Plus the owners didn't have the franchise fee. If we had the cash MLS would have waited for the stadium to get built ... so no cash and no stadium equal no MLS. By the way, at that time everyone was complaining about a $6 million franchise fee; that looks pretty cheap now doesn't it!
So, maybe after Philly, Portland and Vancouver MLS doesn't expand for a while. It's not the end of things. Am I right in believing USL doesn't have a salary cap? And hopefully, as the popularity of pro soccer increases in the US there will be a chance for Rochester, Charleston etc. to get in on the act. In the meantime, support your home city team and try to help them in the USOC against MLS teams. Maybe as time goes by the USL will overtake MLS as the premier league in the US??
I was a season ticket holder for the Rochester Raging Rhinos since 2002. I was a huge fan since 1996. Now I am 21. I say hell with that organization. I am done putting money into this organization. Were staying in a dead end league. Once Montreal leaves the league were doomed. Even if the season tickets are 25 dollars. It is about principle. We had our chance for glory and just like NY politics they effed everything up. If Rochester ever gets a second chance at an MLS team ill buy my season tickets. In fact ill buy two season tickets. Until then, I reside in Buffalo- GO TFC.
They were profitable, they were approached by MLS, found out they wouldn't be profitable again for another 4 years or so, so they turned the MLS down. No politics, no MLS screwing you over, nothing of the sort. That's just how it is for small market teams...you guys are a perfect fit for USL.
Dude, if you are 21; it wan't your money that your were giving this organization unless you had a kickass paperboy route.
There are rumors that the new league created by the TOA will be called the NASL (North American Soccer League) with teams from the USA and Canada and Mexico. Traffic is very interested in getting some Mexican teams in the new league. In tradition of the old NASL they will bring back the shoot-out and the 35-yard offside line to make things more exciting. The main difference between this new NASL and the old NASL is that the new NASL will have revenue sharing amongst the teams so that the smaller teams can survive with the larger teams. If the old NASL had revenue sharing then it might have survived.
Hate to burst your bubble, but it'll never happen. It wouldn't get FIFA sanctioned with the terrible NASL rules and zero-counting clock - which didn't make it more exciting, but rather confusing. In order to compete in Mexico it would need the blessing of the FMF, which will never happen. And, "the TOA claims that it is 'committed to a restructuring of USL-1 into a truly professional soccer league which complies with the international rules established by FIFA, the governing body of international soccer. These rules include the requirement that the league be owned and controlled by its teams'" So that pretty much throws away classic NASL rules as a possbility.... then, add in the fact that Carolina got booted from the USL, and is trying to create this league with the likes of Vancouver, Portland and Montreal - 2 of which are going to the MLS and the other destined for it... it's pretty much dead in the water..... MLS2 seems much more likely with what the TOA is looking to achieve...
I hope they bring back the astro turf, too. That would be great. There's no real need for the 35-yard offside line -- back in the NASL days a lot of the teams played on very narrow fields (i.e. football fields), so the 35-yard line opened up some space. Nowadays, most teams have access to full size soccer fields. It would be cool though to see the rebirth of the North American Soccer League from a nostalgic standpoint, but beyond that it's really meaningless at this point. Lastly, if this supposed rumor is true (which I doubt), will the Mexican Futbol Federation allow Mexican teams to play in the new NASL? Don't see it happening.
T''here's no real need for the 35-yard offside line -- back in the NASL days a lot of the teams played on very narrow fields (i.e. football fields), so the 35-yard line opened up some space. Nowadays, most teams have access to full size soccer fields.'' You know a lot Wellington, I had never thought THAT was the reason
Well, it was meant to increase scoring (which it really didn't), but all it did was tick off FIFA, when they kept using it past the agreed time period. Personally, I thought it was stupid, along with the goofy points system. Why have points when you don't have ties? Just do the shootout and award a win.