NASL 2016 News Thread

One World Sports Lifts NASL Paywall, League Closing in on New TV Partner

In his media conference call on Tuesday afternoon, Commissioner Peterson also addressed recent speculation that the NASL is close to signing on with another Television partner to go along with its deal with One World Sports. According to him, those talks continue and could be completed as soon as this week.
“Yes, we have been in discussion with potential broadcast partners,” stated Peterson. “No, we haven’t been able to conclude those deals and haven’t signed on yet. So we’re going to hold back from discussion any of those.

http://www.empireofsoccer.com/one-w...ll-league-closing-in-on-new-tv-partner-46117/

 

NASL expecting expansion as league evaluates new, old markets

The 2016 NASL season is set to be headlined by the introduction of three new teams, but commissioner Bill Peterson is already looking ahead to further additions.

Speaking on a conference call on Tuesday, Peterson said the league is expecting several expansion-related announcements throughout the year. One of those announcements is expected to come in the next few weeks with the official unveiling of a new club.

For months, a group from San Francisco has been widely reported as the next addition to the league. The San Francisco Deltas are expected to feature at Kezar Stadium for the time being. In addition, a group from Chicago headed by executive Peter Wilt is pushing to gain entrance to the league, although the project appears to be a bit further off than that of San Francisco.

“We will have an expansion announcement in the near future,” Peterson said. “We don’t think it’s a secret anymore, but we’re going to refrain from discussing it until the team as a chance to announce it themselves, I believe, over the next two or three weeks. We also expect that other announcements will come throughout the year. Nothing else is imminent today, but we’re engaged in a number of conversations that are serious with serious partners.

http://sbisoccer.com/2016/03/nasl-e...ew-old-markets/comment-page-1#comment-1009795

 

Peterson has stated before that several factors go into expansions but ultimately it depends on where Ownership groups want to expand. NASL said that they wanted to remain in the ATL market and felt it was one that could support 2 franchises. The problem was an ownership group to pull it off. At the end there wasn't enough time to save the Silverbacks and maybe when all the smoke clears it might be more advantageous to have an ownership group that wants to invest in ATL to start new. It seems that there are two groups interested in an ATL franchise even with United FC starting. If the situation in OKC is any indication of the possibilities of having two relatively new franchises battling for a market share it could be at a minimum plenty of fodder for the Bigsoccer forums to debate. I think the problem is Big Daddy Warbucks NFL owner with a shiny new stadium can prove to be tough competition... IF they devote maximum resources to own the market and the fans. If not and they provide an opening for an NASL club to exploit who knows.

 

R.I.P. JOHAN CRUYFF​

Dutch superstar made NASL stay count
​

Johan Cruyff made his name with AFC Ajax, FC Barcelona and the Dutch national team. But Cruyff also made his mark in the U.S., bringing his game to the North American Soccer League from 1978-81.

Cruyff, 68, who died Thursday, joined his former coach, Rinus Michels, with the Los Angeles Aztecs in ’79, a year after refusing to play in the World Cup, at the time stating he was protesting against the military regime in Argentina but later saying he feared a kidnap attempt. Cruyff, on loan from Barcelona, played one season for the Aztecs, then moved to the Washington Diplomats, also performing as a guest player for the New York Cosmos. Cruyff had signed a lucrative contract in the NASL but his reluctance to play on artificial surfaces limited his appearances in his final season.

Born in Amsterdam April 25, 1947, Hendrik Johannes Cruyff grew up a few blocks from Ajax’s De Meer Stadium, where his mother worked as a cleaner, joining the first team as a 17-year-old and winning his first Dutch championship in the 1965-1966 season. Cruyff helped innovate the Dutch “Total Football” style, winning three UEFA Champions Cups under Michels from 1970-71 to 1971-73. Cruyff then transferred to Barcelona, winning his third Ballon d’Or as Europe’s best player in 1974.

http://bigapplesoccer.com/leagues/nasl2.php?article_id=44112
-------

REMEMBERING AN 'UNBELIEVABLE' FOE
When the Cosmos tussled with LA or Washington, Andranik Eskandarian always got the better of Cruyff

Eskandarian reminisced about his foe Thursday as Cruyff passed away after battling cancer. He was 68.

During his three-year tenure in the NASL (1979-1981) after forging his legendary reputation on the world stage, Cruyff made life miserable for opposition defenders. He was good for at least one goal a game, whether it was by himself (25) or while setting up teammates (37) over 53 appearances.

While Cruyff had skills and vision far beyond that of mortal players.

Yet, Eskandarian felt there was another part of the Dutchman's game that put him in another orbit: his speed.

"He was one of those players who could accelerate in five to 10 yards," he said, adding that Cruyff's vision and ability to find space also added to the degree of difficulty of marking him. "He could take two, three players in five, six steps. I had speed. I could always catch him. He didn't like that. When he takes off, he wanted to take off and go but somehow I reached him and he was getting aggravated."

Eskie talked about Cruyff with his Dutch teammates on the Cosmos, Johan Neeskens and Wim Rijsbergen. A vital member on the Dutch side that was runner-up to West Germany in the 1974 World Cup, Cruyff helped revolutionize the game along with Netherlands head coach Rinus Michels with the advent of Total Soccer.

"The seventies he was like a king,” he said. “We talked on how great he was. He carried that country. I don't think anybody replaced him. He had Ruud Gullit after him, but nobody like him, nobody."

http://bigapplesoccer.com/leagues/nasl2.php?article_id=44113

 

COYR!!!