I could see it if the USSF had NASL & USL combine, as a means to organically determine which of those outfits is better suited to D2 or D3 status. Of course, you'd need to have criteria beyond on-field results to ensure clubs aren't promoted beyond their means. I'd also use regional conferences to minimize travel demands. However, having it between an incumbent D2 with supposed D1 aspirations and a tier of amateur/semi-pro teams, many of which significantly rely on NCAA-affiliated players, doesn't make sense to me. As you point out, NPSL aren't meeting D2 requirements and if they want promotion to a professional tier, many clubs (and likely the league itself) will have to overhaul their entire business model.
Wilt gave a presentation at the NPSL Winter Meeting. Pro/Rel was a part of it. Not sure if that's who they would merge with, if they merge with anyone, of course. From what I'm hearing, NPSL is trying to solidify it's conferences, then start building new ones underneath so every conference will have pro/rel.
That would make sense if the USL didn't have aspirations of D2 status but they do and I think they feel if they don't get it this year they'll get it soon enough. I'd love to see something like that but again the USL holds all the cards right now and honestly its not in their to do this as it stands. If somehow the NASL becomes healthier and financially viable THEN maybe they might talk but the NASL is far from that at the moment.
Agreed. It would have to be a merger of some sort, otherwise politics alone would prevent it. USL aren't going to want to be stuck as perpetually inferior to an NASL that be virtue of the system, gets their best clubs each year. NASL would of course feel likewise if their respective designations were to be reversed.
I call BS unless there is some real proof of the Pro/Rel information. I am sorry, but a unnamed "person trying to start a NASL team" just does not cut it. There just are not any leagues anywhere close enough to have Pro/Rel to D2 (provided NASL stays D2) other than USL and NASL. Also, to further this, if Commisso is going to buy the Cosmos based on the league staying D2 then what league would NASL have Pro/Rel with? NPSL? ASL? CSLUSA? Those are amateur leagues with only maybe four teams between them that could make a jump to the NASL. And we are betting on him buying the team by a tweet from one person - and an article that could not verify the information? This is bad journalism and hearsay. Oh, I heard that Sheikh Mohammed from Dubai is going to buy the Cosmos and build a new stadium in Westchester (heard it from someone trying to start a NASL team in Jersey). This is all just a non-starter and fanboy conversation unless someone gives out some real, solid, evidence that this is actually being talked about by people that matter, and how they plan on implementing it.
Wilt should probably concentrate his efforts on getting NASL back on solid ground prior to giving oxygen to the pro/relots.
Pro/Rel from NPSL to NASL doesn't make sense at all. You are talking about amateur, or at best semi-pro, teams with a short schedule making the jump to fully pro D2. That is a huge jump up for teams looking to be promoted, and a huge jump down for any team that gets relegated. There would have to be a league in between those two.
Don't really care if you believe me or not. Just sharing what I heard. Just like I did in preseason with Rayo Fans and signings that I heard of before they were official. Also mentioned they were staying up in second division status before the tweets came out. But look I got no dogs in this at all just thought some of you would like to know. Don't care if anyone believes me or not just felt like the info should be shared as being in the dark with your teams futures on the line must suck. As for Pro/Rel all I know is they're trying to make it happen.
Exactly. Even if they set up a framework functionally it couldn't happen. NPSL is a mainly joke league with semi-pro players at mainly high school football fields. I'd doubt there's even one NPSL team capable of meeting D2 standards and most wouldn't even meet D3. And conversely being dropped from D2 to the not even D4 semi-pro NPSL would be a death sentence for any relegated NASL team.
Agreed. NPSL cannot promote teams to D2. Think about the ownership net worth requirements. Is it even a fully professional league? Pretty sure there are players playing for free. Can't happen. If anyone involved with NASL is even suggesting this it proves how out of touch they are with reality. USL is the only league that can even enter into the discussion of Pro/Rel with NASL. Plain and simple there isn't any other league that can do it.
I hope the USA misses the 2018 World Cup so that USA soccer federation movement towards promotion/relegation is triggered. #ProRelforUSA— Ben Fast ⚽️ 🇺🇸 🔺🔻 (@bwfast) December 16, 2016 What??? How would Pro/Rel help with World Cup qualifying. Some people are really crazy.
It is relevant because it was said a few posts back that it is part of NASL near future plan if they don't die.
To be fair the NASL hasn't officially announced this so I'm going to wait until I see a real press release stating that. I would hope its not true but I'll wait until I have more then some guy on bigsoccer hearing things from unknown sources. If they do announce pro/reg then I give the league two years tops.
Good news, regardless of anything else, is that it's looking more and more likely that a healthier, seemingly more realistic NASL will be around this spring. And that's a good thing
Has it really though? If they announce they're doing pro/reg then I'm not convinced they're going to be around for long. I'm also concerned about the whole Cosmos ownership issue, if the new guy buys the team and wants to start it this season then he's going to do it from scratch AND only have a few months to get everything up and running. I'll wait for an official word but I'm not convinced yet they've learned anything until I see it with my own eyes.
Presentations were made at NPSL meeting in Orlando by Dennis Crowley, Peter Wilt, and Sonny Dalesandro. Wilt's presentation included Pro/Rel. I was having a beer at Arnie's Bar in downtown Tulsa a couple of weeks ago, Sonny came in, ordered a beer, and told me point blank. Seriously. The coolest thing about the @npslsoccer is that you have @tulsaathletics and @stockadefc (miles apart) presenting ideas together. pic.twitter.com/TDfEvtxh0s— Little Rock Rangers (@lrrangers) December 3, 2016 Interesting looking NPSL meeting presentation from @PeterWilt1 #ProRelforUSA pic.twitter.com/1XvuuCqFIe— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) December 3, 2016 With @SonnyDalessandro at Chiller's in Orlando. Foto credit @Dens #noLA4Sonny #hockeychump pic.twitter.com/Hi8Y8zG9xe— peter wilt (@PeterWilt1) December 4, 2016
See it's crap like this that makes me pray every day for NASL's demise. This kind of delusion is apparently contagious.