There is a lot of conflicting hearsay floating about the past month or so, I'll wait for an official statement.
U.S. Soccer Board of Directors voted to grant provisional DII status to NASL and USL for the 2017 season.Details: https://t.co/rxSoffCYVA— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) January 7, 2017
Great for USL. Wonder where this leaves NASL however as the competition are a far more appealing league to join now. Any word on is the Cosmos sale will go forward and save NASL?
Not that I'm trying to put a damper on anything as I'm glad both leagues will continue to coexist but what is so great again about being granted D2? I mean what exactly will change now that both outfits are D2?
Perception, mostly. Nothing really changes for NASL except they now have the stink of death on them thanks to the last 2 months of news.. For USL it is now a little easier for them to claim to be the best league below MLS. It also makes things a little easier with regards to foreign investors, agents, and players. Without pro/rel D2/D3 might not mean much, but it does have meaning outside the US and even if foreigners understand the US league system, they'll still be biased in favor of a d2 league over a d3 league.
NASL, USL to Share Provisional Division Two Status in 2017 Empire of Soccer article about the decision we've all been waiting for... For those of you wondering what this all means...it means nothing. It also means that we get to go through the sanctioning decision again next year! Yeah! FC Edmonton sells Shome to MLS: Owner thrilled with breakthrough agreement A 20-team NASL by 2018? As league works to save itself, there is optimism from the ranks Lots of quotes from Peter Wilt in this article. It seems he's working hard to grow the league.
I'm not so sure. I lived in Europe and knowing their mentality, many investors want a chance to play in a top tier. I don't see how or why foreigners would want to invest in what is a second rate league. Even the handful of American ownership in Europe want a top tier as opposed to a second tier with no chance of getting promoted.
So any thoughts on whether we'll have a team down here in FTL for 2017? We're not mentioned in the new 8 team NASL....I know, not looking good. As someone that's had season tickets for the various incarnations of this franchise since the late 70s, is all hope lost?
You called it. I should have figured that USSF would pull something like that. I'm a bit of a meritocratic person. So just handing out D2 status instead of holding them down to D3 until they mostly earned it didn't sink in. It's a bit of a cop out. But It works I suppose. When you think about it. By giving both parties what they want, with stipulations, you take away their ability to bitch about the result, unless they're acting petty and want undo status over the other league. By keeping NASL D2, It also forces some NASL teams to stick with NASL and not give them an easy money out to switch leagues, which could hopefully stabilize the league. Especially if Peter Wilt can magically produce a half dozen teams for the league by next year. (I'm still skeptical about that) By giving USL D2, you're rewarding them for their hard work in building up a huge solid league and also throwing a carrot at them to keep on working on making those fringe teams more D2 compliant. There's already plans turning the MLS "reserve" teams into more genuine farm clubs. ------------------------------------ As for the pro/rel argument, I will get right to the point. Before you even start blowing smoke up people's asses about independent soccer clubs with promotion and relegation, you need to educate yourself on Carlton Fisk, Collusion, and MLB free agency. Until you do that, you will not understand the reason behind why most of the major American sports leagues are run as single-entity with franchisee agreements. This is to protect the league from "Carlton Fisk" situations when they set salary caps, contract regulations, and other free agency rules. MLS cannot engage in a Pro/Rel system unless it's under one single entity umbrella. They cannot strip individual franchises and relegate them, while maintaining the single-entity status.
This was so anti-climactic. Why bother with standards for divisions if the governing body is going to keep waiving them? What are the odds we go through this kabuki theater charade against next winter?
Happened in the AFL, happened in the WHA, happened in the ABA. All of those were impactful leagues. Different time, different place. But still, it happened. Simpler to do it in a single-entity structure, but it's not unprecedented either way.
Well... This agreement hurts NASL a lot. By giving both leagues the status, the Federation is rewarding USL a lot more than they are helping NASL survive. So, worst case is another year of uncertainty & BS. Best case... Wilt discovers the niche strategy and uses that to his advantage.
In what? Not in soccer, they don't. They averaged 290 last year. Columbia Football averaged 5,200 in a different stadium.
And yet, history shows USSF has done just about everything it could to avoid letting the NASL die. The compromise USSFD2 league in 2010 when neither side met D2 standards. The provisional sanctioning in 2011. Gulati taking the vote out of the membership's hands in general and into executive session where it had much better chance of passing in 2012. The waivers since then. And now this. Anyone who tries to put USSF on the culpability flow chart of the NASL's troubles is drinking their own bong water.
So...kick the can down the road for another year, the U.S. Soccer way in all it's glory. If you're the NASL, it's time to get to work. Those clubs that Peter Wilt is trying to help get going need to get going. At this point 2017 seems unrealistic, even for the Fall, but at least be in place to start by Spring 2018. Mr. Commisso has to get the Cosmos up and running and Jacksonville and Ft. Lauderdale need new owners pronto (both seem to be close). One sign of the changes ahead for the league...the statement about the decision on it's website was brief and - interestingly - NOT from Bill Peterson. If there's not a new commissioner of the league a month from now I'd be pretty surprised.