So I take a vacation, and come back with this situation (these situations?) just as convoluted as when I left. Maybe that's why. It seems like 180-degree turns has become the norm. Maybe that's why. The professional-standards document mentions "120 days" ten times. 120 from Jan 1 would be... May 1. Maybe that's why. There's growing frustration that whatever result comes out, it wouldn't be the long-term solution. Maybe that's why.\ Minor-league (sorry, "lower-division") soccer has built itself to a viable sport. But one wrong turn could make it as irrelevant as the Body-By-Jake lacrosse league. Maybe that's why. OK, so that's my mini-rant. I've tried to follow the business side of sports for a while. And I know that many on the forums are of the "don't care of the details; just play the games" crowd. Yes, there are many moving parts on this. I picture it as the wrestling-an-octopus analogy: pin down one arm, seven others squirm out. And what seems as the "obvious, correct" solution has a lot of legal backwater to slog through. We should be at the point where this becomes easier, not harder. Maybe that's...
I meant, "are you all not otherwise occupied this week?" Look, whatever is going to happen is going to happen no matter how many tweets and posts and comments people make. You cannot influence the process one iota. And the whole, "Gosh, this is just so stressful on ME, to not know exactly how lower-level soccer will look in April" thing is ludicrous. People whose investments and livelihoods ACTUALLY depend on what happens are working on it. They're not deliberately withholding information or slowing down the process just to screw with people. If you have a team in your town and its status is uncertain, fine, but the same thing applies. They may fold or they may continue. In either case, it's not a paper-or-plastic decision, this stuff takes time. If they fold, it happens. Sorry about your luck. If they play, you can go to games or not go to games, but there will probably be games on about half the weekends between April and October. If your life is so booked solid that you need to plan next July today, bully for you, but I figure you'll be busy enough that you'll survive. If you don't have a team in your town or a horse in the race, you really don't have any reason to wring your hands about why This Whole Thing isn't resolved to your satisfaction yet. It's December 30. Them making an announcement today or next Tuesday or January 10 makes no difference. Except to entitled whiny soccer fans who think there are easy solutions to these problems.
If all 11 teams other than Minnesota were coming back to NASL this year, they would have drawn 100 more people per game than MLL with MLL having the top attendance team between the leagues in Denver (that would be true even with Minnesota counted). They were on the same channel for TV (CBSSN) with MLL having both semifinals and the final of the playoffs televised compared to NASL only having the final and one semifinal on a real channel. The NASL final was played in front of 2150 people at a bogus stadium with an actual home team. The MLL final was played at a legit new stadium at a neutral site in Atlanta with a crowd of 5522 for a game played by Denver and Ohio. NASL would do well to have owners who actually pay their players, a commissioner who isn't a league killing moron, and a history that goes back 15 years and counting.
If the Cosmos are run no differently than any other NASL club, with a slightly larger payroll due to local costs, than they can be viable. The club already has a foundation built. I'm not talking about 35 years ago: the B team, the Cosmos Copa, the partnerships with local youth clubs and a small but very loyal fan base all exist RIGHT NOW. What the new owners (if they do indeed get new owners) need to do is to realize that you have to have some fiscal sense, play in a friendlier venue and market the team in the "new" way (mostly bypassing local - and expensive - media while going for a strong social media and street team presence). The results can't be any worse than what we got over the last three years. It won't be easy, but when has it ever been easy at ANY level of this game in this country?
but with ‘new vision’ http://www.soccerwire.com/news/pro/...-optimistic-of-survival-but-under-new-vision/
Does anyone know for certain what the status is on Rayo OKC, NY Cosmos, Ft Lauderdale, and Jacksonville? Are any of those clubs in a position to field a team? Will they go forward with the spring season with 6 teams and hope that some of these rumored expansion groups actually materialize? Any idea what the absolute latest date for Indy and/or North Carolina to jump ship for the 2017 USL season?
Well it seems some lessons the league has yet to learn. Atlanta? Really? http://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/201...-soccer-complex-nasl-nwsl-chiefs-vibe-atlanta
Based on rumors/sources: The latest I've heard is Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale (under new ownership to be finalized) are in for 2017 and it will be an 8 team league in the Spring. Fall may see three expansion teams (Orange County/LA, San Diego and Atlanta) as well as the possible return of the Cosmos under new ownership or investment. Then in 2018 you could see Chicago joining. Beyond this, Big Apple Soccer has reported on Hartford and New Orleans groups while SI reported Baltimore. Further there have been links with Detroit City and FC Arizona potentially joining up. As far as Atlanta, the plan is to try to carve out a niche in the eastern part of the market as well as appeal to the many families coming to the soccer complex they are building the stadium on for tournaments. Some things they will have going for them include owning the stadium and controlling the revenue, as well as revenue streams outside just the stadium in the complex. The NASL and NWSL teams serve as the centerpieces of the overall sports complex they are building. They have good support from the local community leaders. I think if this group were in an open market, everyone would be excited about their plans. Speculation: If NASL gets a favorable ruling from USSF, you may see a league going forward shaped more by the visions of guys like Peter Wilt and Brian Andrés Helmick than those of the Cosmos owners. I think that will mean a league that tries to have a more collaborative relationship with MLS and USL going forward. I would look for them to adopt some of the things that have made USL strong, such as regional play and better central support for teams, while avoiding things like having MLS2 teams in the league. Then I think you will also see some new ideas such as Peter Wilt's Chicago NASL supporters equity plan that give NASL some uniqueness. I would expect a smarter but humbler NASL should the league pull through the coming days.
Yeah, I really like Atlanta's plan. It would be a great plan for any team to have. The only downside is they will be in direct competition with MLS. It sounds like they do not have unreasonable expectations as they are only looking to carve out a niche, so with having full control of stadium revenue I think they have a plan that could work within an MLS market. Otherwise I would be highly suspect of this team. I think it would be smart of other lower division teams to copy this model.
Yeah, if this were any other city, and not the newest MLS expansion city, I'd think this was the perfect model. But it's not. Atlanta already is a tough sell for team sports even when the teams are doing well (the Braves' record for post-season sellouts is actually pretty bad), and starting a minor league team in the same area as a major league team is risky enough, without accounting for soccer's more marginal status, plus the timing. It just seems like a complete mistake from a market standpoint. The model in general is good, however, and I could see it being successful in other cities.
Dont know about Rayo or Cosmos, but both Ft. Lauderdale and Jax have players under contract and a staff (albeit cut back). Rumors in Jacksonville about new potential owners and Ft. Lauderdale already has a new owner IF the NASL continues to play. Jacksonville really needs to work out the stadium situation and move to Hodges/UNF to be viable. Cant keep shelling out $70k plus to convert the Baseball grounds every game. But I think both are viable for 2017 IF ownership works out.
God I hope so... on pins and needles waiting to find out whether Tulsa Roughnecks FC will be the 2017 doormat of a 2nd Division USL or a 3rd Division USL.... /sarcasm
Don't be so pessimistic. There's every chance that Oklahoma City could get an MLS expansion team and the Roughnecks will become their minor league affiliate, with their roster boosted by the influx of youth prospects.
IMHO there's actually NO chance of that happening. Haven't you heard? The OKC owner is actually Batman! He's devoting all his resources to fighting social injustice, instead of pursuing an MLS team Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Now, now... if you want MLS in Oklahoma City, you have to support Energy FC. And if you want MLS in Oklahoma City and you live in Tulsa, you have to support Roughnecks FC. To be fair, I anticipate the Roughnecks will have a slightly bigger budget and be much improved in their third season (after going 5-21-4 last season) so that the Hubbard brothers can sell their majority interest at a higher markup.
That's just it, I don't care if we get MLS in OKC. And I DEFINITELY don't want it if Funk et. al. are the purveyors of it. And I don't want to support the Energy, no matter what. I don't need soccer that bad. Not that much of an ADD-addled whore. But it all a non-issue since Batman, according to his latest press release, is devoting all his resources to social justice, instead of MLS Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If this is the plan, where instead of directly attacking MLS, they seek a niche & fill that demand, they'll be fine.