How Long til we know if the NASL is Sanctioned

I wouldn't say they were trying to undermine the USSF, but they certainally are trying to kill the NASL. I do think they are slimy however.

In getting Div 3 status first, the USL effectivally avoided any regulations that the USSF set regarding 2nd div teams. Allowing them to do what they always have done in the past and bring in clubs of questionable ownership and commitment.

I'm not stating that the current clubs are questionable in the least, in fact this is the most stable I've seen the USL in the 15 plus years I've followed the league.

However they still currently have only 9 or 10 confirmed teams, well below the 16 - 20 teams I hear promised. Taking back the existing NASL will get them to the minimum they have repeatedly stated.

Even then there would be problems for the teams out west with travel costs. If the USL adds 4 or so more teams out west, then were back to questionable management and team ownership.

I expect to see the existing NASL being absorded into the USL simply because they can't meet the USSF regs as they currently stand. Effectivly killing the NASL. In 2012 or 13 the USL suddenly reappies for D2 status with 6 - 8 clubs which can meet the requirements.

 

It's almost like the people behind the NASL tried to undermine and kill of the USL the year before...

I don't get how people act like the NASL/TOA is this innocent party in everything. USL did NOTHING to force Austin to move. It was Austin's choice. It sucks for Austin's fans, but blaming USL for all of this is stupid.

Everyone wants to spend other people's money. Unfortunately, Austin moving makes more financial sense. It sucks, but it's true. Travel sucks hundreds of thousands of dollars out of D2 soccer games. After 6 games last season, the City Stars were more than $400k in debt. Having the regional divisions makes financial sense.

 

Except there are no USL Pro teams near Orlando. Charleston is closest at 300-some miles. Everybody else is way further up the Eastern seaboard or in the Caribbean. Are they really gonna bus it to Richmond, Rochester, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, etc for every road game? And there are 3 Caribbean teams they'll have to fly to play. Charleston is closest but every other city is at least 700 miles away. Orlando is 1,000 miles from PR and 1,500 from Antigua. On a D3 budget I don't think that is any better than what Austin as D2 team would have had to deal with in NASL.

USL can talk about regional setup all they want, and it's a good idea, but they have 11 teams right now, spread across 2,000 miles, and they all have to play each other.

Any savings for the Aztex/Orlando City on travel are going to be pretty marginal, unless USL pulls a few more Florida teams out of thin air. Then after those hastily assembled(or "promoted" PDL) sides fold up they can add a new handful of suckers, I mean teams, in 2012.

Niether side looks very good right now, but USL just looks like they are up to their old tricks. They ducked out on the new standards for teams by going "D3", sold their new "regional" league to Austin and Rochester, and surely would just love to squash the NASL, maybe absorb one or two of the teams and become the de facto D2.

 

Actually no they don't that is the reason for regionalized play. You play your season against the teams in your region then the post season is set up for inter-division play.

Charlotte is also only about an hour further down the interstate than charleston.

 

This is very well written and extremely accurate, in my opinion.

Even amnong the current list of USL teams, there are teams that might not be able to afford the travel budgets required by the new set-up. On top of that, there is no standard for ownership such as the infamous $20 million dollar rule that USSF is imposing on D2 clubs. Just like the same old USL, we may see a couple of the USL-Pro teams folding in mid-season underneath the weight of travel budgets that are larger than their entire revenue stream.

The old USL was mostly concerned about collecting francise fees. They didn't seem too concerned with the viability of teams they introduced into the league. Is the new USL any better? For all the reasons above, I would agree with drSoFlaFan; right now, the USL-Pro acceptance proceedure seems eerily similar to that of the old USL. Or, as he put it, ".. they are up to their old tricks."

 

Is Charlotte going to play Charleston 30 times? Of course not. I think drSoFlaFan is right, there will have to be extensive travel with only @ a dozen teams.

 

I dont see extensive. The season is only 20 games. 10 home 10 away then post season.

If at worse there are only two divisions say North and South that is one region with 5 and the other with 6. the schedule would change much from last year. The travel for the northern teams would be considerably small. richmond, Rochester, Dayton, harrisburg, and Pittsburgh are all easy bus rides.

For the southern teams (charlotte, charleston, Orlando, RP, SFC, and BFC) it would be more of a expensive but no where near as expensive as traveling around the US.

from what we've been hearing there will be four regions, not two. Carribbean, West, and I would imagine North and South. how they are algined with the teams should be finalized at the USL Annual Meeting on Nov 18.

And to try and bring the topic back on track, I think USSF will make their decision next month, before FIFA announces their WC locations. I would imagine any problems FIFA has with USSF concerning D2 can be wrote off with promises of improving over the next 10 years before 2022.

 

I would imagine that FIFA is pretty much unaware that the U.S. has a second division. We're pretty big stuff to ourselves, but nobody else out there really knows or cares about us. Like the upset Aztex fan saying Phil Rawlins would be unwelcome in Texas - I'm pretty sure at best only a few thousand Texans would be unwelcoming, and I'm doubtful that you could get to ten thousand Texans who could identify him.

D2/D3 barely registers - even in soccer circles.

 

Andy of course pretty much spelled out the reality, and why so many here have a problem understanding what happens.


This is very important to the few here, but that's it.


It's not a reality you want to hear/accept when something means something to you, but denying it/not comprehending it creates about 90% of the traffic here.

Ultimately it means squat. Sorry. It is what it is.

 

I agree, my sarcasm about FIFA's issues with D2 didnt come accros in type so well.

I doubt the FIFA delegation that visited could even tell you one D2 team. With FIFA, its going to be about the money the WC can bring in.

 

That's fine. Just expanding on AM. That's all. Let's face it. We see it so often here. The ranting and raving. People want stuff to succeed. They are truly invested. Just need several more thousand like that in each area that's talked about.

These boards become a cocoon for most. It is important here.

Here means very lil for the most part.

 

The Carolina RailHawks are going to get crushed media-wise on Saturday. I only hope there is any mention of the game considering the Carolina Hurricanes, a few miles away, will be playing their second home game of the season against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Heck, if I wasn't the official RailHawks team photographer, I would be tempted to shoot the first period of the hockey game then head over for the end of the soccer game.

And I haven't looked to see if Duke, UNC, or NC State have home football games.

 

They seem to have quite a few tickets in the club and premium sections. The spectator sections are pretty empty right now but I imagine they will sell another 2-300 seats on the night of the game. So, I expect a turnout of around 4000.

 

Everything is great with the NASL. They have a stong foundatation to build on.

Dont have to believe me... Just read their own website.

http://nasl.com/article/nasl-continues-to-build-on-strong-foundation

 

Picked random dates here, but

Orlando to Charlotte, return flight, December 15th (Expedia) - $148
Austin to Charlotte, return flight, same day - $856 (though cheaper if not direct)

Orlando to San Juan (PR), return flight - $180 (direct)
Austin to San Juan (PR), return flight - $518 (no direct flights)

Orlando to Rochester, return flight - $148
Austin to Rochester, return flight - $234 (no direct flights)

Orlando to Minneapolis, return flight - $168
Austin to Minneapolis, return flight - $815 (or $264 if not direct)

Orlando to Raleigh/Durham, return flight - $178
Austin to Raleigh/Durham, return flight - $238 (no direct flight)

Orlando to Montreal, return flight - $335
Austin to Montreal, return flight - $497 (no direct flight)

Even being conservative and suggesting that it is, on average, $250 per person per trip cheaper (ignoring the benefits of direct travel vs indirect when taking a group of 30 people away - the indirect flight often means 3-4hrs more travel time, more chance of delays etc).

So $250 x 30 person travel party = $7500 per game x 20 away dates per season = $150,000.

Now if you then further compare the concept of "regional" leagues of 4-5 teams vs one national division of 8 (optimistic) teams then it clearly makes more sense for franchises that are, at best, break even, to opt for the USL vs NASL.

The theory can be argued all you like, but just ask the owners of the one profitable D1-D3 franchise last year - the Charleston Battery - what makes more sense. That pretty much ends the argument once and for all - they cut costs by over $400,000 while maintaining ticket sales and commercial endorsements.

 

If I remember well their president said that travel expenses in USSF DIV2 were like 150 K and in USL2 only like 40 K

 

Picked a random weekend date in July of next year....Fri Jul 15 2011 – Sun Jul 17 2011

On sidestep - Tampa to Edmonton.

No non-stop flights.

Cheapest one stop flight.... $618

So $618 x 30 person travel party = $18540


Just for fun....Fri Dec 10 2010 – Sun Dec 12 2010 only $488. lol

 

the Battery spent about $250000 on travel during the regular season in USL1 in 2009 and about $40,000 last year in USL 2010.

The post season can add alot to the budget, I was told that the trip to Montreal cost the club about $30000 alone in 2009. Another week would have been the same and a home and home another $30000. That is an additional $90,000 That would have put it around the final budget at about $340,000

And charleston had a relatively easy trip to Carolina (4 hours) other clubs didnt have.

 

Thanks for doing that cost comparison. I was going to look some dates up as well and post them. Being located in Orlando and playing in the USL should cut travel costs dramatically.

If the Rowdies and Strikers end up in USL next year as well then travel costs come down even more.

I posted more thoughts on the NASL boondoggle on the Mob site. In a nutshell I just don't see how it would be prudent to pursue sanctioning given the state the league is in now. I'd so much rather the NASL/D2 teams play within the USL system until more teams can be added to a potential D2 bid in the future.

That is USL permitting, obviously. Who knows what they would think about that. If the NASL teams insist on carrying on in a 6 to 8 team league with very large financial losses on travel alone, I'm not sure how long these teams are going to last anyway.

 

Add hotels for two nights (Fri & Sat in this example) @ $50 per head per night and you're at $3,000 = $21,540 per trip. Add bus from & to airport, plus miscellaneous and you've got $22k easy

 

I can see the USL welcoming back in Tampa. I have to think it would take some major concessions from Traffic before they want them and Miami back in the league. Brian at IMS mentioned a Ft. Lauderdale side joining USL Pro soon but didnt elaborate. that might be a play by USL (or the local PDL side if that who is behind it) award the franchise to that area therefore blocking any attempt for Miami to rejoin without negotiating a huge franchise right fee from that club.

NASL meeting is the the 8th of Nov. we will either hear taps being played or that they have found a few more investors and they announce a few expansion teams on the 9th

USL AGM begins on the 18th.

Im hoping they can just get it sorted out and give the clubs time to get ready for the 2011 season

 

Personally I think the NASL fails, Tampa and Carolina come back to the USL, Miami are SOL (Ft. Lauderdale is apparently nailed on to play in 2011), Rochester already came back and who knows what goes with StL.

 

maybe but things arent looking good.

If NASL isnt sanctioned this year I just dont see the teams choosing to sit idle. Montreal and PR will be looking for CCL qualification again and will need a sanctioned league to do that. some teams might not have a choice like Edmonton which are Geographically prohibitive and Miami which burned a lot of bridge