NASL/USL Merger?

"They'll have playoffs in England before we have promotion & relegation in the US"
Garth Lagerway, speaking to ESPN

 

Because they're unhappily married?

 

Is there any other kind?

 

I don't think Europa is a joke at all. Winner gets a spot in the Champions League; what's not to like.

The problem is pro/relots either forget about Europa or downplay the hell out of it while constantly saying "Leicester City! Leicester City!" when it comes to "small fry". Ask them about Everton, or Swansea City, or West Bromwich Albion, and they'll stare at you blankly cuz you didn't say "Manchester City".

 

So, with NASL looking like dog doo on a stick now, & with North Carolina & the Indy Eleven (virtually) joining up, with Jacksonville & San Diego potentially looking elsewhere, I'd say it wasn't a merger more so as an unintentional conquest by USL.

 

Yeah there's no point in "merging" at this point. USL has received, or is in the process of receiving, at the team's request, all of the best of what NASL had to offer. The remainder, OC, NY, Miami, and PR, aren't worth USL's time due to market conflicts, trouble maker owners, or simply not being a reasonable location for a minor league team that plays US mainland based teams. respectively.

 

It seems NASL likes a small league with teams as far apart as possible. I wonder why they failed.

 

So we've basically had a merger.

There are now more former NASL teams in the USL - 5 (Indianapolis, North Carolina, Ottawa, San Antonio, Tampa Bay)

Than there are left in the NASL (Miami, New York, maybe Puerto Rico and supposedly two expansion teams in SoCal).

I know they have big plans with all these NPSL teams joining and yada, yada, but it's really hard to take this league too seriously given it's current state.

 

You forgot Jacksonville. That's 6 for NASL until we find out that Puerto Rico is actually gone.

 

Just go look at the teams in NASL from 2015 and 2014 ... more teams defunct that still in NASL, and MANY more in USL than still in NASL.

 

There was the 2010 forced merger of the teams that wanted to be NASL and what was left of the USL First Division but the league history really starts with 2011.

NASL 2011:
1. Carolina RailHawks - now in USL as North Carolina FC
2. Puerto Rico Islanders - folded
3. Tampa Bay Rowdies - now in USL
4. Fort Lauderdale Strikers - folded
5. Edmonton - on hiatus, waiting on the CPL?
6. NSC Minnesota Stars - now in MLS as Minnesota United
7. Montreal Impact - now in MLS
8. Atlanta Silverbacks - folded, name now being used by NPSL team

None of them are left in the NASL.

Other NASL teams since then:
9. San Antonio Scorpions - folded*
10. New York Cosmos
11. Ottawa Fury - now in USL
12. Indy Eleven - now in USL
13. Jacksonville Armada
14. Miami FC
15. Rayo OKC - folded
16. Puerto Rico FC
17. San Francisco Deltas - folded
18. Cal United - hasn't played yet?
19. San Diego 1904 - hasn't played yet?

*the USL San Antonio FC is not a continuation of the NASL Scorpions

 

Problem is Cosmos and Miami would never go fo being someone’s affiliate. Or involved with USL.

 

I think they’d rather remain in limbo suing USSF at this point than join the system they’re actively trying to destroy. It’s no longer about soccer for miami and NYC...

 

The Cosmos are thinking about continuing on as a women's team in the NWSL fwiw.

 

If you add 50 cents, you might get a cup of coffee.

Might.

 

I guess at this point with the Indy announcement today and the USL schedule being released next week all we have to see is if Jacksonville makes the move too. It does make sense for them at this point in my mind, to begin with travel would be much easier on them.

 

For those of you #NASL club supporters who might be wading into #USL, here's an emotional roadmap from my own experience: pic.twitter.com/Q0N5efTsnY

— Mike Pendleton (@phat7deuce) December 5, 2016