If the Cosmos do what they want (build stadium with quality team) then it will only help the Atlantas and Ft Lauderdales. Without the Cosmos they are minor league teams playing in a minor league. If you add this new Cosmos dimension then all of a sudden these small teams are in a relevant league. Instead of being happy drawing 4k, these teams can play games vs NY at the Georgia Dome or Sun Life and maybe draw 25k. That money coming in will help them bring in better players, which will bring in more fans, which will bring in more money, etc. Don't get me wrong, I would be shocked if this came to be, but if it does and NASL gives them free reign, it will benefit all teams in the league. If I'm a fan of an NASL team, I'd rather be in a good league with little chance of winning the title than consistently winning in a league that matters little. I can see the Cosmos having a top-notch academy while mixing in some older foreign players, which would at the very least make them a decent MLS side. For it to work in the long run the rest of NASL will have to improve, and I don't see them improving without the Cosmos.
With the Cosmos ownership I don't see this ever happening. What I see is going to happening is after MLS gets the NY2 plans finalized and start building the Cosmos will give up on their stadium plans. Then the owners will give up on the team and either fold or sell the team within 5 years.
MLS teams have lost to Joe Public in CCL.. What makes you think losing to the Cosmos would be any different than that? Or what makes you think the rest of NASL will stand idly by as the rest of the league is turned into a bunch of also rans?
Well losing to a US based team is different to losing to a T&T based team, not sure that's a good example. If the Cosmos help NASL be a better league that pushes MLS, then that will absolutely be a positive thing for soccer in the US.
I have, and I am saying that MLS clubs losing to USL/NASL teams shows (if anything) that the lower divisions in the US is getting stronger, which helps US Soccer as a whole. Losing to a Caribbean team has no benefit to US Soccer.
Except you are making an assumption that, unfortunately, isn't based in reality. The Cosmos brand isn't going to elevate the brand of the rest the NASL teams, the Cosmos brand is going to be drug down by the fact that they are playing in a lower division league. Very few people in the US give a crap about CCL, with even less caring about USOC, and the Cosmos aren't going to be able to sustain payrolls necessary to be competitive with Liga MX teams without a media deal and without a media deal, they aren't going to get the big sponsors. They also aren't going to be able to get quality players because they are playing in a D2 league. MLS is already a hard sell, now you expect quality players to line-up to play for a team that plays in a lower league?
I totally agree with all you said, but one thing the Cosmos have over most other MLS teams is NYC. Players like NYC, they are already taking a step down by coming to play in MLS, if the money is right (I doubt it will be) then they may not mind playing in D2, they can always go out on loan if they want to impress a coach for NT duty like Beckham did. But I assume if the Cosmos get any "name" player it would be players no longer in their National team radar.
While it might give them a leg up over the other NASL clubs, they aren't going to be able to compete with the draws of the Red Bulls, Galaxy, and NYCFC. They are going to have to throw Qatari/Chinese level money at players to have them not only pass up playing in first division soccer, but playing for the Galaxy or one of the other two teams in the NYC area.
Or MLS type level money (really LA/RBs type money). But this is going to far, I doubt the Cosmos will ever amount to a team that could pay MLS level wages. (unless as you say they can score a TV deal in that profitable but highly competitive NYC market).
Would the Cosmos only play in NYC? How would they not only sustain their roster, but the training staff, the facilities staff, etc etc. Players have a hard enough time coming to the US - they sure as hell aren't gonna go for a D2 American league. Not when they're gonna compete with MLS. NYC is a draw, but it's not THAT big a draw.
$$$ would be the only way, I mean if a player can go to China (yes D1) then why not, this would be players looking to cash in one last big paycheck, like DelPierro in Australia or Marquez with RedBull (I guess 1 big check before going to Mexico). But yes you are right, this is highly unlikely to ever happen.
They are going to have outbid the MLS teams, which is why I went with Chinese/Qatari numbers. Any player that shows up on the Cosmos radar is also going to show up on the Red Bulls' and NYCFC's radars. So you're either looking at the Red Bulls and NYCFC passing on the player, or the Cosmos offering stupid money to get them to not only come to the US, but pass up playing in the same city for a higher division team.
oh no doubt it would be players that can not go to Redbulls or the new NY team, but still would want a nice paycheck and would prefer to live in NYC. Now it would be dumb for them to go for "name" players, if they really wanted and have a 5-8 million dollar payroll it would be better to get cheaper Argentinian, Serie B, BL2 players than chasing some DelPierro type player. They will never outbid NY 1 and 2 or LAG and maybe not even the sounders/Toronto. (most other MLS teams do not pay China/LAG/NYRB/Qatar type money). but a 8 million payroll could get them 11 decent 250K-750K type players for the starting line up, they could do a lot of damage with that in the Open cup/CCL (not against the Mexican teams). But like everyone reasonable points out, I do not see a way for them to have revenues that would allow them a 5-8 million USD payroll with out a nice NYC area TV contract. Edit: Also for that TV contract (and to please the crazy Cosmo fans) they would need to over pay for a DelPierro type player or 2. So you add 1 or 2 of that type of player and the salary would de unsustainable. IMO.
Cosmos are calling Garber's bluff. they are basically saying, chose us as NY2 or we will compete with you and take your fans. dont know how a USL can do this tho...
Don't think they're really calling anyones bluff. They're just being irrational and idiotic at this point.
If they are capable of fully funding a $400m stadium then I can safely assume they can afford to bring in some big name players. I am under the impression that a 32-34 year old Euro based player that has won in Spain, England, Champions League, etc. It doesn't matter to him if he is going for MLS Cup or the Soccer Bowl. What matters is that he can make 5 mil from the Cosmos or 2 mil from RBNY/Galaxy. If they can host some big-time friendlies and sign a deal with a TV Network than it could work out. You are assuming it's not possible as much as I am assuming it could be possible. Would I put even $10 bucks on it happening, no, but it is not impossible to see this coming to fruition.
3 teams in NY means one team less somewhere else in the country. No thanks. How about just one team in NY? (Bye RBs).
And the Cosmos go bankrupt after racking up hundreds of millions in debt that they have little to no chance of ever repaying. What does having the Cosmos crush NASL, but get crushed by Liga MX teams in CCL get Sela Sports? Sure, they can spend money like a drunken sailor if they want to, but they might as well flush their money down the toilet because they aren't going to get anything back from spending all this money on a D2 Cosmos.
...so u wouldn't even put $10 on it? What would u be able to put on it? The way u responded is basically that nothing in the world is impossible. That covers everything and anything then. Cop out answer. Hate those. If u won't even wager $10 bucks it's virtually impossible and non sensical. No?
Desperation is more like it. It's amazing how many times these guys can lie and folks still believe. What is this now? The 30th time? The net truly is the place where every brain cell comes to die.
As someone said before it is free (or what ever cost them to put together this plan) publicity, probably nothing more.
I never said it was a smart business plan. The group has always come across to me as wanting a "toy" more than anything