First, this is soccer and I think I know how media in that city traditionally works. Second, I said "ironically." However, if you really want my opinion, I'll tell you that the reason Rayo OKC won't succeed is because Brad Lund has been acting more like a stereotypically disgruntled former employee over the past two years rather than a savvy businessman who sees an opportunity for success in the marketplace. At the beginning of this mess, NASL OKC supporters told us that the only place a team could play was at Taft Stadium... then they told us how great a guy Tim McLaughlin was... then they told me how sorry I'd be for criticizing them once Brad magically brought an NASL team to Tulsa but only AFTER the NASL adds OKC and expands to the west coast first... then they told us how they thought the OKC USL club would never play a game... then they made fun of the Energy playing at McGuinness even though they drew quite a few sellout crowds there... I could go on and on... but if you'd like the owner of the NPSL's Tulsa Athletics thoughts on the subject, listen to the first 10+ minutes of the last podcast... November 12, 2015 Episode 30 - Ronnie James Dio Edition We talk Premiere League, MLS Playoffs (the best yet), US Open Cup, A brand new NASL team in OKC, and (for some reason) Ronnie James Dio. Enjoy! http://www.alwayssonnypodcast.com/archives/2015/11/11/episode-30-ronnie-james-dio-edition
I wasn't trying to attack you or defend anyone else. I recognize you said "ironically" but I wanted to point out I fail to see the connection between minor league hockey media coverage in OKC and success/failure of these soccer clubs. The only reason I could think of mentioning hockey would be some obscure connection to a current soccer ownership group. I success/failure of these venture is still intangible.
Okay. Brad Lund ran the OKC Blazers... Bob Funk Jr ran the OKC Barons. As for media coverage, the local OKC media has rarely given the sport of soccer the time of day... until the Energy. When I first got wind in 2013 that there were going to be presentations to the OKC School board to lease a rebuilt Taft Stadium, I would have guessed that Brad Lund/SOS would be the one making the presentation for the lower division USL, and it would have been Bob Funk Jr/Prodigal who was the mysterious OKC group trying to land an NASL expansion team. Especially since Brad Lund was the guy with an expansion PDL club that was just announced a couple of months earlier. I mean, why would you sign for a PDL club that included a non-compete clause clearly aimed at the NASL? http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/battle-of-oklahoma-city.1989234/page-5
Yes you are correct USL teams did kick NASL teams asses. But the 2 games the Cosmos played v. NYCFC & RBNY was great atmospheres. We need more of that to truly grow the game.
In the Stadium right now bitches, ready to raise this Championship. Check out Perriscope for my occasional live boardcast
OK...let me go through this, as it has been related to me. I''ll try to put this in chronological order, as much as I can: 1. At some point in the past Bob Funk Jr, and Prodigal, were given a "territorial right"(?) to Oklahoma City for a USL team. 2. From what I know he sat on that for over THREE years without acting on it. 3. Sean Jones contacted Brad Lund', and Sold Out Strategies, about the possibility of starting a soccer team. 3. In doing their due diligence they uncovered that USL had made the deal with Bob Funk some years before. 4. They decided that he must not be interested in exercising that right, so they started discussions with USL to start a PDL team, as a way to test the soccer waters. 5. They informed the USL of their intentions to possibly move up to USL-Pro, if all went well. (Now this is the important point, to me anyway. The USL NEVER themselves mentioned Bob Funk's deal with them. 6. They started the PDL team, and it went well. Very early on they felt they had enough evidence to show that this would work in OKC, so they informed the league that they would like to apply for a franchise in USL-Pro. 7. The league told them, "hey, don't worry about it right now. We're your partner. When the time comes we'll get all of that going..." 8. They didn't know what to make of that. But they pressed on. They called the league and said they were ready to put down a deposit on the franchise fee, to secure their spot. Once again, league said, "Throttle back, Maverick. All in due time. Oh BTW, the fee is has gone up..." 9. The went BACK to the league and said, "No problem, we have anew majority owner (Tim McLaughlin) and we're ready to pay the new, increased fee right now..." 10. Once again, the league told them to hold off, blah, blah, blah..." 11. At this point they said they knew they were being played. So they decided to see if the NASL was a possibility. 12. After talking to the NASL they decide that it was the best option. 13. Presentations were made to the School Board to get the lease for Taft. The NASL was approved. 14. NOW...at THIS point in time they almost had Checkmate. I've actually heard one of the owners say that IF they would have been able to move forward AT THIS POINT that there may have never been an OKC Energy. 15. But (everyone has a big but) it didnt happen. Tim McLaughlin began dragging his feet, wanting more studies, and research in to the market, etc...etc... And in the interim the Energy announced that they would start play. 16. Around November of that year they pretty much lost contact with McL. Then rumors started getting back to the other principals that he was looking to align with Bob Funk and the USL team. 17. One of them asked him, point blank, "Are you looking to join the Energy?" His nswer? "NO! But this is taking time away from my family, and I'm afraid I'm going to lose too much money...I JUST WANT TO GET OUT OF SOCCER..." 18. They let him out. Lawyers start dividing assets. McL's lawyer tells the other group that , "No, the stadium lease is NOT part of the assets. That belongs to the team. We'll get that to you..." 19. Owners go to the school board to complete the lease for the stadium. Surprised OKPS member says, "Tim McLaughlin just brought a signed copy of it?!?" WHEW... That's what I have been able to glean thus far. Where this ends up? Who the hell knows> I'm just glad that it's happening. I plan to be there. I plan to help start, or be part of, the supporter's group. I'll do what I can to help them succeed.
Time to wait and see how all this plays out. RAYO http://www.thegridokc.org/new-page/ Tune: "You Are My Sunshine" You come from Yukon. You play in Yukon. Why does your logo say OKC? You'll never know just how much we hate you Please **** off and go your own way I'll just say I have a hunch dictated by logic that at some point early in 2013, Tim Holt learned that an OKC group was seriously working towards an NASL franchise and figured out that it was Brad Lund and not Bob Funk Jr... that may have been enough right there to tip the balance for who eventually got the USL club. I've never met Holt, but based partially on a meeting I had with Tulsa County officials about the future of the old ballpark now home to the Tulsa Athletics, the guy does his homework... at the meeting in which I was going over a proposal for a possible NASL club, I was told Holt had already met with them six months earlier about the USL playing at the same venue.
Fixed your post, Signed : the 8 failed D3 Usl teams from the last 5 years VSI Tampa Antigua Puerto Rico United River Plate PR Sevilla PR FC New York Phoenix FC Dayton
your point? minor leagues is minor leagues. NASL is minor league. Only thing USL has on NASL is they have teams in all four continental time zones.
It's been confirmed by a number of people, including some people actually involved in the league, that the West coast requirement doesn't actually happen until 2017. Even then, they'll be given a waiver if they don't meet the requirement. They're never going to be bumped down. It's common sense.
It depends. IF NASL drops the lawsuit, probably. But if they continue to give USSF a fight, i could see them doing it and promoting USL.
If the rumors that the independent USL teams lobbied to keep the MLS2 squads out of the open cup, that is evidence defections could just as easily go the other way.
In thinking about it more, what does D1 status really mean and even if they gain it, then what? I doubt they can legally force a merger with MLS and for that matter, what power does the USSF still have after the Concacaf and FIFA scandals? I praise the NASL for their efforts in putting forth a new league and I am all for more teams, players and competitions but they are still a minor league and they are nowhere near where MLS was in 1996 and I don't envision surpassing them anytime soon.
They've only actually fully competed in the same league for a single season, not really enough time to justify that stance.
NASL to USL defections might conceivably happen after the USL attains D-II because such defections would be lateral moves: D-II to D-II. If current D-III USL teams were interested in moving to the NASL, they'd already be doing so because the incentives to move up already exist. I don't see your point.
If the idea is that some of the independent teams are not happy about playing MLS2 teams, they have only had one season to experience it. You assumed that if there would be defections for that reason they would have already happened, but why would they have already happened if they didn't know what it was like to play in the same league full of MLS2 teams until only recently? Basically I think you are making assumptions based on your own biases, instead of taking into consideration all facts and possibilities.