Clever move by the FO. The only major downside will be the likely squad overhaul, but it sounds like the new NASL may have potential and will replace USL-1 as the 2nd division. If they stick around for a while, I'd like the Batts to jump ship. They'll still suffer from what was, IMO, the biggest problem of USL, and that is club instability. They'll lose Vancouver and probably Montreal right out of the gate, and who knows what other club overturning there will be. Looking forward to going to Charlotte though- a road game thats closer than a home game for me!
The Pioneers are either gone or dropped to PDL, they were have financial problems. don't hold your breath, Battery were the ONLY team, who did not join TOA when it was created. The Boss doesn't agree with their business model. They don't want to be considered a 2nd division league, they intend too compete against MLS as a 1st division league. He also said, he wished they had gone down with Charlotte and Richmond, when they did. We were the smallest market in USL-1 by a huge margin. It's a smart business move, because the club was losing way too much money and now we've gone from a jet league to a bus league, which is where it started.
I wonder if USL2 will extend their season by a few games. Maybe bump up from 20 to 22 or 24. A few extra home games would be great for the Battery. Otherwise how do they deal with season ticket holders and sponsors banking on 15-home games? I guess one solution is to play some exhibitions later in the season -- maybe have some English teams come over (possibly in cooperation with the Raihawks from what I remember hearing). Lastly, how will this impact Southern Derby? Are we looking at Richmond and Charlotte? What happens to Carolina since it's likely that the USL will ban teams from playing TOA opponents. I hope that's not the case...
Richmonds wasnt invovled in the past, mainly becasue they were outside what the normal fan would travel. I suppose we could readdress that. Once the dust settles and we see who gets what I imagine we'll get together and work it out. As for season ticket holders, i imagine they will add the CCC and/or USOC and exhibitions to make up for the difference in matches
with the battery going to d2 d1 will be lucky to have 10 teams and that is counting some expansion candidates !
As of today, I think USLd1 would be luck to get 8 teams including expansion canidates. After the initial gut punch of not playing USLD1, I actually feel like I can start preparing for next season. Got confirmation from the club that there will indeed be a Carolina Challenge Cup next season. Hopefully there will be an announcement next week sometime. already starting to think about roadtrips next, charlotte for sure (Wheels on the Bus go round and round!!!) maybe Richmond and Maryland. Also heard that even though Wilmington is on Lifesupport, they havent pulled the plug yet and there might still be hope for 2009. I would enjoy that trip. Bring it on!
Yea. It would be a real pity for the Battery to drop down and not face the Hammerheads. I hope they work things out in Wilmington. To me it's a little perplexing because the Hammerheads always had solid support -- unless they comped a lot of tickets and/or team was mismanaged.
Here's hoping you're right. Maybe the hand-picked new owner the USL rejected last week looks a lot better now that everyone else has left.
So if Wilmington does compete in 09 does that mean the Souther Derby would be Charleston, Charlotte, and Wilmington? Or is there no more Derby?
I would imagine the Derby will be at a min. Charleston and Charlotte. If the there are any friendlies with Carolina, we might be able to tie in a match there some how. The point of the Derby was to encourage fans of teams to travel to away games, so we want to make sure teams arent too far from one another and fans could get to a game and back with in a day. Well have to see what really happened with the schedules, and all to make a final decision. Mikey
I mean I can't see why they wouldn't but was curious to see how their qualification goes if there is any.
I understand it's all about saving $$$ but I don't like to see or hear the mighty name of the Battery and D-2 together.... not cool at all.
Just reading through this thread. Good thing is, from what I am getting, there is more regionality in the new USLD2. That is good. If you look at leagues in England, Italy, France, etc. the proximity of teams to other teams is such that road trips are the custom. If you look at the US, this is not logistically possible what with teams in the north-west and teams in the south-east. With new teams introduced every year in the lower USL divisions, I can only see a healthy future for footy in the US. Yes there will be growing pains and financial issues but if the support can be nurtured and grown, within a regionally competitive league, then it can only succeed in the end. KD.
Sometimes I envy you guys... MLS right now is all about money, money money, the tickets are increasingly more expensive on a yearly basis (at least in DC) and distances and traveling prices don't make it easy to follow the team other than just a few away games and that's it... The CHS Battery situation reminds me a lot about the one of my home town team - AC Pisa 1909 (ex Pisa Calcio) - which is now playing in serie D (fifth Italian division) after having bankrupt last summer and have to restart with a whole new club. In the last 2 years Pisa Calcio played in serie B, but I can tell you there were moments in which I really missed the serie C1. Now we are in serie D, I think we'll win the championship and go to serie C2 (now called Pro Divisione 2), and perhaps shortly after to Pro Divisione 1 (the new owner has money and he's competent - a good combination). What I mean to say in here is that your league and your team seem a lot more "human" than the ones in MLS...
I agree with you, I lived in Europe for 6 years, four of those in England and The Battery stadium and club are somethign special. The players all seem more human and are very accessible. The staidum isnt anything that is going to win awards on inovation (other than being very green with a solar array and geo thermal heating and AC.) anyhow looking at ticket prices across the USLD2 we still have some of the cheapest tickets available. Starting at $8. Even though that is the same price when we were in USLd1, it is cheaper than any other D2 club's price that I could find. Marylands were $15 each! I know most have season tickets packages but I was baseing it just on single game prices. anyhow I know What the Battery have contributed to Soccer here in the area and to US soccer as a whole and am thankful we ahve such a great club to support. Mikey
http://www.uslfans.com/view_news.php?id=7403 U.S. SOCCER BOARD OF DIRECTORS VOTES UNANIMOUSLY NOT TO SANCTION USL OR NASL FOR DIVISION II STATUS IN 2010 CHICAGO (Dec. 30, 2009) – The U.S. Soccer Board of Directors voted unanimously on Tuesday to not sanction either the USL or the NASL to operate a Division II professional league in 2010. The decision was made on the recommendation of the Professional League Task Force, which determined that neither organization on its own was able to provide a viable and sustainable operation during the upcoming season. Both organizations were unable to meet U.S. Soccer’s requirement of a minimum of eight viable teams for 2010. Despite the ruling, the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors has given both organizations seven days to try to work out an interim solution for the 2010 season.
No Atlanta or NYC either. Crystal Palace Baltimore moves to 2nd division. I feel bad for the 'Backs and fans- even in USL-2, we're still playing ball. Thought for sure they'd come back in the NASL.
Charleston self-religated in Nov. and I dont think there was any thought of going back right away. Im glad the whole mess is over. who knows what will happen next season though.
I just hope that USL-2 won't crumble out from under Charleston in 2011. At least not without a place for them to go. I'd hate to see the Charleston legacy fall victim to outside forces.
I dont see USL-2 in much threat for the forseeable future. The six franchise in USL-2 are all pretty solid. There is a very good posiblity that Wilmington will be back in 2011. Im sure the whole mess over the last couple months put a hold on alot of potential owners plans. There is also credible talk and interest from a few current PDL owners of a USL-2 west coast division. I think with a little work there could be a heartland or mid west division as well (think Des Moinse, STL, Michigan Bucks) And of course, with the USSF announcement of stricter minium standards for teams in Division 2, it could force a few teams which are currently in USSF-2 back down if they want to continue as a team. It will be interesting to see how the new expansion teams do, but Im more interested in how CPB will do considering they only drew about 600 fans last year. And we'll see if Traffic step up and put the money in and if the rest of the Miami area care....