There is poetry behind seeing the backs of Don Garber (right) and Sunil Gulati, in light of the USSF's decision on Wednesday regarding second division soccer. (Photo: Flickr/-jk)
Over the last year-and-a-half, soccer in North America has experienced tremendous growth.
Thanks to increased commercial viability, soccer has started to transcend the widely held, patronizing view that it’s little more than a kids’ sport. But those views still exist, particularly as we see a divide forming between the European football fans and domestic soccer supporters. It seems people are starting to view these as completely unrelated games, a possible product of the false generalizations which continue to deceive the continent’s media, potential players, would-be sponsors, and possible supporters.
In the United States, people who care about the sport can not rely on inertia or momentum to build the sport. The negativity present in fans of more established spectator sports can still retard the progress soccer has make, and in a crowded media landscape where coverage may be a zero-sum game, soccer’s ability to reach its potential means being open to all ways in which the sport can grab the imagination of potential consumers. Progress means fostering as many options as possible: youth, amateur, professional, international.
As a brief exercise, though, let’s consider one theoretical model for undermining that progress: find a way to disenfranchise supporters; do it in large markets; do it in on a mass-scale; and if possible, have an authority figure within the sport do the disenfranchising.
For example, what if – all of a sudden – millions of potential supporters across the continent had their growing, local clubs undermined, the effect was immediate and simultaneous, and it was enacted by the sport’s governing body?
Sounds pretty diabolical, right? Conspiratorial, Lex Luthor-type stuff? I agree, but I also just you gave a general description of what happened on Wednesday, December 30.
Qwest Field in Seattle, home of one of the lead stories of the 2090 Major League Soccer season, has come to symbolize the potential and importance of second division soccer. (Photo: Flickr/photocoyote)
Abdication and the Disenfranchised Fanbase
December 30, 2009 was the day the United States Soccer Federation eliminated the second division of soccer for the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. That elimination may be temporary, but for now it’s done. The United Soccer Leagues had its sanctioning revoked while the promoted North American Soccer League had its petition rejected.
Depending on how you count the teams up to fifteen cities have lost their second division club. These aren’t small “minor league” cities. In Canada, strong franchises in Montreal and Vancouver are adrift. Portland is in a year of limbo. Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Miami, St. Louis, Minnesota, Baltimore, Carolina – all of cities who have franchises in other major sports, and all of them have been left without second division soccer.
If you look at the population figures in-and-around the affected cities, the USSF’s decision disenfranchises millions of potential fans. The current reality: there are probably hundreds of thousands of fans who either went to matches, followed teams via media, or had some level of “following” of their team. Those people lost their leagues Wednesday, and if neither the NASL nor USL comes back for 2010, those fans probably lost their club.
Today, those fans are like the Timbers club – in limbo – though not all of them have a one year sunset on their uncertainty. There are some followers in (for example) Austin, Texas who only follow the Aztex. Some aren’t Major League Soccer fans. Most don’t follow Europe. They may follow the Men’s National Team, and that’s it. Except for the three or four times a year they are able to watch the national team play, they are no longer are follower of the sport, should Wednesday’s decision hold.
USSoccer.com has become the pipeline for all information concerning the USSF. (Photo: January '10 screenshot)
Alternatives Denied. Purpose Ignored.
There is little the United States Soccer Federation can say to justify a decision that causes such disenfranchisement. Consider the USSF’s expressed purpose, as articulated on the federation’s web site:
In this time, the Federation’s mission statement has been very simple and very clear: to make soccer, in all its forms, a preeminent sport in the United States and to continue the development of soccer at all recreational and competitive levels.
In all its forms.
Continue the development of soccer.
At all recreational and competitive levels.
The USSF has contradicted its mission statement.
If fostering the sport in the United States was one of Wednesday’s chief goals, the USSF would not completely turn it’s back on the second division and the fans who support it; rather, the USSF would provide guidance during this troubling time, help form – if not temporarily run – a league.
Showing the different mindsets within the federation, and how one externally-motivated mindset is controlling the body: The idea of a unified league for 2010 has been floated by people within the federation, but it has been struck down by the Board of Governors.
At least one faction within the federation is supportive of 2010 second division soccer. That faction put forth the idea of the USSF governing a league for one season. This would give each club a place to play for the next season while buying time for each league (or, more readily, each club) to determine their 2011 future without being bound to some 2010 agreements that are being precarious. This solution would certify neither the NASL nor USL but provide a framework within which they could work to meet the concerns of the USSF.
This is the kind of compromise proposal and leadership for which second division fans across this country have been calling, yet it is the type of proposal the Board of Governors is currently disinclined to support. Consistent with their previous feelings regarding the governing of leagues below Major League Soccer, the USSF (via its governors) currently frowns upon the idea of a unified league for 2010. While there have long been feelings within the USSF that the federation should take a greater interest in developing league play beyond MLS (and integrating those leagues, in some way, with the first division), the USSF as a whole continues to distance itself from leagues other than Major League Soccer.
If the USSF is truly, primarily concerned with supporting soccer, growing soccer in the United States, then why – at this moment when it looks like so many players could lose their jobs – is the federation shying away from support, growth, helping keep the second division alive for 2010?
Providing a Structure for Conflict
Many people abhor conspiracies, but in trying to find a motivation behind the USSF’s actions, it’s difficult to dismiss the influence of the USSF-MLS, Gulati-Kraft-Garber relationship.
Sunil Gulati, current president of the USSF, is still employed by Kraft Soccer as president of the New England Revolution. Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer, also sits on the USSF’s Board of Directors (as well as runs Soccer United Marketing).
Whether you feel the NASL/USL decision was motivated by these links is one thing, but we are beyond thinking discussion of these links conspiratorial. A structure of leadership is in place to inextricably, incontrovertibly link MLS to USSF, and when decisions provide little recourse than to analyze them in terms of benefits to Major League Soccer, the relationship between the USSF and MLS power brokers becomes inconvenient for supporter and decision-maker alike.
If you dismiss the motivation of USSF and MLS to temporarily suppress second division soccer, consider who is only one entity that stands to benefit from Wednesday’s decision. As we’ve discussed, it’s not the fans. And the players who are going to lose their paycheck (many of whom will leave soccer to find a whole other line of work)? Even worse-off.
The clubs are in a worse place now now than last week, as are the leagues, the sport, and even the USSF, which has taken a credibility hit.
The only major player helped by Wednesday’s decision is Major League Soccer, exhibit one of that intent being the revocation of second division sanction of USL.
The USSF could have kept their hands completely clean of this whole affair and said “we’ve already sanctioned USL,” but instead they eliminated second division football in a decision that could help protect Major League Soccer during this impending time of labor unrest.
With the collective bargaining agreement with its players about to expire, MLS could be looking to increase leverage. Given the opportunity to (if only temporarily) eliminate a second division that would be a viable option for the large number of MLS players making towards the left-end of the league’s pay spectrum, the USSF may have acted, particularly seeing an upstart NASL with investment from entities like Traffic Sports (a major brand in South American soccer). The impending MLS work stoppage could open the door for another entity to grab a foot-hold in the U.S. soccer landscape. What’s more: it could be used by the players as leverage in bargaining. Why not just knee-cap that option?
This is all speculation, but it’s speculation fostered by two things. First, it is unfortunately the most viable scenario we are given, particularly in light of sanctioning being withdrawn for the previously-certified second division league. Second, the relationship between USSF and MLS, Sunil Gulati and Robert Kraft and Don Garber, begs criticism from every person concerned with the growth of soccer on this continent.
To Move Forward
It is time to start critically evaluating the USSF and ask whether the current leadership has the sport’s best interests in mind. If the federation is truly concerned with growing soccer “in all forms” and “at all . . . competitive levels,” then somebody needs to be held accountable for the decision to take away soccer from so many supporters. The mass alienation of thousands of fans, millions of potential fans, is an offense that begs dismissal. When something happens that is so counter-to the growth of a still-aspiring sport, somebody else needs to be running the operation. Either the current leadership’s vision has warped or the oversight is debilitatingly lax.
Sunil Gulati should no longer be head of the United States Soccer Federation. Even if he did not have ties that often align himself with a league’s business interests more than the growth of a sport, the current state of soccer in the United States is unacceptable. At a time where interest in club football as at an all-time high, the U.S. club football game continues to see its fans forsake the domestic game for Europe. Being too biased to foster solutions in the first division and having provided a debilitating solution for the second, Gulati has shown that he should not be running the organization tasked with being the country’s soccer caretaker.
Even though there is a possibility that the current USSF Board of Directors could still exert pressure on Gulati to approve the NASL’s petition (should a solution with the USL not be worked out), the board’s unanimous support of Wednesday’s decision is equally unacceptable. The Board of Directors needs to be replaced at the USSF. If not that whole board, certainly (at least) Don Garber needs to go, if for no other reason than to start eliminating the conflicts that have made the USSF a subdivision of MLS, the conflicts that have eliminated second division football.
It is extremely patronizing of soccer supporters in the U.S. that Kraft, Major League Soccer, and the USSF think that these kind of conflicts would not motivate a response from the public, particularly given the NASL/USL abdication. The depressing part: They may be right, if the soccer-loving public in this country does not demand change.
The problem is how to affect this change. The USSF and MLS (and SUM) have set-up a leadership structure that makes them impervious to these types of criticisms. With their Michael Kammerman-tight-fisted control of the media, you won’t see pressure exerted by writers at ESPN or press organizations who, employing foreign journalists, would have to reassign their writers should press credentials to cover the national team or MLS be revoked. You certainly won’t see USSoccer.com, moving towards a monopoly of coverage of the national team, talk about the federation’s problems, and the blue-collar writers who can not risk credential-revocation for losing their family’s means of economic support surely can not bite the hand that feeds them. The fact that this type of media-system even exists is another reason for change within the USSF.
If you ever wonder why a disproportionate amount of soccer coverage in the United States comes from blogs, consider the preceding paragraph. If you ever get frustrated or worried by this, consider how you can show your disapproval.
There is a fine line between protesting the organization and undermining the product. You don’t want to hurt the players and you don’t want to hurt the teams, but be it with signs at the stadia, calls to radio shows, feedback to the players, coaches, and club officials you talk to, start telling people that the United States need not follow the same corrupt, political models of running the sport that we see other places in the world – models which used to be a bit funny, to us.
Now that we see blue-collar players on the verge of losing jobs, clubs that are community fixtures on the verge of folding, and a first division leadership that may have just undermined an entire second division structure in the name of collective bargaining leverage, these type of conflicts are not so funny. They are, unfortunately, the United States Soccer Federation.
“There are followers in Austin, Texas who only follow the Axtex. Some aren’t Major League Soccer fans. Most don’t follow Europe. They probably follow the Men’s National Team, and that’s it.”
Dead wrong.
There are Austin soccer fans who follow not only the Aztex, but MLS, EPL clubs (including Stoke City), Mexican soccer clubs and their National team and other European clubs. There always a fan base watching EPL and European soccer matches at Cuatros, Fados and other local pubs here in Austin. Plus there is an Chantico’s Army’s (Austin Aztex supporters group) watching party at Cuatros when the Aztex play away as well as the U.S Men’s soccer team. Our local fan base is more diverse & knowledgeable about the game instead of being narrow minded as you would claim in your article.
http://nativeaztexan.blogspot.com/
http://www.chanticosarmy.com/cajoomla/index.php
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James: I completely agree and know fans of Austin like that. That’s why I imply some, not all.
That phenomenon is also present in other NA clubs …
… and clubs around the world, where there’s an element that loves the club but don’t follow anything else.
I tried hard to make sure that I didn’t say something like “all followers” or “followers only.”
I think my statement is fine, but I’m sorry that we’re there’s miscommunication on it. I want all Aztex fans to know that I intended no slight by what I said, and I can not really think of a club with whom I’m familiar that the same comments would not apply.
Overreact much?
If USSF is trying to suppress 2nd division soccer, then why did they put forth multiple compromise solutions that would have 2nd division soccer in 2010, at least one of which was OK by the USL, but not the NASL?
This a situation caused by the owners of the TOA/NASL. They are the ones that chose to try and breakaway from the USL and start up their own league.
It’s obvious that they did not do enough prep work to make this happen in a timely manner.
They also miscalculated that getting Tampa Bay, Baltimore, and Rochester to jump to the NASL would be the death blow to the USL.
The USSF has much bigger fish to fry than 2nd division soccer. YOu know, things like the upcoming World Cup in South Africa and their bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Instead of blaming the USSF, I would point the finger at the people that created this situation: the owners of the TOA/NASL.
Or you can go back and blame Nike for not selling the USL-1 to the TOA…….
If somebody is going to say I’m overreacting, I’m going to have a difficult time defending it. Sometimes we write what we feel and justify it as much as possible. Even though I disagree with you, James, I can’t dismiss your reaction.
As far as “miscalculated that getting Tampa Bay, Baltimore, and Rochester to jump to the NASL would be the death blow to the USL,” to my knowledge, I have never written any such thing.
James, read the press release reaction from the USL and TOA after Wednesday’s decision. The TOA one was committed to finding consensus while the USL one read like an angry, bitter defense of their business plan.
And for the record, I can report the USL has been LESS WILLING to compromise than the TOA. Whether they should compromise or not is another matter. The TOA says USL’s structure violates FIFA rules- it does, but so does MLS’ and if the USSF is going to tolerate and in fact promote MLS’ violation of FIFA statutes, why must USL be held to a different standard by both the TOA and USSF? Shouldn’t the USL then be left alone and not be forced to compromise as the USSF has asked?
Also, the English FA would never say despite their 2018 bid that second division football is not important to them- in fact they run the 2nd, 3rd and 4th divisions for all intents and purposes.
If the USSF which is now a multi million $ business, cannot multi-task, that is a problem when they are making money hand over fist this past decade. An administrative body should function more like a governing body and less like an agenda driven group of well meaning volunteers. Unfortunately, the USSF often resembles the later.
Chicken Littles, please stop!
Please, oh please, Richard and Katrik, try to stay objective. I read both press releases, and found the USL to be just as willing to compromise. I found neither to be overly excited about the idea, but both were resolute. Any other opinion is just representative of bitterness because the NASL wasn’t approved.
Please stop trying to fan the flames with this trash about “abandonning thousands of fans.” The USSF made the publicly face-saving decision for both parties; They didn’t have to pick sides, neither side has to admit they backed down, and it gets solved. Everything will be just fine for 2010 in the next few weeks, and if the NASL still wants to go ahead in 2011, they can.
A great deal needs to be discussed in this article. I’m glad we are having this conversation. For too long US Soccer and MLS have prevented us from having this conversation.
” In the United States, people who care about the sport can not rely on inertia or momentum to build the sport. The negativity present in fans of more established spectator sports can still retard the progress soccer has make, and in a crowded media landscape where coverage may be a zero-sum game, soccer’s ability to reach its potential means being open to all ways in which the sport can grab the imagination of potential consumers. Progress means fostering as many options as possible: youth, amateur, professional, international.”
I do not believe the negativity of some fans will retard the progress of the sport. That is MLS/USSF spin. This sport is not going anywhere in this country. NASL I failed because it came at a time when we knew less about soccer than we do today. If anything, it is the failure of the USSF and MLS to allow dissenting points of view that will kill this sport.
“Depending on how you count the teams up to fifteen cities have lost their second division club. These aren’t small “minor league” cities. In Canada, strong franchises in Montreal and Vancouver are adrift. Portland is in a year of limbo. Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Miami, St. Louis, Minnesota, Baltimore, Carolina – all of cities who have franchises in other major sports, and all of them have been left without second division soccer.”
This is a critical point. MLS has largely chosen markets based on where AEG or the Hunts/Krafts did business and other external factors. Now the USSF is saying to some big league cities, especially Atlanta, Miami and Minnesota, you cannot have a team that aspire to be big league because you are not run by the right person or in a chosen club.
“This is the kind of compromise proposal and leadership for which second division fans across this country have been calling, yet it is the type of proposal the Board of Governors is currently disinclined to support. Consistent with their previous feelings regarding the governing of leagues below Major League Soccer, the USSF (via its governors) currently frowns upon the idea of a unified league for 2010. While there have long been feelings within the USSF that the federation should take a greater interest in developing league play beyond MLS (and integrating those leagues, in some way, with the first division), the USSF as a whole continues to distance itself from leagues other than Major League Soccer.”
The USSF backed by a media and blogosphere full of enablers makes this possible. USL has been marginalized. Even some writers from this site (Kartik Krishnaiyer) shamefully buckle to the pressure from angry fans taking their cue from this press and the MLS. That writer caved into angry pressure from an organized mob of internet fans when he conceded to no longer covering USL as it deserved to be covered on MLS Talk and shifted his coverage to this site and to his own personal website. I like Kartik, but I thought that was cowardly and allowed the mob to take over. He wonders why they bully him now on that site, calling him un-American and the like, well that is why. If you don’t stand up to this herd of USSF/MLS lakhis, you forever are on the defensive.
Sunil Gulati, current president of the USSF, is still employed by Kraft Soccer as president of the New England Revolution. Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer, also sits on the USSF’s Board of Directors (as well as runs Soccer United Marketing).
An obvious point that is constantly avoided: If the USSF actually ran the football league in this country, it would be permissible. But with the current independent setup, this is a massive conflict. Gulati has consistently made decisions that could be interpreted as being made as an MLS employee and not as head of the FA.
“With the collective bargaining agreement with its players about to expire, MLS could be looking to increase leverage. Given the opportunity to (if only temporarily) eliminate a second division that would be a viable option for the large number of MLS players making towards the left-end of the league’s pay spectrum, the USSF may have acted, particularly seeing an upstart NASL with investment from entities like Traffic Sports (a major brand in South American soccer). The impending MLS work stoppage could open the door for another entity to grab a foot-hold in the U.S. soccer landscape. What’s more: it could be used by the players as leverage in bargain. Why not just knee-cap that option?
This is all speculation, but it’s speculation fostered by two things. First, it is unfortunately the most viable scenario we are given, particularly in light of sanctioning being withdrawn for the previously-certified second division league. Second, the relationship between USSF and MLS, Sunil Gulati and Robert Kraft and Don Garber, begs criticism from every person concerned with the growth of soccer on this continent.”
It is pretty obvious that the USSF is so preoccupied with MLS, that they initially did not even care if USL or the NASL did not exist in 2010. Now they are scared that the NASL has their ducks in a row and is looking to slow them down.
“It is extremely patronizing of soccer supporters in the U.S. that Kraft, Major League Soccer, and the USSF think that these kind of conflicts would not motivate a response from the public, particularly given the NASL/USL abdication. The depressing part: They may be right, if the soccer-loving public in this country does not demand change.”
They have so tightly controlled supporters for years whom are fearful any meaningful critics will lead the sport to disappear, they cannot be faulted for thinking they would get off unscathed again.
“There is a fine line between protesting the organization and undermining the product. You don’t want to hurt the players and you don’t want to hurt the teams, but be it with signs at the stadia, calls to radio shows, feedback to the players, coaches, and club officials you talk to, start telling people that the United States need not follow the same corrupt, political models of running the sport that we see other places in the world – models which used to be a bit funny, to us.”
From your mouth to god’s ears, Richard Farley. I however, hold out little hope that the US Supporter will change his or her ways. They are so slavishly obedient to whatever MLS wants and by extension the USSF, that any critical thinking applied towards the way the sport is governed and conducted here automatically becomes hatred of soccer.
My question for years, and why I have basically stopped posting on blogs and now block my IP address is why for the life of Brian do the US supporters who aspire to be big time in the world’s game resort to banana republic like small peanuts methods? It’s an inherent contradiction. If you want to be big time, act like it. Constructive criticism and evolving models of governance are part of being big time.
Kartik, not Katrik. My apologies for the misspelling.
How is the USSF removing sanctioning from a twnty three year old league the right thing CVO?
What was their explanation for removing sanctioning from the USL besides they highly subjective standard that they do not believe either league can operate properly in 2010?
Do they have a specific set of guidelines and thresholds that were not met by either league? Why aren’t we told what thresholds the leagues applying did not meet?
I ask, because I remain cynical as to the reasons for rejection. The USSF has a very hostile relationship with those who ask the wrong questions, and often times they avoid answering the types of questions that Soccer Associations do in the rest of the world, and other sports governing bodies do here at home.
The pity is that they get away with it. Can you imagine if the NCAA when the WAC lost eight teams in the late 1990s withdrew sanctioning without proper explanation? A firestorm of scorn would have been rightly heaped on them.
But in this case, we haven’t been given an explanation. Just like the manager of the national team feels he doesn’t have to answer questions about player selection and MLS constantly says the world is so sunny until the players, most of whom are American actually ask to be fairly compensated based on their value to the owners, and sponsors of the league, this situation smacks of hypocrisy and incompleteness from the USSF.
Again, a structure that resembles a group of well meaning volunteers with a clear agenda. That’s where the USSF is- I applaud those like Alan Rothenberg, Sunil Gulati, and others that got us this far, but the structure and systems are now dated and have failed to keep up with the explosion of interest for the sport in this country- the same can be said for MLS’ arcane single entity structure which the MLSPU is bravely fighting to destroy.
FootyGuru:
“Now the USSF is saying to some big league cities, especially Atlanta, Miami and Minnesota, you cannot have a team that aspire to be big league because you are not run by the right person or in a chosen club.”
What?!
Those are places where teams at either D-1 or D-2 have failed miserably, over and over. Why should they try their again (esp. Miami and Atlanta)? For osccer, these cities are definitely NOT big league.
Thanks for taking the time to write the comment, Footy Guru. Good stuff which I hope people read, and there is a lot there that embodies the feelings floating around one side of this story.
CVO: “Chicken Littles.” Interesting, because I’ve heard that other places during this last year. People called Brian and Kartik similar things during the last six months, but look where we are now: no second division. I completely understand why people would think that’s not a big deal, but chicken littles? That’s so six months ago.
Thank phrase aside, I respect what you’re saying. I’m trying to give people some insight (and opinion) as to why those press releases read as they do, as you can not judge any story by the mere testimony of the offended parties.
“arcane single entity structure which the MLSPU is bravely fighting to destroy.”
Some things need to change in the CBA, I agree, but replace ‘bravely’ with ’seflishly naive’ in that sentence, and you’ve got it right.
It can only be considered arcane once it’s usefulness has past. I continue to believe it is necessary, and that the genius of it is why MLS is still in existence today. This is why Garber’s worth $3 million a year to keep him here. Topredoing the single enity model before, say, the 2022 World Cup (if it’s here) would be akin to suicide, ala NASL 1.0
“I continue to believe it is necessary, and that the genius of it is why MLS is still in existence today. This is why Garber’s worth $3 million a year to keep him here. Topredoing the single enity model before, say, the 2022 World Cup (if it’s here) would be akin to suicide, ala NASL 1.0″
First, I think that Garber has done a great job as commissioner of MLS, however, I want to ask you CVO (b/c I think you have good reasons) why you think we need single-entity right now. For example, wouldn’t abandoning single-entity but enforcing spending restrictions alleviation some the the NASL 1.0 concerns?
Interested in your views.
The USSF backed by a media and blogosphere full of enablers makes this possible. USL has been marginalized. Even some writers from this site (Kartik Krishnaiyer) shamefully buckle to the pressure from angry fans taking their cue from this press and the MLS. That writer caved into angry pressure from an organized mob of internet fans when he conceded to no longer covering USL as it deserved to be covered on MLS Talk and shifted his coverage to this site and to his own personal website. I like Kartik, but I thought that was cowardly and allowed the mob to take over. He wonders why they bully him now on that site, calling him un-American and the like, well that is why. If you don’t stand up to this herd of USSF/MLS lakhis, you forever are on the defensive.
Point well taken, Footy Guru. I regret giving into that mob that seem to misinterpret any commentary I give and also fail to read the explanations and comprehend for the analysis I offer. Thank you for that criticism, and I wish I had not opened the door for them to call me anti-MLS, un-American, and a hater.
I believed in that particular case, removing USL coverage from MLS Talk would show my loyalty and commitment to bettering MLS while not “forcing” USL on those fans who clearly did not care about it. What the move did was in fact build a strong following for my personal site of USL fans, while allowing the MLS fans ton continue to go to MLS Talk without any fear of USL coverage. But in fact it did embolden them to start attacking everything I wrote in a malicious and bullying way, and yes I regret the decision and loudly announcing that I was responding to readers complaints in doing so.
CVO
I am from Atlanta so I can tell you both Atlanta and Miami have HUGE support for the sport, but have not bought into the single entity model of MLS.
Why do you think New York and New England have struggled so much as well? MLS appears to be minor league to a number of the ethnic fans and those who grew up with the NASL in this markets.
Soccer failed in Miami and Tampa Bay but suceeded in Kansas City? That’s simplistic considering the TV viewership and attendance was generally higher in Florida than in KC.
AEG did not want to take over the Florida franchises so they were contracted. The Fusion in fact averaged more people per game the second half of their final season than 7 of the existing 11 other teams in the league that year.
Promotion/Relegation is part of this sport, and saying like Kartik said on that podcast, that Columbus a small college town can have a permanent first division team, but Atlanta, a city with enough sporting, cultural and political signifgance to host the Summer Olympics can never have a team is stupid and silly.
Single entity served a pupose, but if MLS is as strong today as Garber keeps claiming in all these state of the league speeches and interviews with the press, why must the structure which is based more on survival and enforced parity than anything need to stay?
Gulati and Garber are criminals who need to be removed from USSF. It is time for a complete revolution. We need unbiased, neutral, leaders who are motivated by the good of the sport, its player, clubs, and fans. Flood USSF with email and Tweets calling for accountability and the heads of these two men (figuratively, of course…), blog, do anything you can. Call these criminals out! If the main stream media has been compromised, we the fans need to get our hands dirty. It is no longer about USL vs NASL, or MLS vs Division 2! These are side issues the USSF is exploiting, turning fans against each other. If you stick up for these idiots, you are part of the problem, and you are in the way of the growth of our sport. You are not guiltless.
Richard Farley,
Great read: well thought-out, provocative and written with a sincere concern for soccer’s well-being in N.A.
Being from Montreal and involved in soccer at all levels up to and including University and elite soccer here in Quebec, I’ve followed with great interest the various discussion boards in regard to the question at hand: will division 2 soccer be played in N.A. in 2010?
As most of us realize, it would be inadmissible if there weren’t D2 soccer in 2010. I for one believe the answer will be ‘yes’!
As a north-of-the-border soccer fan, it appears to me that MLS/USSF have painted themselves into a corner. Obviously they didn’t expect the NASL to run head on into the impending MLS work stoppage. They probably thought things would continue “as usual”. The USSF neglected to deal with USL D1 problems between the TOA and the USL. This neglect I honestly believe has created a very negative image of American soccer abroad and in Canada: a sort of BLACK EYE that severely tarnishes America’s soccer reputation which could/would/will hinder the USA’s bid for the World Cup in the future.
This private-club mentality seems prevalent at the USSF and neglect to resolve the TOA-NASL/USLD1 issue has brought us to where we are.
USL First Division season play began on Sat, April 11th for the 2009 season. Not all teams necessarily begin tryouts in January, therefore I believe some of points Richard has postulated merit attention, notably the USSF taking over for 2010 (only) the schedule for D1 soccer in N.A. This would release much of the pressure although not all with the impending MLS work stoppage.
MLS need to carefully weigh their fears of losing players to D1 and learn to compromise in negotiations with the MLS players entity.
As I mentioned above, timing and the time-line means everything. April 1 means teams must be in team-building mode (and all that this implies) by February 1 at the latest. This means that there MUST be significant progress in USL-NASL negotiations before Friday, January 15. The 7 day deadline the USSF placed should be extended realistically. On a // basis, MLS must create momentum in resolving the impending players conflict. Otherwise, the situation will deteriorate rapidly. So pressures are building on all key ‘players’: USL, NASL, MLS and USSF. Heads roll if there is no solution at hand.
Garber, Gulati, USL and NASL will suffer serious consequences if there is no ’satisfactory’ compromise which will allow for a tier-2 soccer league in N.A. for the 2010 season. Mismanagement of this situation in the past 12 months or so has created this bottleneck. Now, you just can’t close your eyes and imagine it going away magically.
I believe, in conclusion, that if this conflict isn’t resolved, and I mean ALL its interlocking components, TO THE SATISFACTION OF all NORTH AMERICAN SOCCER FANS (incl. P.R.), then the US can bid farewell to any World Cup pretensions in the foreseeable future. Just as the USA lost and Brazil won with their Olympic bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
This should be sufficient motivation to Gulati and Garber to resolve such a small issue with incalculable consequences.
Best, Georges
In my previous post I wrote: “USL First Division season play began on Sat, April 11th for the 2009 season. Not all teams necessarily begin tryouts in January, therefore I believe some of points Richard has postulated merit attention, notably the USSF taking over for 2010 (only) the schedule for D1 soccer in N.A. This would release much of the pressure although not all with the impending MLS work stoppage.”
D1 should read D2. Mon erreur, merci, Georges
No worries, Georges. We knew what you meant. Great comment. Thanks for taking the time to provide it.
One thing that needs to be mentioned more: a lot of soccer fans in Canada and Puerto Rico are now at the mercy of the USSF. I know the CSA continues to leave its doors open to Vancouver and Montreal and are ready to have the sanctioned to play in 2010, but I can’t help but feel back for players, clubs, and fans from Canada and Puerto Rico who now have to wait around for the U.S. governing body to get their act together.
These conflicts and the web of secrecy and deciet has existed around US Soccer, MLS and USL for years.
Because the sport was not covered prior to the advent of blogs except by a handful of writers who were USSF/MLS “approved’,” the powers that be formed what is essentially a secret society to protect an entrentched cartel.
But blogs like this and the access to European leagues on TV has changed everything. We are mow far more sophisticated and savvy about the sport and how it should be structured and run.
It is inevitable that the chains that dominate the USSF will be broken and eventually crushed. But we need braver writers and real investigative bloggers to do the job.
Great discussion. It fills me with a lot of pride to see the passion that we have here regarding our clubs and our leagues. We have come a long way since 1990. Unfortunately, some organizations are led by people with influence instead of people with leadership qualities and dare I say it, ethics.
“An administrative body should function more like a governing body and less like an agenda driven group of well meaning volunteers. Unfortunately, the USSF often resembles the later.”
– Truer words never said/typed.
“Sunil Gulati, current president of the USSF, is still employed by Kraft Soccer as president of the New England Revolution. Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer, also sits on the USSF’s Board of Directors (as well as runs Soccer United Marketing).”
– This disturbs me greatly. It is true then?
I agree with Nick at least that we should be vocal in our protests to the USSF about this sanctioning issue. I doubt USSF folks read our blogs or tweets for the most part. We need to engage them directly through email and their websites as I’m sure many of you already do.
As James stated, many of us follow our club but also follow MLS and Europe.
For me, it’s US National team first, then the Aztex, then a few select European clubs (usu. b/c a Yank plays on them) then MLS.
It wouldn’t interrupt my lifestyle too much to boycott MLS this year.
It would be sad though. I was looking forward to seeing the Red Bulls play on grass (finally).
And tuning in to see Philly do whatever they will be doing.
But my team is in my city: Austin.
And, I’m not supporting Houston or Dallas no matter what these MLS supporters say.
When does the 7 day deadline expire exactly? Anyone?
I too would like to hear CVO’s reply to richardfarley’s question.
Why not get rid of single-entity and just place a spending cap on each team?
The most annoying thing about single-entity to me is the league owning contracts and that BS about a team having first rights to a player. It’s like Three-card Monte in contract form. An opton might be to keep the revenue sharing b/c without it I have a big hunch teams like KC and San Jose would be in a world of hurt. But teams should be able to hire and fire (like a real business) and control their own players. End of story. Anything else is deceptive to the casual soccer fan who think there’s an actual competition going on between these teams.
Keep hope alive!
I live in a community with a Div. II team and I’ve been following the USL/NASL controversy with great interest. I’m desperate for a solution that won’t kill off the Div. II game, but I doubt I’ll see one anytime soon.
Having recently read both The Fix and Foul, I have lost all faith in FIFA, and by extension USSF. This chicken little forsees a potential perfect storm that could stunt any meaningful growth in the sport in the US for years to come.
Sounds like someone needs a hug. The notion that sanctioning leagues that have serious structural and financial questions would be a benefit to soccer in the US is silly, but then again, you’re crazy enough to think that MLS is trying to destroy second division soccer so I guess it’s par for the course.
The USSF has plenty of problems. Sadly, juvenile emotion from some bloggers that we are supposed to be so thankful for (you don’t get to decide if my criticism of Garber and Gulati makes me a “person concerned with the growth of soccer on this continent,” thank you very much) clouds seeing the real ones because they are sad that Michael Kammarman doesn’t take them seriously. The pouting and preening by this lot of “journalists” is embarrassing.
Maybe, just maybe, if they USL and NASL would actually get their act together and stop fighting, the USSF wouldn’t have to step in and make a decision. Don’t blame the parents when the children deserve the punishment.
The notion that sanctioning leagues that have serious structural and financial questions would be a benefit to soccer in the US is silly
Would you mind detailing the “serious structural and financial questions” the NASL has? This has become a meme, and I’d like to see somebody justify it. That would include defining what “serious” means in this context.
Sadly, juvenile emotion from some bloggers
Those who know me will tell you I’m not very emotional about this. Those who I talked to in the build-up to this piece will tell you this was not a function of emotion. Calling it all juvenile is ironic. There is nothing above that hints at emotion. I don’t get personal with Gulati and Garber. I don’t call them bad people or anything of the sort. I don’t think they are, nor do I have any emotions touching upon such feelings.
The pouting and preening by this lot of “journalists” is embarrassing.
Who’s pouting? You’re assuming I’m at my keyboard, crying with steam coming out of my ears. I assure you, that is not the case at all.
Maybe, just maybe, if they USL and NASL would actually get their act together and stop fighting, the USSF wouldn’t have to step in and make a decision
You realize that the USSF would/will have to make a decision regardless? Even if the NASL got it’s act together (I love the notion that a league that was able to generate over ten franchises in months, along with sponsorship commitments and the like does not have its act together), the USSF would have to decide whether to sanction it.
Don’t blame the parents when the children deserve the punishment.
In this case, the USL and NASL are not children to the USSF’s parent no more than a man and his wife are children to the justice of the priest that has to sanction a marriage.
And while most of the negative feedback I’m getting has been constructive, some is not, but all of it fails to acknowledge the reason why I published this article now and not two weeks ago (when the conflicts between USSF/MLS were just as evidence, influential): Last Wednesday, the USSF displaced thousands of fans and did something counter to its own mission.
And nobody has answers for it. Go ahead and explain your “pouting and preening” thesis to all these people who are mad at the USSF because now, their local team is temporarily gone.
“Would you mind detailing the “serious structural and financial questions” the NASL has? This has become a meme, and I’d like to see somebody justify it.”
How about this? I know it requires about 20 seconds of impartial examination, but here goes:
Montreal, Vancouver, Rochester and (to a lesser extent) Carolina are varying degrees of solid, but they’re solid. That’s four. But that’s it. That’s the list. Vancouver will be gone in 2011, to be replaced by Edmonton, a team that exists in concept only and in a market that no one is going to confuse with Seattle. And Montreal could very well be gone shortly thereafter.
AC St. Louis and Tampa Bay are expansion teams that have never played a game. Are you going to tell me there haven’t been questions about Jeff Cooper’s financial capabilities? And Tampa Bay has been (nominally) in existence for a year and a half, has a coach with no coaching experience, a GM with no GM experience, almost no one in the front office with soccer experience except for Perry Van Der Beck, and no stadium.
Atlanta will be coming back from a year’s hiatus. While Boris Jerkunica appears to have sufficient funds, the Silverbacks haven’t exactly set the world afire with their ability to draw fans. They do have their own stadium, though, a stadium that one day may feature actual plumbing.
Crystal Palace Baltimore is a USL-2 team making the move up in class. I think we’ve seen how well a lot of those moves have gone, historically. Cleveland is just the most recent
You can talk about “the market” all you want, but Miami FC and its parent company have done a terrible job at selling soccer. While there can’t be any real doubt about Traffic’s resources, I don’t know how you can objectively look at what they’ve done in America to this point and come away without questions. I just don’t.
And the Minnesota Thunder exist in name only at this point. Their GM, coach and president have all recently quit, the franchise appears to have drowned in a sea of red ink and it does not appear as though they can be put back together again.
That’s ten teams. They claim eleven. I don’t know if they’re counting FC New York or not, but that’s not exactly a mark in the plus column, either.
THAT’S why there are “serious structural and financial questions” about the NASL. Because they have four solid teams, some dodgy teams and some vaporware teams. Is that justification enough for you? USSF’s mission – which is NOT to knee-jerk and look no farther than the next game, the next week, the next season or the next World Cup cycle – is to do what’s best long-term. NASL hasn’t proven to them that they’re sustainable in a long-term context.
And, knowing the history of the game in this country, how can you not see that?
Lastly, the teams are NOT gone. Most of these minor league teams (indeed, most MLS teams) basically disappear from the radar between November and March anyway.
If it’s not pouting and preening, it’s certainly chicken littleism and hysteria. And you need to stop it.
Kevin: “Why not get rid of single-entity and just place a spending cap on each team?”
Because, in the absence of a collective bargaining agreement that allows it, a salary cap is illegal unless it’s in a single-entity concept.
THAT’S why.
And, let me clarify: USSF isn’t exactly our best and brightest. They’re far from flawless. I’m on their side on this issue, but not on everything they’ve ever done.
But I’ve never seen anything in decades of following this sport that has approached the hysteria, misinformation and agenda-driven, naive opinions that the USL/TOA split has engendered among the soccer community. It’s been driven – largely – by people with an outlet for their hysteria but no filter. And, as is the case in so many things in our society today, what someone blogs about becomes accepted fact by lunch and history by dinner time. Whether it’s true or not.
Come back in off the ledge, people. The game itself is too strong now to be killed off in this country. This whole episode is a pain in the neck right now, but it’s temporary. Don’t feed the hysteria.
Someone said:
“The USSF has much bigger fish to fry than 2nd division soccer. YOu know, things like the upcoming World Cup in South Africa and their bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.”
Now why would FIFA give a world cup to a nation without a 2nd division? Every other nation that is a serious contender for the 2018 or 2022 world cup have an advanced league structure featuring integrated 1st, 2nd and 3rd divisions.
The US looks like a mess right now, thanks to US Soccer for not sanctioning the NASL.
Wow, I thought that you response, KT, was great until this:
If it’s not pouting and preening, it’s certainly chicken littleism and hysteria. And you need to stop it.
You need to stop it? Great attitude to have. You detailing of the status of the teams involved in the NASL? It was great, even if I can refute it by saying “And that’s worse than the state of USL-1 last year, a sanctioned second division league that had Atlanta bow out and had to force (a now defunct) Cleveland franchise into its first tier?”
How can you really call that “serious structural and financial questions” compared to the standard of last year’s implicit sanctioning of USL-1? Why the higher standard for NASL, a standard that seems much higher than the standards MLS had at its inception?
You make some great points, and it’s a discussion that need to be had, but call people chicken littles is not only insulting, it lacks imagination. It’s become a trite saying adopted by some bloggers and commenters, and light of thousands of fans now not having a club, is demonstrably wrong.
Based on your comments before the last sentence, you have a lot of good thing to say. I hate the fact that you resorted to a line that’s more akin to this vitriolic, non-sensical people at other sites. I look forward to your next comment and hope that you can I can just talk about this like normal people who disagree about an issue.
Kevin: “Why not get rid of single-entity and just place a spending cap on each team?”
Because, in the absence of a collective bargaining agreement that allows it, a salary cap is illegal unless it’s in a single-entity concept.
What a coincidence that the CBA in MLS expires in 26 days. These other major sports in the country, all but one have a salary cap of some kind (and you could argue that a luxury tax has similar effects as an NBA-style salary cap), manage to have negotiated salary caps.
The question you question was posed in the context of asking why a single-entity is necessary if cost controls are the purpose.
It’s clearly not.
We have NFL and NBA in Charlotte, NC, but there is more soccer on TV here than any other sport. We have MLS, EPL and Mexican League games. We have matches from Serie A from Italy, Barca TV and Australian A league games in the middle of the night. There is a lot of interest in the sport here.
Our team here are the second division Eagles. I buy tickets and go to all of their games. I understand why there is not a system of promotion and relegation here, but the trade off for this is that the cream does not rise to the top. The second division is very competitive and the good teams are very good- in 2007, the Richmond Kickers beat the LA Galaxy in Richmond in the US open tournament. It was a good year for the Kickers and a bad year for the Galaxy- but anyone who saw the Kickers that year would know that they could be a hand full for anyone. Last year, the Eagles played to a draw in Richmond. It was the first time they ever took a point up there and it was as soul satisfying as a victory. The second division teams have traditions, fans, rivalries and engage in competitive and entertaining matches.
In addition, the Eagles are a positive presence in the community here. The players coach youth teams and give soccer camps and seminars. Their schedule is so full I wonder when they have time to practice-
The USL, USSF and NASL need to sort it out so the season can begin in April as always. If the Eagles don’t play this year, it will be a huge loss for our community and me personally.
Ralph: Thanks for sharing a North Carolina perspective. I think, if more people heard about these types of local impacts, people would really understand the effects to the club game of losing (again: if only temporarily) so many good markets.
richardfarley: I really appreciate the commentary to this blog. I am an aspiring player hoping to find a 2nd division team in the next year or two, and this string of opinions has really shown me a lot about the current status of the league(s). I’m not sure now would be right time to go for tryouts anywhere considering that teams may not even play next year, though I’m still hopeful they will. Regardless I will probably keep training locally and bide my time.
That brings in another question: what do you think the Midwest can bring to the USL/NASL/2nd division? Living and playing around here has begun to take it’s toll with a lack of teams in Indiana, southern Illinois, Tennesee, and Iowa.
ralph blossom: Your account of the NC Eagles is what the game is about, and what players love to hear from supporters and fans. Ill keep training hard knowing there are people like you willing to stick up for their teams! Thanks!
Hi Trey:
I think the midwest has a lot of offer second and third division football. Those are the exact markets that well-run clubs can leverage to develop loyal fan-bases and, ultimately, grow the sports at the grass-roots level. What’s more, finding independent clubs that will take a vesting, primary, narrow-minded interest in developing soccer in a specific area is necessary for transcending the traditional power-bases of soccer in this country.
Trey, your story is the exact reason why I felt somebody had to write this story, and I really wish somebody with a higher-profile than me could have written this. But that’s the landscape we live in, which is another reason we need to talk about this. I know writers within the mainstream soccer media who are very good people, EXTREMELY concerned about this sport, but they can’t touch this story. Their editor’s would frown on it, and they can’t take on the risk.
Please, Trey, do not give up on the sport. It breaks my heart to think about the number of soccer players that are going to have to find other jobs rather than wait out this uncertainty.
If anybody has information on where Trey can go in this time of uncertainty, please post it here, and I will try to get the word out through the limited means I have. I do not want us to lose any players, coaches, or clubs because of this confusion.
But those views still exist, particularly as we see a divide forming between the European football fans and domestic soccer supporters.
Interesting choice of words there. I assume if you’re a Europe-first follower of the game you don’t support the game like those who follow domestic sides?
… I assume if you’re a Europe-first follower of the game you don’t support the game like those who follow domestic sides?
I wouldn’t necessarily agree with this statement. There’s a lot of ways I can go in answering its implicit question. A lot of my potential responses would have to have the word “like” clarified. Do you mean with the same intensity? In the same ways? Through the same means? I’m just a bit unclear, …
But then again, my wording (that you quoted) may have been unclear, too. As somebody who read the article, ftj, you now know: sometimes the ball gets caught up in my feet.