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USL Press Release about USL First Division
Posted 10 Nov 2009 at 06:08 PM by AndyMead
Press Release from the United Soccer Leagues:
USL Statement regarding USL First Division
TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues issued the following statement regarding the USL First Division in response to the announcement of an application before the United States Soccer Federation for a new Division II Men’s Outdoor Professional League submitted, in part, by former USL-1 franchises.
Statement:
United Soccer Leagues, founded in 1986, continues to be the only organization with Division II and III Men’s Outdoor Professional Leagues sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, providing over 20 years of professional league management experience to its member clubs at all levels of the game.
The new ownership of NuRock Soccer Holdings has made a significant investment in United Soccer Leagues through its acquisition of the business and the retaining of strategic business partners such as Nike, Inc. and Premier Partnerships, which is led by the highly-respected duo of Alan Rothenberg and Randy Bernstein.
While USL does not oppose the right of an entity to affiliate with USSF per the governing organization’s bylaws, it does oppose the current application before the Federation on the grounds that there is misrepresentation, interference with USL business operations and substantial debt amongst the membership of the parties applying for certification.
Although USL is currently working with USL-1 member teams on reforming the structure of league management, USL’s ownership structure and franchise system has been, and will continue to be, in compliance with all USSF and FIFA statutes since its membership as a professional league with the USSF began in 1993.
There is no FIFA regulation stipulating that member leagues be owned by their respective clubs, and in many cases around the world, leagues consist of individual clubs that play in league competitions managed by the respective Federation such as the English leagues (excluding the Premiership), Bundesliga (Germany), La Liga (Spain) and Mexican Primera Division. While some management systems are similar, the models of ownership structure vary greatly throughout FIFA based on each country’s business regulations as well as respective regional confederation and federation guidelines and principles. While there are universal principles woven throughout FIFA, league ownership models are among concepts such as promotion/relegation and the prohibition of two equal-tiered leagues that are not mandated and not necessarily applicable for every federation, such as is the case in the United States. Every league in every federation has its own nuances that make it unique.
The ownership structure of United Soccer Leagues has played a crucial role in maintaining a stable foundation while advancing the sport over decades of growth through both prosperous and difficult financial times. This structure has allowed USL to support and maintain the operation of member clubs such as Montreal and Vancouver during times when the then ownership of the clubs were unable to continue operating, which would have had detrimental affects on both the competition and on all respective markets across the league. With continued financial difficulties being experienced by clubs all around the world as well franchises and leagues in various United States sports entities, USL believes its model, with upcoming reforms to better serve its teams, is an important aspect to a successful future in the USL First Division.
USL Statement regarding USL First Division
TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues issued the following statement regarding the USL First Division in response to the announcement of an application before the United States Soccer Federation for a new Division II Men’s Outdoor Professional League submitted, in part, by former USL-1 franchises.
Statement:
United Soccer Leagues, founded in 1986, continues to be the only organization with Division II and III Men’s Outdoor Professional Leagues sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, providing over 20 years of professional league management experience to its member clubs at all levels of the game.
The new ownership of NuRock Soccer Holdings has made a significant investment in United Soccer Leagues through its acquisition of the business and the retaining of strategic business partners such as Nike, Inc. and Premier Partnerships, which is led by the highly-respected duo of Alan Rothenberg and Randy Bernstein.
While USL does not oppose the right of an entity to affiliate with USSF per the governing organization’s bylaws, it does oppose the current application before the Federation on the grounds that there is misrepresentation, interference with USL business operations and substantial debt amongst the membership of the parties applying for certification.
Although USL is currently working with USL-1 member teams on reforming the structure of league management, USL’s ownership structure and franchise system has been, and will continue to be, in compliance with all USSF and FIFA statutes since its membership as a professional league with the USSF began in 1993.
There is no FIFA regulation stipulating that member leagues be owned by their respective clubs, and in many cases around the world, leagues consist of individual clubs that play in league competitions managed by the respective Federation such as the English leagues (excluding the Premiership), Bundesliga (Germany), La Liga (Spain) and Mexican Primera Division. While some management systems are similar, the models of ownership structure vary greatly throughout FIFA based on each country’s business regulations as well as respective regional confederation and federation guidelines and principles. While there are universal principles woven throughout FIFA, league ownership models are among concepts such as promotion/relegation and the prohibition of two equal-tiered leagues that are not mandated and not necessarily applicable for every federation, such as is the case in the United States. Every league in every federation has its own nuances that make it unique.
The ownership structure of United Soccer Leagues has played a crucial role in maintaining a stable foundation while advancing the sport over decades of growth through both prosperous and difficult financial times. This structure has allowed USL to support and maintain the operation of member clubs such as Montreal and Vancouver during times when the then ownership of the clubs were unable to continue operating, which would have had detrimental affects on both the competition and on all respective markets across the league. With continued financial difficulties being experienced by clubs all around the world as well franchises and leagues in various United States sports entities, USL believes its model, with upcoming reforms to better serve its teams, is an important aspect to a successful future in the USL First Division.
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Total Comments 13
Comments
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your background images are giving me a migraine when I try to read this. You may want to consider something different my friend...Posted 10 Nov 2009 at 06:18 PM by Dbird76 
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If USL is correct it appears the "FIFA rules" argument is out the window for the TOA.Posted 10 Nov 2009 at 07:24 PM by athletics68
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Are they saying the USL is the Federation of the USA? What they need to do is list all the great things the USL has done and will do for teams and the sport. On that they are predictably silent.
Posted 10 Nov 2009 at 08:40 PM by drummer
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Really, the argument from USL is that the new entity has substantial debt, which should be easy enough for USSF to find out. The rest, have fun proving and proving those are good enough reasons to kill this effort prematurely.
As for the rest of the statement, it has a certain air of desperation in an attempt to convince themselves, as well as anyone else, that the new entity should not exist.
Non-fussed about it personally, but interested to see where this new competitive environment takes North American soccer/footy.Posted 10 Nov 2009 at 08:59 PM by FFCinPCB
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"Stable foundation"? Really? 30+ defunct A-League/USL 1 teams since the league's inception. That's what they call stable
Posted 10 Nov 2009 at 09:11 PM by SxSxWxC
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this seems like a lot of backtracking and saving face attempt from USL. Am I reading correctly where the USL basically stated here that there is nothing prohibiting two equal tiered leagues from existing in the same country?
Posted 10 Nov 2009 at 10:38 PM by Nazzer
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There isn't anything preventing two equal level leagues from existing in the same country. How else do you explain the PDL and NPSL.
Posted 11 Nov 2009 at 02:46 AM by athletics68
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tbh - I just didn't get any of that. even with 4 hours of sleep, it just seems like obfuscation while they try and make up there minds about something. ...please point out my error.
Otherwise, i wish that we had opportunities to buy into lower division teams with some sort of strong league arrangement for insurance purposes. This has got to be one of the best buys around. These teams provide entertainment and stoke regional competition and as soccer grows in the US their value will only increase. Especially, if relegation is ever considered. Here in the UK, the third and fourth tiers still bring enough fans out to pay the bills, and if someone wants to buy a club and make it challenge for higher levels, they look to pick these clubs up. Notts County gets about 3,000 a game before the money came in - they struggle but they do it.Posted 11 Nov 2009 at 05:03 AM by MJ-inBRITAIN
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MLS needs to step in and make some type of arrangement with the TOA. Create MLS Reserve or something like that. USL dos sound desperate. I wish PRI will go with the TOA though. USL did them wrong last year when they move that game to Vancouver.Posted 11 Nov 2009 at 09:36 AM by santeroatomico
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Who wrote this press release? It is like a bad Google translation from Chinese!!Horrible grammar and syntax.
Posted 11 Nov 2009 at 10:13 AM by jmb321
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