San Diego 1904 FC expansion thread

Well this is interesting today regarding the San Diego NASL team...

"They had hoped to announce a team name by now, but Watkins said four choices already have been scrapped due to intellectual property conflicts. That includes Suenos (Dream in Spanish), which he said is trademarked in the United States by Spain’s FC Barcelona."

And this is disappointing for a response to the NASL downgrade to D3. At least publicly USL isn't an option. Though we know what some of these guys say publicly and privately don't always match so hopefully it's that...

"Finding a league may be another item on the to-do list if the NASL doesn’t survive U.S. Soccer’s decision.

For now, it doesn’t appear USL, which has a restrictive system of player movement similar to MLS, is an option.

“We made that decision last year,” Watkins said. “We had an opportunity (to join USL), and our ownership group liked the free enterprise system that the NASL offered. For the time being, that’s what we’re going to continue to do – see if we can find a way forward to make this thing work. We like the idea that you own your own property rights, you own your own facility, you own your own players, you own everything."

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/sd-sp-nasl-third-division-20170905-story.html

 

I wonder if they may opt out of the NASL and into the NISA instead.

 

There have been independent rumors they've been looking at USL, which hopefully pan out. I wouldn't necessarily expect them to admit they are looking at USL just yet seeing as they are still members of NASL for the moment. As for NISA, besides it being nothing but D3 NASL, good luck. A D2 team was interesting, if niche product. But the UT is already calling Division 3 "embarrassing" which NISA or a demoted NASL would both be for a top 10 city like San Diego. I wouldn't expect they'd do well in such a comparatively obscure league seeing as we're still a major league city which would still rather have MLS if possible.

As for the name. Interesting they're looking at Spanish names, and not unexpected. Though Suenos doesn't roll off the tongue so glad they skipped it.

 

Personally I can see them looking to get into the USL, but if that doesn't work out they will end up in the NISA. It would most likely be a better landing spot than a demoted NASL. As for the other NASL clubs. I can see Puerto Rico, NY Cosmos, and San Francisco folding. Indy, Jacksonville and North Carolina joining USL. Miami and Cal United joining NISA and Edmonton going to the Canadian Premier League.

 

I agree with most of your assessment, particularly the other teams. I expect similar fates to what you list. The only one we'll have to disagree on is SD. I just don't see them wasting their time with NISA. It's a start up D3 league with little appeal in such a big market. And certainly not one that justifies all the expenses and the ambition of what the SD NASL guys are planning. The only league that fits what they're trying to do other than NASL is USL. If it doesn't work out, I suspect they'll simply call it off and fold before they even start.

 

By the way, sorry about the other day.

 

No worries. It's one of those places the US stands alone in its application of the law, sometimes to our detriment.

 

the seemingly never ending NASL circus is exactly why it's always was and still is my least favorite option out of NASL, USL and MLS.

Anyway did USL turn NASL San Diego down or did they choose NASL on their own back then...
Seems the story has changed somewhat and is another thing that makes be feel uneasy about it all.
Tough, could also be that they can't speak about it yet to avoid possible penalties until NASL really is done.

That they at least considered going with a spanish name = positive sign
Suenos would also have fitted with the OG's mantra, "We wanna make dreams of players possible" that they are always spouting about...

 

Personally, what I would like to see happen is for LA Galaxy II to move to San Diego to become Galaxy San Diego. This would be similar to the rumored moves of Seattle Sounders 2 to Tacoma and Portland Timbers 2 to Boise.

 

I can see that being appealing to you as a Galaxy fan. For me... nothing would disinterest me faster in a San Diego team than for it to be the Scum Jr.

That said from a more objective viewpoint, the one issue I could see with SD having the Galaxy II would be that they're an "LA" team. And LA teams aren't exactly popular in San Diego in good times. Even less than usual thanks to what happened with the Chargers.

 

Mine too. It's one of the reasons I was giving them a shot because it seemed based on their earlier statements that they'd settled on NASL having no other options through no fault of their own. However their more recent statements does throw that into some doubt. And as such makes me start to wonder who exactly turned down who? If the SD NASL group turned down USL to pursue NASL simply because they bought into the lines of BS guys like Silva and those before him have been selling about NASL's "independence" etc... when compared to USL (most of which are bunk) while ignoring NASL's clear issues... Well it definitely dampens any enthusiasm I had for them.

 

Jacksonville WILL NOT join the USL. Palmer has said he has no interest in the USL. He likes the independent model...so the Armada are likely headed to NISA if (when) the NASL folds. From what Nipun is reporting today, Indy isn't much interested either. Only NCFC seems bound for USL.

As for the others, agree with you on Miami and Cal United (provided they just don't throw in the towel). There is no indication that Carmelo is ready to give up the Puerto Rico project, at least not officially. For all of Carmelo, being...well, Carmelo...he seems committed to the cause. We'll see what happens with a dropping in status...with the unknown being what happens if Irma really wrecks the island (so far it looks like they'll be OK...maybe better off than we'll be in Florida). The Cosmos are the wild card. Rocco has said he doesn't want to be part of a Division 3 club, so your guess might be correct. San Francisco is done barring a miracle.

 

C'mon, are you serious? I still love my Rowdies even though they joined the USL. You know how I feel about the quality comparison on the field and overall structure of the leagues. And as you know, I was against the move but it is what it is. I still root for them no matter what. Who cares what league it is, at least you're getting live footy to watch. I'm happy to have both leagues to watch in person (Jacksonville in one direction and the Rowdies in the other).

I've said it before, all that matters in the end is the experience: are the tickets reasonable, do the players play hard, are the seats comfortable, are the hot dogs warm, and is the beer cold?

 

Personally, you're sitting in traffic you didn't plan for.

I'd show up for TJ2 games.

 

Yea this is pretty much the worst possible outcome in my opinion.

Regardless, until the San Diego MLS bid is sorted out, no USL team will move in on SD without cooperation/blessings from FS Investors.

 

I am serious actually. I only begrudgingly give the NASL guys a chance because they're bringing us local soccer and they seem to have a decent plan. But I'm not thrilled at their choice of what I see as an disruptive, defective, and ultimately mismanaged league that's done nothing positive for soccer in this country. If they have an option to play in the USL I hope they take it. I'd much rather they be in a league that is in tune with MLS and USSF which would help more IMO toward the ultimate goal of an MLS team in SD.

 

So, in other words, you were never going to support this team. Let's say the NASL survives. If San Diego plays in it, given all the other things that the club has done and is planning to do, will you stomp your feet and say "no, I won't go because they're not in the USL"?

How about if they join the NISA? What will you do then?

It seems like you're more loyal to a league than to a team in your own backyard. People here have accused me of that but I still go to the Rowdies matches, watch the streams, follow the team on social media and buy the merchandise.

 

No if you read my last I said I'd begrudgingly support them. As in I'd support them
reluctantly, but would support them none-the-less in NASL. As a team, even an NASL team, is better than no team.

But given the option I'd hope they'd jump to USL without reservation as the sooner NASL dies the better for US soccer. It's not a rooting for a league thing, it's a unity in US Soccer at long last thing as quite frankly NASL has been nothing but disruptive IMO. USL is the clear superior league in terms of its situation, and has effectively won the "war". Time to move on.

If they end up in NISA, same thing. Though if I'm honest my interest will be far less since it's D3. And I suspect most people's interest will be that much less around town as well. The UT has already termed having a D3 team an embarrassment and it's a sentiment I doubt they'd stop spreading.

 

Last things first...it's a shame that the UT is talking down D3. It's not about the level. If that were the case there would only be MLS clubs in the big cities and would be no D2 clubs, much less NISA, USL D3, PDL or NPSL. Go to a game in Detroit and tell their fans their match day experience isn't as good because they're "only" in the NPSL.

As for the first part...you and I come from a different place. I've been a Rowdies fan since 1975. In that time they've been in NASL 1.0 (until 1984), the AISA (1986-87), the ASL/APSL (1988-93), USSF D2 League (2010), NASL 2.0 (2011-16) and the USL (2017). And that doesn't count their years as an independent franchise (1985-86). I've always been loyal to the club, not the league. That's why I can root for them today, despite my dislike for the USL.

Has the USL won the "war"? Frankly, I couldn't care less, there should have never been a "war" to begin with. For that I blame both Peterson/Cosmos/Traffic on one side AND the USL on the other. It would be impossible for me to move on because I never moved there to begin with. I simply prefer the independent model.

 

Fair enough. We clearly come at it from different POVs. In MLS I've only been a Quakes fan during their MLS days. I come at soccer from the top down. With local SD teams it's the same, I tend to root for whatever is at the top of the pile. Below MLS right now USL is the clear next in line. If it came down to a choice between a USL or NASL team I'd go USL every time due to its ties to MLS. But since that isn't an option the NASL guys have my attention for now.

As for the UT, it shouldn't surprise you. We're a city reeling from having our "major league" city credential questioned after the loss of the Chargers. All the local establishment can do is laugh at the notion of the new lacrosse team or a D2 soccer team (or worse D3 soccer team) attempting to fill that void.

 

All good points. Makes me wonder how closely Watkins and Co really looked at USL before going to NASL. Or if they just bought the Peterson, Silvia, Wilt Koolaid.

 

Can't emphasize this strongly enough. USL has an affiliation (for now) with MLS but it's not a single-entity league like MLS is. Individual clubs are largely in control of their entire operations, and most importantly (in my opinion) individual clubs in USL can profit directly from the sale of players. The Training Comp and Solidarity Payments lawsuit doesn't impact USL clubs themselves. (I'll admit it does get murky when it comes to trickling down to the unaffiliated youth levels but that's a different conversation entirely).

I'd be more willing to embrace an independent USL/NASL/NISA team before I welcomed an MLS2-USL team to San Diego, personally. I've only lived in town for a few years but I regularly go to Albion and Battalion/Surf games games at the NPSL/PDL levels because that's what we've got. Those are our local teams that have made an effort to attract my attention. Chula Vista FC gets a lot of credit, but I don't get the sense they are trying to build their club the same way Albion and Surf are. I go to all their Open Cup games though, because it's live soccer in the city I live in. That's all I need.

 

CV FC has a plan but I think its longer term. They like developing the players for now but I do know they want to have a pro team someday.

 

I'm all for that. Their trajectory doesn't seem to leave them with much of a chance with Albion Surf and Soccer City all putting their cases forward, but who knows what will happen with professional soccer in SD and across the country?