2009 draws rapidly to a close, and the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps are missing something really basic and essential as they make their plans for 2010.
A league to play in.
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It has already long-since been noted that the vast majority of USL-1 sides refuse to recognize Nu-Rock Holdings as the league’s new owner, and are attempting to split off and start NASL2 on their own.
Nu-Rock’s attempts at “diplomacy” have so far consisted of expelling franchises, cancelling player contracts en masse and filing lawsuits against teams like Tampa Bay, Rochester and Baltimore who caught the stink from the kitchen and are now trying to tip-toe out the back door.
All the while, the United States Soccer Federation – whose approval is needed for any league to operate – are doing everything they can to hold off making a decision, clearly hoping a solution is found that doesn’t involve their having to rule against one side or the other.
Meanwhile, Canada’s only two division-two pro sides – Vancouver MLS-bound in a year, Montreal most likely a year after – don’t actually know for certain if they will be playing soccer at all this summer.
It’s gone on long enough.
Dear USSF: There comes a point when a ruler loses the confidence of the mob, far past the point when staying in power is possible. Nu-Rock Holdings passed this point before it ever assumed the throne. The ownership decision was so controversial, most USL-1 teams took it on the arches before the new guys ever assumed the throne.
Since then, it’s been a one-way run to the exits. I don’t know what kind of soccer league Portland, Austin (if they still exist) and Puerto Rico can run on their own, but I can’t imagine any way it’s going to be worth the airfare.
The honourable thing would be for Nu-Rock to concede, and get on with the business of running USL-2 and the PDL, which is becoming a better-than-useful player development tool. If any actual binding contracts have been broken, and any real compensation is due, I’m sure the courts can hammer all that out.
USL-1 is dead. NASL2 is the de-facto second tier of men’s professional soccer in any parts of North America not flying red white and green flags.
The new league needs an official sanction from the USSF, so its players, teams and referees don’t face the footballing excommunication FIFA would gleefully impose on any rebel “outlaw” league.
This effort could get a huge boost if Portland, Austin (if they still exist) and Puerto Rico were nice enough to cross the floor and make NASL2 unanimous. Ducking lawsuits and staying loyal are admirable enough traits, but it seems impossible now that a USL-1 owned by Nu-Rock will ever kick off. It’s getting on for January and play has got to start in the spring.
Someone has to explain all this to Nu-Rock, in ways they can understand. If even your expansion teams are jumping ship, and you’re having to sue just to hold onto teams that have never played a single game at that level – well, good luck selling season tickets for preliminary hearings and settlement negotiations.
As 2009 ends, let this dispute end as well.
Who in all this blessed world knows if NASL2 actually has the smarts and infrastructure to pull this off? But as long as we know the Nu-Rock deal exists on paper only, and will never, ever grace a soccer pitch – well, isn’t it time to get something done?
Onward!