USL Pro expansion news, rumor and wishful thinking.

Interesting that Calgary Footbhills club is looking at the USLPro opposed to the NASL with FCE in the NASL.
The proximity of the current USLPro clubs in VAN, SeA, POR are all closer than any other NASL club aside from EDM.
USLPro also making a bid for D2 status may or may not happen with some MLS2 clubs playing at practice facilities not being up to the current D2 standards.

 

Yeah, I'm sure that factor is going to be the issue ... seriously? Where would they EVER find a place to play that met D2 standards?

 

The standards are iffy on this (well maybe not), they say a team must have a secure lease for at least 1 year in a stadium that meets the D2 standards (5K I believe), so if the standard is just the lease (right to use the facility) then all AAA teams already meet the requirement, they do not really have to play in them, they just have to show USSF that they could.

 

Wouldn't a Calgary team have trouble getting clearance from the CSA to play in USL-Pro? I was under the impression that Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal had special waivers because of their MLS ties...

 

Well it is the CSA, they hardly ever stick to anything for more than 5 minutes.

 

Interesting nugget in this article: http://uslsoccer.com/home/854065.html

“I think it’s incredibly gratifying, both personally and professionally, that we’re thought of in that way by our peers, and any recognition is very much appreciated,” Homonoff said. “That being said, the realities of our market, as we’re learning, do not lend themself to moving to the USL PRO model at the current time. We continue to explore that option, but the reality is that because of facility challenges and also the economic realities of a professional roster as opposed to an amateur one, don’t make sense for us for 2015, or even 2016.

“That being said, it absolutely is a long-term goal of ours, beginning in 2017, to look at USL PRO opportunities that make sense in our market, led by a soccer-specific stadium. As we’ve learned at a variety of levels, to truly maximize revenues we need that facility.”

Seems like they've got a solid idea of what they're looking to do, if they do choose to do anything, of course

 

Wow, they called out my Michigan Bucks in the last line. Sorry, DMM, you're not even the Bucks' #1 rival; that would be the Chicago Fire U-23, a big rivalry ever since the Fire first announced a PDL side.

 

This is very true. CSA is looking to expand pro soccer at the NASL level so that may be a sticking point. Not sure why Calgary would want to not be in the same league as FCE to extend the natural battle of Alberta series. With OSEG adding the Fury to their group and the City of Hamilton and Ti Cats also looking for a similar situation. It may not be out of the question to have Calgary S&E to see this as another team under their brand as a second team to play opposite the NHL, WHL, NLL seasons. baseball at any kind of substantial level is gone in Calgary so converting foothill stadium on the same complex of McMhahon gives then a much better venue option then McMahon. I saw some recent articles over the past two years that had a NASL plan for Calgary and converting the baseball stadium plan as well. I will have to find them

 

I think it has a lot more to do with the USL meeting a certain standard as a league. If MLS club owned teams in the league are going to just play at practice facilities it is really no better than a the reserve team set up. The USL is partnering with the MLS but they are still there own league.
The goal likely is to have a standard of stadium for all teams like baseball minor leagues and AHL has done. Its not going to happen overnight but right now AAA baseball and AHL hockey mostly have all their clubs on a local TV network with some on higher level networks at times.
NBA D-League is still very new itself but is working towards a similar goal. All games are on their U tube network but some do have a local broadcaster and NBATV also shows a full slate of games.

 

If this group doesn't have the finances to play in NASL (ownership group net worth or just their revenue isn't set up to succeed in NASL) then why force them to?

 

Well, some of the MLS practice facilities have smaller soccer specific stadiums that meet the required capacities, RSL is building one on the fairgrounds that will likely be on par with some of the better NASL stadiums. I don't think it's as easy as pushing them all in one category ... and if the league grows and they try to get D2 sactioning, then I'd assume they could switch to the full stadium or upgrade their existing "practice facility stadium".

 

Huh. That's odd.

You mean not everybody can realistically become a professional team, even when they draw well as an amateur team?

Go figure.

 

He's just hatin' on his own team.

 

That's only because there's no Pro/Rel (1000 blessings be upon it) here.

With Pro/Rel (1000 blessings be upon it) FC Tuscon would be pulling in numbers that would make NFL teams look like welfare cases, and the USMNT would be World Cup champions every time.

Pro/Rel (1000 blessings be upon it) also cures male-pattern baldness and erectile dysfunction.

 

Your exactly right. USL officials are likely jus making sure that these things get done within a reasonable amount of time. I am sure say the Galaxy can easily get this done and upgrade the track/soccer stadium in which LAG2 play. So far they have not made an effort in which to do so. Although it is still only the second season.
On the other hand RSL announced their USL club along with the stadium to be built by 2016.
For affiliates HSI is building a new modern stadium since the USL minor league affiliate has become official. On the other hand. Dayton has drop out of the USLPro. So the USL is also speeding up to drop off any of the dead weight that may still be trying to hang on.
TFC originally tried to partner with the Lynx and play at THF but were denied by the city of Hamilton due to TiCats having it written in their contract to have 1st dibs on a pro soccer club within a specific date. The last plan I read was that TFC will build a 2K seat game stadium in Durham at the Ontario soccer complex. Which would leave them 3K short of current D2 standards.

 

July,2014
http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/index-php?/topic/7960/csa-cfl-and nasl-to-launch-a-canadian-soccer-league/

CBC News April, 2013
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/pro-soccer-team-pitched-for-calgary-1.1386365

SB NATION October, 2012
http://www.wakingthered.com/2012/10/9/3426226/a-soccer-stadium-for-calgary

A couple of options that have been reported on since 2012. before the Foothills plan to move up to the PDL level.
Still have not found anything, Link, that the Flames Calgary S&E
However if these proposals are to become a reality it would not be at all far fetched that the Flames and Calgary S&E to back the Footills organization and Add a NASL franchise to play under their brand in the Spring and summer months at a converted stadium for soccer, where there is really no higher level of baseball to speak of, that is on the McMahon Stadium site.
To go with the Fall and Winter NHL, WHL, and NLL franchises at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Also ow their AHL Affiliate that pays in Adirondack.

With the Corporate Partners that the Flames and the other S&E groups could see a transformed Foothills stadium get corporate naming rights.
As well with TSN broadcasting all NLL games, Hitmen being on Sportsnet family as well as ShawTV could see a NASL club partnered to the Foothills would really streamline costs and promotion.
As well Ottawa and FCE have local Broadcast partners and likely a Hamilton team would have the same with Coneco cable. Parylaying a 4 team Canadian division that could happen fairly quickly in the NASL TSN could carry All Canadian Nasl clubs across their platforms.

 

From what I can gather is that the MLS wants to create a top minor league team for each of their clubs similar to what MLB and NHL does.
Some MLB AAA minor league affiliates are owned by the parent club and some are owned by an independent group. The goal for each of the AAA affiliates is to serve players from the major league club. Whether the Major league club owe their own AAA team or if an independent group owns it.
Independent owned clubs often change their major league club affiliation.
When an independently owned AAA club changes major league affiliates they do not keep the same players. The roster changes completely with players from their new MLB club affiliate.
Several years ago the US pro baseball federation came up with a list of standards that a minor league stadium must abide by to assure that it is a pro product, even though it is a minor league.
I suspect that is what the USL is attempting to do right now. They may be applying for D2 Status but their real ultimate goal is to make sure that each affiliate club, owned by the MLS club or an independently owned.

Hense out goes the Dayton Dutch Lions because they did not meet the professional standards that the USLPro is looking for.
Hense out goes the old Charlotte ownership group the Eagles. In comes the new Charlotte ownership group, renamed the Independence, which will be renovating Legion field to a professional SSS.

 

Also similar to what MLB has done by creating a league in the West, PCL, and a league in the east, international league.
Like the MLS AAA there is a balance between developing players and winning, There is a AAA baseball World series as well as an all star game.
The USL Pro have similar with the playoffs and championship game.
For North American pro sports this is the norm. For soccer fans this is something very new in which most clubs around the world have a reserve team and no minor league system. Yes some clubs place a club team in a lower division but it is not a minor league in which all clubs has affiliates.

 

For the NHL the main high level minor league is the AHL. Do to the way the hockey landscape is set up all of the AHL affiliates are in the East with some expanding to the midwest. First the Calgary Flames attempted to place a team in western Canada in Abbotsford but being the only club by far that far west, the Flames took their whole AHL club, players and staff and moved them to an eastern city in Adirondack. Replacing the Flyers AHL franchise who took their players and staff and moved them to Lehigh Valley in a new Arena the Flyers built.
Vancouver attempted to place their AHL team in Abbortsford for a year but ran into the same problems and moved them to Utica in Upstate NY.

The NHL is now at the point where they are now affiliating with the now merged AA level leagues into the ECHL. This is also fairly new to the NHL as they are sorting out cities with Western NHL clubs attempting to have their AA ECHL club closer to them in Western cities with some clubs still unaffiliated. USLPro is currently working through this similar situation.

 

This really is not on the USL topic but pro baseball is taking a page from pro soccer now and has in place for the first time in years with a independent tierII pro baseball league where clubs are not affiliated with any major league club but still have pro standards to meet, stadiums, financial standards etc., like the NASL.
The Atlantic baseball league plays at US baseball standard stadiums. Players are at the AAA/AA level and come with some MLB baseball experience and man get back to the MLB.

 

The Atlantic leage is an independent league it is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or minor league baseball there are a few independent leagues through out the us and Canada you should really do your research before posting such dribble

 

Ah yes I do realize that there are several independent lower tier baseball leagues throughout North America. I also realize that they are not affiliated with MLB or minor league baseball affiliations.
The point being was that the Atlantic league is on a level of professional stadiums that are of those that the minor league affiliate leagues and teams for AAA/AA have been required. Which is unlike the several others.
It is also tun on a professional level that the affiliated leagues of AAA are run. Many of the players in the league have played in the majors and/or higher levels of MLB affiliated minor teams. By far more players come out of this league that get to or back to MLB by being signed by MLB clubs at their AA/AAA affiliates. It has a higher salary cap than other independent leagues a longer season and models after the old PCL before MLB went to the coast.
The point being is that the NASL is really beginning to take some shape being independent from MLS. New and better owners have come on board and are beginning to upgrade the facilities to a more professional level. Better players are being signed now, some which have been in the MLS and want to get back. Others who have slipped through the cracks can now have a chance to be signed with a top minor affiliate as well as a MLS club itself.
The reason why IMHO that the NASL as an independent tierII league success will be very important. Also that MLS clubs having a full Minor league team, owned by MLS clubs or Hybrid ownership affiliation with MLS clubs players, and play at venues that are of a professional standard set.
The Atlantic League's plan is to have teams and stadiums in places where there is no MLB or high AAA/AA affiliate. The same plan the NASL goal is to follow.

 

The US Open Cup differentiates us from Pro Baseball and Hockey, even with USLPro affiliations. The fact that Charleston or Tulsa has the opportunity at meaningful games against MLS clubs creates something that no other American sport has.

Hopefully we never lose.