It will be interesting to see if they build this as a conference in USL-2 or if it will be a separte entity. I would like to see it set up as a USL-2 conference and then have the team use that as a spring board to move up eventually. Actually, with potentially four teams in Puerto Rico and the number of island countries and local airlines that fly between them, it could be very low. the Dominican Republic, Haiti, St. Kitts, Antigua, Turk and Calcos Islands, British Virgin Islands, could all be potential markets within a 200 mile radius of Puerto Rico Depending on the commitment of the countries FA, they could also have a similar set up to what the Bermuda Hoggs have had and that is the Bermuda FA pays for the travel of both the hoggs and the visiting team as a way of improving the countries international team we'll see, the USL has alot on their plate right now with the West coast USL-2 confernece and USL-1 expansion (and USSF sanctioning) and seems to be going full steam ahead
Question is can USL make it work. They're talking a big game right now, but ressurecting USL1 is going to be a near impossible task to do properly. Hell the west coast USL2 was going to be a tough thing to get through too. Now they're trying to essentially start 3 leagues in one year, when they've proven in the past they have a hard time even maintaining what they have. I'll believe it all when I see it.
searching around the interwebs, and team websites for existing PRSL teams resulted in: Sevilla FC Juncos has a series of articles en espanol discussing it's new 5,000 seat Soccer Specific Stadium, as well as their discussions with USL regarding a move into "la liga americana". The Sevilla FC Juncos organization seemed pretty commited to a future beyond the PRSL, and I'd guess they'll get their wish sooner rather than later, since they are finishing construction of the first soccer specific stadium built from scratch. I'm guessing in the next few years there will be at least three USL-2 divisions Caribbean including the 9 Puerto Rican teams in PRSL, Bermuda Hogges, other teams around the caribbean Pacific this has been discussed elsewhere, but looks to have about 8-9 teams Atlantic the current 6 teams, and possibly a few that moved to PDL I'd venture that they won't all happen in the same year, most likely Pacific next year, and Caribbean the following year. SFC-J moving to USL-1 would give it 5 teams for 2011 as of now, meaning they'd still have to announce 3+ solid ownership groups in the next few months if they have any hope of sanctioning for 2011.
Sounds like USL wants a completely separate pro league for the Caribbean clubs. Would PR Islanders be part of this or their new USL1 plan?
That SFC-J 5,000 seat stadium is pretty nice looking. Where are they in their plans to build it? Maybe it says something in the article, but I cannot read Spanish.
I think that's why it would be a great fit into a USL 2 sturcture where the season would be regional and then have the regions come together in the playoffs ie (final 4). And they are just at the discovery stage. So I'm guessin it's probably a couple of years down the road to implement this. I'm also guessing that it's going to some discussion with the Region and national federations to implement.
here is a Q & A with Marcos about the Puerto Rico/Caribbean divison/league http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/415653.html still early days but it will be interesting to see how it develops. Also speaks of USL1 expansion in Puerto Rico. Mikey
Won't be surprised if Nassau Bahamas applies for a team in a Caribbean League. They've got a gorgeous new 15,000 seat stadium under construction there
Just wondering if it is indeed official that Sevilla FC Juncos is going to join, what is now the USL conference of the USSF D-2, next season along with FC Barracuda??
On the other hand, there might not be a USL Conference. And, assuming the USSF sticks by those standards, there's no way Barracuda and Sevilla will be in the league. Too many non-US teams (Never mind the questions of whether they are sufficiently capitalized). Which makes it far more likely that there would actually be a USL Caribbean league. Kinda hard to make it fly with just three teams, though. Let's all watch the USL scramble to twist arms and find three more teams out of thin water. I wonder where they go for sanctioning such a thing? The CFU?
Good news that the USSF will put standards Because collecting expansion fees is the little game of Marcos
Not in a Caribbean league, they wouldn't. Marcos could keep playing his game. And Jack Warner could get in on the game.
Oh yes, he is just the director of USL international expansion or other such silliness and still on the USSF board. That man is still knee deep in it.
Having seen Marcos here in Austin for an Aztex game earlier this year, and coincidentally meeting with someone (decided not to pry), I have no doubt that Marcos is still very involved with the USL. He may not own it, but he's still very much a key player.
Respuesta: Re: USL Caribbean League? quick question: What would happen if this USL caribbean league comes to fruition and they decide that, since it does not qualify as a USSF-D2 sanctioned team, they decide to include Orlando in this league? It wouldn't be sanctioned by the american fed, but it will be by the feds of the caribbean countries involved in it. Could that happen?
Re: Respuesta: Re: USL Caribbean League? I guess it could happen but it wouldn't really make much sense because I believe that one of the main points of making a caribbean league is to have teams that don't have enough money to spend on traveling to the US all the time.
Re: Respuesta: Re: USL Caribbean League? IMHO Orlando prefers road games in Charleston and Richmond over games in Puerto Rico or Antigua
Respuesta: Re: Respuesta: Re: USL Caribbean League? Bahamas should be the next logical step in Caribbean expansion for either USL or NASL. They're building a state-of-the art multipurpose stadium with help from the Chinese government.
