Note: PSP is looking for a volunteer to write our Thursday news roundups. If interested, please email dwalsh@phillysoccerpage.com.
Philadelphia Union
Check out the MLS 24 under 24. No Union products among them.
Get to know Seattle.
Local
Matt Real notched his first professional assist.
Union Academy results.
MLS
A recap of Wednesday’s action.
Gressel looked best in the battle of the rookie of the year candidates.
NASL must win small victories to have a chance at a big victory.
Around the globe
Europa League recap.
The U.S. has question marks between the posts for the first time in awhile.
Bruce Arena was non-committal regarding possible anthem protesting.
The USWNT is helping the NWSL players form a union.
Carlo Ancelotti was fired from Bayern.
Seven crazy soccer conspiracy theories.
Highlight of the day
This Nice individual effort and celebration.
In case you missed it in the comments yesterday, Kyle pointed out this report from Kristian Dyer:
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http://www.msgnetworks.com/videos/felipe-has-been-red-bulls-model-of-consistency/
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There is info on Alberg and Ilsinho in the last 42 seconds…
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Dyer reports that the Union declined 2 offers from Europe for Alberg so far and that there is European interest for him this offseason from CSK Sofia in Bulgaria.
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Also, info that Ilsinho’s contract automatically renews if he plays in 75% of games (currently on pace for 70% according to Dyer)
Adam’s link above in his summary sentence, “NASL must win small victories to have a chance at a big victory,” takes you to an article by Brian Strauss of SI.com and Planet Futbol.
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If you are interested in NASL’s survival — I am because it could impact USL, the context in which my field of responsibility plays — Strauss’s article is worth the time if you have it. Also, if you are interested in promotion and relegation within professional soccer in the United States, there is a tidbit or two. Should NASL win everything, it might, repeat might, get USSF enjoined from setting divisional qualification standards. That would be a walk off grand slam home run in the bottom of the ninth breaking up a Nolan Ryan no hitter.
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Reading Strauss is worth it usually because he has contacts who will talk to him.
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Some thoughts.
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Comparing soccer north of the Rio Grande to soccer in the rest of the world compares a minor sport trying to become major in a crowded sports entertainment marketplace to the single most dominant sport without meaningful competition everywhere else in the world.
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“Johnny come lately” does not exactly cover it for soccer here and in Canada. The marketplace is not yet developed enough ere to have the market regulate completion through pro-rel, says me. Think back to the 19th century arguments for tariff protection for infant industries. Regulation protect the development of things that were in the national interest to have survive. USSF has a legitimate case that it is providing such protection, and the first manifestation of NASL with Pele, Beckenbauer, Chignalia (sp?) et al. Makes a case, as does MLS’s own contraction more recently.
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Soccer everywhere else in the world in like the NFL was in the North American sports entertainment marketplace ten years ago. Jeff Kessler, the high-powered well-respected lawyer for NASL glosses over that point in presenting his points of emphasis. I doubt USSF will omit it.
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Second, more mundane and in the moment, Strauss’s language about the San Francisco Deltas is indirect but cautiously optimistic. A T the end of July they were reported to have told their players there was a 90% chance they would fold. That report Gave numbers and quotes that suggested attendance at Keira stadium needed to double for the club my afloat. Sounds to me like Rocco Commisso and Ricardo Silvia might perhaps be providing money to the Deltas to keep them alive.
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Even if every side Strauss mentions as a possible expansion candidate commits to the satisfaction of USSF to field a team for 2018 or 2019 — I am assuming solid trustworthy commitments for 2019 would earn NASL another waiver on size for2018, and given the lawsuit’s allegations of USSF hostility such a waiver would be in the federation’s interest to grant — they are still one short of 12, and one of the mentioned is Atlanta, which would be in direct competition with the MLS team there. Look at the records of the division two sides competing directly for ticket sales with MLS sides in the same marketplace. NYRB2 average attendance was under a thousand per game last time I looked.
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Finally, in an example of Strauss’s inside connections, he says that the pro task force within USSF had recommended against granting NASL to provisional D2 stat last January and th the b overrode the recommendation. If true, 1 T Hat’s not a hostile conspiracy to eliminate, at least on the surface of it, and 2 NASL did not solve the problems they were given half a year to solve.
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Sorry, typos. “Kezar Stadium” and “board” not just “b”. The others can be inferred I think.
So, what to make of stories that the Union turned down to offers for Alberg? Must have been bad offers….
I didn’t even include a link to them because they were like, not even real rumors. It was one non-Union affiliated beat writer who said it. I need a much better source than that before I believe it.
Two things I just don’t get (and admit may simply be lack of education on the matter(s))…
What’s the skin off of USSF’s apple to not just grant D2 status to NASL if that’s what NASL wants? Wouldn’t an attitude of “Sure kid, knock yourself out” work better here? Clearly NASL is struggling for a multitude of reasons most of which have zero to do with meeting required thresholds set up by USSF. Just let them succeed or fail on their own merit and simply stay out of their way while they do it.
Secondly, not sure why or what’s the point of USSF having/creating these designations… As you say, soccer in this country is a small fish in a big pond. The long term goal may be to have a perfect pyramid with pro/rel, but the key words here are “long term”, as in decades.
I agree with the competitive and public interest benefits of pro/rel, but I just don’t see how it works in a financial sense for owners/investors.
Again, maybe I just don’t fully understand the entire chess game being played out and there are few important rules I’m not aware of.