News: USL/TOA discussion thread

From memory, if the Sonoma County Sol could get an investor, they feel they could jump to USL-1 level.

What do you expect? Welcome to the USL.

 

I believe that Sonoma to USL-1 was a bunch of BS.

 

You say Atlanta and St. Louis don't have "prospects" but fact is both have been involved with the TOA for some time now. There is still ample time for both to form teams if a TOA league comes to be so they're not just vaporware teams at this point.

 

Selby Wellman is the majority owner of the Carolina Railhawks and spokesperson for the TOA.

no news? went on Carolina Railhawks website nothing.. supposedly Wellman and TOA talked to MLS for cooperation. MLS is quiet and tight-lipped. The only way I could see TOA league as a promising option if MLS get's involved if not than my statement as posted before is probably correct.

 

but you can't just form a team from thin air, it's a process. Out of the 8 TOA members 5 already have teams. Atlanta has a organization that's on hold. St. Louis doesn't even have a clear cut organization. Tampa has a organization and it's in the process of forming a team.

So USL has the upper-hand

 

I'm trying to find out if Hollywood United were approached or not, as we were PDL-Pro last year too. I know our ownership group has ambitions in that area.

 

Sigh...I guess I'll say it again: yes, they do. St. Louis Soccer United has been running the WPS Athletica team for over a year now. They own a 6,000+ seat stadium. They have sufficient media/sponsorship connections to get a couple of Athletica games on local broadcast TV. And the three biggest youth clubs in St. Louis, which between them hold more national titles than I could list here, are now consolidated under the SLSU umbrella - a feat that would have been considered impossible just a few years ago. Oh, and Jeff Cooper's personal net worth is in the hundreds of millions.

Just because they don't have a pointless web site that says TEAM COMING SOON doesn't mean they don't have an organization. I daresay SLSU has more infrastructure in place than some of the teams at the USL-1 meeting (FCNY, anyone?).

 

Ask the USL. In 1992, the A-League, one of the leagues that eventually merged to form the current USL, played a 16-game season with five teams. They lasted until the end of the 1996 season without ever breaking the eight-team barrier.

 

Weren't the Lions supposed to go to USL-1? You go to SLSU website and nothing about TOA or forming a new league? The latest news they have is from March 2009.

 

WS you can't judge things solely by their websites. If you did FCNY wouldn't have a good chance of happening either.

 

I didn't know that. damn


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_American_Professional_Soccer_League_season

In 1993 they went up to 7 teams:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_American_Professional_Soccer_League_season

In 1995 back down to 6:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_A-League

In 1996 back to 7 teams:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_A-League

 

why does everyone want a TOA website?

 

I don't believe anyone said the want a TOA website.

 

I second this.

 

I second this too.

 

I guess I found someone that wanted a TOA website

 

Well, yeah, I'm looking forward to one. But not nervous or anxious for it, or expecting that it means the league is real or not. Just using it as one measure of how they're doing as an organization.

At this point, though, in the more immediate future, I'm now curious as to what kind of return volley we're going to see.

 

I guess USL side is wining?

 

I suggest you also spend some time here. And this book should be read by anyone that's interested in US soccer history.

 

Well, many people seem to think that, today, it is.

We'll see in a couple more days, or however long it takes for the TOA to get a response back from the USSF regarding their submission for a new league.

My take: that was a strong if ridiculously gushy press release with some heavy hitters listed. But if you dig through the spin, it's possible that there's more fluff than seed in it. Pretty much impossible to know until some more time passes.

Still, as a fan of a USL1 team who's owner is prominently quoted in the release, it makes me feel optimistic about the future of the USL and USL1.

To be honest, my only worry is the USL1 surviving. The TOA can create a new league and do its own thing if it wants to. As I mentioned earlier, I'm starting to think that it's even possible that both will survive. That there actually is enough money and interest in soccer in the US that we can have two functioning second divisions.

I'd prefer them to be east/west, but, whatever evolves, well, I'm good with that, too.

 

Hey guys,

Don't expect any websites for any new teams or league till the TOA has USSF approval.

Not sure how long this process will take, but I think Sunil knows it has to happen fairly quickly, so he'll get his people on it.

Once that happens, then the website will be launched for the league, St Louis will unveil a TOA site for St Louis Athletica, Probably see a new Silverbacks site up very quickly.

But, once again, until we have approval from USSF I expect all quiet on the TOA front.

 

I really hope if there is a St. Louis team its not called Athletica...

 

If I remember correctly St. Louis SC was copyrighted by Cooper for MLS purposes. I assume since that ship has passed, he would use it for USL.

 

I seem to remember St Louis United, since he was uniting the youth clubs in the area.