- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
NASL is seemingly doomed
Posted on 9/21/16 at 9:40 pm
Posted on 9/21/16 at 9:40 pm
LINK
Sources have told SI.com that the NASL’s Ottawa Fury will depart for the United Soccer League and that the Tampa Bay Rowdies likely will follow. With the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Rayo OKC in financial distress—Raleigh, North Carolina’s WRAL reported Wednesday morning that Strikers’ ownership has ceased funding the club—and Minnesota United leaving for MLS, the six-year-old NASL faces a period of unprecedented adversity.
The NASL has more immediate concerns. League-wide average attendance has fallen more than 18 percent from 2015 and despite increased TV exposure on CBS Sports Network and BeIN Sports, it’s trajectory has been troubling. Minnesota, which leads the league at 8,545 fans per game, pushed for entry into MLS in large part to fend off a charge from the NFL’s Vikings. The Atlanta Silverbacks dropped into amateur soccer this season and the summer addition of Carmelo Anthony’s Puerto Rico FC hasn’t really moved the needle.
Sources have told SI.com that the NASL’s Ottawa Fury will depart for the United Soccer League and that the Tampa Bay Rowdies likely will follow. With the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Rayo OKC in financial distress—Raleigh, North Carolina’s WRAL reported Wednesday morning that Strikers’ ownership has ceased funding the club—and Minnesota United leaving for MLS, the six-year-old NASL faces a period of unprecedented adversity.
The NASL has more immediate concerns. League-wide average attendance has fallen more than 18 percent from 2015 and despite increased TV exposure on CBS Sports Network and BeIN Sports, it’s trajectory has been troubling. Minnesota, which leads the league at 8,545 fans per game, pushed for entry into MLS in large part to fend off a charge from the NFL’s Vikings. The Atlanta Silverbacks dropped into amateur soccer this season and the summer addition of Carmelo Anthony’s Puerto Rico FC hasn’t really moved the needle.
5
Posted on 9/22/16 at 12:16 am to LSUMJ
I'm ok with this. NASL represents all that was wrong with soccer and why it failed originally in the US. While they haven't been able to replicate the cosmos era here as they would like, they've been completely unwilling to work with MLS or USL for the betterment of the soccer landscape here in the US. Yes, all of those entities have their own motivations ($$$), but in the interest of self preservation NASL should have long ago accepted tier 2 status. They tried to fly too high, and now the wings have melted and USL has become the tier 2 forerunner. 20 years from now (or more), when USL teams can gain promotion into MLS and we have MLS 1 and 2, NASL will be a distant memory, with teams that chose NASL over MLS rueing the day they did so.
Posted on 9/22/16 at 1:17 am to cwil177
quote:
they've been completely unwilling to work with MLS or USL for the betterment of the soccer landscape here in the US.
You need to catch up on the history of the new NASL. There's a reason they didn't want to work with the USL. And the MLS in 1 and 2 as you proposed is something similar to how the American system use to be.
MLS - USL1 - USL2 - PDL
This post was edited on 9/22/16 at 1:18 am
Posted on 9/22/16 at 2:03 am to cwil177
I agree with you cwil. I think this is another forward step in the evolution of the soccer landscape in America. Viable NASL clubs will transition to USL, non viable ones will fall by the wayside. Tremendous amounts of resources are being pumped into USL and MLS academies. These are good steps in American soccer. A struggling league fighting the shaping and formalization of the tier structure does no good now. NASL gave it a go but it could be over now.
Total attendance for the NASL is down almost 20%.
Indianapolis: -16%
Jacksonville: -50%
NY Cosmos: -27%
Edmonton: -26%
Fort Lauderdale: -68%
Some clubs have improved.
Tampa Bay: +2%
Ottawa: +9%
Carolina: +14%
Total attendance for the NASL is down almost 20%.
Indianapolis: -16%
Jacksonville: -50%
NY Cosmos: -27%
Edmonton: -26%
Fort Lauderdale: -68%
Some clubs have improved.
Tampa Bay: +2%
Ottawa: +9%
Carolina: +14%
Posted on 9/22/16 at 6:18 am to LSUMJ
WTF
quote:
In Oklahoma City, the league’s newest expansion club lost its coach and half of its staff in an apparent cost-saving move from the club’s Spanish ownership. Then, this week, the team’s minority owner removed half of the club’s turf playing surface in the dead of night because he feared the club would sell what he rightfully owned.
Posted on 9/22/16 at 7:17 am to LSUMJ
I got a survey email from gotsoccer and it was gauging knowledge of different soccer organizations and brands in the US and there was a good amount of questions regarding NASL. (like have you heard of this league, would you attend a game, etc).
Curious if it was part of a market research and they're in disaster recovery mode.
Curious if it was part of a market research and they're in disaster recovery mode.
Posted on 9/22/16 at 7:34 am to The Mick
I've heard New Orleans was potentially in line to get an NASL team in the next 5-10 years. I hope the groups involved consider USL instead, given that it seems more stable.
Posted on 9/22/16 at 7:51 am to LSUMJ
Draconian Sanctions will be 
Posted on 9/22/16 at 8:17 am to cwil177
quote:
20 years from now (or more), when USL teams can gain promotion into MLS
LA Galaxy vs. LA Galazy II. Greatest rivalry in sports?????
Posted on 9/22/16 at 8:57 am to Hester Carries
I'm glad Nashville went to USL instead. This league would be lucky to be around next year.
Posted on 9/22/16 at 8:58 am to Hester Carries
It will probably be like in Spain and Germany where the second teams can't get promoted to the first division.
Posted on 9/22/16 at 8:59 am to Hester Carries
I think USL will split into 2 divisions soon with the MLS B teams in the lower one
Posted on 9/22/16 at 9:02 am to itawambadog
USL has doubled their number of teams in the last two years, so they wouldn't surprise me a whole lot.
Posted on 9/22/16 at 9:12 am to cwil177
The Rayo OKC thing was doomed from start. OKC already had a team in USL that is pretty well supported, and another team in Tulsa in USL. how could oklahoma support 3 teams?
plus spains Rayo is a disaster anyway
plus spains Rayo is a disaster anyway
Posted on 9/22/16 at 11:44 am to LSUMJ
The Rayo OKC was stupid from the start? Why not put a team in a market the NASL wasn't in, like anywhere in California?
Posted on 9/22/16 at 12:21 pm to LSUMJ
quote:
The Rayo OKC thing was doomed from start. OKC already had a team in USL that is pretty well supported, and another team in Tulsa in USL. how could oklahoma support 3 teams?
plus spains Rayo is a disaster anyway
my sister works for the OKC Energy. apparently, the spanish rayo teams HATES the fact that their ownership group spent money on an american team. the fans hate it so much that they apparently bought a shite load of OKC Energy gear and wear it to the rayo games in spain in protest.
Posted on 9/22/16 at 12:53 pm to LSUMJ
Good thread. It seems that people are learning from stupid old mistakes. The disadvantages of America being so late to the soccer party outweigh the advantages at this point but one advantage is that, because the league(s) are so young, they have countless examples, good and bad in regards to how to grow a sport and a league.
This shite has to stop though
the Eurocentric branding of the MLS/USL franchises gives me douche chills of the highest order.
quote:
Rayo OKC
This shite has to stop though
the Eurocentric branding of the MLS/USL franchises gives me douche chills of the highest order. Posted on 9/22/16 at 1:00 pm to theOG
quote:
my sister works for the OKC Energy. apparently, the spanish rayo teams HATES the fact that their ownership group spent money on an american team. the fans hate it so much that they apparently bought a shite load of OKC Energy gear and wear it to the rayo games in spain in protest.
I remember seeing where some of the fans in Spain did that. Not sure why a small club like that would spend money on a team in the US.
Posted on 9/22/16 at 1:11 pm to itawambadog
Posted on 9/22/16 at 8:10 pm to cwil177
quote:
I've heard New Orleans was potentially in line to get an NASL team in the next 5-10 years. I hope the groups involved consider USL instead, given that it seems more stable.
Starting to save for season tickets now
Page 1 of 3
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News