The New York Cosmos are joining NASL and will start playing in 2013. Apparently with an actual team and not just merchandise sales. http://nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=2779 No information yet on coaches, players, or where they will be playing. The NASL currently has 8 members with the Cosmos joining in 2013 and Ottawa set to join in 2014 to make 10 teams.
I remember that they announced a PDL team for this year but I don't think that ever happened, did it? The 2012 PDL season is just about over. Hmmm. Apparently the NY Cosmos U23 team has been postponed to 2013. We'll see if it happens.
Say what you will about the current owners, the Cosmos name is still pretty well-known. It would bring an extra kick to an MLS expansion team at the stadium that the league is discussing in Queens. It may well be that the current trademark-soon-to-be-club owners' intention all along has been to sell the trademarks to MLS. If so, fine. They've put some effort into getting it back out there.
You're old. But seriously. The ESPN documentary on the Cosmos is worth watching if you haven't seen it.
A certain nostalgia creeps into me for the NASL, WHA, ABA, etc., even though I was not around for those leagues. However, people like me are the outliers. The bottom line is that if the NYC team sucks, no one will care. If they win, bring in big name DPs, or both, then people will pay attention. You can name them the Cosmos or the Bozos, but you are not fooling anyone. A compelling game of soccer is a compelling game. The team name and image may be the icing on the cake, but then you have to ask how much cachet the Cosmos - as a brand, concept, and idea - even have these days. We have a team named the Galaxy that employs the most famous player of his generation and the most accomplished American in recent memory. Even for those who remember, or the young kids who "get it," what would the Cosmos name offer that the league does not already have?
The documentary is excellent. Here's a pic of their trophies tweeted by Brian Straus (@BrianStraus) of The Sporting News:
Man I wish I was there for the 1970s when the Aeros especially the Howes (Gordie, Marty, and Mark) were playing at Sam Houston Coliseum.
One report is that they will play at Hofstra Stadium, the home of Hofstra University athletics. That is also where the old Cosmos played in 1972 and 1973 after their premiere season at Yankee Stadium. Hofstra Stadium holds 15,000 and was recently the home of FC New York when they were a USL Pro team. FCNY has since moved down to NPSL and a smaller stadium in Queens. Hofstra is in Hempstead, NY on Long Island about 25 miles east of New York City.
I grew up with the Cosmos-my first taste of professional soccer. I even sat next to Chico Borja at my wife's Christmas Party up in KW ten years ago. I was fascinated that I was sitting next to one of boyhood heroes-he seemed less impressed by his former job than I was. This is great-I still frequent Eski's soccer shop when I am back in the old neighborhood. I bleed Orange but it will be damn nice to have the Cosmos back hopefully in the top flight one day.
Few weeks ago, I was dreaming that there's someone who owns or bought the rights to the Houston Hurricane will bring it back and join the NASL and then later joining MLS. This sets up a local derby thus making the Hurricane as the "Noisy Neighbors."
of course that was before they had turf there. I read somewhere that MLS did some sort of study and was interested in the burbs out on the Island as opposed to being in Flushing. But I am reading into that and the Cosmos now possibly playing at Hofstra. I think they will wind up playing at Mitchell Athletic Complex across the street-where the old NY Power of the WUSA used to play. I believe Hofstra rent is high, part of the reason why the LI Lizards are having a tough time turning a profit. Plus I would think that playing in a smaller venue on grass would be a better overall situation.
even in some bizzaro universe, if this happened-I don't think the name Hurricane will be used from this point forward for any future teams of any sport at any level.
And the Cosmos never entered regional competition, Pele's and the likes goal scoring stats were almost ruled off the books cuz the old NASL played with the gimmick rules. FIFA was about to label our nation's old 1st Divison a renegade league. But good for them. However, and the little I know of NYC culture, playing out over on Long Island is akin to playing over the river in Jersey cuz folks think walking a few miles or switching trains over rivers is "a hike". Vamos a ver. Hurricane/canes has been done twice, no need for thirds imho, I did go to watch both teams. It has been one kick ass journey with pro soccer in our city I will tell you that!!!
if we are talking hypotheticals-no way in hell the MLS Cosmos play out in Nassau. They have to play in the City and Queens would be a the most logical fit. You are right, people from the city will not go out there if they have to drive.
No knock on the history of the game. I'm big on learning where we came from, and honoring history where it needs to be honored is definitely important. But as you pointed out, there were certainly zany elements to the NASL. At some point, we're trying way to hard to emulate it. Let dead dogs lay (lie? lei?). When I get my NHL team in this town, they're going to be called the Aeros haha. Can't believe the NHL wouldn't take Houston in the merger. All the pre-reqs were there: emerging market, great ownership, new stadium (pretty easy to get what you want when the team owner built Greenway Plaza). Real waste. Rutledge and Grahame in net. Lund down the middle too. Not a lot of high end NHL talent, but man did they pilfer the Kings!
you know who you can blame about not having a NHL team here-Sid the Kid. I read something the other day that they were even closer than both local media outlets were letting on about moving the Pens here a few years ago. Then they draft Sid, butts go back in the seats, they build a new place and Houston is out of luck...and Mario gets to stay in posh place in Sewickley.
I'm actually a huge Penguins fan (my uncle is from Pittsburgh, and I'm an Aeros die-hard, but I need an NHL team to watch too). Long story short: Lemieux had several deals, public and private fall through since he purchased the team in 1999. Getting Crosby did not even seal the deal, it was getting state help. The city was tapped and the tax base pissed after building Heinz Field and PNC Park. Lemieux has gone on record after the fact basically saying he would never move the team, he would have sold first. He actually had an agreement in principle with Jim Ballsillie, who likely would've moved the team to Hamilton. There were no willing billionaire in Houston because... In the 1990's, when the Canadian dollar was screwing the Edmonton Oilers, Gary Bettman called Les Alexander and Bob McNair. Bringing an NHL club would seal the deal for a new arena for the Rockets, and would shut out Chuck Watson (who owned the lease on the Summit and the Aeros). It was all just a ploy to get fans to show up. Pissed off Alexander so much the Aeros are a third-class tenant, and Bob McNair went and purchased an NFL team. And people say that Bettman has never done anything for Canadian franchises. The Oilers are just now getting a new arena.
good info-the thing I read made reference to Ballsillie, but made it sound like it was a secondary option. Of course Mario would say he would never move the team, the guy is treated like a God over there. You ever go to Steel City Pizza up in the Woodlands? They have Center Ice and show all Pens matches. No Primanti sandwiches though.
Btw, the NASL is also apparently in talks with a group to place an expansion team in Loudoun Co., in northern Virginia. The site would be about five miles north of Dulles. The NASL says that they don't want to go into existing MLS markets, but that NY and DC are special cases. Maybe they could name them the Diplomats and we could have Dips x Cosmos again.
Haven't been to Steel City Pizza, sounds awesome though! I've frequented the Maple Leaf because I work in the Med Center. Spent freshman year in Pittsburgh, so I got spoiled getting to see every Pens game. Far cry from waiting for the inevitable drubbing they'd get twice a year on ESPN 2. "Oh, hey Dad, Rico Fata got an assist!" These name changes/ continuations have my head spinning. I should really make a flow chart.
If you ever want to take a stroll down that territory, then I'd recommend Ken Tomasch's pretty awesome site. He posts a lot of info on attendance for a variety of soccer (and other) leagues. His NASL page has all the team names over the years, along with the attendances. Click here, then scroll down a bit.
I was there. For every game. Many years later I got to play golf with Terry Ruskowski. If we are every sharing yarns ask me about it.
I enjoy following the NHL for two decades now even though I can't skate worth shite!, I did read somewhere years back about deep playoff runs made by teams either against Southern NHL teams or playing on Florida, Phoenix, Dallas, TB and Nashville that the ice became to "unplayable" in late May and June with guys losing their edge too often and there being a trying time to keep the rink in ideal conditions up into June no matter how cold the Arena ice crews worked. Thus the league announced rather sternly that there will be no more expansion below the ol' Mason-Dixon Line. Perhaps money has the power to change Betman's mind cuz I sure would love for our shot at supporting our own NHL team. Southern boys like me feel cheated out of the chance to really get into the NHL like everyone else around the States n Canada save the PacNW and Plains States. Put gridiron, soccer, swinging lumber a la baseball and boxing together, tasks that I took to well growing up, and it's a sport made for a certain breed of dickheads. I think I recognize the MO.