NASL Update for 2/9/11
While there’s not been a lot of news to report on the NASL sanctioning front in the last few days, things are about to get interesting.
The USSF Annual General Meeting takes place in Las Vegas this Friday morning and ends Saturday afternoon. This is the same meeting that the NASL would have been officially approved as the sanctioned division 2 league in the U.S. if the board had not removed the provisional sanctioning at the January 20th meeting. The NASL had originally been granted provisional sanctioning at the November 20, 2010 board meeting in Toronto, Canada. At the time it looked as if the official sanctioning, which would have to be done at the US Soccer AGM, was just a matter of formality. But between the November board meeting and the January board meeting things must have changed in the eyes of the USSF.
In those two months the NASL was forced to scramble when Selby Wellman wanted out of his Carolina RailHawks team and wanted support from Traffic USA, who had already stepped in to resurrect the Atlanta Silverbacks to achieve an 8th team in the league. Wellman dissolved his corporation and Traffic started a brand new team in Carolina which will take the RailHawks name. But the process has been messy to say the least.
Since the board meeting in January where the provisional status was reversed, the NASL has submitted more papers to the USSF. On the Monday following the January US Soccer board meeting, NASL CEO Aaron Davidson said his organization submitted more papers to the federation including the $750 thousand letters of credit for each and every team including proposed expansion team San Antonio who would not play in the league until 2012. The board meeting decision seemed to have surprised the NASL chief.
Evidently the lines of communication have remained open between U.S. Soccer and the NASL as later the NASL was asked to submit even more papers, which they did on the following Monday, Jan. 31. Sources close to the situation believed those financial papers where concerning a particular team independent of Traffic that may have been struggling to prove the liquidity of their net worth qualifications.
A spokesperson for US Soccer told IMS last week that there was no information to share at this time and if there was an update the Federation would inform everyone but how they would communicate that was yet to be determined.
The Board meeting itself starts at 7:30 a.m. Pacific time on Friday morning and is scheduled to end around 10:30 a.m.
In the meantime the NASL has called a media conference call for 1:00 CT today to educate the media on the complicated events of the past several months. The official advisory stated the conference call was to: discuss the NASL’s plans, the sanctioning process and the upcoming USSF AGM this Thursday – Saturday, February 10 – 12. Those in attendance will be Aaron Davidson, NASL CEO, Andrew Nestor, President FC Tampa Bay, Joey Saputo, President Montreal Impact and Rishi Sehgal, NASL Director of Business Development & Legal Affairs.
It’s also believed that the NASL is holding the press conference to continue the positive PR campaign they have attempted to run since being turned down by the USSF Board of Directors in January. The NASL has continued to make press statements stating they believed they have met all USSF requirements and expect to be sanctioned. They have also: Released their league schedules, held a player combine and announced player signings.
All executive members of the NASL have all been asked to gather in Las Vegas this Thursday on the eve of the AGM.
When the USSF reversed their provisional sanctioning they had several options for the NASL. One of them was to play as a D3 league for this year. U.S. Soccer told the NASL they could apply for D2 sanctioning again in the future. This seemed to be the direction U.S. Soccer was guiding the NASL. While this seems like the logical option, NASL CEO Davidson and other officials of the organization would not discuss D3 as an option. If U.S. Soccer does not approve the proposed league as D2 there will be some decisions needed to be made quickly as the NASL’s season opens in just two months’ time.
Comments are closed.
Good stuff as usual BQ. USSF and FIFA may be on the cusp of a legal battle. If not given sanctioning, the NASL may seek relief for costs and expenses related to league formation, as they were given preliminary sanctioning. Or, they may choose to play as a league, without USSF/FIFA sanctioning and seek protection for themselves and their players. While I would love to see the authority of USSF and FIFA challenged, I think it is very unlikely. Unless NASL receive D2 sanctioning within a few days after the USSF meetings, I would bet they will play D3.
This has more drama than a parent meeting for a U12 team…
Drop the puck and lets play!
What line of communication does US Soccer have to inform the public? I get more news and information about domestic soccer from independent sources than their awful website.
Hey BQ thanks for always sharing the info!
Do you know if fans will be able to hear the conference call some place?
So BQ….you have, like, NO update?
@zlatan, the “authority” of the USSF has been challenged. They need to remember that anti-trust laws apply to sports unless Congress says otherwise.
@Soccer Boy, problem is, even accusing USSF of acting illegally brings the dark eye of FIFA to bear. If that happens, they may as well kiss goodbye sanctioning at any level, ever. FIFA does not allow for organizations which are associated (or which wish to be associated) with the governing body to enter into any legal action against another FIFA organization.
The situation is clearly illegal and unethical on a number of levels, but FIFA’s made sure they have the only game in town.
@Trevor
Agreed. Even if NASL can build a case against the Federation its immediate impact would be short-lived. FIFA may not have the leverage in US courts but outside of American jurisdiction it sure as hell can threaten you to do its bidding.
@Trevor
On what basis do you say that USSF has done something illegal or unethical against NASL?
Highly unlikely they will play D3 … Saputo and Clarke will NOT play anyhting lower than a D2 so look for Saputo to pressure MLS and for MLS to pressure USSF ..
They cant play unsanctioned because they will have no players .. who wants to play in an unsanctioned league? no hopes of moving forward
and as usual it seems that Davidson has found a better mouthpiece than his own PR people
What do ya wanta bet the sky does not fall… again!
There will be NASL D2 soccer in 2011.
so is there any info about the press conference
Yea, what’s up Brian….
Since NASL is not currently sanctioned, they can bring suite against USSF or FIFA if they wish. While the NASL, USSF and the US for that matter have little leverage with FIFA, it would be interesting to see the American way prevail and have them go it alone. FIFA is surely violating anti-trust and due process laws in the US. The lever for USL comes with USSF wanting to stay in good standing with FIFA. And this mess could jeopardize world cup bidding or the status of the US national teams. NASL can basically say to USSF, we will take you and FIFA to court and make things very messy for USSF and US Soccer…or you can sanction our league. Would be interesting…
I have to agree with JW7, NASL will get sanctioned for 2011.
Zlatan I do agree that NASL could bring a suit against USSF. They can not bring a suit against FIFA because they are headquarted in Switzerland. Something to do with international laws and FIFA being protected. I remember reading an article about it a few years ago. Now if the NASL where to bring a suit against the USSF. I think in the end it would hurt the NASL more from a public relations standpoint than help them.
I just would like to know why the hell it took so long for this all to go down! We had a whole year to deal with this crap!
I was away most of the afternoon and early evening. Nothing really new on the press conference. Story to come soon.
If NASL goes after the USSF in court then they commit suicide. Traffic is not going to tick off FIFA. If they don’t get sanctioned, it’s over.
@Joe – MLS isn’t going to pressure USSF for Saputo. I am beginning to think Garber sees Davidson as a problem because of Traffic and Davidson’s pro/rel comments.
The interesting thing is why would USSF suggest the NASL to apply as D3. Do they have plans for something else, MLS-2 reserves or something?
DMAN, the answer to that is no, no and no. Gone over that scenario too many times to count. MLS is not interested in that at the present time. It cost too much money. Someday in the future perhaps but Garber has no interest.
I’m not a lawyer, so you’ll have to forgive my ignorance.
How could the USSF have a legal battle coming their way?
What have they done that has been illegal or unethical with regards to the NASL?
@CoconutMonkey: I’m not a lawyer, either.
So take the following with a grain of salt:
Anyone talking about the NASL going after the USSF or FIFA needs to just back away from the drug of their choice.
They are “grasping”. Seriously grasping.
@BQ: Garber may not want the MLS reserves in D2 for now but I believe the coaches and clubs will want more next year after they complain about their 10 game schedule. Vancouver & Montreal may want more especially if they are staying involved on the board side of NASL. Only time will tell:)
1) Anyone who believes that NASL has any grounds to sue the USSF is nuts. USSF has the legal right to demand that league members meet standards of their choosing and deny certification to leagues which do not. It’s law. If you don’t believe me, which I’m sure you won’t, go read the players lawsuit vs. MLS from 1997.
2) NASL has no standing whatsoever to sue FIFA. None. That’s simply a joke that doesn’t deserve the dignity of a response.
3) If your league is not sanctioned then players are not issued player passes. If you go ahead and play in defiance of USSF and FIFA, the rules are clear: this is called, under international rule, a “renegade league” and anyone who plays in, coaches in or referees any game in such a league is banned from USSF and FIFA competition forever. Period. No appeal. You will never be issued a player pass again for any team in any league anyplace on Earth. It’s professional suicide.
Some of you people really ought to get yourself an understanding of the rules before you post because an awful lot of what you are saying is simply nonsense.
FutsalFred,
They could play as an affiliated league. US Soccer has already said that is an option. However, that still limits players and therefore teams in regard to things like national competitions. An example would be the Voyageurs Cup or U.S. Open Cup.