- December 2nd: USL-1 franchise Cleveland City Stars released their players from their contracts. The USL did not re-new Cleveland's contract for the 2010 season, but has stated that they are still looking to field a team in Ohio. The loss of Cleveland dropped the USL-1 to three returning teams from the 2009 season.
- December 6th: The USSF called together a meeting in New York between the NASL, USL, CSA (Canadian Soccer Association), PRFF (Puerto Rican Football Federation) to discuss the conflicts over the division two soccer league position. Reports indicated that the USSF put a gag order on all groups and wanted to resolve the issue quickly (like anything involving this mess has been quick)
- December 7th: The USSF release a press statement saying they held a 'productive' meeting with both parties. The Federation requested that the NASL and USL provide additional documentation by December 9th at which point the panel would investigate the issue further. An interesting note here is that the USSF acknowledges the NASL by name in an official press release for the first time.
- December 8th: The NASL gets a PR boost when Jeff Cooper announces the new St. Lous franchise will be called AC St. Louis and revealed the teams logo and colors. The team also announced that Claude Anelka, brother of Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka, would be their first head coach. The NASL PR team has done a great job of releasing positive news every few days to keep the focus on them and away from the USL.
- December 9th: The Kartik Report announced that the USL files the first of what could be a series of lawsuits against breakaway teams Rochester, Baltimore and Tampa Bay for breach of contract. The lawsuit path has turned this dispute onto a much uglier route, but one that many thought it would eventually come to. With the USSF bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, not having control over their own soccer leagues will not look favorable.
So that is where things stand at this point, with Thursday December 10th being the first day in five in which NASL/USL did not break. In the eyes of many fans and the media the NASL continues to grow with support, while teams pull away from the USL forcing them into the legal route. Even if the USL forces a few teams to return for one year the league has suffered a lot of PR damage. I think the USSF will review the requested documentation this weekend and most likely have another statement sometime next week which will hopefully indicate which way they are leaning.
Thoughts on all of this craziness? Which side do you support?
I support the NASL! NuRock are just the new owners of the USL. They did not create the USL and have done nothing for socer in America. NuRock has no place in American soccer history.
ReplyDeleteNuRock USL has no repect for the governing body of American soccer. They went over the head of the USSF and are filing public lawsuits. NuRock is abusing the American justice system and using it as a tool for coersion.
Much respect to the NASL for leaving the new USL owners. NuRock can keep the 3 letters (USL) they bought from NIKE, but they can't buy respect.
The fans support the NASL! The NASL are the ones who are committed to growing the sport of soccer in America. NuRock only want to exploit it as another way to make a dime.
NASL and the TOA have a big hand in the history of American soccer and are responsible for the success it has achieved. NuRock is trying to gain credit for the work of others.
I hope the USSF makes an example of NuRock by showing the world that the USSF is the governing body of soccer in America and not the USL.
GO NASL 2010!