I don't think we'll hear anything before the playoffs finish. I don't know of anyone that's heard a solid timeline. I'm expecting, though, that we'll hear something not long after the playoffs finish. Like, within a week or two.
USSF has three choices: --grant whatever waivers, grandfathering, and provisional approvals that will let them say NASL meets their D2 standards; or --continue to run USSF D-2 themselves for the foreseeable future; or --not have a second division in American soccer. I think they'll most likely choose the first, possibly the second, not a chance the third.
Forget Baltimore unless a whole new investment group comes along to replace Crystal Palace. They have been mismanaged and owners are well in debt. They still owe players money and have huge debts to others - maybe bankruptcy. Their connection to the UK was never as strong as it should have been and the whole operation was a classic great opportunity gone astray. To compete at the highest level as D2, the NASL needs a "gi-normous" sponsor such as Puma for the women's league. With a tight economy and most of the big sporting companies - addias, Nike, Under Armour - committed more to teams than leagues, the prospect is slim. The best hope is some private money. In addition to a league sponsor, each team needs a significant sponsor - e.g., Saputo in Montreal. Government sponsorship helps but is shaky and best fit for stadium construction/taxes/leases/bonds/\. The USL runs/sells franchises and is largely a small business model - perfect fit for PDL. NASL needs solid markets. Baltimore fits, if properly/sensibly funded and managed. San Antonio, San Diego, Sacramento, Indiananapolis/Ft Wayne, and Milwaukee are potentially strong soccer markets. Charleston SC remains viable and Pittsburgh could expand its operation
Now that nor Rochester nor Austin will part of the NASL 2011, will the league apply for D3 status? This could be very strange, a country without a second division but with 2 third divisions
Well - when the NASL put in their bid with only six teams, you'd have to believe that they were already hedging their bets with those two teams (though I don't know if anyone thought the Aztex were going away). I think there plan all along has been to get the USSF to grant a couple waivers so that a couple of the teams not part of the six could be allowed to play, giving them eight teams. Then counting on San Antonio to replace Montreal in 2012. Pretty dicey and a lot of "ifs". And I think there was a hope that if the conditional sanctioning was given that Austin, at the very least, and hopefully Rochester would both fall in line. It definitely focuses the debate. Six teams that basically meet the USSF-D2 requirements: Carolina RailHawks, FC Edmonton, Miami FC, Montreal Impact, FC Tampa Bay and the Puerto Rico Islanders. Two teams with problem bids: AC St. Louis - Probably depends on Cooper selling the team NSC Minnesota - Traffic rumored to be buying into the team to keep it afloat With Austin and Rochester out, that really leaves no margin for error. As well as likely needing waivers for Minnesota, and possibly St. Louis, the NASL is also short of the 75% US-based team requirement, though San Antonio replacing Montreal in 2012 would solve that - assuming nothing else changes (a huge assumption). At this point it's borderline. I don't see any other D2 teams out there. Atlanta isn't happening. FCNY isn't happening, CPB is done, Cleveland won't come back at D2. I think the ball really is in USSF's court. I could see the USSF asking for bigger commitments from the NASL principles. Perhaps a multi-year bond commitment in exchange for the needed waivers. Given the will they/won't they fold the team shenanigans of Traffic in Miami over the last few seasons, I can see some reasons to be reticent about backing them as the lynchpin of a D2 league (having a hand in 2 of 8 teams). Frankly, I just want a team next year in Cary. I'd prefer it to be in D2, but I'll take what I can get.
how can you name CPB in the same sentence as Cleveland and Atlanta, when both of those teams don't exist. FCNY is a USL team. Remember the league that gave the ground-breaking announcement on live television the expansion team "Antigua barracudas"
You can use CPB in a sentence with Cleveland and Atlanta when you're talking about the direction they are going. The real question is, will CPB outlive Crystal Palace F.C.?