Will the NASL Ever Compete head to head with MLS?

Discussion in 'NASL' started by Andy Bulldog, Apr 5, 2011.

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  1. Andy Bulldog

    Andy Bulldog Member

    Dec 17, 2007
    Alabama
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Will the NASL Ever Compete head to head with MLS? I just came across this article, and some of the things they mention, makes me wonder.

    As a soccer/football fan I am pulling for top tier football to succeed in North America out side Mexico, and personally could care less if its USL, NASL, MLS, North American Association Football League(i made that one up) or other.
     
  2. drSoFlaFan

    drSoFlaFan DEFEND THE FORT!

    Feb 25, 2008
    Plantation, FL
    Club:
    Ft Lauderdale Strikers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Will the NASL Ever Compete head to head with MSL?

    No it won't and they shouldn't try. There is a place in the pyramid for NASL and if they do things right it will work out for them very well at D2.

    That being said, something they should do is convince the people involved with the NY Cosmos reboot to join up, even if it's just a stepping stone to MLS. NASL gets another US-based team, the biggest brand from the old NASL, and the Cosmos get to test the waters of adding another pro club to the NYC market without having to drop $50 million dollars or build a new MLS stadium.
     
  3. Andy Bulldog

    Andy Bulldog Member

    Dec 17, 2007
    Alabama
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Will the NASL Ever Compete head to head with MSL?

    IDK ,it sounds reasonable that the NYC owners could possibly want to try it with the NASL, as mentioned in that article.


    Whatever happens Im pulling for Pro Soccer to succeed, I cant keep up with lower levels or semi pros..If I lived in a city or near one that had div2 then maybe I could.
     
  4. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Will the NASL Ever Compete head to head with MSL?

    How about D-4?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_City_United

    How far from Madison-Huntville?

    There are a few in Georgia.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Premier_Soccer_League#Southeast_Division

    Birmingham has over 1 million people (Metro) that could support a D-2 or D-3 team (if they could find an owner willing to "invest")

    Fayetteville, Mobile, Mongomery all show 350K+ people, that should be ok for another D-4 team.
     
  5. Quick25

    Quick25 Member

    Nov 9, 2010
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    NASL should at this point in time focus on establishing themselves as a D2 league, meeting the D2 requirements and establishing stable franchises. I strongly doubt anytime in the remotely near or distant future we will see MLS challenged by NASL/USL/etc. personally.
     
  6. Andy Bulldog

    Andy Bulldog Member

    Dec 17, 2007
    Alabama
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Will the NASL Ever Compete head to head with MSL?

    The nearest to me is Montgomery 85 miles. I doubt very seriously they would ever get a club though, for various reasons.

    The only way I could actually support a club below MLS,for real would be if I were able to attend matches or watch them on TV. I cant get into supporting teams or leagues that I cant connect with visually.

     
  7. stevebeau

    stevebeau Member

    Apr 23, 2009
    Montreal
    Club:
    Montreal Impact
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
  8. Smoke & Mirrors

    Jul 18, 2010
    Club:
    Ft Lauderdale Strikers
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    The NASL is not going to become an entity that will compete with MLS. They have expressed no such desire, and actually have made no bones about the fact that they would love nothing more than solidify themselves as the D2 league in North America, and work out some sort of affiliation on some level with MLS in that role.

    IF the NASL can survive long term, it has got to build a stable core of franchises. I think they have a great start with Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Puerto Rico. I think Carolina can be too if the right ownership is able to be put in place there, one that is dedicated to the team and league long term. Minnesota, Edmonton, Atlanta, and San Antonio all have to be considered question marks at this point, each for their own various reasons.

    There are still plenty of markets out there capable of supporting D2 soccer franchises, the obvious question is the same as always - will anyone with the money and a plan for a stadium be willing to step up? If the NASL does get itself on some solid footing, will it entice any of the D3 teams to try and step up (or come back...again....)?
     
  9. DavidP

    DavidP Member

    Mar 21, 1999
    Powder Springs, GA
    I hope not. They'll end up like the old IHL, which was trying to be the "poor man's NHL" before they went down in flames. I would, however, like to see a league that was kind of a D-1AA, which might be a level down from MLS, but have almost MLS money behind it (I know, it'll never happen). D-2 leagues in this country have always been a step or two up from a bus league, and they crash and burn when they try to get too big. I think we need at least two D-2 leagues, to keep travel costs from killing the teams.
     
  10. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    we can also add to that list XFL,UFL,NFL Europe, etc....
     
  11. eclipse02

    eclipse02 Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    The NASL teams will compete against the MLS in the US Open Cup next year (hopefully).
     
  12. Bklyn Royals Fan

    United States
    Jan 17, 2008
    Club:
    New York Cosmos
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Odds are slim to none. But since this is a hyptotetical question, A lot of things need to happen.

    1) Overall, soccer must grow in the country, so there are more people interested in watching and playing soccer. Let those "2nd tier" markets get aspirations for soccer clubs.

    2) Perhaps in 15-20 years, if the NASL still exists and has managed to build clubs in other cities MLS ignores (ie Detroit, Milwaukee, Memphis, Phoenix) the same amount of teams MLS has. This also assumes MLS doen't create 'MLS2'

    3) MLS already cherry picked the Sounders, Timbers and Whitecaps. If established teams like the Puerto Rico Islanders or Tampa Bay had a chance to go to MLS. Would they jump ship?

    4) In the same 15 - 20 year time period, NASL teams must consistently beat MLS sides deep into the US Open Cup and get to the CONCACAF Champions League. This could change perceptions of the NASL an alternative to MLS.

    5) MLS must make some errors that will make NASL more appealing (ie work stoppage, Don Garber embezzles MLS money, Jack Warner new commisioner of MLS, etc). I don't see that happening.
     
  13. eclipse02

    eclipse02 Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    If NASL teams start out doing MLS teams then it would mean MLS would have grow as a league Business Model wise. But NASL just has to remember it is D2 and that it doesn't want to repeat the same mistakes as USL.
     
  14. aimorris

    aimorris Member

    May 2, 2007
    Orlando, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Can't see it happening.

    Just as a hypothetical though, it'd be pretty interesting if the Cosmos decided against the rumored 100 million dollar expansion fee for MLS and opted to join Traffic and NASL instead. (It's obvious their goal is MLS and MLS only, so don't worry about me being delusional.)

    I could also see a NASL team located in a proper Boston location doing just as well as the Revs are doing now, to be honest.

    With solid markets up the East coast (Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, Carolina, New York, Boston), other markets like San Antonio, hopefully San Diego, and a few others and assuming NASL's continued progress as a league, it starts looking like a pretty nice alternative to ridiculous expansion fees. And you can't underestimate how much the Cosmos would give a league credibility in the eyes of investors and potential fans. These are all "major league" markets so I guess it could be viewed as "head-to-head" instead of just another minor league.

    Fun to think about but I'm 100% satisfied with continued growth in our existing teams and second division league.
     
  15. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well after watching the Bolton- FCTB game it's not a stretch to say that MLS/NASL have the closest quality of play compared to other 1st/2nd division leagues around the world.
     
  16. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Can anyone explain why this wasn't the only response?
     
    Nacional Tijuana repped this.
  17. GalaxyKoa

    GalaxyKoa Member+

    Jul 18, 2007
    North County
    Club:
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes it is.
     
  18. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Indeed. As good as my Carolina RailHawks are, they'd get crushed at the MLS level. The gap between D1/D2 has never been larger in the MLS era than it is right now.
     
  19. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    But Tampa Bay just beat Bolton, we all know that summer friendlies is the best way to judge a league strength :D:D:D
     
  20. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    And last summer Kansas City Wizards, down to 10 players for 45 minutes, beat Manchester United. ;)
     
  21. teucer

    teucer Member

    Dec 17, 2009
    Raleigh, NC, USA
    Club:
    Carolina Railhawks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No, silly, that's the Open Cup. And obviously the Richmond Kickers have just proved that USL Pro is on par with MLS! :p
     
  22. Jossed

    Jossed Member+

    Apr 23, 2011
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    WSW posts his usual idiocy, but then bigsoccer posters turn it into a positive by giving me a laugh. :p
     
  23. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The second tier is home to the teams that MLS doesn’t want or hasn’t got to yet, and that will continue to be the case while the expansion doors are open. By closing the doors at a sensible level, MLS gives NASL breathing space and room to grow, allowing it to pick up quality markets instead of just hoovering them all up for itself. A strong second division, regardless of inter-division mobility, can only be good for football in America.

    http://www.thefootballramble.com/bl...d-the-great-major-league-soccer-balancing-act
     
  24. CCSUltra

    CCSUltra Member+

    Nov 18, 2008
    Cleveland
    Club:
    Hertha BSC Berlin
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That article does absolutely nothing to suggest that the NASL will compete with MLS or that the level of play in the NASL is anywhere near MLS.
     
  25. X@V!3R

    X@V!3R Member

    Apr 6, 1999
    Land of the Lost
    Code:
    ==========================================
    		      Capped	   Total
    Team		      Players    Team Caps
    ==========================================
    LA Galaxy		13	    604
    New York RB		14	    552
    Chivas USA		 9	    261
    Seattle			13	    236
    Philadelphia		 8	    229
    Real Salt Lake		 8	    219
    Colorado		13	    218
    DC United		 8	    179
    Sporting KC		 9	    170
    Toronto FC		 9	    169
    Houston			10	    155
    San Jose		 9	    130
    Columbus		 8	    115
    FC Dallas		10	    112
    Vancouver		10	    105
    New England		 6	     80
    Chicago			 5	     55
    Portland		10	     54
    ==========================================
    		       172	   3643
    ==========================================
    League Avg.	       9.6	    202
    ==========================================
    ... and ...

    Code:
    ==================================================
    	       Players			
    		w/ MLS  Total	Capped 	  Total
    Team		 Exp	MLS GP	Players	Team Caps
    ==================================================
    Tampa Bay	  4	  38	   5	  103
    Puerto Rico	  6      262	  12 	   90
    Montreal	  7	 128	   6	   83
    Carolina	  4	 141	   6	   79
    Edmonton	  1	   4	   2	   27
    Ft Lauderdale	  5	 203	   3 	   27
    Atlanta		  3	  12	   1 	   10
    Minnesotta	  4	  87	   0	    0
    ==================================================
    		 34 	 875	  35	  419
    ==================================================
    League Avg.	4.3    109.4 	 4.4	 52.4 	
    ==================================================
    ... which for the NASL is composed of ....

    Code:
    ======================================================================
    		 	Pct of
    National Team	  Caps  Total
    ======================================================================
    Trinidad & Tabago 74	18%	Kerry Baptiste and Conrad Smith		
    Puerto Rico	  51	12%	Lots of folks with a few caps		
    Guyana		  36	9%	Gregory Richardson and J. P. Rodrigues
    Grenada		  33	8%	Kithson Bain		
    Canada		  31	7%	Ali Gerba		
    Malta		  30	7%	Etienne Barbara		
    New Zealand	  29	7%	Jeremy Christie		
    Cuba		  24	6%	Eduardo Sebrango		
    Haiti		  19	5%	Jean-Phillipe Peguero		
    ======================================================================	 
    		 327 	78%
    So besides having the Puerto Rican national team competing in your league ... if you really want to make a go of it, your going to need better players. MUCH better players. And we all know what that means ...

    CREAM, get the money, dollar dollar bill y'all.

    And by the way ...

    Code:
    ===========================
    Win Pct in USOC since 1996
    ===========================
    MLS vs Non-MLS		72%
    ===========================
    Non-MLS v. MLS		28%
    ===========================
     

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