PDA

View Full Version : U.S. Soccer, USL, NASL reach agreement on Division 2 league



drewski
01-07-2010, 03:52 PM
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/soccer/story/1414349.html




Just over a week after denying the USL and NASL of 2nd Division sanctions, the U.S. Soccer Federation came to an agreement with the two leagues on the formation and operation of a Division 2 professional soccer league for the 2010 season.


so basically back where we started

flatpicker
01-07-2010, 04:03 PM
Well, it better than where it was a few days ago.

Darlofletch
01-07-2010, 04:04 PM
very sensible of them, maintain the status quo as much as you can until all the mls defections are done with, then figure out where to go from there. Vancouver and portland being involved with the nasl when they're guaranteed to be leaving in a year anyway was the height of ridiculousness.

rocker
01-07-2010, 04:06 PM
i wonder if these two divisions are completely independent...?

I can't see the NASL accepting the USL's rules on spending on players or whatever. That's one reason they left.

rocker
01-07-2010, 04:07 PM
very sensible of them, maintain the status quo as much as you can until all the mls defections are done with, then figure out where to go from there. Vancouver and portland being involved with the nasl when they're guaranteed to be leaving in a year anyway was the height of ridiculousness.

porland never went with the NASL. they always stayed with the USL.

Oldtimer
01-07-2010, 04:18 PM
A lot of commentators thought it couldn't be done. I'm glad that common sense won out.

ManUtd4ever
01-07-2010, 04:20 PM
Now if the MLS and the players union can avoid a suicidal work stoppage, it would be great news all around and the NCC will be back on...

Detroit_TFC
01-07-2010, 06:18 PM
^ Word.

This Div 2 settlement could be interesting. Each side will want to show that they have the more viable entity as they negotiate with USSF on 2011. There may be a fair amount of pressure put on the team FOs by their respective alignments to excel both on the field and in their business operations. But they can't push too hard lest they nudge teams into the other camp.

USL has some advantages here in that they currently have infrastructure in place while NASL will have to create it in the context of the 2010 agreement (ie not really running their own show).

I've been following this closely because Detroit was in the mix for getting a Div 2 team, and might still be for 2011.

TFCRegina
01-07-2010, 06:30 PM
Look, NASL and USL were miles apart on the issue. If they can compromise, ANYBODY can compromise, and MLS and the MLS Players Union will find some sort of middle ground. If it means the league no longer owns the contracts and there are still non-guaranteed contracts, it will happen. If it means League owned with guaranteed, it will happen.

There will be a compromise.

Detroit_TFC
01-07-2010, 06:48 PM
Look, NASL and USL were miles apart on the issue. If they can compromise, ANYBODY can compromise, and MLS and the MLS Players Union will find some sort of middle ground. If it means the league no longer owns the contracts and there are still non-guaranteed contracts, it will happen. If it means League owned with guaranteed, it will happen.

There will be a compromise.

The USSF had a big stick to enforce a compromise - Div 2 sanction. Not sure what the independent "big stick" is in the CBA situation. FIFA won't intervene and hard to see USSF (and CSA) doing anything that is contrary to the desires of the MLS team owners.

keem-o-sabi
01-07-2010, 07:05 PM
well it's good, they'll be able to run their leagues the way they wish to it looks like, and in the true spirit of capitalism, may the best group win out.

TorCanSoc
01-07-2010, 07:07 PM
NASL - USL makes my head spin. So now they are one league with two divisions? Two separate leagues that never play each other? Krykie.

TOBOR !
01-07-2010, 07:14 PM
You mean like baseball ?

TorCanSoc
01-07-2010, 07:21 PM
Yeah except anyone with a B.M.I. over 20% is not likely to earn 6,000,000/year for a short guaranteed 5 year contract.

keem-o-sabi
01-07-2010, 07:24 PM
Yes they are now like minor league baseball from what I've been told (and the way Major League Baseball was before interleague play)

Oldtimer
01-08-2010, 08:11 AM
USL, NASL OK with USSF's USSF2 idea; It'll be easier in MLS in 2011

Friday, January 8th, 2010 | 2:00 am
Canwest News Service
Fans of acronyms, rejoice! The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) announced Thursday that feuding footsie foes, the United Soccer Leagues (USL) and North American Soccer League (NASL), have reached an agreement on a second-division for the 2010 season: the USSF D2.
The newly-formed, and highly temporary, league has 12 teams split into two conferences. The Vancouver Whitecaps join the Montreal Impact, Miami FC, AC St. Louis and Crystal Palace Baltimore in the NASL Conference.
The loyalist trio of the Austin Aztex, Portland Timbers and Puerto Rico Islanders — the only three USL-1 teams from last year to remain sided with that league during the dispute — join the Minnesota Thunder, Rochester Rhinos and Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Conference.
Of course, the Whitecaps jump to North America's premier loop, Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2011, so don't get too attached.
"It's a great short-term solution," said Caps president Bob Lenarduzzi. "I applaud the USSF for coming up with this and getting everybody to buy into it."


http://www.kelowna.com/2010/01/08/usl-nasl-ok-with-ussfs-ussf2-idea-itll-be-easier-in-mls-in-2011/


The Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps will participate in a new league run by the United States Soccer Federation.
The league announced Thursday that it will unite the United Soccer Leagues — the circuit the Whitecaps and Impact left, along with a group of dissatisfied owners —and the North American Soccer League, the new league that those angry owners had proposed.
The new 12-team league will be split into two six-team conferences with an interlocking schedule.
Both Montreal and Vancouver will play in the NASL Conference.
“Everyone was willing to compromise in the end to make sure they could meet the standard we were looking for,” said USSF president Sunil Gulati.
On Dec. 30, the USSF rejected individual bids from the NASL and USL for Tier II status. The Canadian Soccer Association had previously said it wouldn’t rule on the leagues until the Americans had made their decision.
Proposed franchises in New York and Atlanta were not part of the 12-team roster.
“We think the most important thing is to get the right amount of teams, others can come in later,” said Gulati.


http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soccer/2010/01/07/12384771-qmi.html


MONTREAL – It’s not exactly what the Impact hoped for – after threatening to help form a rival league – but the creation of a second-tier professional soccer league by the United States Soccer Federation is being hailed as a significant compromise.
The Impact will be part of a 12-team Division 2, which will combine teams from the United Soccer Leagues and the newly formed North American Soccer League to play under the USSF banner this year.
The announcement comes after last week’s decision by the USSF not to sanction the new NASL, of which the Impact was a founding partner. At the time, the USL and NASL were mandated to reach a solution with the federation’s help.
In addition to the Impact – reigning USL Division 1 champion – the breakaway group included two other USL power franchises, the Vancouver Whitecaps and Rochester Rhinos, which had a longstanding dispute with the league over control of their teams.
“I think it’s a good compromise,” Impact president Joey Saputo said after USSF president Sunil Gulati met with USL and NASL officials in Chicago.


http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Agreement+salvages+2010+Impact+season/2417314/story.html

sidvan
01-08-2010, 08:17 AM
So where is Charleston playing now?

Oldtimer
01-08-2010, 08:26 AM
So where is Charleston playing now?

USL-2, the third tier of North American soccer.

Oldtimer
01-08-2010, 10:24 AM
Charleston is going to scout the leftover scraps from the MLS SuperDraft:

http://charleston.thedigitel.com/sports/get-speed-charleston-battery-news-17415-0107

Redcoe15
01-08-2010, 12:57 PM
At least we'll have the Voyageur's Cup for this coming season. Of course, MLS and the players need to get their act together and get a new CBA so that Toronto can compete.

billyfly
01-08-2010, 01:20 PM
Yes they are now like minor league baseball from what I've been told (and the way Major League Baseball was before interleague play)


This is exactly what Bob Lenarduzzi from Vancouver was saying last night.

They want to mesh together minor league baseball aspects with and into the European or Global tiered football league structure.

Detroit_TFC
01-08-2010, 09:32 PM
You mean like baseball ?

The conferences will be like MLS conferences, more relevant for the playoffs rather than the regular league fixtures. Every team will play each other, plus some since they said they are looking at a 30 or 32 game season. This could be rather entertaining when the rival affiliations are playing, I'm sure each group is going to put a lot of pressure on their respective teams to do well as the 2011 arrangements are worked out.

Cashcleaner
01-09-2010, 12:41 AM
NASL - USL makes my head spin. So now they are one league with two divisions? Two separate leagues that never play each other? Krykie.

Yeah, I'm scratching my head over this one as well. Personally, the whole thing sounds incredibly stop-gap as compromises go. I doubt the league(s) will carry on more than a few years with this set-up.

james
01-09-2010, 01:41 AM
the article said Rochester is a new team joining other ULS-1 teams to create a new USL conference, Rochester was already in USL-1 last season!

teams in NASL i think gotta better names as well. Not a fan of names like rowdies, Thunder and Aztec. Sounds like hockey or something.

james
01-09-2010, 01:46 AM
really tho i think the best thing that could happen for these teams is if MLS would buy into creatting a 10-12 team MLS-2. They wouldnnt have to have relegation and prmotion if the dont want one. But they could create MLS-2 format basicly the same as MLS-1 with same schedules and palyoffs and all. And MLS-2 teams would only play MLS-1 teams in the US Open Cup matches/ Canadian Championship (winner qualifies for Champions Leageu). I think more people would support a MLS-2 team since MLS is already a more respected brand name with 15 years behind it. I really think it would get more support then the new divisions they are tryying to create now. Cities that also want a soccer team cold buy into MLS-2 for a few million, and if support is good and they want to join MLS-1 further dont the road they could just add more money to buy into MLS-1. Would make the move even easier.