NY Times: "Toxic Culture" in US Soccer

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Unimane, Jun 25, 2019.

  1. gunnerfan7

    gunnerfan7 Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Jul 22, 2012
    Santa Cruz, California
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maybe? Presumably all TV rights, like the WC, EPL, LigaMX, etc. are bid on.

    Rarely are there articles alleging a superior bid was rejected. Unless it's something dumb like Traffic Sports trying to buy MLS for 4 Billion, or whatever that was.
     
  2. sXeWesley

    sXeWesley Member+

    Jun 18, 2007
    Club:
    Portland Timbers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The closest we have come so far:

    https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/11/01/nasl-us-soccer-hearing-court-ruling-kessler-sum-mls

    SUM markets the USSF’s TV rights and sponsorships, but it’s been unclear whether the federation receives full value for those properties since they’re pooled with SUM’s other ventures. What’s become apparent this week is that both MLS and USSF receive a guaranteed amount of annual revenue from SUM and that anything earned above and beyond that minimum is split, with 70% of the additional money going to MLS and the remaining 30% to the USSF.

    The SUM agreement was entered into evidence under seal. The nature of that agreement is unknown, but Kessler implied it’s not a permanent written contract.

    “The fact that [USSF’s] single largest source of income is now first in an oral contract and it is only in the term sheet that says under negotiation for three years is further evidence of the fact that these organizations are so joined together,” he said.

    Kessler repeatedly hammered at the economic ties between MLS and the USSF.

    “They have this unique relationship, again, unlike any other federation in the world, where they view MLS's interest as being the same as their interest …. [and] in order for the USSF to make more money, MLS must make more money. They have tied themselves economically together,” he said.

    Kessler continued, “When we finally got their agreement, despite what their economist says, the way the agreement works, for them to get their 70/30 split, a certain amount of revenues have to first be hit. There's a target above the minimum. The only way that can be hit is if MLS is popular enough to draw in enough money so they hit their target, and then, above that, they get that split. If MLS is weaker, if they are not as attractive to TV, if they are not as attractive to sponsors, that number is very, very hard to hit.”
     
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  3. tomásbernal

    tomásbernal Member+

    Sep 4, 2007
    Club:
    Portland Timbers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Lol, Cordeiro. I read that as "We would like there to be an open, honest conversation about how CONCACAF can, please, have the rights to the Copa America every other time, and so still make half the money we would if the Copa America was held every time in the USA. Because it's way more than the Gold Cup nets us."
     
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  4. CMeszt

    CMeszt Member+

    Farewell Sweet Prince
    Jan 9, 2004
    Gentrification's Apex.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Well I brought up Turner because they took one of the most important soccer properties in the country, outbidding a number of established networks, and basically used the rights as a hostage to get people to sign up for BR Live. A similar situation isn't in SUM/USSF's interest even if it does come with more cash.
     
  5. grandinquisitor28

    Feb 11, 2002
    Nevada
    Actually I think this is total b.s. I know it feels intuitively true, we've all met go getter's, worker bee's, and slackers, but there is much more nuance to how people actually behave in working environments. I worked in business for several years, then moved into the Educational field and eventually spent time working at nearly 60 different schools over the years. The one thing I noticed, and I bet Eleven Bravo (who repped your post) might actually agree w/me as well, is that leadership has a MASSIVE impact on the what humans do regardless of oversight. You don't need oversight to get human beings to do their "effing jobs" so to speak, what you need is great leadership. Great and even good leaders pull the best out of people. When people believe their efforts matter and are valued, when people believe in their leaders, when they believe their leaders have integrity and believe their leaders see their workers integrity as well, suddenly you have a committed workforce. When people believe their work is valued and heck might even be rewarded, they work hard. When they believe their work isn't valued, their integrity is irrelevant, and that their leadership is incompetent, or drenched in favoritism and b.s., they eventually won't put in the same effort. Some slackers are born, others are made, but even slackers that are born can and often are whipped into shape when they meet the right kind of leader. Even w/oversight people slack off. With great leadership though? Slacking off isn't something that happens very often because the workers themselves will police their own if they believe in their leaders.

    That's what matters. You can see it in every field, everywhere. The difference between quality and poor organizations always starts at the top, and then at the secondary levels, and so on and so on.
     
  6. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I should have been clearer.

    The intercontinental tournament would replace the CA and the GC.
     
  7. Master O

    Master O Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If there's ever an organization that needs that kind of leadership, it's USSF.
     
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  8. juveeer

    juveeer Member+

    Aug 3, 2006
    USS has ever been thus....unfortunately.

    It is still run like it is some silly cult sport.

    Now it is mainstream, it needs a total revamp.

    The problem is it is a self reverential, self sustaining, and impenetrable cabal that is "in charge" and there is virtually no way for anyone "outside" the group to force the kind of systemic changes needed.

    Oddly, Sunil is looking like the least bad element of the whole crappaloza that is USS and all the protesting managed to do is get HIM out!

    We are in a heap of trouble and there is no way out unless some outside force (FIFA, an anti-trust suit, the Feds?) forces it.

    I am not optimistic.
     
  9. juvechelsea

    juvechelsea Member+

    Feb 15, 2006
    the way the last election went suggested to me the structure is self sustaining based on how the votes are apportioned out. that should have been a "change election" but was instead elevation of the crown prince.
     
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  10. juveeer

    juveeer Member+

    Aug 3, 2006
    That is how they have always been.

    Without an outside force stepping in to change that, there will be, well, NO CHANGE!
     
  11. CMeszt

    CMeszt Member+

    Farewell Sweet Prince
    Jan 9, 2004
    Gentrification's Apex.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Not sure that such a thing ends up in anyone's best interest. The Gold Cup is too important to CONCACAF's bottom line. CONMEBOL doesn't really have a need to invite us.
     
  12. Mantis Toboggan M.D.

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Jul 8, 2017
    There's room in the 4-year cycle for all 3 tournaments, if the other two go to once per cycle.
     
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  13. Pegasus

    Pegasus Member+

    Apr 20, 1999
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In time it may well be that we didn't understand
    I guess even if the Gold Cup remains a once a year tournament by using the years in between the WC and Copa. With Europe making it much harder to do friendlies with them I expect more cooperation between the remaining confederations. It would make a lot of sense for the bigger teams in CONCACAF to play CONMEBOL but doesn't help the smaller teams. I often wonder how CONMEBOL was able to pawn off all their smaller countries and islands to CONCACAF and only have 10 big countries in their confederation. If they had the Guyanas and the islands closer to S. America than N. America their whole qualifying process would be very different. The whole Carribean area with the Guyanas, Venezuela, Central America, Mexico, US Gulf Coast and all of the Island Nations are so close yet in two different confederations. Both confederations are built around the bigger countries closer to the poles.
     
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  14. tomásbernal

    tomásbernal Member+

    Sep 4, 2007
    Club:
    Portland Timbers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It would be cool if the Gold Cup and Copa America were held in 2020 (second year of the WC cycle), and then the combined cup in 2021 (3rd year)--replacement for Confederations Cup. If they took, say, the top 8 from Copa America 2020 and top 4 from Gold Cup 2020, then you'd have a pretty interesting tournament.

    Another alternative would be, if CONMEBOL adopted a Nations League as well, then that could be used to determine the top teams from both regions which would meet in 2021.

    EDIT: Apologies for continuing to steer this thread off topic. Didn't realize where I was until I posted.
     
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  15. jond

    jond Member+

    Sep 28, 2010
    Club:
    Levski Sofia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Since Cordeiro is a money hungry ex Goldman exec where the actual sport itself is on the back burner, I hope FIFA comes to their senses and forces C'CAF and C'BOL to merge.

    That would help erase the comfort within our Fed's walls.
     
  16. Mantis Toboggan M.D.

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Jul 8, 2017
    I'd do the Gold Cup and the South American tournament the year after the WC, and then the expanded Copa in year two--concurrent with the Euros. That would also let teams focus fully on WCQ in year 3 of the cycle.
     
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  17. CMeszt

    CMeszt Member+

    Farewell Sweet Prince
    Jan 9, 2004
    Gentrification's Apex.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Ah yes, I'm sure FIFA, through their love of the sport in all of its unspoiled purity, is just deeply offended by the USSF caring about its bottom line.

    This is a totally realistic thing that will absolutely happen in this universe.
     
  18. Master O

    Master O Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ha, FIFA's even more corrupt than USSF.
     
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  19. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes one thing that FIFA and CONMEBOL executives could never be accused of is greed:rolleyes:
     
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  20. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem is a nail.
     
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  21. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007

    Scared kittens.
     
  22. juveeer

    juveeer Member+

    Aug 3, 2006
    Our soccer media remind me of college football media in a college town like State College PA when JoePa was ruling the roost. If you challenged the man, you got frozen out and could no longer do your job.

    But if you DIDN'T challenge the man, you also couldn't do your job. Well PROPERLY do your job anyway.

    It is a tough situation to be in, but this is a national press corps we are talking about here. They need to show more initiative, chutzpah and gumption than they have so far
     
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  23. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You realize the job is unpaid, right?
     
  24. russ

    russ Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Canton,NY
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's all expenses paid for any USSF CONCACAF or FIFA activity he attends.
    So he's got that going for him,which is nice.
     
  25. TimB4Last

    TimB4Last Member+

    May 5, 2006
    Dystopia
    You realize the word 'unpaid' belongs in quotes, right?
     
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