News: USL/TOA discussion thread

Discussion in 'United Soccer Leagues' started by SoccerPrime, Oct 25, 2009.

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  1. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy

    You know for as long as I've followed American soccer in the last 30-35 years, I only wish for once everyone involved with the sport would be on the same page.......

    I mean you had the NASL vs ASL the NASL vs the MISL then the NASL folds and you had the MISL vs AISA/NPSL vs WSA vs Men's National Team vs the College Game...the APSL vs MISL the MSL then the A-League vs Jim Paglia's League One America vs MLS vs SISL/USISL vs CISL vs PDL vs NPSL ............I mean gee wiz!:rolleyes:
     
  2. VioletCrown

    VioletCrown Member+

    FC Dallas
    United States
    Aug 30, 2000
    Austin, Texas
    Club:
    Austin Aztex
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    With only 4 of the 11 teams averaging what you'd be happy with, I'd be delirious if they ended up there. And considering that we have always had at least one team averaging less than 2,000 (don't have the numbers at my fingertips), I'd be even happier if no teams averaged below 3,000.
     
  3. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So it's obvious with a MLS vs USL vs TOA league, which one would fold...TOA of course. Unless MLS would be their to help TOA if not, then the future looks grim, especially with FSC stating they don't want to broadcast USL soccer anymore.
     
  4. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    FSC really stated that? Wow! Wonder if they do fold in the end, the MLS will inherit all the USL's clubs?
     
  5. DavidP

    DavidP Member

    Mar 21, 1999
    Powder Springs, GA
    Nah. That "beautiful park" you speak of has no restrooms or concessions stands, and is not up to minimum USL standards And there is no way in the world it could be expanded to 15,000 without taking the entire complex, and ther would never be enough parking. It (expansion) would be a stupid move, to be sure, because Boris probably makes more money with the teams, league, camps, and tournaments than he ever did with the Silverbacks (and that's a good thing, BTW; smart planning on his part), and to get rid of his bread and butter would be crazy. Besides, it's time somebody else tried to make a go with pro soccer in Atlanta; the Ruckus/Silverbacks saga was a long, tempestuous ride, but now it seems to be over. Time for Nurock to give it a go.

    Besides, KSU is building a stadium that is a possibility for the WPS team. Of course, nobody knows, because the Beat seems to be taking the Silverbacks' tack of not letting anybody know what's going on, and the wondering why nobody shows up for the games. :(
     
  6. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Difference is right now this isn't the top level like most of those disagreements are. Right now we've got MLS at the top holding the fort and then everyone else down below.

    And right now I'd also argue we don't have NPSL v PDL. The two leagues aren't actively trying to beat each other and locally indeed many NPSL teams regularly work with their PDL neighbors with friendlies etc...
     
  7. DavidP

    DavidP Member

    Mar 21, 1999
    Powder Springs, GA
    Hopefully, if the TOA does form a league, as some have already said, the two leagues will work beside each other rather than against each other, and we'll see something like the American and National Leagues used to be, and have a national D2 championship between the USL and TOA league champs. As for Atlanta, Nurock seems to me to be the best hope.
     
  8. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Or rather everyone wanting or striving to be the MLS.....still MLS is king.....One thing I've always read but never understood was that the federation (USSF) shouldn't be in charge of running the pro league or leagues. Why not? They are the ones who should regulate everyone and they don't and won't....
     
  9. DavidP

    DavidP Member

    Mar 21, 1999
    Powder Springs, GA
    Because they never have been big enough to do it. When the big pro soccer influx happened back in the 60s, US Soccer was basically a one-man show. Besides, the club=>association system has never been a factor in American sports; it's always been league=>franchises.
     
  10. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't even think it's that. USL and TOA don't want to be MLS, and both have said they have no intention of challenging for the top level. What we have not is a few disgruntled USL owners that want to run their own show, that's it. I honestly don't think they'll shake things up much, but they're tired of paying fees to USL for what they see as little return. Conversely equally as many USL owners see value in their relationship with the league and want to maintain it.

    As for why the USSF doesn't just take charge, they're largely powerless. Soccer in the US isn't associations, it's franchises.
     
  11. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    The network’s Major League Soccer ratings are up from last year (truthfully, they couldn’t get much worse than they were last year) but Serie A continues to struggle on FSC and the network has stated it has little interest in building the brands of WPS, USL or College Soccer, viewing the American leagues as filler programming.

    http://thekartikreport.wordpress.co...tv-ratings-fsc-and-espn-on-different-courses/


    So basically USL and TOA have to work together, because they way it looks MLS is king and will be. USL and TOA have to look thru alternative ways of getting fans. The free USLLive last year was a cool idea. I would also like to see some regional broadcasts of USL games, only away games, for that particular market so fans come out to home games would be a good idea. Like it's done in small cities (leagues) in Europe.
     
  12. panicfc

    panicfc Member+

    Dec 22, 2000
    In my chair, typing
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Doesn't Traffic Sports own Miami FC and Goltv? Seems TOA can probably Ray and Phil and Lindsey to cover their league pretty easily.
     
  13. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

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