I don't know if rivalry is sill relevant in discussions about NASL at all. Maybe its degraded into SDS at this point but I would still hope that rivalry could be a HUGE leverage factor for the future success of NASL. Small ball is for amateurs... What I think the most under-utilized asset of this league is is (I thought eye was taught English growing up eh!) this league has a break in between seasons for the table. Forget the BS we're marketed about the format of the table and use it to some kind of advantage for the sport itself; and the very least the league most important to the sports success. Take a page from the Spengler Cup. Host an invitational tourney with prize money during that shoulder period. Invite MLS, USL, and NPSL teams to regional trophy prize games where possible. For example SAS hosts the Longhorn plate and invites teams from the state of Texas for a beef trophy. Rivalries may not exist between NASL teams as best they could yet the potential for free enterprise cups/bowls/trophies does especially if the league organizes these events in between tables and finds sponsorships for events. It only adds to the relevance of a dII league, especially one that includes more than just USA and Canada. Imagine a mini round robin that includes teams across NA (similar to the crackpot chit Silva invisions, excluding anything south of Panama) and draws some kind of interest more than my own. I think that could be marketable and god willing even profitable, even more so if indepedantly owned teams in the USL accept the tournements and MLS teams forgo them for whatever reason they can flake out for. EG: Orlando FC refuses to participate in the gator/orangebowl for whatever reason and some USL team wins the prize money at the expense of the Rowdies: who cares about any Miami team in this picture! Great Lakes Cup 401 Derby New England Crown Gator Cup Corn Bowl Dust Bowl ETC Bottom Line: If. A: invitational cups to invite local rivalries and(^) you find sponsors to foot the bill for advertising rights then-> you spur interest/create relevancy for existing ownership groups to their own advantage/win at life by being the host of the party Franchises proposals come to Mr. Peon from under-realized markets in CAN,CARBiean, MX & USA. Somehow he finally gets to sort whom he wants over who he's willing to bend over for... Cosmos's FTW Thus GG NASL solidifies itself as the D2 standard for Concacaf.
Coordination and cooperation would be the two biggest road blocks. Other leagues have their seasons ongoing during the NASL break, and are focused on that. I doubt that any teams would be willing to accommodate time in their schedules and pay their own travel expenses for such endeavors. Obtaining corporate sponsors willing to foot the bill wouldn't be any easier; making it worthwhile enough for them to do it it would be very difficult. Then there's been the ongoing bad blood between the NASL and USL, which still exists to this day. Getting those two leagues together in a private tournament would be like matter and anti-matter colliding. MLS, forget it. They'd thumb their noses at it. It would also require good leadership to pull it off, and the NASL doesn't have that currently either. I like your ideas, but feasibility and infrastructure here to pull them off just don't exist.
I can see why, forgive me I was a bit hangry and just imagining an edible trophy. In retrospect I should always make myself a sandwich before I post.
You're probably right. This sort of came to me when I saw that FC Edmonton invited a div2 english team for a friendly during their off season. If the tourneys cant happen between USL, MLS and NASL (happens in the open anyway) then maybe look to utilize the time to invite international teams who also break during that time. Liga MX, Costa Rica etc. find willing teams and sponsors and let them compete for these cups. It could only put thorns in MLS and USL's side if Cruz Azul or Alajuense start winning a sponsored cup. Maybe Florida, where it seems to be a hotbed for the NASL right now, get Silva to host some cup between the 2 teams there and 2 invites from mexico/caribe/central america. I dont see this sort of thing being widespread across the league at once, but I see it as only advantageous for the NASL to become more relevant as far as exposure, TV rights and just plain excitement during the downtime of their season.
After watching the abyssmal season (thank God it's over) the Scooby-Snacks had you should want to slap them hard. Really from first to worst.
False, Jacksonville was worse than us .... .... .... ahem. Yeah we blew chunks .... what was even more frustrating than being at the bottom of the standings was how much better we actually played in the 2nd half but couldn't get wins (7 freaking draws, seriously).
So our track record is worst Champions worst... so I guess next year is Champions.. if we can keep the same cycle. Good luck in the playoffs, hopefully you guys will get a huge bump in attendance for your title run
Let's see how the coach and roster looks first before you start making predicitons. I gave up on attendance at this point... Until something gets figured out with regards to a stadium I don't expect more at Hofstra. I'm sure the game in Brooklyn will do good.
I have found a replacement for the Scoobysnacks... Indy 1.1% you are the new thorn in the Cosmos side!
Well you do have ex scorp HC there looking pissy in that pic ... Who dress like me; walk, talk and act like me It just might be the next best thing but not quite me
It's an inside joke between HTTK and me. But don't worry... I'll expand on it the next time Indy 1.1% and the Cosmos play.