As expected, compromise ruled the day.
The two disputing factions in the feud over who runs second-division men’s pro soccer in this part of the planet has been resolved – for the coming season, at least – under intense pressure from the United States Soccer Federation.
The two sides – old, existing USL-1 and new, rebellious NASL-2 – will each form a conference in a new 12-team league that will kick off this spring.
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Canada’s two sides, the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps, have been drawn in the “NASL Conference,” along with Carolina, Miami and expansion sides St. Louis and Baltimore. The “USL Conference” includes Portland, Rochester, Puerto Rico, Minnesota, Austin and new boys Tampa Bay.
Scheduling details have not been announced. But if we assume that the two sides still don’t really like each other, and each “conference” feels like it could be its own league a year from now because the other guys are jackasses yadda yadda so there, I think I see a way all this could be hugely good for the Canadian franchises.
Pure speculation, but let’s weight the schedule in favour in conference play. That could easily produce a 32-game regular season, where everyone plays their conference mates four times each, and the other guys twice.
All of a sudden, the ‘Caps and Impact get eight games against expansion teams in their own division. They also get four each against Miami, which has rarely played above bad expansion level for any sustained period of time. Carolina can be a fine squad, but there’s absolutely no difficulty securing high playoff spots here.
Tough, established sides like Portland, Rochester and Puerto Rico? Twice each. C’est tout.
Again, no one’s said this is how it will happen, but the sked length is about right, and it rather honestly reflects this “two-league” thing we’ve all been tap-dancing around since Nu-Rock Holdings bought the USL, and teams started jumping out of every door and window they could find.
No, there will not ultimately be two leagues. But I’m sure both factions are still planning ways to be “the one” in 2011 – when Vancouver and Portland move up to MLS, leaving bad teams, second-year teams, Rochester, Montreal and Carolina.
(Yeah, that’s tough on Minnesota. Bring it, boys!)
Most importantly up here, Montreal and Vancouver have a league to play in, and the Voyageurs Cup will go on unhindered. The future of the entire rest of the operation is still far from certain. But there should be a good share of sloppy wins for both Canadian sides come spring.
Onward!