “player coaches” that can be paid to coach, work in the office, or do sales.
Develop an additional u16 academy division that brings in players that are candidates for the first teams.
This is a ten month schedule.
Doing the above, investing in the product by marketing the same way the D2 is marketed, and this could be a formula that cripples the USL’s cash cow model. It is also a model that could show very real profits. Instead of needing 6,000 fans to break even, now we are talking about maybe 600. What happens when the marketing effort DOES create a buzz and the numbers raise to 2-3,000 fans a game?
An example? The New Orleans Jesters of the PDL. Drawing 2,000+ fans a game in a short-summer season. If Dana flipped to this type of league, she could show a profit. The Silverbacks in Atlanta could take over soccer in the city with this. We are already setting up Memphis. Tampa, Miami, St Louis, and Carolina would fit very nicely into the model as well.
Sound interesting? We are already doing it. http://thespsl.com
Thats great in some markets and I really believe would not work in others. The Twin Cities is one of those markets. We already have top high school players and some top college players from the area playing on NPSL teams and there just isn’t a lot of interest. This is a pro sports market with a D-I college to boot that also draws well for all the major sports. I’m not saying you have a bad model. You may have a great model, but it’s not going to work everywhere.