Last week I posted that a lot of uncertainty is now brewing on the heels of tense meetings between NASL owners that also included USL officials and U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati.
Last week’s meetings of the fledgling league, which has lost three teams, and possibly more, didn’t produce any specific news with all signs pointing to the US Soccer Federation meetings this week to find out the fate of NASL, and status of growing USL after its application for Division II status (which NASL currently holds).
Here’s what will be transpiring in the next two days:
- U.S. Soccer Federation’s 3-man pro task force meets Monday to address fate, sanctioning of NASL/USL.
- Then the full, board of directors will meet on Tuesday to finalize/approve any of the actions moving forward.
What likely comes out of Monday’s meeting is this:
The task force will meet to review each circuit’s year-end reports and their requests for division sanctioning and waivers (not every team meets every standard).
That task force is comprised of three USSF officials—chief administrative officer Brian Remedi, executive VP Carlos Cordeiro and U.S. Adult Soccer Association president John Motta.
These three officials will then present a report to the full board of directors on Tuesday.
USL and NASL officials will be in New York as well.
There are still a number of scenarios that could come of all of this.
- U .S. Soccer could vote Tuesday to grant the NASL the waivers it needs to remain D2, thus maintaining the status quo.
- It could try to find a way to create one all-encompassing second division.
- Or it could “promote” the USL and “relegate” the NASL, which very well could result in the movement of some teams and the folding of others.
In the meantime, at least one outlet has reported that the outlook for the NASL, and its signature franchise is bleak.
Empire of Sports reports that barring a last-minute miracle, the NY Cosmos franchise is likely to fold. According to this report, citing an unidentified source, the two-time defending North American Soccer League champions have ceased operations, a source with knowledge of their situation told BigAppleSoccer.com Sunday night.
The club also has released their players, who have been paid through the end of November, but won’t be compensated for December because they were not with the team anymore, according to the source.
The Cosmos have incurred debt well into millions of dollars, and if a late deal is arranged, it will mean that NASL will have found some significant new investments from additional potential ownership group(s).
Of course everyone that is passionate about soccer in the U.S. seems to have an opinion.
Here are a few..
and maybe my personal favorite…