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NASL submits its bid for USSF Division 2 sanctioning


Alberto7

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Another interesting snippet from Inside Minnesota Soccer:

http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2010/11/11/a-few-more-tidbits-on-the-nasl-bid/

...IMS has confirmed that the initial 8 teams are indeed, Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, FC Edmonton, FC Tampa Bay, Montreal Impact, Miami FC Blues, NSC Minnesota Stars and the Puerto Rico Islanders...San Antonio attended the AGM this past week and brings a powerful and experienced group to the table. San Antonio will begin play in 2012...The NASL has agreed to terms with another new franchise yet to be disclosed until official. this franchise is planning on playing in 2013...

and this comment:

I had written at one time that Vancouver had actually expressed interest in buying the team from Minnesota at one point, but I heard that once MLS announced a return of the reserve league they lost interest. However, I am hearing the Joey Saputo definitely wants to keep a team in the league

Wonder if the 2013 franchise is Ottawa or Hamilton? Good news that they now have 8 teams and have American teams lined up outside of the Eastern timezone (important from a D2 sanctioning standpoint). Surprising that number eight to make up the numbers in 2011 would be Atlanta rather than St Louis.

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It wouldn't surprise me if Minnesota and Atlanta were being kept afloat by the rest of the league. FIFA has a requirement for national, professional leagues to have eight teams in them. The USSF could give the NASL a waiver on the 20% non-American teams rule or the $20 million majority owner rule, but it would have to go to FIFA if they wanted a league with fewer than eight teams. The USSF may have quietly told the NASL that if they can guarantee eight teams in 2011 however they do it, sanctioning will happen.

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The funding from other teams thing has definitely been strongly rumoured and the USSF can hardly object given Dallas and Columbus still have the same I/O in an MLS context. Maybe the move to Atlanta is a case of "revenge being a dish that is best tasted cold" given that's where Nurock Soccer Holdings (current owners of the USL) are based?

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Another interesting snippet from Inside Minnesota Soccer:

http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2010/11/11/a-few-more-tidbits-on-the-nasl-bid/

...IMS has confirmed that the initial 8 teams are indeed, Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, FC Edmonton, FC Tampa Bay, Montreal Impact, Miami FC Blues, NSC Minnesota Stars and the Puerto Rico Islanders...San Antonio attended the AGM this past week and brings a powerful and experienced group to the table. San Antonio will begin play in 2012...The NASL has agreed to terms with another new franchise yet to be disclosed until official. this franchise is planning on playing in 2013...

and this comment:

I had written at one time that Vancouver had actually expressed interest in buying the team from Minnesota at one point, but I heard that once MLS announced a return of the reserve league they lost interest. However, I am hearing the Joey Saputo definitely wants to keep a team in the league

Wonder if the 2013 franchise is Ottawa or Hamilton? Good news that they now have 8 teams and have American teams lined up outside of the Eastern timezone (important from a D2 sanctioning standpoint). Surprising that number eight to make up the numbers in 2011 would be Atlanta rather than St Louis.

Probably Ottawa. I don't think Hamilton will have their stadium done by 2013.

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Problem with Ottawa in this context is that the CFL ownership group and the Fury have been aligned with the USL rather than the NASL. Looks like it might be Austin, Texas based on what is being posted elsewhere:

http://football-miami-n-beyond.blogspot.com/2010/11/strikers-miami-fc-players-on-move-nasl.html

No real information on the AGM that took place this weekend. We hope to have some information soon. We can confirm the following teams attended Puerto Rico Islanders, Carolina RailHawks, Montreal Impact, Miami FC Blues, FC Tampa Bay, Crystal Palace Baltimore, FC Edmonton, AC St. Louis, Atlanta, NSC Minnesota Stars and San Antonio. The amount of teams or groups attending is a positive sign of things to come.

Our sources out of Austin tells us a minority owner of the now defunct Aztex was at the meeting and is looking at bringing a new team back to Austin by 2012.

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The USSF are probably willing to give the NASL a waiver on the requirement of 75% American teams since the Impact are gone after next year. However, NASL should not count on this in the future. They'll have to add some more American teams before they can legitimately replace Montreal with another Canadian team. The league's stated plans for expanding into Canada are on the back burner now compared to U.S. expansion.

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The 25% non-US limit has always been there, for what it's worth. This is reputed to be the old set of pro division standards set by the USSF prior to the addition of the extra requirement that the principle owner must have a net worth of $20 million:

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=21874997&postcount=176

I see. I suppose Hamilton will be the next Canadian team after Edmonton. Ottawa will probably go the USL Pro route.

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