It's pretty obvious, too, that the NASL wasn't vetting owners. Consider Rayo OKC, or the various announced NASL expansion teams that turned out to be vaporware.
Nope, if you showed up with a check with enough zeros on it they were fine with you entering. Ponzi Scheme soccer at its worst.
I don't know if it was worse than the old NASL. But it definitely echoed the namesake league's mistakes. Right down to the Cosmos overspending themselves and the league off a cliff.
It's also interesting that one of the things that TOA complained about with USL (not properly vetting new ownership goups) is something that NASL would end up being guilty of.. Of course, its also interesting that the rules USSF implemented to stablize and grow the lower divisions ended up being one of the contributing factors in the demise of NASL. It sounds like one of the reasons NASL was doing "warm body" expansion was because they were trying to meet USSF's team count and time zone requirements.
http://www.empireofsoccer.com/ayoze-disastrous-management-killed-off-reboot-cosmos-56173/ Like we said ... THEY KILLED THEMSELVES
If true, this quote from Ayoze is really not cool: He says that multiple MLS teams are interested in his services at left back, but that his situation is unclear as he has yet to received any communication from the Cosmos, who apparently still have him under contract for next year.
If the team folds wouldn't his contract be voided? He can't be owned by a third party so his registration has to be with the club and once that folds he's a free agent I would think.
Problem is the Cosmos haven't officially folded yet, at least so far as the players know. They're in limbo awaiting the end, but that's left their players unable to begin looking at other opportunities. It's a really dick move on the Cosmos management's part. But then the Cosmos management are by all accounts inept dicks anyway so it's not surprising.
I don't know. I thought I'd read that all contracts could be terminated, but he seems to have told the reporter otherwise. I don't know if a team ceasing operations automatically voids a contract or not. But if there's any truth to what Ayoze is saying, then shame on the Cosmos ownership for not at the very least cutting these guys loose so they can look for employment elsewhere.
I got that impression when they cock blocked Gio's move to Minn by requesting a transfer fee for the move. Shame on them for that and for anything that hinders their former players a chance to keep playing.
And they might never officially fold. The original NASL stopped fielding a team, but Pinton kept the brand "alive" until he sold it to Kemsley. I wouldn't be shocked if a similar arraignment continues after this iteration stops fielding a club. They would, hopefully, release players from their contracts if they stopped fielding a club.. I also wouldn't be shocked if the players got the contracts voided due to non-payment.
The irony is that Gio has been reportedly working the phones to get his players lined up with other clubs for next year. But Cosmos are so inept that they can't even die properly and they have no communication with the players and staff. Just an embarrassment from start to finish.
Well it could be something as simple as the players have been released that the team hasn't actually bothered to let them know.
They are probably trying to transfer players with any time left on their deals for whatever they can get back in return. Obviously they are not going to not field a club, but still pay players under contract. Eventually if they can find no suitors then all players will be released. Owners might be dumb, but they can't be that dumb. Obviously they should get players abreast of the situation.
Actually that's a really compelling argument that fits both the reports we've heard of players being released and some players not being released. Ones they don't think they can get much for they're dumping now, ones they think they can offload for a few bucks they're hanging on to until they can shop them?
the Cosmos demise is a complex one. Mostly their fault for having those pie in the sky ambitions in an American soccer pyramid that is a closed league. MLS is partly to blame for their poaching of NASL teams and their refusal to be open to pro/rel in the future.
Whom did they poach? Those that went the expansion route did so because they wanted it and did it. MLS didn't steal anyone. Dear Lord no, "refusal to be open to pro/rel in the future" isn't a freaking thing in this. Not even close. Ayoze flat out stated that the Cosmos demise was rather simple. THEY SUCKED AT BUSINESS AND CONDUCTED THEMSELVES LIKE SHIT. /story
MNU didn't necessarily want to, tho. It was either put in a bid or be driven out of business by Wilf.. The Silverbacks, on the other hand, didn't put in an expansion bid and Blank got the Atlanta expansion and the Silverbacks closed up shop shortly thereafter...
And by the way -- everyone whining that the structure of the pyramid is what forced the Cosmos out of business conveniently forget that the Cosmos were offered a spot at the table and refused. They thought MLS was beneath them. MLS is still in business. The Cosmos aren't. They made a bad business decision. Out.
Pinton kept nothing alive…he used the name to promote his camps and saw it as a long term investment…when he finally found a guy willing to meet his price despite the rhetoric he sold immediately…didn't bat an eye at Kemsley's lunatic vision…could've become the Harlem Globetrotters for all he cared… Marx was right…history does repeat itself…first as tragedy then as farce…Pinton had a hand in both...
We'll never know for sure, but I doubt that Pinton found in Kemsley someone willing to meet the sort of price that he'd been asking a few years before. I think it's much more likely that Pinton brought his asking price down. Someone who worked for the MetroStars told me about 10 years ago that the MetroStars once tried to buy use of the Cosmos name for a one-day commemorative event, and that Pinton asked for $3 million. For one day.
Eh, I think Wilf just made them shit instead of getting off the pot. While I'm sure they'd have loved more time, I'm pretty sure they were going to fire the expansion bullet. Yes ... but that was Blank, not MLS saying "ATL IS GOING MLS" Come now ... we all know better than to think that TRUTH plays a role in this