Puerto Rico Islanders could be out of the NASL

They originally said they were sitting out the spring.

Then they said they were sitting out the fall, too.

 

Yes, had my press releases mixed up. Will be interesting to see if NASL announces something at the end of the month or just let this ride until after the fall season and perhaps then mention it.

 

I noticed today that the website has been taken down basically for the PR Islanders and is now just the logo. Wonder if this means either the franchise is going to be relaunched or put in hibernation.

 

Would imagine it's something on the agenda already

 

Actually, something interesting I just noticed -

The logo on the "new" website doesn't have the flame trailing behind the ball. Every other logo on Google has it.

 

Cost-cutting move.

 

This TOTALLY means they're coming back, you guys!

 

It was obviously a propane burning flame and the Islanders are just out of gas

 

Rumor: Islanders to USL Pro.

 

Well, it could give the team a chance to reorganize.

But I don't see how this helps USL-Pro, if true.

 

Our leagues need to stay out of the Caribbean, just for the good of the order. But it would make more sense for them and I can't see how USL wouldn't get hot about the prospect.

 

Probably for the best. I guess Antigua gets a Caribbean partner,

Think of the Rivalry

 

From the11.ca's NASL expansion article today :

NASL spokesman's comment on the Puerto Rico Islanders from the NASL BOG Meetings :

As well, Preston said there is no update on the Puerto Rico Islanders’ status for next year. The Islanders, thanks to financial issues and governmental change, went on hiatus for 2013, and as each day goes by there is more and more cynicism when it comes to the hopes for the franchise’s 2014 return to NASL.

 

Not going to be easy. They have already said 10 games in the spring, 20 games in the fall. That can be done with 11 teams, but it is harder with 12 (they obviously could go 11 and 22 if they have to.)

Plus, Sandor.

 

From a fixture list POV, it shouldnt be to hard to have PRI play.

Remember with the 10/20 split with 11 teams, 1 team is going to have a bye on each matchday.

If PRI can make next season (spring or fall), they can play the team that had the bye, creating a 11/22 season for each team.

Neither the spring or fall season will need to be extended to make this happen.

 

That's a good point. So it will actually require, what, 11 match days to get 10 games for each team?

That just about fits, doesn't it?

(Of course, then you have the 6 home/5 road split for six teams in your spring season and 5/6 for the other six, which isn't fair for determining one half of your championship game participants.)

 

For spring, we need 11 match days. Between APR-5 and JUN-7, there are 10 weekends, so 1 midweek set of fixtures are requried

For fall, we need 22 match days. Between JUL-19 and NOV-15, there are 18 weekends, so 4 midweek set of fixtures need to be found.

I dont think it will be too difficult to fit in around the US Open Cup, CFU Championship, Canadian Championship and Champions League dates

 

Open Cup would only take a couple of mid weeks out of play in the Spring (and, again, the USOC plays through the World Cup, so any NASL teams that get that far would be playing then anyway) and it's almost finished by the time we get to late July anyway. So its impact is lessened in the fall.

I don't know when the Canadian Championships usually are, but my sense is they are in the spring, aren't they?

 

The Canadian Championship started on APR-24 this year, and finished on MAY-29.

But they are changing format next year (the two NASL teams will play a 1 game play-in match to reach the semi-finals), so they will probably start 2 weeks earlier next year (my guess...)

 

Huh? A team that finished 2nd and 3rd in the standings the past two seasons was becoming a joke that couldn't compete? At what point in time did this occur exactly? I'd really like to know.

 

The one thing they COULD do was compete at this level.