Ottawa to be Announced as Newest NASL Team for 2013
The Ottawa NASL rumors have been floating for months. Now word out of Canada and the US is that Ottawa will be announced as the newest NASL team and would start play in 2013. The announcement will come some time next week.
On the most recent Miami Ultras podcast called Miami Ultras Alive, hosted by Pieter Brown and Uncle Ed, guest Tim Robbie, president of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, mentions that Ottawa will indeed be joining the NASL for 2013.
After explaining why he believes expansion of the NASL has to be done carefully, Robbie states:
I think San Antonio is going to be a great franchise in the NASL next year. Ottawa is prepared to come in, in 2013. I think that’s going to be another great franchise. I say that because I think those are the kind of markets that we should be in. I’ve met the ownership groups and individuals in both cases and I think they are the right kind of people getting into it for the right kind of reasons.
Tim Robbie, President of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
IMS has learned that the group is the same one that currently owns the Ottawa Fury who play in the United Soccer Leagues PDL. John Pugh owns the team and will be joined by investors including Jeff Hunt who has been involved with the Lansdowne Live stadium project in Ottawa. That stadium would be a multi-use facility most likely hosting a CFL team as well as an NASL team. It’s believed the Fury will pull out of the USL for the 2012 season as they prepare to join the NASL.
With Montreal gone and San Antonio joining in 2012 along with the continued presence of the Islanders (Puerto Rico) and FC Edmonton (Canada), a new Canadian team would bring the amount of U.S.-based teams back below the 75% figure that is required by US Soccer. That would mean that NASL would have to get another waiver from the USSF or there would have to be another 3 U.S.-based teams in the works for 2013.
Edit: 10:22 pm CT
Canadian Soccer News is now reporting that the announcement of Ottawa will actually take place on Monday. Ben Rycroft writes that commissioner David Downs is scheduled to meet with Fury owner Pugh and his investors to make the announcement at that time.
Rycroft also reports that it was believed that Hamilton TigerCats owner Bob Young had also been talking to the NASL but those talks have broken down.
Comments are closed.
As long as the quality of soccer is good and the teams have some financial stability, I think the USSF would be insane to not sanction the NASL as a D2 league. As far as I am concerned, Puerto Rico is an American team–regardless of their FIFA alignment.
No surprises on this one, Ottawa has been wanting to be part of D2 for a long time.
Hopefully they will: 1) re-brand with a better name than Fury, 2) ditch the “bucky ball” and 3) play on natural grass without distracting multipurpose lines.
Ottawa is a great town ……they need an NHL hockey team too
“…a new Canadian team would bring the amount of non-U.S. based teams back below the 75% figure that is required by US Soccer.”
That should be U.S. based not non-U.S. based. Also, with 3 non-U.S. based teams, the league would need 9 U.S. based teams to meet the 75% US requirement. They currently have five, and SA would make six, meaning they would need 3 new US teams to meet the requirement. They also need at least one more team to start by 2013, since another sanctioning requirement is that the league have at least 10 teams by its third year.
Talk to the Rhinos, please.
Edward.
Thank you very much for straightening out my very flawed and late night math. The correction is made to the article.
As to the one more team I would think the USSF wants this growth but they would prefer to see growth in the proper way and I would expect that as long as they know they league is working on expansion I could see them allowing a waiver. However, I do feel the 75% US based teams is a fairly big deal to them. With that said, the USSF allowed a waiver to both the NASL and the USL for their USL PRO league this year. Before the 3-Puerto Rican teams were removed, USL was .25 teams over their 25%. Not a big deal at all but still, it would require a waiver.
I know of three teams that could come back to D2 without much re-inventing, Rochester, Charleston, and Orlando (Austin).
Please come back home we miss you. + Joey the rat will be gone…
Thanks for the story as usual, Brian!
I agree with JWolter7! If they could just get Orlando and Rochester to come up, that would be a huge step for soccer in this country. Its pretty obvious that Orlando and Rochester are too big for D3, plus with the other two Florida teams in NASL, it would just be logical for OCFC to be in there. Of course I say this knowing all of the drama between the leagues, but forgive my optimism due to the enjoyment of a great NASL season so far…
A dream scenario for 2013:
Ft. Lauderdale
Tampa Bay
Orlando
San Antonio
Atlanta
Carolina
Minnesota
Puerto Rico
Edmonton
Ottawa
Rochester
1 more northern team
Then split into two divisions of 6 and limit travel!
I am excited for an Ottawa road trip!
One hell of a town.
Brian-
next year, meaning any Canadian team added would need to be offset by 3 new US teams.
I had to double-check the math myself. With San Antonio “replacing” Montreal next year, the league will be right at the 75% mark (6 of
jwolter/Han Solo-
Personally, I’m taking a believe-it-when-I-see-it attitude towards any USL-Pro teams switching over to the NASL. It’d be nice, but the NASL shouldn’t be counting on it.
All this math is making my head hurt. But, ASSUMING all NASL teams stay, go to MLS, or start next year as currently announced/hoped, Montreal will leave next year and San Antonio will join. Even counting PR as non-U.S., that’s 6 U.S.-based clubs and 2 outside, or 75% for 2012.
When Ottawa joins, you’ll need two new U.S.-based clubs (and all the others to continue in the league) to stay at or over 75%. But, if NASL gets just one additional U.S.-based club for 2013, that 70% U.S. and a 10-club league. That should be more than enough to stay in good with USSF, as long as the independent ownership issues get worked out (the biggest immediate problem, IMO).
No USL Pro teams will switch to NASL as there is too high a contractual “penalty”. Of course, if the franchise wants an extended legal battle anything is possible but don’t count on it.
Brian,
to my understanding USSF does not proscribe a specific Div III (USL-Pro) league standard minimal US based percentage for its franchises. It may be implied but not specified.
jmb321, that is incorrect. The standard of 75% is a general standard for all professional leagues in the US.
http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2010/08/12/ussf-d-2-professional-league-standards/
Furthermore I asked (Its somewhere on IMS) US Soccer and that was confirmed that a waiver was given.
Would the battery ever want to move up to a higher division? It is a very impressive soccer franchise, which a long history, and moderate success. I know it is a flagship USL organization, but someday the petty hatred between the leagues will fade, right?
The Battery were up and they were quite happy to move back down. With the population of Charleston and the other USL PRO teams on the East Coast, the Battery have less travel costs and still draw about the same as they did when they were playing D2. The Battery have no desire to move up and are quite happy where they are at.
enm007– Adding 2 US teams, with Ottawa and the teams currently slated for 2012, would give the team 8 US teams out of 11 total teams. That’s only 72.7%! You’d need a third US team to make it 9 of 12 for 75%.
The rule of thumb is you need 3 US teams for every 1 foreign team. (75% is 3/4)
jmb321 –I’m not sure what contractual penalty you’re talking about. If a team hasn’t committed to USL for 2012 yet, then they’re under no contractual obligation that would prevent them from switching leagues if they so desired. When the USL sued Rochester, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore in 09, it was because those three teams had already committed to the USL for 2010 before announcing their switch to the NASL camp.
Now the question is, would any USL-Pro teams want to switch? Rochester wouldn’t surprise me, as they were original solidly in the USL camp until they weren’t, and then were solidly in the NASL camp until they weren’t. Orlando, I could see happening, but wouldn’t expect. Charleston would only switch, I think, if USL-Pro collapsed entirely, and even then I wouldn’t be surprised if they opted to go PDL. I don’t expect USL-Pro to go under any time soon, so Charleston’s pretty much 100% out of the question.
Edward, you are dead on with everything. Thanks for clarifying that. The only thing you are missing is if a USL team walks away, they also walk away from the franchise fee he had to pay. Then they would have to pay the going rate to the NASL to join their league. Granted, if a team switched to the NASL they more than likely would have that fee reduced or eliminated because of the politics of the situation. However, the NASL’s yearly fees are much heftier than the USL fees. The travel expenses are greater and the season longer so you have more operating expense. You also have extended player salaries to pay with a longer season.
So it would have to be worth if at the gate?
For Rochester who’s attendance is slumping badly this season it might be worth it. But it Clark’s attendance is down but his expenses are down as well, he might be doing the same financially as previously done with less work.
In the case of Orlando it might be worth it to Rawlins take his team up a notch if his MLS aspirations are legitimate. And let me tell you they are legitimate and Don Garber is paying attention. What Rawlins needs is one or two BIG investors. If he finds them soon I think it’s a done deal to MLS. As to Orlando to NASL. I’m sure the league is working on it but as they found out in 2010, Rawlins is not an easy man to convince.
Ottawa still has not finalized the infrastucture costs and public financing to complete the construction contemplated for the mixed -use facility, and 2013 seems very very premature for something of this magnitude. This “release” sounds more like a PR stunt for NASL than a reality bite of what is to come in 2013.
I would be surprised if any agreements between USL and its team owners would have a grace period that would allow them to “switch” to D2 after only one year. NASL, I would imagine, would have language in their documents that would not allow a switch either. That is pure self-preservation and learning from the failed Marcos USL A-League experience for both sides.
I think this is a little more than just walking away from a fee paid to either league. And frankly, the game plan has not changed at the D2 level. Travel expenses are higher, yet the gate receipts have not improved that dramatically that allows for a NASL team (other than maybe Montreal) to experience a breakeven or positive cash flow bottom line for the season.
Edmonton just came off a PR game with less than 800 fans in the seats. Ouch! And the meat of the season has only just begun.
While the fat lady has not yet sung, she is priming her voice for an ultimate finale….. high pitch at that.
Agreed with a few things you are saying. Not sure about a publicity stunt. A bit of a stretch don’t you think Bart?
Not disagreeing with the numbers but you can’t use a Wed. night when the Stanley Cup final was on and Vancouver was in it as an example of numbers not being good. But overall I agree. The numbers have not been that great.
Also, what’s up with Edmonton playing on a Monday and Tuesday evening?
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/secret+deal+longer+secret/4961437/story.html
No, I don’t think announcing a team for 2013 that has no venue finalized making this a public relations announcement a stretch as all. NASL is notorious for doing this, and frankly, I would do the same. I am not saying there is anything wrong with this, but there is still little meat relating to this becoming a reality, there are too many moving parts.
As it relates to the low attendance, I don’t think it matters what the excuse is for the low numbers, the fact of the matter is that this home game can never be recovered. NASL teams only generate revenue on home games…… period. If that does not happen, the revenue is reversed and again, as stated, the revenue is unrecoverable.
Sucks for Edmonton, in spite of the fact that Vancouver being in the Stanley Cup is the reason.
If Ottawa joins that’s great for NASL. I hope it also means that they are diligently working on the 3 more US based teams they need to make the numbers work on that front as well.
However, I’ve always said that a D2 league with even 2 American teams and 8 foreign ones is better for US soccer than no D2 teams at all. If the NASL falls 1 0r 2 US teams under what they need to hit 75%, the USSF needs to let it slide.
@ Bart,
just curious why we never hear you bemoaning about the woeful attendance with the LA Blues, Pittsburg, Dayton, FCNY, Antigua (the real number not the guesstimated rounded up figure…), Charlotte, etc….. Half the USL is averaging maybe 1K per game. Just who is the fat lady warming up for?
not to mention 3 teams that have already folded, er, I mean “expelled”…….
So that makes a minimum of 9 of the original 15 (60%) with issues…….
Rawlins is not an easy man to convince to switch leagues but when it comes to cities he is the town bicycle.
Sorry couldn’t resist. I had to take a stab at Rawlins for how he handle Austin.
Edmonton is an interesting story to me. I think there survival will depend on them getting a new venue. I love the fact that Edmonton is having a strong season in their first season, but their current home is not Long term solution. Brian Do you know if Edmonton has any stadium plans and how far along they are?
Take a read: http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2011/05/22/fc-edmonton-names-tom-leip-as-new-gm/
And the team needs a new place to play for more than just that reason:
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Parker+aims+rebound+from+injury/4961933/story.html
If everything can be worked out, and you’d have to assume those responsible feel it will be considering this impending announcement, I think Ottawa should make a good addition to the league.
@Tom – In fairness to Bart, I could be wrong (and BQ could jump in here if I am), but I don’t recall any recent articles here on IMS regarding the abyssmal attendance figures for a number of USL Pro teams, and I don’t mean the ones already kicked from the league.
@Bart – The previous being said, it’s now on the table, so how about it? Any commentary on the USL Pro attendance figures? Orlando, while slowing a bit as expected, is still pulling D2 numbers in a D3 league. Same thing can be said of Rochester. Wilmington has been terrific, and Charleston and Richmond are pretty much what one has come to expect over the years. But it still leaves questions about a number of teams. Of course there’s always the explanation of it’s just the way of life in the USL. Every year there are teams that die off, and they just seem to pull new clubs out of the smoke to replace them. So maybe it’s just a numbers game for USL. But don’t look now, the numbers could be on the verge of shrinking a bit faster than usual………..
@Tom
The bulk of conversation on this website deals with NASL, not measly D3. One expects D3 to be lower in attendance and lower in expenses. After all, D3 is a lesser league, correct?
From what I gather from everyone’s opinions, the US needs the USMNT, MLS (D1) and NASL (D2) to survive for soccer to nurture and grow. D3 is really not a consideration.
Part of NEW franchise agreements which are multi-year, relinquish rights to use of the brand, logo, rights to existing sponsors, player contracts and on and on if the Agreement is terminated either by the franchisee or franchisor. In some respects you don’t own the franchise but are “renting” it for the term of the contract.
After signing the new franchise agreement, switching leagues would be possible now only if you are prepared for a lengthy and expensive legal battle.
Please comment only if you have some indepth knowledge of the existing league franchise agreements.
Bart spews hatred for the NASL, and probably doesn’t even watch soccer. He is not worth responding to or even acknowledging. An imbecile at best.
@jmb321
And who on this forum would have access to in-depth knowledge of the existing league franchise agreements?
Everything I read here indicates a fan based forum, not a debate center for insiders from either league.
@ Strikers Return – And as with all good thing that must come to an end, even the mighty NASL will have some team(s) that will wither to the wayside at the end of the season. This is not just a USL phenomena, it is indigenous to the life of secondary pro soccer below MLS. Given its inaugural season, there has just not been enough seasoning inside the league yet to make it happen. I do predict that instead of a year to year withering, there will probably be more like a 2-3 year withering instead, given the large bonds being posted. USSF has probably created a delay in the cycle, which forces the owner to lose more money over time before calling it a day, much like Selby Wellman.
@ Daniel Blodgett
Now, now, name calling and casting insults may be customary in Canada, but it sure does not win you friends and influence people here in the bottom 48 United States of America.
Nothing I have said should have been construed as hate mongering towards NASL, there was no intent to do so.
I am sorry that the better team won the Stanley Cup, but you do have to get used to the fact that Canada will always be second to the talents here in the US. No reason to get nasty, just accept the obvious facts. No need to start a riot or break any windows……
“Bart spews hatred for the NASL, and probably doesn’t even watch soccer. He is not worth responding to or even acknowledging. An imbecile at best.”
Ah, excuse me? I know he certainly doesn’t need me to defend him as a former attorney, but he is anything but an imbecile. He is quite intelligent.
I will give you that he has a history of having a bent towards the USL, but he has also been critical of them at times, especially the Caribbean teams right from the get go. As well, he has had some of the more insightful and not-so-emotional analysis of many of the goings on between both leagues.
While you may not agree with him, everyone is welcome here. One of the things that has made this website successful is the open exchange of ideas. Challenge him if you will, but imbecile, Daniel?
Also, “Everything I read here indicates a fan based forum, not a debate center for insiders from either league.”
Dead on Bart.
Edmonton should relocate to Dog River, Saskatchewan
Thanks for the xenophobic comment Bart!
True, don’t let facts get in the way of forming opinions…
my uncle tells me Rochester asked if FC New York would move with them…a packaged deal
There we go with more of that insider info.
FC New York can come only if Doug Peterson admits he’s a cheese head (he’s originally from Wisconsin and you know how us Minnesotan’s feel about Wisconsinites) and if he changes his logo.
Attendance figures for all US pro leagues can be found at my “friend’s”… (cough, cough, choke, bite lip hard) site, kenn.com (Bernie Slavin on USL/NASL discussion zone). He subscribes to some sports business magazines and then shares the info on his blog.
If FCNY went D-2 I could fulfill my dream plan of forgetting MLS and focus solely on the growth of soccer in NY.
A few points on this site have been right on like D 2& D3 pulling about the same attendance and the numbers is what’s giong to kill them. I said it once and I say it again when NASL broke away from theUSL they took one unstable league and made two. If they want to see D2 stable they are going to have to get these two together and maybe make them a single enity league like MLS. That being said the the USSF is not doing the NASL any favors by throw this 75% rule on D2. I think by there being very little cities left that make good D2 cities there should not be a 75% rule when it come to soccer it Canada and I am looking forward to hopefully (fingers cross) to seeing a team in Victoria,Vancover city, or Tacoma??? so I coiuld become a NASL fan. I think the Ottawa s a great add on myself and looking for to following then as I do Edmonton.
Well a team I haven’t heard anything about yet is the Pheonix Monsoon. Aren’t they looking at the NASL for the future?
Not anymore that I know of. They decided on PASL instead. So from D2 outdoor to the 2nd league indoor.
http://www.phxmonsoon.com/