NASL Executives Say There is No Plan B
The NASL held a media conference call on Thursday afternoon. While there was little new news coming from the event, one piece of information did surface. NASL CEO Aaron Davidson stated that his executive board consisting of himself, Joey Saputo of the Montreal Impact and Andrew Nestor of FC Tampa Bay will meet with the Professional Committee members which is made up of Carlos Cordeiro, Executive Vice President Mike Edwards and Secretary General Dan Flynn. That meeting is scheduled for Thursday evening. The board convenes for an early morning 7:30 a.m. start on Friday.
In the 40-minute press conference Davidson said that the USSF Board will meet on Friday morning and the Professional Committee will give their findings to the board. Davidson said he expects the committee to give their approval to the NASL and in turn the board will vote to approve the league for sanctioning of Division 2 soccer in the U.S.
“We’ve delivered on the standards, so we have no reason to believe we won’t be sanctioned and playing for the 2011 season,” said Davidson. “Given the submissions we’ve made and our belief that we comply with the second division standards, we believe we’ll be sanctioned Friday by the board and ratified on Saturday.”
When asked about contingency plans if U.S. Soccer does not approve the NASL, Montreal Impact owner Joey Saputo jumped in and stated, “there is no Plan B.’”
“I’ve spoken with people at the USSF and people at the MLS,” Saputo said. He explained that that his team could not play at a lower level and said it “would put us in a very difficult position moving forward with our MLS plans. USSF understands that, MLS understands that.
“All of the indications we’re getting make us comfortable that we shouldn’t even be thinking about what if. There are no plans for us to go down to Division 3.”
Davidson also stated that members of the NASL teams will join the NASL executive committee by traveling to Las Vegas for the USSF AGM. A move that is believed to show unity amongst the NASL members as they lobby USSF board members.
Davidson also mentioned that the Carolina RailHawks will hold an official press conference in Cary, NC next Wednesday. That was confirmed later in the afternoon when the RailHawks sent an official media advisory stating that a press conference will be held at Herbert C. Young Community Center in Cary, NC on February 16, at 2:00 p.m. ET.
The press conference will serve as the official introduction of Traffic Sports USA and Singh Holdings, LLC as the new owners of the organization.
Curt Johnson will be introduced as the new President of the Carolina RailHawks and Martin Rennie, Head Coach of the RailHawks, will discuss the 2011 season.
Comments are closed.
I hope the “there is no Plan B” comment is more of them just projecting confidence in their bid to be sanctioned. They CAN’T play unsanctioned, and they CAN’T go dark for 2011. They HAVE to play, and it HAS to be as a sanctioned league, or they may as well have just thrown those millions in cash that have been spent on getting this thing together this year in a pile, soaked it in gas, and tossed a match on it.
BQ, while Saputo is certainly an energetic and determined individual, every smart business ALWAYS has a Plan B. Otherwise there is certain destruction.
If Saputo’s cheese/milk business did not incorporate Plan B’s as part of their strategy, Uncle Joey would not be able to travel the planet with a private entourage that does not use general commercial aviation.
This is posturing for the public. If he gets Plan A, he shows the world that there was never a need for Plan B. If Plan A blows, he can say he pushed this as far as he could, and now has come up with a Plan B.
Either way, if NASL is to be a long term, sustainable league, as Davidson suggests, minor road obstacles occur all the time and contingency plans are made accordingly. So what if NASL plays D3 this year and then takes D2 in 2012 and the future?
They win either way.
Uhmmm. Does this sort of temporarily silence or worry some you who have been saying that the NASL would just play an exhibition season or play at D3 level this year?
“All or nothing”. That is they way that I had always heard it but some of you folks seemed to believe differently (although I never quite understood why).
To quote Terrell Owens:
“Better get you popcorn ready!”
I am hoping–no PRAYING–that they can get the sanctioning.
Man do I wish someone would have asked Mr. Saputo just how difficult a position it would put the Impact in moving up to MLS without one more year in D2. Unless someone already has and I missed it because I would love to read what the problems would be.
I think Saputo’s argument that NASL being sanctioned as D3 instead of D2 is a difficult one to make a strong case for.
Whatever NASL gets sanctioned as, whether it is D2 or D3 or as a USSF Afflilate League, the league itself will be what it will be. What level the league is designated as really doesn’t matter in the long term because the Impact, and for that matter FC Tampa Bay, Miami, Carolina and the others, will still be the clubs that they are.
Just because you are playing in a league that has been given D3 sanctioning doesn’t mean your club is a D3 club. Saputo, Nestor et al. will run their clubs in the manner that either in the Impact’s case allows them to make a successful transition to MLS next year, or in the case of other clubs with those types of ambitions sets themselves up to follow that path.
Is this making sense?
Seems like it is not Saputo’s argument alone. I too would like to know what makes D2 better than D3 in setting a team up to move to MLS. Apparantly the people he’s spoken at MLS and even USSF shows they clearly see a distinction. Maybe it is not about any barriers at the D3 level at all, but instead is more a matter of perception. D2 is the next in line behind MLS and as long as more people are exposed to that concept the better the marketing would be for the Impact?? Who knows.
But if Montreal goes about its business in 2011 as it has since the Impact came into existence, I don’t see how being in a league that is designated as D3 makes a difference. They’re still going to be running the club in exactly the same manner and making the moves they need in order to make the jump to MLS.
It’s not as though being in a league designated for 2011 as D3 is going to completely alter the way the Impact, or any of the other NASL clubs for that matter, go about their business.
As such, it’s a false argument. D3, for all intents and purposes, is just a letter and a number. It’s the manner in which the NASL’s owners and staff run their league that’s going to matter, not the letter and number they’re given by USSF.
@Nioholas: Making sense? Uhmmm. “Yes” and “(Heck)No!”
“Yes”-Yous should run your club based on your ambitions (if they are functional and realitic). Definitely.
“(Heck)No!”- If you are sanctioned as a D3 club then you are in fact a D3 club.
Listen here, Playah–Let me break it down using a pop reference:
Kind of like for chicks–if you aren’t classified as “engaged” or “married” unless the Dude puts a “ring on it” (as the Beyonce song says). You’re just a single chick whose dating or available to date.
When the DJ starts playing that song, and Beyonce sings ” All the single ladies, now put your hands up”, you need to keep your engaged or married behind in the chair. Your marraige relationship might not be what you WANT it to be–but that don’t change your official status (
Much like the NASL if they were to be sanctioned D3 or reject the D3 sanction offer–they aren’t going to be D2, just because that is how they perceive themselves (that was the tie-in people, try and stay with a Brutha, now).
Conversly, if your man hasn’t committed (and we all know that NEVER happens, right, Fellas)– you have every right to get your booty up on the dance floor and shake what your Momma gave ya.
If Dude starts tripping then just tell him like Beyonce does:
“If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it
Don’t be mad once you see that he want it
If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it”
(and please nobody mention nothin’ about no “common-law” because that law varies from state to state and territory to territory)
If NASL wants to consider itself 2nd division this year–just tell AD & company to be sure that the USSF “put a ring on it”.
Does that make any sense???
(Who needs Big Soccer when you got the rebranded IMS where you can get the pop culture references. You ain’t really down with the 2nd and 3rd and nonsanctioned divisions if you ain’t down with IMS…)
I think your analogy is a bad one.
If you’re a single woman, or man, if someone doesn’t ‘put a ring on it’ — to use your parlance — then you can go elsewhere looking for someone that will. There are many other ring-giving options out there.
The problem is that if you’re the NASL, or any other league in the U.S., where else can you go to get ‘a ring’ other than the USSF? Are you going to ask the Canadian Soccer Association? How about the Caribbean Football Union? Good luck with that.
The fact is the NASL needs the USSF right now way more than the USSF needs the NASL.
I would like to know how the USSF rationalizes having $750,000 in bond money for the SA Scorpions despite there intentions to play the following year. This makes little, to no sense to me.
Carry on.
@ Nicholas…I agree with everything you are saying! From where I sit, it is correct to say that The league will be what it needs to be. If Montreal needs top competition, it can find it and schedule it, regardless of sanctioned level. MLS didnt seem to have a problem with Philadelphia and Toronto not being D2 the year before they joined. Plus, why would The USSF’s decision on sanctioning our league depend on what a Canadian team needed/wanted? That would bring this whole thing to a ridiculously stupid level if that were the case. It would prove that MLS really does pull the strings and The USSF is contradicting itself. The fact that Joey Saputo – who owns a Canadian team – is commenting on there being ‘no plan B’ for an American soccer league is a little disheartening. Its like the guy who you know is leaving the party early saying lets have a ‘rager’ right now, or just forget it altogether!
Bottom line: If NASL doesnt play this year, 5 American soccer markets are damaged for years to come…maybe even permanently!
@Nicholas: Wow, Bro. Thanks for sort of taking me seriously and for being so diplomatic.
Yes, my analogy was a bad one. I was being silly with the analogy.
In the end, the NASL can consider itself whatever it wants to be but it will be in fact be whatever it’s sanction (or nonsanctioning) states that it is (or is not).
I gotta say though: you fired back with the “there are other fish in the sea” like the Original Playah from de Himalayas.
Seems like a guy who has probably successfully surveyed the mating landscape more than a few times…
(+1 for using “parlance” instead of “lingo”. Nice!)
Can’t believe I’m about to say this….but I am forced to admit my agreement with Bart here. Posturing is what this is about. Projecting confidence that you can be what the USSF says you have to be to get their sanctioning. If Davidson, Saputo, and everyone else was doing ANYTHING other then operating under the assumption they were indeed going to get the sanctioning, ABOVE BOARD, then they should have been villified.
However, behind the scenes, where no one but the absolute must need to knows gather around a table smoking cigars and drinking some Black Label, Plan B has to have been hatched. If they don’t secure D2 sanctioning, they still have to play as a USSF sanctioned league. There just is not any way around this. Who will look badly on the league for putting forth its best effort, and being as confident as possible while doing it? As long as they don’t screw up and try to play unsanctioned, then there really isn’t anything at all to lose in doign things the way they are doing them. Worst case scenario is being forced to take D3 for 2011, and work to get back the D2 for 2012. 99% of fans at the stadiums aren’t going to know or care about the difference.
@ Strikers Return…exactly! and I will add that the damage from ‘not playing’ will be far worse than any fallbacks from playing a year below where they want in 2011.
Plans A -Z need to include, without fail, soccer on the field in 2011! Plain and simple!
@Yankiboy: I think this is where you and I differ. From what you’re saying, it seems that you believe the NASL has to get D2 sanctioning in order to be considered a D2 league. There’s certainly a great logic to that.
What I believe, though, is that the NASL strongly believes it is a league that holds itself to a high set of standards. They’ve vocalized this enough over the past two months especially as they’ve put on this PR blitz to try and get public opinion on their side.
What the NASL needs to do now, no matter what ‘division’ it is sanctioned for this year, is continue to behave in this manner. If you’re going to have a strong product on the field, prove it. If you’re going to have strong local and national marketing, show it to us. Regardless of what ‘division’ you get sanctioned to play as in 2011, behave as though you are a D2 league.
That’s the path to making this league a success. It’s not about the label you have slapped on your league. It’s about holding firm to what you believe your league should be and through that creating the league’s public image as one that is a de facto D2, no matter what label you currently hold.
@Nicholas: I definitely agree with you on the point of “don’t just tell me–show me–make it a reality”.
If the NASL can meet it’s aspirations then the soccer landscapes of th US, Canada and Puerto Rico could all stand to benefit in some way from that success.
@Nicholas – Your last post is exactly correct. Davidson and Co. should continue to act the exact way that they have been, that they are looking to operate a league at a higher standard then D3, even if for 2011 they have no choice but to play as D3. That mentality and effort should make it that much easier to finally obtain the sanctioning for 2012 if that’s the position they find themselves in.
The reality is, these regulations were put into place because of USLs poor record of team stability, USL is now gone from D2. USSF is exerting it influence, and establishing standards to create something better in the future not to destroy D2 today. They don’t want this group to follow the old way of D2. That’s the only reason they got involved in the first place.
How does anyone win with no Division 2?
So, why would the USSF shoot it self in the foot?
Who would be the next group of owners to step up… anybody?
Maybe nobody for quite some time?
So, how would that make american soccer stronger in the short term?
In the long term?
Things that don’t make sense generally don’t end up happening (generally…lol).
USL 1990-2010 teams
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_USL-2_clubs
Albuquerque Geckos (1997)
Arizona Sahuaros (1997–2002)
Atlanta Magic (1995, only played 2 games)
Austin Lone Stars (1997–2000)
Bermuda Hogges (2007–2009, joined PDL)
Boston Storm (1995)
Boston Bulldogs (2001)
California Jaguars (1995, 1999)
California Gold (2002–04)
Cape Cod Crusaders (1995, 1997–2000)
Carolina Dynamo (1995 as Greensboro Dynamo, 1999–2003, joined PDL)
Cascade Surge (1995–96, as Oregon Surge in 1995)
Central California Valley Hydra (1995–96)
Central Jersey Riptide (1996–98)
Charleston Battery (1995–96, 2010)
Charlotte Eagles (1995–2000, 2004–2010)
Chattanooga Express (1995–96)
Chicago Stingers (1995, 1997–98, became Chicago Sockers in PDL)
Chico Rooks (1995–2001, joined NPSL)
Cincinnati Cheetahs (1995)
Cincinnati Kings (2005–2007, joined PDL)
Cleveland Caps (1997–98)
Cleveland City Stars (2007-2008 joined USL First Division)
Columbus Xoggz (1995)
Connecticut Wolves (1995, 2002)
Crystal Palace Baltimore (2007–2009) (Now in the NASL)
Delaware Wizards (1995, 1997–2000)
Detroit Wheels (1995)
Eastern Shore Sharks (1995–99, as Baltimore Bays in 1995-97)
El Paso Patriots (1995) (Now in the PDL)
Everett BigFoot (1995–96, after 1996 season, merged with Puget Sound Hammers of Premier League to form Puget Sound BigFoot of Premier League)
Florida Stars (1995)
Florida Strikers (1995, 1997, as Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 1995)
Fresno Dragons (1999)
Greenville Lions (2001–2002)
Hampton Roads Mariners (1995)
Harrisburg City Islanders (2004–2010)
Hawaii Tsunami (1995–1997)
Houston Force (1995)
Houston Hurricanes (1996–2000)
Indiana Blast (1997–1998)
Jersey Dragons (1995)
Las Vegas Quicksilver (1995)
Lexington Bluegrass Bandits (1995)
Long Island Rough Riders (1995, 2002–2006, now in the PDL)
Los Angeles Salsa U-23s (1995)
Louisville Thoroughbreds (1995)
Miami Breakers (1998)
Milwaukee Rampage (1995)
Minnesota Thunder (1995)
Mobile Revelers (1995–1997)
Monterey Bay Jaguars (1995, became California Jaguars in Select League)
Myrtle Beach Boyz (1995)
Myrtle Beach Seadawgs (1997–1999)
New Hampshire Ramblers (1995)
New Hampshire Phantoms (1996–2007, joined PDL)
New Jersey Stallions (1997–2003, as New York/New Jersey Stallions in 1997-1998)
New Mexico Chiles (1995)
New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers (1995)
New York Capital District Alleycats (1995–1998, as Albany Alleycats in 1995-96, became New York Capital District Shockers in PDL)
New York Fever (1995, merged into New York Centaurs of A-League after season)
New York Freedom (2002–03)
North Jersey Imperials (1996–97, 1999)
Northern Nevada Aces (2001–02)
Northern Virginia Royals (1998–2005)
Orlando Nighthawks (1997–98, as Daytona Tigers in 1997)
Philadelphia Freedom (1995–97, as Pennsylvania Freedom in 1995)
Pensacola Barracudas (1998)
Portland Firebirds (1995, became Willamette Valley Firebirds in Premier League)
Raleigh Flyers (1995)
Reading Rage (1996–2003) (Now in the PDL)
Reno Rattlers (1995, 1997–98)
Rhode Island Stingrays (1995–2001) (Now in the PDL)
Richmond Kickers (2006–2010)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds (2004–2006, 2008–2010, as Riverhounds FC in 2004)
Riverside County Elite (2000)
Roanoke Wrath (1998–2000)
Rockford Raptors (1995–98)
Sacramento Scorpions (1997)
St. Louis Knights (1995)
San Antonio Pumas (1995–98)
San Diego Top Guns (1995)
San Diego Gauchos (2002–04)
San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles (1995–98)
San Francisco Bay Diablos (1995)
San Francisco Bay Seals (1997)
Shreveport/Bossier Lions (1998)
South Carolina Shamrocks (1997–99)
South Jersey Barons (1997-02)
Southwest Florida Manatees (1998)
Stanislaus County Cruisers (1997–2001)
Tallahassee Tempest (1998)
Tampa Bay Cyclones (1995)
Texas Lightning (1995)
Texas Rattlers (1995–2000, as Dallas/Ft. Worth Toros in 1995-96, as Dallas Toros in 1997, as Texas Toros in 1998-99)
Tucson Fireballs (1997–2001, as Los Angeles Fireballs in 1997-99)
Tulsa Roughnecks (1995–99)
Utah Blitzz (2000–04)
Vermont Voltage (1997–98, as Vermont Wanderers in 1997)
Washington Mustangs (1996)
Westchester Flames (2002–04) (Now in the PDL)
Western Mass Pioneers (1998–2009, joined PDL)
Wilmington Hammerheads (1996–2009)
Worcester Wildfire (1996)
Yakima Reds (1995–96)
See there was a problem to deal with…
So who’s left to start a new league/teams?
USSF can’t veto D2 at this point, they would be shooting themselves in the… (fill in the blank yourself)
To continue on with my rant now that dinner is over,
The point is this:
USL did not start out planning on needing that many teams to just run two leagues. But this is still just american soccer after all, no matter how much we want professional soccer to be the most important thing in the world, here in america it is, what it is… a struggle. Proof above.
Many people had dreams, many failed. But just like in the game we get up and start chasing the ball again even when we down by 3. That’s just the way it is in sports.
Every person who started a team on this list should be our heros. They are the ones that want to win even when it looks tough. Maybe some were naive, good for them! Without them where would we be now? I even include Dean on that list, his two years of soccer were a great source of enjoyment for myself and many other people I know call my friends. This is entertainment after all. I liked the show, all the drama has been the whipped cream.
This is not an easy thing to do, it has massive risk/philanthropy aspects and most of us know that. But we still (even as fans) get up and chase after the ball anyhow.
If people want to be the next D2 league, lets let them, and get behind them with all our might.
Things don’t always go as planned in american soccer, they might not go as planned in the future, but at least we have people willing to try.
VIVA MLS
VIVA NASL
VIVA USL
Viva jw7!
@superrookie
Well, since the lines of credit are joint and several, you’re right to question. If a team goes under, and the Scorpions’ bond money gets used, it’s gone. But that’s sort of the point. NASL is trying to show that their teams are united. I’m betting the Scorpions went along with this because if NASL fails of is not sanctioned, then all the time and effort they’ve put in already will have been for naught. It’s good to see that they’re as committed as the teams that will be playing this season–shows some foresight.
In addition, if everything goes according to plan and none of these teams fails, they’ll get their money back at the end of the season and put it up as their bond for next year.
NASL is a joke and will not help soccer in the US. Aaron Davidson and Traffic are hurting soccer in South Florida.
Ok ,take away NASL/Traffic and tell me about all the other South Florida professional soccer teams waiting to fill the gap?
So then by your own conclusion USL is an even bigger joke in Florida, 8 teams =10 seasons
Florida Stars (1995)
Florida Strikers (1995, 1997, as Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 1995)
Miami Breakers (1998)
Orlando Nighthawks (1997–98, as Daytona Tigers in 1997)
Pensacola Barracudas (1998)
Southwest Florida Manatees (1998)
Tallahassee Tempest (1998)
Tampa Bay Cyclones (1995)
Explain how by having nothing, Florida is better?
This is what it is in D2.
It’s not about perfection, just yet, I wish it was, but we don’t live in that age yet.
It about having a/any D2 league, or nothing at all.
Stop being a dreamer, this is what we have, and this is what we need to work on improving now, that is the next step.
If somebody/anybody has a better plan for D2, has enough money to be in this league, is actually will to spend that money, and at least can pretend to be experienced at this level then stand up and tell us who you are.
The Original Eight
The whole idea seemed so far-fetched, even after teams started playing, that the eight team owners became known as the “Foolish Club.”
http://www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1960s/afl.aspx#Original
Kinda sounds familiar, and look how that turned out after 50 years.
@jw7 – Lots of good points. Most important is this: go out and support your local team if you love the game. Let’s enjoy while we have it, because who knows when it might fade into the night.
@Peter – As someone who has lived practically all his life in South Florida, loves soccer, has been a fan of the original Ft. Lauderdale Strikers, the Miami FC Blues, and as of next Thursday, to be announced on Ft. Lauderdale Beach, the (once again) Ft. Lauderdale Strikers, I am DYING to hear you elaborate on your post……
@Peter: Seriously, Bro. Is that the best you’ve got?
You can bring it stronger than that–I know that you can.
“The NASL is a joke?” As compared to what?
“Hurting soccer in South Florida?”
Hey, we love different takes here.
If you are going to come then please come correct. Come strong.
We aren’t asking for you to bring meat and potatoes to the potluck but please don’t bring the cotton candy.
If the NASL is “joke”, maybe you could explain why you think it is a joke or how Davidson and Traffic are hurting soccer in South Florida.
Don’t just hate. Elaborate.