NASL submits its bid for USSF Division 2 sanctioning

[Alberto7]

Saw this on Insidemnsoccer.com

Only 6 teams in the official bid with a possibility of adding 2 more and perhaps another. WTF is going on with Rochester?

http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2010/09/29/nasl-submits-bid-for-division-2-sanctioning-for-2011/

IMS has learned that the North American Soccer League (NASL) has commenced the process for sanctioning of Division-2 soccer. The NASL submitted the bid to the USSF on Monday and included only 6 of the 8 required teams. However, the bid process is now believed to be much more fluid than originally thought, and NASL executives are working with the USSF to make sure they are presenting their bid properly. The NASL believes they will eventually have 8 teams who will play in the 2011 season and it’s possible that they could have up to 10.

The six teams that were included in the bid all meet the financial requirements of the new USSF D-2 standards. The teams included were: Carolina RailHawks, FC Edmonton, Miami FC, Montreal Impact, FC Tampa Bay and the Puerto Rico Islanders.

IMS was told recently by a source who is involved with the Islanders that the team’s multiple owners have sold the necessary shares to team president Andy Guillemard-Noble who can meet the financial requirements of USSF.

It’s believed that the NASL is continuing to work with AC St. Louis and the NSC Minnesota Stars to make sure they are eventually included in the bid when they can meet the strict financial thresholds set out by the USSF. Those teams will also be important to achieve the USSF quota that 75% of teams are based in the US. Of the 6 teams initially involved with the bid, 50% are from outside of the US.

Ryan Woods, a St. Louis native, had previously told IMS he is currently in negotiations to purchase AC St. Louis and A-B Park from Jeff Cooper. “We are still in negotiations,” said Woods by phone on Wednesday. He indicated that negotiations continue to move forward and he is hopeful but did not have a deadline on when he believed things might be finalized.

It was also learned that Traffic Sports USA has been in negotiations with the National Sports Center (NSC) to become a partner of the Minnesota Stars and take over the player salary portion of the team.

Kris Bjerkness, general manager of the NSC Stars, would not confirm Traffic’s interest but he did speak of the team’s current situation on Wednesday. “Our status hasn’t changed,” said Bjerkness. “We are not in a position to be able to field a team next season unless we find a new partner or owner. We are still actively searching and have had discussions with numerous parties in that process.”

Bjerkness did not elaborate on his comment about a “new owner” which is not something that was previously discussed by the NSC. “While we support the efforts of the USSF to upgrade the standards for pro soccer, the new standards will necessitate that we find an organization or individual willing to join us as a financial partner,” said Bjerkness in a press release on August 30th.

The Rochester Rhinos are conspicuously absent from the NASL bid, even though team owner Rob Clark has a multi-year commitment to the NASL. Clark was contacted several times today for comment but did not return the calls. Clark has admitted to attending the Division-3 USL Pro meeting in Tampa in September and told IMS he was considering his options.

“I’m going to absorb all of the alternatives for the Rhinos should we choose not to participate in D2 next year,” said Clark in early September. “If the USL D3 league and its owners have their house in order and more importantly make decisions that make sense consistently, then I will have a very hard decision to make this off season.”

It was also learned that USL owners Rob Hoskins and Alex Papadakis attended the September 17th Rhinos home game against Miami FC which the Rhinos lost. The two USL owners sat with Clark in his suite.

Austin Aztex owner Phil Rawlins still seems to be holding his cards close to his chest, but the question is how much longer can he be noncommittal? Rawlins also attended the USL Pro meeting but currently USL Pro has no midwest teams. CEO Djorn Buchholz has said numerous times that Austin has no plans to play D3 and that it would make no sense from a geographical standpoint to join a league (D-3) which is based on the East Coast. Buchholz also said the team has plans on building a soccer-specific stadium with planning beginning in 2012.

It’s believed that Rawlins would not have any issues meeting the USSF financial requirements.

[ray]

Rochester has thrown their lot in with USL PRO.

http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/476335.html

Also Austin will relocate to Orlando and join USL PRO

http://www.austinaztex.com/news/headlines/index.html?article_id=466

Things are more precarious for the NASL with St. Louis and Minnesota not yet resolved and with more than 25% Non-American based franchises even if they retain those 2 cities. What are the options for the Canadian franchises if league does not get sanctioning? Can they still play as D3?

[Alberto7]

Rochester has thrown their lot in with USL PRO.

http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/476335.html

Also Austin will relocate to Orlando and join USL PRO

http://www.austinaztex.com/news/headlines/index.html?article_id=466

Things are more precarious for the NASL with St. Louis and Minnesota not yet resolved and with more than 25% Non-American based franchises even if they retain those 2 cities. What are the options for the Canadian franchises if league does not get sanctioning? Can they still play as D3?

Just read this on USLSoccer.com...Wow, what a surprising turn of events! No surprise with Austin/Orlando but I was sure Rochester would throw their support behind the NASL. The question is what happens now? Does the USSF sanction a very small 2nd division or allow Minnesota and St. Louis to join?

[jedinathan]

Interesting. I was under the assumption that Rochester was under an agreement with NASL. It will be interesting to hear what the response is from NASL. Rochester is still listed under teams playing for the NASL. I imagine things are a littl chaotic over there.

From the sounds of it, if the NASL is going to go forward as D2 in North America, then there are going to be some pretty big concessions made to approve them as a league by the USSF.

As for the options, common belief seems to be that the league will most likely go for D3 status if they are denied D2 status.

[foreverthursday]

As for the options, common belief seems to be that the league will most likely go for D3 status if they are denied D2 status.

That won't happen again. I doubt the USSF has any patience to allow to different leagues share a Division poorly ever, ever again.

I still want to know why the CSA Can't sanction the NASL as a Canadian Division II league that allows U.S. and Caribbean teams into it's folds. Add Victoria, Ottawa, and London for good measure and half the teams really are Canadian. Then force a CFL style ruling that each teams needs to field three to four Canadians and presto, a successful Canadian based pro league.

[jedinathan]

I hear ya Thursday... I was staring at the thread today (it was a REALLY quiet day at work) and it started occuring to me that the CSA could sanction them with a few American teams. It would piss off the USSF to no end, but it would mean that Canada could include Victoria, Ottawa, Hamilton, Calgary etc with no problems.

[e_2]

The CSA can sanction whatever it wants. But if the US teams want to play, the USSF needs to give them approval to play in a Canadian league, and why would the USSF do that.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

That won't happen again. I doubt the USSF has any patience to allow to different leagues share a Division poorly ever, ever again.

They already sanction multiple leagues at D4 level and in pro level indoor soccer so not sure that's a safe assumption to make at this point. Losing Rochester is a massive blow to the NASL. Think the sensible thing for them to do would be to try to join forces with USL Pro.

[ray]

They already sanction multiple leagues at D4 level and in pro level indoor soccer so not sure that's a safe assumption to make at this point. Losing Rochester is a massive blow to the NASL. Think the sensible thing for them to do would be to try to join forces with USL Pro.

With Miami, Tampa Bay and Orlando based in Florida and now 3 teams in Puerto Rico (Islanders + 2 USL PRO) it would be a good idea for the rival leagues to get back together. Entrenched positions and USSF D2 ownership requirements might stand in the way, though.

[ted]

Add Victoria, Ottawa, and London for good measure and half the teams really are Canadian.

Thanks for the kind thoughts but Victoria is nowhere near ready to be part of a nation-wide D2 league (NASL). I'd like to think we are ready for a regional D3 league (USL-Pro) but even that would be unlikely given our owners cautious, sustainable approach to building the club. I am pretty sure we have at least one more season before we can move to USL-Pro. Well unless Messers Nash and Mallet decide that they would rather support their hometown I suppose.

[jedinathan]

The CSA can sanction whatever it wants. But if the US teams want to play, the USSF needs to give them approval to play in a Canadian league, and why would the USSF do that.

Because they're feeling generous? Ya I know. Its never going to happen. USSF would never EVER do that.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

I've seen it claimed on here by somebody who was associated with the North York Rockets that the failure to gain sanctioning for would be American expansion franchises (think one was in the Chicago area?) from the USSF is what eventually scuppered the original CSL in 1993 after the Blizzard, 86ers and Impact moved to the APSL. I don't think they'd allow it when there is an element of competition with a high level pro league they are sanctioning. They have allowed American teams into the PCSL in the past, however, and I think teams from Buffalo occasionally played in the NSL back in the 70s so it isn't completely impossible at a lower level under certain circumstances.

Given it is difficult enough to put a D2 level league together on a North American basis (regular season air travel being the key to being D2 rather than D3 in this context) I'm not sure why anybody would expect to be able to do it with only Canadian teams. Clearly a case of people being driven by irrational emotion rather than practicality, which has always been a recipe for disaster in North American pro soccer. Only Edmonton is ready to go at that level right now but with a highly problematic stadium situation. Ottawa and Hamilton are predicated on yet to built CFL stadia (or an unlikely scenario of access to a minor league baseball stadium in Ottawa) and Victoria and London are on the small side in market size terms to be contemplating anything higher than PDL at this point.

[Macksam]

I've seen it claimed on here by somebody who was associated with the North York Rockets that the failure to gain sanctioning for would be American expansion franchises (think one was in the Chicago area?) from the USSF is what eventually scuppered the original CSL in 1993 after the Blizzard, 86ers and Impact moved to the APSL. I don't think they'd allow it when there is an element of competition with a high level pro league they are sanctioning. They have allowed American teams into the PCSL in the past, however, and I think teams from Buffalo occasionally played in the NSL back in the 70s so it isn't completely impossible at a lower level under certain circumstances.

Given it is difficult enough to put a D2 level league together on a North American basis (regular season air travel being the key to being D2 rather than D3 in this context) I'm not sure why anybody would expect to be able to do it with only Canadian teams. Clearly a case of people being driven by irrational emotion rather than practicality, which has always been a recipe for disaster in North American pro soccer. Only Edmonton is ready to go at that level right now but with a highly problematic stadium situation. Ottawa and Hamilton are predicated on yet to built CFL stadia (or an unlikely scenario of access to a minor league baseball stadium in Ottawa) and Victoria and London are on the small side in market size terms to be contemplating anything higher than PDL at this point.

Maybe USL Pro for Victoria and London.

[Johnnie Monster]

Here's a delusional fingers-crossed proposal: Form a new Div 2 by combining resurrected MLS reserve teams with the NASL clubs.

[jloome]

Here's a delusional fingers-crossed proposal: Form a new Div 2 by combining resurrected MLS reserve teams with the NASL clubs.

Not that delusional, not an awful idea.

[yomurphy1]

^ An awful idea. The presence of reserve teams in D2 would kill what could be strong D2. In order for fans to take the league seriously, all clubs must be independent.

[foreverthursday]

I read an article where it looks like Atlanta will have a team again, but the NASL site no longer has them there at all. I bet anything that in the coming weeks and months that the Silverbacks will be announced as a USL Pro team.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

^ An awful idea. The presence of reserve teams in D2 would kill what could be strong D2. In order for fans to take the league seriously, all clubs must be independent.

As long as it was set up like a AAA baseball team I think it could work but there is very little indication that MLS is moving in that direction at this point. The Whitecaps and Impact were clearly thinking along those lines when they moved to set up the NASL despite their MLS aspirations but it looks like they will both cease to be a factor at D2 level by 2011.

[jedinathan]

I think that the only way this would work would be to have it as a AAA set up.

Or it could be a temp agreement between the NASL and MLS for a few years to set up the NASL as a solid league and gain more teams before the NASL breaks off on its own.

You could even have it as a MLS reserve division vs the NASL.

[jedinathan]

From the NASL:

http://nasl.com/article/nasl-continues-to-build-on-strong-foundation

On the eve of the USSF D-2 Pro League final between two NASL clubs, the Carolina Railhawks and the Puerto Rico Islanders, the NASL announced that it will be hosting its AGM for the 2011 season on November 7 - 8, in Miami. Committed to play and grow at the second division level, the NASL members will be covering several topics including tentative schedule for next season, league staff and future expansion.

The NASL, while busy planning for the 2011 season, was surprised by league member Rochester Rhinos’ announcement earlier this week that they plan to play at the USSF third division level (USL PRO) despite their multi-year commitment with the NASL. The NASL is evaluating all of its options and will proceed accordingly. “It’s unfortunate that the Rochester Rhinos, a team with such a successful track record over its fifteen year history at the second division level, is stepping down to third division," said Aaron Davidson, CEO of the NASL.

Here's hoping that the AGM will have some answers for the future of the league and where they're standing with being sanctioned.

[Grizzly]

The one consistent thing with Rochester seems to be that whichever league they commit to for the next year, they will change their mind and then play in the other one.

[foreverthursday]

It looks like the USL Pro is trying to relocate Haiti's men's national team to Florida to play as a Division III team.

link to the article

[ChrisB]

Ottawa and Hamilton are predicated on yet to built CFL stadia (or an unlikely scenario of access to a minor league baseball stadium in Ottawa) and Victoria and London are on the small side in market size terms to be contemplating anything higher than PDL at this point.

Having been a very vocal and involved opponent of the stadium in Ottawa (or more accurately, the process and shopping surrounding the stadium), I can tell you that it is as done a deal as can be, unless a court challenge somehow stops it - Council is not going to overturn it. And the proponents have partnered with the Ottawa Fury to try and bring a USL team here, for what that is worth.

[jedinathan]

Final bid is in! Nov 21 seems to be the date when the decision will be made.

http://nasl.com/article/nasl-concludes-successful-agm-and-finalizes-ussf-application

http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2010/11/11/nasl-bid-for-sanctioning-division-2-soccer-includes-atlanta-and-minnesota/comment-page-1/

[Macksam]

Final bid is in! Nov 21 seems to be the date when the decision will be made.

http://nasl.com/article/nasl-concludes-successful-agm-and-finalizes-ussf-application

http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2010/11/11/nasl-bid-for-sanctioning-division-2-soccer-includes-atlanta-and-minnesota/comment-page-1/

Is the USSF still forcing that silly rule of limiting non-American teams to like 20% of the league or something?