Yes, it was. We had some issues with Demosphere when the schedule upload happened, but River will be playing at their own River Plate Stadium. After the way they played in the SuperCopa DirecTV this summer, they could be a contender to not only win USL PRO but also maybe get into the CCL through the Caribbean Cup in a couple of months. Looks like a very well-organized outfit.
I doubt it since they would have foreign player limits on them now, half the squad would have to be cut lol Also I'm pretty sure a full strength Rochester or Charleston is way stronger than a 2 string Islanders and a bunch of minnows
Especially considering the way the schedule....err....turned out....... Talk about a mess, but then that's what I've been predicting all along. Charleston seems to have made out best by far, and Rochester doesn't seem to have it nearly as bad as most of the other teams either. It really makes you wonder if USL management isn't trying to placate them a bit, considering the teams they let into this "regional league" Holt, Papadakis, and Marcos have peddled to them. Charleston and Rochester could easily be NASL franchises if they wanted to, they are certainly the class of the USL Pro on paper, and you'd have to think they will be on the field this year as well. But if they had been given balanced shcedules where the travel expenses really piled up, you'd have to think that the thought, "Damn, by spending so much on travel we could be marquee franchises in D2 rather than D3...." would at least cross their minds.......
http://www.100breakingnews.com/socc...s-3-year-deal-to-play-at-cal-state-fullerton/ About the LA Blues, with report than there are more SoCal clubs on the way in 2012...
"The team’s closest opponent, the Dayton Dutch Lions, is two time zones away in Ohio." Fail. Either the Mountain or Central Time Zones are going to be really pissed off. They're just flyover right? Who cares?
Umm, wow......so many statements in that article that sound like fantasy...... I think all I can really say is I feel bad for Mansouri because he bought the USL pitch when no one else west of Dayton, OH did, and even if they do manage to survive what look like incredible travel expenses for a D3 club through their first season, anything short of an en masse group of new franchises or PDL promotions very close by in 2012, looks like it will spell certain doom for this club.
IMHO the LA Blues could or should have waited 1 year, the 2011 season is going to be very expensive, way too expensive to make sense
i disagree, from the article it sounds like Mansouri has realistic goals (1500 attendence for the first season) a realistic budget ($800,000) and he has signed a three year contract for the stadium so he is projecting to be around at least three seasons. he knows his target audience and has been involved in USL for years now so he knows how it operates. he has signed a top USL2 defender from last year (Garth Evans) a solid midfileder and former Galaxy member (Josh Tudela) and a Mexican Goalie Oscar Dautt I still havent worked out approximate numbers yet for various teams travel but I dont think they are going to be that bad overall for teams this year (obviously it will be up from last year but not the 200K plus that teams had for D2) Mansouri took a gamble and if other follow him to D3 next year out west, he will be seen as a pioneer. And with the five other teams that were on the brink of joining this season, I wouldnt be surprised to see a couple more next year.
this was interesting detail in the article as well. I guess Marcos isn't pocketing everything afterall LOL
Mikey, Even your Battery who seems to have made out best of all with the scheduling has to be looking at increases in travel expenses for this year. I just can't believe that the entire International Division especially isn't going to be looking at travel costs that are WAY out of whack for a supposed D3 regional league model. And what do you think is going to happen this season that is going to cause those teams that eventually turned down jumping up this year to do so next year instead? I just look at the really odd schedule and the obvious attempts to try and limit the travel costs with the back to back games in the same city with the same teams, and the quick turn arounds with other games, especially the trips into the islands, and top it off with the failed 16th franchise, in of all places Ft. Lauderdale where they would have been lucky to draw flies, and it just seems all a bit wonky to me. I guess we'll see what happens throughout the year, but I stand by my original comments a long time ago of expecting at least two of these teams to either fold or drop back down to PDL at the end of the season. And at this point I can't see what would entice anyone at PDL now especially anyone west of Dayton to gamble this way next year, and I would bet that teams like Richmond and Charleston would just assume they didn't as well.
I don't know about this. As I said, a lot of what was in this article seemed very unrealistic to me. It sounded more like a PR release then an actual fact-based story. We all like to poke fun at the old USL grabbing fees and turning their back on teams, but there has to be at least some of the money going to league expenses. Whatever this TV deal winds up being almost certainly would need to be paid for our of "league funds" one would think. But Holt is made clear that operating expenses are the sole responsibility of the individual teams.
The schedule isn't ideal this year but to say it isn't workable is really just trying to pick out flaws. The island teams play each other 4 times a piece so they wont be leaving the Caribbean often at all... one trip to LA a piece, and 2 maybe 3 trips to mainland it looks like...... After looking over most of the schedules I don't forsee many travel issues cost wise.... it will still be significantly cheaper than NASL travel costs. Also assuming more teams join next year travel costs would be reduced even more in 2012.
Best quote in that article was this one: "“We don’t want to make the wrong decision that will cost us money,” he said." Too late for that!
Some poorly translated info from River Plate's website The project originally would at Sixto Escobar was discarded after passing the Sports and Recreation State to the Municipality of San Juan. Los actuales Campeones Invictos de Puerto Rico están buscando establecer la franquicia en una Ciudad que pueda albergar el Magno Proyecto de River Plate y todo apunta que Fajardo es el lugar idóneo. The current undefeated champion of Puerto Rico are seeking to establish the franchise in a city that can host the Great River Plate Project and it seems that Fajardo is the right place. Todavía el nuestro Presidente Steven Alvarez no se a expresado al respecto pero se espera que lo haga proximamente. Yet our President Steven Alvarez has expressed no respect but is expected to do soon. El equipo Millonario tiene un 2011 con muchos compromisos y un calendario histórico comparado con cualquier deporte en Puerto Rico: 1. The Millionaire is a 2011 team with many commitments and a historical calendar compared to any sport in Puerto Rico: 1. Campeonato del Caribe (CFU) /2. Caribbean Championship (CFU) / 2. Liga Profesional Norte Americana (USL PRO) /3. North American Professional League (USL PRO) / 3. Liga Profesional Puertorriqueña (PRSL). Puerto Rican Professional League (PRSL). Luego que River saliera Campeón Invicto en el 2010 derrotando a los Islanders, 3 Municipios ofrecieron ser sedes del equipo pero el Presidente siempre se inclino por Fajardo. After River out undefeated champion in 2010 defeating the Islanders, 3 municipalities have offered to team headquarters, but the President always inclined to Fajardo. So its official there is no official stadium anymore for these guys. And google translate is horrible.
Well, looks like USL Pro will actually be the highest level of soccer outside of MLS From Inside Minnesota Soccer http://twitter.com/MinnesotaSoccer/status/28591139959349248
Not exactly true. It just says they were rejected for D2. It's possible they will be granted D3. So, USL Pro and NASL will both be the highest after MLS.
Why not? They've done multiple leagues at the same level before. The PDL is currently at the same level as NPSL et al. I just can't believe they'll destroy the teams in the NASL that do exist by not sanctioning them. They'll either make them D3 or give them another provisional year. It's probably one of the reasons they are rejecting them now before the meeting/voting in February. It will give them time to come up with alternatives. Then again, with the way the administrative types have run soccer around the world, who knows?
spoke to a few people today that think NASL might also go as an "Affiliation" league. Basically as I understand it, they wouldn't have a divisional classification but would not be unsanctioned either. It would be like a season long tournament. Not sure how that would effect PR and the CCL or Edmonton.
I would imagine that the NASL can pretty much destroy themselves without help; if Traffic run ATL, CA, and MN like they run MFC, destruction could be likely. I know the Silverbacks wouldn't exactly set the woods on fire as a D3 team. It was like pulling teeth to get info from anywhere other than their website when they were USL D-1. It makes you wonder just how solvent the NASL really is, if Traffic has to bankroll half the league. USSF might be doing them, and us, a favor, if the league goes down because of this.
That would be sort of like when the original NASL collapsed, a few of the teams did "barnstorming" tours (I think Tulsa and Tampa Bay did this), while San Jose played in the Western Cup Challenge (is that what it was called?). But a schedule like this would be an attendance nightmare. It would be best to re-group and come back in 2012, with a new league and a new plan. I think the NASL is over, and they need to do something else for next year. To play this year would be a joke (but I'll be there if ATL does indeed play).