They're a done deal. But that doesn't mean they don't still have an uphill battle to survive beyond a year or two. I mean if the goal is to pump out flash in the pan teams that are one and done... then yes they're solid. If it's to build actual viable teams that will survive long term... well, they're far from certain given their 5th billing status (just among soccer teams in LA (nevermind sports teams in general)), their poor start thus far to marketing, and their so/so stadium location.
There is too much criticism about Nasl expansions and in general, this is a Nasl forum so if you don't like it just follow ML$ or U$L, there are so many team in California you can pick up without knelling the bell for Deltas and California United (altough I would have prefered an old Nasl like name)
So you think that because it's an NASL forum you can't be critical when the NASL or one of its teams like Deltas or OC are clearly screwing up? This isn't an echo chamber of NASL happiness... it's a message board. And both teams so far have made moves, or not made them, that deserve a hearty dose of criticism. On the flip side, not every NASL expansion team is cocking it up. The San Diego guys so far are off to a generally good start keeping themselves in the media, and thus far presenting a fairly ambitious and extensive plan for their future.
The difference being, of course, there has been a third division for 20 years and will be again and there have been standards for the last seven or so. You'd have no need for D4 standards until you actually create D4, which has not been done. But, again, even if they are half as robust as the D3 standards, most NPSL teams would struggle to meet them.
Nothing wrong with being proactive. Plus, I would imagine there is a reason why they would be considering D4 other than "just because". They most likely are being asked about it, and see there might be a desire by some teams for form a D4 league in the not too distant future.
OC needs to hit the ground running they chose the market and THAT market has no time to give hence a lot of people here being critical. You realize that next year LAFC is coming to MLS with a shiny new stadium and everything. They got Carlos Vela for Pete's sake and they'll get two more big name players at least. OC has a huge mountain to climb and they are just sitting on their hands it seems not unlike the Deltas and people are rightly concerned.
They also have Bob Bradley captioning the ship. LAFC are looking to have a stranglehold of the market.
When not creating maritime memes, he'll also be coaching the team. (sorry, couldn't resist) As a Galaxy supporter, I feel like LAFC are doing a lot right and my club needs to get off their backside and start realizing they're not competing with Chivas USA anymore.
Indeed. LAFC is setting themselves up in a way that not only do the California United FC of Fullerton need to watch out, but even the Galaxy should be on notice. The Gals won't lose their core fan base by any means, but LAFC is going to be mighty alluring to the casuals.
If there is a D4, I can tell you it won't look like today's NPSL or PDL. A couple owners might crossover, and the IP of a few current teams might also show up, but the whole concept of the current NPSL/PDL is completely different from that of a full season professional league. And the cost structure is another problem. The PDL and NPSL are built around college soccer. They're active when players are available. Their player rules are set based on NCAA/NAIA eligibility requirements. Their season is also based on field availability - often using scholastic (high school, district, college) fields during the Summer off-season). Moving to a full season is not as simple as waiving a wand. Fields that available/affordable late May to early August may not be available at any price in April or September. And if you can find 20 players willing to play for $10k/season, that's $200k of money you're probably not going to recoup because you're suddenly a "professional team". Back when I was pumping out my 200-400 copies/issue of the advertising free Emerald City Gazette, I was approached a few times about making it a full-time thing. My one condition was that two years of salary would be put in escrow and that I would be paid even if the magazine was killed by the new owner. My internal calculations showed that we'd need to get to around 15k distribution with half the magazine being ads to be sustainable. The ECG was effectively a PDL/NPSL level magazine. I couldn't make the jump to "D4", and nobody that thought I should be "D4" was willing/able to risk the money necessary to make that happen.
It's the only thing keeping me from publishing again. The closed industry of Big Publishing is artificially keeping small operations like mine from advancing on merit. Think of all the people waiting to pour money into the publishing industry if sports magazines had pro/rel. #ProRelForMagazines
and I would actually read magazines if there were relegation battles or promotion battles but you all have nothing to write for.
It's Kartik, so more rumor than news. 1- Multiple sources confirm that the owners of the Fort Lauderdale @NASLOfficial club will declare US bankruptcy this week.— Kartik Krishnaiyer 🇺🇦🌻⚽️ (@kkfla737) August 28, 2017 2- Players who are owed money have been informed they will not be paid @Ronaldo @marcusbuaiz— Kartik Krishnaiyer 🇺🇦🌻⚽️ (@kkfla737) August 28, 2017 3- Vendors & former staff who are owed money likely have no recourse— Kartik Krishnaiyer 🇺🇦🌻⚽️ (@kkfla737) August 28, 2017 4- This could be a major black eye for @NASLOfficial and @USSoccer (at least abroad in terms of reputation).— Kartik Krishnaiyer 🇺🇦🌻⚽️ (@kkfla737) August 28, 2017
5- 5- I'm not sure what the bonded guarantee given by FTL in 2016 covers if not this @ussoccer ? Or if it was even paid?— Kartik Krishnaiyer 🇺🇦🌻⚽️ (@kkfla737) August 28, 2017 6- The Brazilian press is aware of this and it could be a Traffic-sized fiasco for NASL's and US Soccer's perception abroad @Ronaldo— Kartik Krishnaiyer 🇺🇦🌻⚽️ (@kkfla737) August 28, 2017 7 - Why USSF has not stepped in as a Letter of Credit is mandatory by the Federation to the owners to be part of a league remains a mystery.— Kartik Krishnaiyer 🇺🇦🌻⚽️ (@kkfla737) August 28, 2017
Well I mean as far as NASL is concerned I suppose it is no? I mean the Strikers are already gone. And the team's IP isn't even owned by the former owners who are declaring bankruptcy (ostensibly I'd imagine to avoid paying the judgement owed the Rowdies owner).
I think there is a difference between it shutting down for the season vs declaring bankruptcy and stiffing vendors and suppliers.. i think Kartik is overreacting (shocking I know), I'm also not sure why he's laying the blame on USSF, when it was NASL that approved the re Strikers ownership group in 2014, allowed the team to pile up debts until Bill Edwards started bankrolling the team, did nothing when a new ownership grouo appeared and were rebuffed by the 2014 owners, etc.. The only valid complaint towards USSF is the question of where the performance bond was. Was it never paid? Did the Strikers burn through it before Edwards stepped in??
No more or less so then before this bankruptcy. The Strikers were already dead. Their former owners declaring bankruptcy I wouldn't think has much impact on NASL. Bigger concerns for NASL are struggling existing teams, not long dead ones.
There are soccer teams all over the globe - in top leagues - who don't pay their bills. Somehow a failed second division team in the United States is somehow going to blacken our reputation? Call me when someone doesn't get paid by MLS or one of its teams (well, other than the $65 I'll never get from Chivas USA for some 2005 USOC photos)