I am not overly thrilled at the 1-0 loss last night. After watching the Chicago Fire PDL club take a strong 3-0 win over a thuggish Ocean City team, my spirits were high for a Central Conference showdown tonight.
Unfortunately the boys looked like their hearts just were not in the game. It did not help that Carey played a bit like thugs. Nor did the crummy officiating. Last night was Coach Casey Mann's last game. I was hoping that his final season would end the same as his first - with a PDL Championship.
Good luck to the Fire tonight!
Best Place to Find Low Prices - Discontinued Gear
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
Important Changes to SOLL
- After a conversation with Coach Zach, we are stopping the Monday session of the Summer Open Lacrosse League immediately. Although the turnout has been fairly decent, we concluded that three nights was too many (you were right, Caleb!). Our ability to store the goals in the building has also changed, which necessitates us cancelling Monday nights.
- Thursday nights are now mandatory for all returning Valley (& Waukee) high school players! We need to keep everybody in shape for the fall ball tournament(s). If you cannot make it for any reason, you need to get in touch with Coach Zach or email me. Explain your situation and we will work with you. Adult participants and other not playing for the team are still welcome and encouraged to come on Thursdays. We will continue scrimmaging/playing rather than having formal practices.
- Saturdays will continue at 11:30 AM (unless otherwise noted) for the time being.
- These changes are effective immediately and will remain in effect for the remainder of the summer season!
So Many Choices Tonight!
So much for the idea of "Dead Moines." The metro area is having a huge sports nights with a plethora of events to choose from this evening.
1. Soccer - Valley Stadium, West Des Moines: The Des Moines Menace PDL soccer team won the Heartland Division in the regular season. Last Saturday they won the Division's playoffs. Tonight they host the league quarterfinals in a double header. The Chicago Fire PDL kick things off against the Ocean City Barons at 5:00 pm. Our boys in red and black face the Carey Clarets at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $9 for adults and $7 for kids (4-12)
2. Arena Football - Wells Fargo Arena, Downtown: The Iowa Barnstormers open their playoff campaign tonight against the Manchester Wolves. Kickoff is at 7:05 pm. Tickets are $14-60
3. Auto Racing - Iowa Speedway, Newton: There is a ton of stuff happening at the track. I know jack squat about auto racing, so if you are into that sort of thing then check out the schedule. There is NASCAR Nationwide practice and USAC Silver Crown Sprint Car action.
4. Auto Racing - State Fairgrounds, Eastside: Again, I know nothing about racing. The Late Model Championship runs tonight from 5-10:00 pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $4 for kids 12 and under.
5. Soap Box Derby - Ewing Park, Southside: Ah the joys of youth! The NDR Nationals wrap up today with races starting at 7:00 this morning and wrapping up at 6:00 tonight. Admission is free.
6. Balloon Racing - Balloon Fields, Indianola: The 2009 National Balloon Classic kicks off tonight. This is the 40th year that Indianola and Warren County have hosted the event. Tickets are $3 for adults and free for kids under 12; or you can just chill at somebody's house and watch it for free. That's what I used to do when I was a kid!
7. Olympics - Various Locations: The AAU Junior Olympic Games continue tonight. Check the website for more information.
8. Non Sporting Events - Throughout the Metro: Check this link for more information about other events happening in Des Moines tonight.
The I-Cubs are in Omaha tonight. I will be at the PDL playoffs. Go Menace!
1. Soccer - Valley Stadium, West Des Moines: The Des Moines Menace PDL soccer team won the Heartland Division in the regular season. Last Saturday they won the Division's playoffs. Tonight they host the league quarterfinals in a double header. The Chicago Fire PDL kick things off against the Ocean City Barons at 5:00 pm. Our boys in red and black face the Carey Clarets at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $9 for adults and $7 for kids (4-12)
2. Arena Football - Wells Fargo Arena, Downtown: The Iowa Barnstormers open their playoff campaign tonight against the Manchester Wolves. Kickoff is at 7:05 pm. Tickets are $14-60
3. Auto Racing - Iowa Speedway, Newton: There is a ton of stuff happening at the track. I know jack squat about auto racing, so if you are into that sort of thing then check out the schedule. There is NASCAR Nationwide practice and USAC Silver Crown Sprint Car action.
4. Auto Racing - State Fairgrounds, Eastside: Again, I know nothing about racing. The Late Model Championship runs tonight from 5-10:00 pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $4 for kids 12 and under.
5. Soap Box Derby - Ewing Park, Southside: Ah the joys of youth! The NDR Nationals wrap up today with races starting at 7:00 this morning and wrapping up at 6:00 tonight. Admission is free.
6. Balloon Racing - Balloon Fields, Indianola: The 2009 National Balloon Classic kicks off tonight. This is the 40th year that Indianola and Warren County have hosted the event. Tickets are $3 for adults and free for kids under 12; or you can just chill at somebody's house and watch it for free. That's what I used to do when I was a kid!
7. Olympics - Various Locations: The AAU Junior Olympic Games continue tonight. Check the website for more information.
8. Non Sporting Events - Throughout the Metro: Check this link for more information about other events happening in Des Moines tonight.
The I-Cubs are in Omaha tonight. I will be at the PDL playoffs. Go Menace!
Fixing US Soccer Part 4
After reading Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, I realized that I have left some areas untouched.
1. Team uniforms- Currently MLS has an exclusive contract with Adidas to supply the uniforms for every team. That contract expires after the 2014 season. Around that time is the earliest that my proposal could realistically take effect, so it should be a non-issue. When it does expire, whether a promotion & relegation system is adopted or not, teams should be allowed to partner with their own uniform suppliers. Imagine how weird it will be when Portland takes the field in an Adidas kit with Nike literally in their backyard...
2. Jersey sponsors- This is an area that MLS got right. MLS clubs are currently allowed to sell the space on the front of their jerseys to advertisers (excluding tobacco, hard liquor, and online gambling companies) for a minimum of $500,000 per year. The league receives $200,000 from the deal. I am not sure if this is a flat $200,000 or an annual payment. For clarification, the new league would collect $200,000 annually from sponsor deals. The rest would be money that does not count towards the teams' profits.
3. Schedule- Unlike Italy, Spain, and France, much of the US gets frigging cold in the winter. Competing in Chicago during January is about impossible; forget about getting fans to attend. Add in the NFL, NCAA (football, basketball, soccer, & hockey), NBA, and NHL seasons as more hurdles. How could MLS compete? In addition, PDL and NPSL teams would die as their bread and butter NCAA athletes would be unable to compete due to school (on & off the field) obligations. Adopting the "traditional calendar" would kill US development. Instead the league will stick to its current March-November schedule where the only competition for fans is baseball (yes I realize that the above listed seasons start before the current season ends).
Yesterday's section of the outline took a bit more space than I planned so I split it up. Today will be the rest of the outline and will conclude the series on fixing professional soccer in the US.
III. National Tournaments
A. League Play
1. MLS, USL-1
a. Every team will play a 30 game schedule
b. Every team in the league will be played at least once
c. Regional opponents will be played twice
d. Final standings will determine the champion, promotion, and relegation
2. USL-2
a. Every team will play a 20 game schedule
b. Attempt will be made to play against every regional league team
c. Schedule will be completed through competition from teams in nearby regions as needed
d. Winners of each regional league will compete in a playoff tournament
1.) To determine USL-2 Champion
2.) To determine teams eligible for promotion
3.) To determine US Open Cup qualifiers for following year
3. USL-3, PDL
a. Every team will play a 16 game schedule
b. Attempt will be made to play against every regional league team
c. Schedule will be completed through competition from teams in nearby regions as needed
d. Winners of each regional league will compete in a playoff tournament
1.) To determine USL-3, PDL Champion
2.) To determine teams eligible for promotion
3. ) To determine US Open qualifiers for following year
B. Cups and Trophy
1. Lamar Hunt US Open Cup
a. Six teams per league
b. Teams in the United States only
c. MLS
1.) Top four finishers from previous year qualify automatically
2.) Remaining US-based teams qualify for final spots in predetermined early season games
d. USL-1
1.) Top four non-promoted teams qualify automatically
2.) Remaining US-based teams qualify for final spots in predetermined early season games
e. USL-2, USL-3, PDL
1.) Non-promoted conference winners qualify automatically
2.) Remaining US-based teams qualify for final spots in predetermined early season games
f. NPSL, USASA
1.) Independent leagues
2.) Independent qualification standards
2. League Cup
a. Open to all teams in MLS, USL-1, & USL-2 regardless of country
b. Teams are randomly drawn for matches
c. Tournament begins prior to MLS season
d. Tournament ends after the MLS season
e. Championship game at a predetermined site
3. MLS Cup
a. Single game to open MLS season (first official game)
b. MLS Champion vs League Cup Winner
c. Counts as regular season game for both teams, regardless of league
4. League Trophy
a. Open to all teams in USL-3 & PDL regardless of country
b. Teams are randomly drawn for matches
c. Tournament begins prior to USL-3 season
d. Tournament ends after USL-3 regular season, prior to playoffs
IV. International Tournaments
A. CONCACAF Champions League Qualifiers
1. MLS champion
2. US Open Cup winner
3. US Open Cup runner-up
4. League Cup winner
5. Canadian Championship winner
6. Play-off between remaining teams:
a. MLS second place
b. MLS third place
c. Canadian Championship runner-up
d. Top professional team from
1.) Puerto Rico
2.) Bermuda
3.) Other nations competing in the US league
B. SuperLiga Qualifiers
1. MLS teams only
2. Top four teams not qualified for CONCACAF Champions League
V. Promotion Standards
A. MLS
1. Stadium
a. At least 15,000 permanent seating capacity
b. Meets FIFA specifications
c. College or professional stadium; soccer specific stadium preferred
d. Access for all league games
e. Ability to sell food and beverage, including beer and malt liquor
2. Ability to meet league salary floor
3. Ability to function with potential losses in revenue
B. USL-1
1. Stadium
a. At least 10,000 permanent seating capacity
b. Meets FIFA specifications
c. College or professional stadium; soccer specific stadium preferred
d. Access for all league games
e. Ability to sell food and beverage, including beer and malt liquor
2. Ability to meet league salary floor
3. Ability to function with potential losses in revenue
C. USL-2
1. Stadium
a. At least 5,000 permanent seating capacity
b. Meets FIFA specifications
c. High school, college or professional stadium; soccer specific stadium preferred
d. Access for all league games
e. Ability to sell food and beverage
2. Ability to meet league salary floor
3. Ability to function with potential losses in revenue
As I said before, I do not necessarily think that any one of my suggestions is the best option. I am merely throwing them out there as an idea of how things could look. Mostly I was curious about how a promotion & relegation system could work in the US. I have also thought that the various cups need more emphasis and that the MLS playoffs make the rest of the season meaningless. Above all I would really like to see American soccer find a way to expand and thrive in our crowded sports market.
Fixing the Gold Cup
1. Team uniforms- Currently MLS has an exclusive contract with Adidas to supply the uniforms for every team. That contract expires after the 2014 season. Around that time is the earliest that my proposal could realistically take effect, so it should be a non-issue. When it does expire, whether a promotion & relegation system is adopted or not, teams should be allowed to partner with their own uniform suppliers. Imagine how weird it will be when Portland takes the field in an Adidas kit with Nike literally in their backyard...
2. Jersey sponsors- This is an area that MLS got right. MLS clubs are currently allowed to sell the space on the front of their jerseys to advertisers (excluding tobacco, hard liquor, and online gambling companies) for a minimum of $500,000 per year. The league receives $200,000 from the deal. I am not sure if this is a flat $200,000 or an annual payment. For clarification, the new league would collect $200,000 annually from sponsor deals. The rest would be money that does not count towards the teams' profits.
3. Schedule- Unlike Italy, Spain, and France, much of the US gets frigging cold in the winter. Competing in Chicago during January is about impossible; forget about getting fans to attend. Add in the NFL, NCAA (football, basketball, soccer, & hockey), NBA, and NHL seasons as more hurdles. How could MLS compete? In addition, PDL and NPSL teams would die as their bread and butter NCAA athletes would be unable to compete due to school (on & off the field) obligations. Adopting the "traditional calendar" would kill US development. Instead the league will stick to its current March-November schedule where the only competition for fans is baseball (yes I realize that the above listed seasons start before the current season ends).
Yesterday's section of the outline took a bit more space than I planned so I split it up. Today will be the rest of the outline and will conclude the series on fixing professional soccer in the US.
III. National Tournaments
A. League Play
1. MLS, USL-1
a. Every team will play a 30 game schedule
b. Every team in the league will be played at least once
c. Regional opponents will be played twice
d. Final standings will determine the champion, promotion, and relegation
2. USL-2
a. Every team will play a 20 game schedule
b. Attempt will be made to play against every regional league team
c. Schedule will be completed through competition from teams in nearby regions as needed
d. Winners of each regional league will compete in a playoff tournament
1.) To determine USL-2 Champion
2.) To determine teams eligible for promotion
3.) To determine US Open Cup qualifiers for following year
3. USL-3, PDL
a. Every team will play a 16 game schedule
b. Attempt will be made to play against every regional league team
c. Schedule will be completed through competition from teams in nearby regions as needed
d. Winners of each regional league will compete in a playoff tournament
1.) To determine USL-3, PDL Champion
2.) To determine teams eligible for promotion
3. ) To determine US Open qualifiers for following year
B. Cups and Trophy
1. Lamar Hunt US Open Cup
a. Six teams per league
b. Teams in the United States only
c. MLS
1.) Top four finishers from previous year qualify automatically
2.) Remaining US-based teams qualify for final spots in predetermined early season games
d. USL-1
1.) Top four non-promoted teams qualify automatically
2.) Remaining US-based teams qualify for final spots in predetermined early season games
e. USL-2, USL-3, PDL
1.) Non-promoted conference winners qualify automatically
2.) Remaining US-based teams qualify for final spots in predetermined early season games
f. NPSL, USASA
1.) Independent leagues
2.) Independent qualification standards
2. League Cup
a. Open to all teams in MLS, USL-1, & USL-2 regardless of country
b. Teams are randomly drawn for matches
c. Tournament begins prior to MLS season
d. Tournament ends after the MLS season
e. Championship game at a predetermined site
3. MLS Cup
a. Single game to open MLS season (first official game)
b. MLS Champion vs League Cup Winner
c. Counts as regular season game for both teams, regardless of league
4. League Trophy
a. Open to all teams in USL-3 & PDL regardless of country
b. Teams are randomly drawn for matches
c. Tournament begins prior to USL-3 season
d. Tournament ends after USL-3 regular season, prior to playoffs
IV. International Tournaments
A. CONCACAF Champions League Qualifiers
1. MLS champion
2. US Open Cup winner
3. US Open Cup runner-up
4. League Cup winner
5. Canadian Championship winner
6. Play-off between remaining teams:
a. MLS second place
b. MLS third place
c. Canadian Championship runner-up
d. Top professional team from
1.) Puerto Rico
2.) Bermuda
3.) Other nations competing in the US league
B. SuperLiga Qualifiers
1. MLS teams only
2. Top four teams not qualified for CONCACAF Champions League
V. Promotion Standards
A. MLS
1. Stadium
a. At least 15,000 permanent seating capacity
b. Meets FIFA specifications
c. College or professional stadium; soccer specific stadium preferred
d. Access for all league games
e. Ability to sell food and beverage, including beer and malt liquor
2. Ability to meet league salary floor
3. Ability to function with potential losses in revenue
B. USL-1
1. Stadium
a. At least 10,000 permanent seating capacity
b. Meets FIFA specifications
c. College or professional stadium; soccer specific stadium preferred
d. Access for all league games
e. Ability to sell food and beverage, including beer and malt liquor
2. Ability to meet league salary floor
3. Ability to function with potential losses in revenue
C. USL-2
1. Stadium
a. At least 5,000 permanent seating capacity
b. Meets FIFA specifications
c. High school, college or professional stadium; soccer specific stadium preferred
d. Access for all league games
e. Ability to sell food and beverage
2. Ability to meet league salary floor
3. Ability to function with potential losses in revenue
As I said before, I do not necessarily think that any one of my suggestions is the best option. I am merely throwing them out there as an idea of how things could look. Mostly I was curious about how a promotion & relegation system could work in the US. I have also thought that the various cups need more emphasis and that the MLS playoffs make the rest of the season meaningless. Above all I would really like to see American soccer find a way to expand and thrive in our crowded sports market.
Fixing the Gold Cup
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Lacrosse Tonight
Just as a reminder, the Summer Open Lacrosse League resumes tonight at 5:30 pm. As usual, it will be at Valley Southwoods. I will not be attending tonight due to other obligations, but Coach Zach plans to be there and the returning Valley players are strongly encouraged to make it tonight.
I plan to return on Saturday. The start time will be moved up by half an hour. We will begin playing at 11:00 AM this Saturday! Hopefully the rain waits until we are done or misses us completely...
I plan to return on Saturday. The start time will be moved up by half an hour. We will begin playing at 11:00 AM this Saturday! Hopefully the rain waits until we are done or misses us completely...
Fixing US Soccer Part 3
Over the last two days I shared some thoughts on ways that soccer in the US and greater North America can be fixed (click for part one or part two). Today I hope to make things more clear by outlining the changes I propose.
I. League Structure
A. MLS
1. First tier; top level professional league
2. 22 teams
3. Nationwide single table (includes all participating countries)
4. Champion determined based on season results (no play-offs)
5. Promotion & Relegation
a. No Promotion
b. Last place team relegated
c. Play-off between second and third lowest teams to stay in league
6. US Open Cup
a. Top four US-based teams qualify automatically
b. Remaining US-based teams
1.) Compete for two remaining spots
2.) Pre-determined early season league matches versus US-based teams
7. Champion qualifies for CONCACAF Champions League (all countries)
8. Four best teams not qualified for CCL qualify for SuperLiga (all countries)
9. Teams compete in League Cup
B. USL-1
1. Second tier; second level professional league
2. 22 teams
3. Nationwide single table (includes all participating countries)
4. Champion determined based on season results (no play-offs)
5. Promotion & Relegation
a. Champion is promoted
b. Play-off between second and third place for promotion
c. Last place team relegated
d. Play-off between second and third lowest teams to stay in league
e. Since promotion from USL-2 is optional, there may be no relegation
6. US Open Cup
a. Top four non promoted US-based teams qualify automatically
b. Remaining US-based teams
1.) Compete for two remaining spots
2.) Pre-determined early season league matches versus US-based teams
7. Teams compete in League Cup
C. USL-2
1. Third tier; bottom level professional league
2. Number of teams
a. Can change yearly
b. Entry level league
c. Four regional conferences
d. Regional conference can be subdivided
e. May be professional reserve teams
1.) For USL-1 or MLS teams
2.) Not eligible for promotion
3. Multiple tables (includes all participating countries)
a. Regional mini-leagues
b. Assigned for travel purposes
4. Champion determined based play-offs
a. Each regional conference determines its own champion
b. Regional champions are randomly paired off
c. Two game play-off series
d. Game for third place and game for league champion
5. Promotion & Relegation
a. Champion has the option to be promoted
b. Runner-up has the option to be promoted
c. Third place is an alternate candidate for promotion
d. Relegation to semi-professional or amateur soccer is by choice
6. US Open Cup
a. Non-promoted conference winning US-based teams qualify automatically
b. Remaining US-based teams
1.) Compete for remaining spots
2.) Pre-determined early season league matches versus US-based teams
3.) Participants are chosen regardless of conference
7. Teams compete in League Cup
D. USL-3
1. Fourth tier; semi-professional league
2. Number of teams
a. Can change yearly
b. Entry level league
c. Four regional conferences
d. Regional conferences can be subdivided
e. May be semi-professional reserve teams
1.) For USL-1, USL-2 or MLS teams
2.) Not eligible for promotion
3. Multiple tables (includes all participating countries)
a. Regional mini-leagues
b. Assigned for travel purposes
4. Champion determined based play-offs
a. Each regional conference determines its own champion
b. Regional champions are randomly paired off
c. Two game play-off series
d. Game for third place and game for league champion
5. Promotion & Relegation
a. Promotion to professional is by choice
b. Relegation to amateur soccer is by choice
6. US Open Cup
a. Non-promoted conference winning US-based teams qualify automatically
b. Remaining US-based teams
1.) Compete for remaining spots
2.) Pre-determined early season league matches versus US-based teams
3.) Participants are chosen regardless of conference
7. Teams compete in League Trophy
D. PDL
1. Fifth tier; amateur league
2. Number of teams
a. Can change yearly
b. Entry level league
c. Four regional conferences
d. Regional conferences can be subdivided
e. May be amateur reserve teams
1.) For USL-1, USL-2, USL-3 or MLS teams
2.) Not eligible for promotion
3. Multiple tables (includes all participating countries)
a. Regional mini-leagues
b. Assigned for travel purposes
4. Champion determined based play-offs
a. Each regional conference determines its own champion
b. Regional champions are randomly paired off
c. Two game play-off series
d. Game for third place and game for league champion
5. Promotion & Relegation
a. Promotion to professional soccer is by choice
b. No relegation possible; only suspension of operations
6. US Open Cup
a. Non-promoted conference winning US-based teams qualify automatically
b. Remaining US-based teams
1.) Compete for remaining spots
2.) Pre-determined early season league matches versus US-based teams
3.) Participants are chosen regardless of conference
7. Teams compete in League Trophy
II. Non League Structures
A. NPSL
1. Fifth tier; amateur league
2. Number of teams
a. Can change yearly
b. Entry level league
c. May be amateur reserve teams at league discretion
3. Multiple tables (includes all participating countries)
4. Champion determined based play-offs based on league structure
5. Promotion to professional soccer is by choice
6. US Open Cup - 6 teams qualify
7. Not eligible for League Cup or League Trophy
B. USASA
1. Sixth tier; amateur association
2. Number of teams
a. Can change yearly
b. Entry level league
c. Four regional divisions
d. Regional divisions are subdivided by state associations
e. May not be amateur reserve teams
3. Multiple tables based on state associations
a. Local leagues
b. Controlled for cost purposes
c. Independent leagues run by a national governing body
4. Champion determined via National Cups
5. US Open Cup - 6 teams qualify
6. Not eligible for League Cup or League Trophy
Continue to Part 4
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Fixing US Soccer Part 2
Yesterday I wrote about adding a system of promotion and relegation to professional soccer in the US (including Canada, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico). Today I want to continue that thought by discussing how this could be made to work in the US given the entitlement mentality of most cities. It may not be pretty, but it might just work...
If American soccer were to enter a promotion & relegation system, then every new team would have to start at the bottom. A couple of weeks ago I talked about restructuring US soccer with a semi-pro league. Under my new proposal, the system would still work as I described it. Professionally run/organized teams would have the option of joining as an amateur (PDL, NPSL), semi-pro (USL-3), or professional (USL-2, USL-1, MLS) team. Amateur teams' would not change much from the current system and would be eligible for the US Open Cup.
The USL-3 would function as several smaller regional leagues (similar to the English system) with a national championship (similar to the current PDL). In addition to the USOC, amateur and semi-pro teams could have their own shared cup along the lines of the FA Trophy. The USL-3 teams winning the league and either or the cups would have the option of going fully professional the following season.
USL-2 would become the default entry point for fully professional teams. To accommodate our landmass, it would be set up as a regional system with two to four fluid leagues and a playoff to determine the national champion. The national champion and runner-up would be eligible for promotion. Promotion would be optional, but encouraged, and contingent on meeting the standards (to be discussed tomorrow). The third place finisher would be an alternate candidate for promotion.
USL-1 would remain the second highest division of professional soccer in the US. A nationwide league, its champion would automatically earn promotion to MLS, based on the season (no playoff trophy) and contingent on meeting the standards. The second and third place teams would have a play-off for promotion. At the other end, the bottom team would be relegated and the next two worst teams would have a play-off to earn the right to stay. Should only one (or no) team from USL-2 be promoted, then the play-off and relegation would not occur. USL-1 and USL-2 would also compete in the USOC.
MLS is currently the top league in the US and will continue to be the top league. All current MLS teams and planned expansion teams would start off in the new MLS. To adjust to the new format, relegation would not occur for two years after the last expansion franchise enters the league (currently 2011). MLS teams will compete for the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup playoffs as we currently know them will be gone. Since all levels of US soccer will be aligned, the USOC will become one of the premier events of the US soccer season. Its prestige would increase greatly.
Since not all teams in our league system will be from the US, a second major trophy competition could be held featuring teams from USL-2, USL-1, and MLS (similar to the League Cup in England). Unlike the USOC, the additional cup is only for purely professional sides; it is also open to every professional club in the new US league structure regardless of their home nation. It would be a more direct replacement for the MLS Cup and would be the new premier event of the American soccer season. The "League Cup" championship game could be held at a pre-determined site and marketed for months in advance like the current MLS Cup game.
Still, we are left with the problem of expansion fees and elevated costs. Being the top level, MLS will certainly have greater TV exposure than the other levels of the new league. With more meaning to the average game since the current playoff system is gone, TV viewership should increase. As teams literally fight for their right to be in the top level competition should improve, which should have an impact on ratings and attendance as well.
With new teams playing in MLS every season, viewership might also increase to see how the new guys stack up (I know I watched many Reading and Derby County FC games when they returned to the EPL in 2006 and 2007, respectively); knowing your home team could have a legitimate shot at the top level should increase support as well. The various stages of the USOC and the "League Cup" could be televised as well (like English soccer). All of these competitions strengthen soccer in the US and offer increased revenue opportunities.
In lieu of franchise fees, there are a couple of solutions I came up with. First, every team at every level could pay a league fee. Each level would have a slightly different fee, with lower division teams seeing much smaller costs than USL-1 or MLS due to regional play. Recent expansion teams would have reduced or no league fees for a predetermined amount of time to compensate for their lump sum payment.
Second, every team would have to pay a percentage of their income to the league. This includes revenue from regional broadcasts. Third, national TV revenues would be directed to the league with compensatory amounts being given to the participating teams. The amount should be comparable to revenue earned via a regional broadcast, if not higher.
Through the various fees and revenue sharing programs the league would cover officials, travel, and accommodations for domestic and league-approved international events (CONCACAF Champions League, SuperLiga, Club World Cup). Friendlies hosted against international clubs would be considered as team marketing expenses and not counted as revenue; the referee costs would be paid to the league, however.
Speaking of Champions League and SuperLiga, these two events should be given more emphasis. Both are important to creating a more European flavor within our league system and have the potential to increase the profile of North American soccer greatly. Unfortunately both have serious flaws.
Currently US teams are given four spots in the Champions League tournament - three through MLS and one through the USOC. Canada is given a single entry through the Canadian Championship (Toronto cannot qualify through MLS). Bermuda and Puerto Rico must qualify through a Caribbean tournament. Under the new league structure things should be different.
The MLS champion should qualify for the Champions League, regardless of nationality. The USOC winner and runner-up should also qualify, as should the winner of the new "League Cup." The Canadian Championship could still serve as a qualifier if it is expanded into a USOC-like competition. The final spot would go to the winner of a round robin play-off between the second and third place finishers in MLS, the runner-up of the Canadian Championship, and the top teams from Bermuda and Puerto Rico (plus US Virgin Islands or any other Caribbean nation joining our system). For classification purposes, this tournament could be called the "North American Trophy." This is a rough concept, but should provide an idea of how it would work.
The SuperLiga should be expanded beyond MLS and FMF 1 to include teams from other leagues in CONCACAF. It should be the secondary league to our Champions League mirroring the relationship between the European UEFA Champions League and Europa League. The top four MLS teams not qualifying for the Champions League, regardless of country, would qualify.
Although I feel my ideas are fairly decent, by no means do I assume they are the best out there. Really I am exploring my own thoughts for making US soccer more similar to European soccer and more competitive as a whole. I realize that these posts are wordy and complex. Hopefully tomorrow's post will clear things up a bit as I plan on making a rough outline of the strategy...
Continue to Part 3
If American soccer were to enter a promotion & relegation system, then every new team would have to start at the bottom. A couple of weeks ago I talked about restructuring US soccer with a semi-pro league. Under my new proposal, the system would still work as I described it. Professionally run/organized teams would have the option of joining as an amateur (PDL, NPSL), semi-pro (USL-3), or professional (USL-2, USL-1, MLS) team. Amateur teams' would not change much from the current system and would be eligible for the US Open Cup.
The USL-3 would function as several smaller regional leagues (similar to the English system) with a national championship (similar to the current PDL). In addition to the USOC, amateur and semi-pro teams could have their own shared cup along the lines of the FA Trophy. The USL-3 teams winning the league and either or the cups would have the option of going fully professional the following season.
USL-2 would become the default entry point for fully professional teams. To accommodate our landmass, it would be set up as a regional system with two to four fluid leagues and a playoff to determine the national champion. The national champion and runner-up would be eligible for promotion. Promotion would be optional, but encouraged, and contingent on meeting the standards (to be discussed tomorrow). The third place finisher would be an alternate candidate for promotion.
USL-1 would remain the second highest division of professional soccer in the US. A nationwide league, its champion would automatically earn promotion to MLS, based on the season (no playoff trophy) and contingent on meeting the standards. The second and third place teams would have a play-off for promotion. At the other end, the bottom team would be relegated and the next two worst teams would have a play-off to earn the right to stay. Should only one (or no) team from USL-2 be promoted, then the play-off and relegation would not occur. USL-1 and USL-2 would also compete in the USOC.
MLS is currently the top league in the US and will continue to be the top league. All current MLS teams and planned expansion teams would start off in the new MLS. To adjust to the new format, relegation would not occur for two years after the last expansion franchise enters the league (currently 2011). MLS teams will compete for the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup playoffs as we currently know them will be gone. Since all levels of US soccer will be aligned, the USOC will become one of the premier events of the US soccer season. Its prestige would increase greatly.
Since not all teams in our league system will be from the US, a second major trophy competition could be held featuring teams from USL-2, USL-1, and MLS (similar to the League Cup in England). Unlike the USOC, the additional cup is only for purely professional sides; it is also open to every professional club in the new US league structure regardless of their home nation. It would be a more direct replacement for the MLS Cup and would be the new premier event of the American soccer season. The "League Cup" championship game could be held at a pre-determined site and marketed for months in advance like the current MLS Cup game.
Still, we are left with the problem of expansion fees and elevated costs. Being the top level, MLS will certainly have greater TV exposure than the other levels of the new league. With more meaning to the average game since the current playoff system is gone, TV viewership should increase. As teams literally fight for their right to be in the top level competition should improve, which should have an impact on ratings and attendance as well.
With new teams playing in MLS every season, viewership might also increase to see how the new guys stack up (I know I watched many Reading and Derby County FC games when they returned to the EPL in 2006 and 2007, respectively); knowing your home team could have a legitimate shot at the top level should increase support as well. The various stages of the USOC and the "League Cup" could be televised as well (like English soccer). All of these competitions strengthen soccer in the US and offer increased revenue opportunities.
In lieu of franchise fees, there are a couple of solutions I came up with. First, every team at every level could pay a league fee. Each level would have a slightly different fee, with lower division teams seeing much smaller costs than USL-1 or MLS due to regional play. Recent expansion teams would have reduced or no league fees for a predetermined amount of time to compensate for their lump sum payment.
Second, every team would have to pay a percentage of their income to the league. This includes revenue from regional broadcasts. Third, national TV revenues would be directed to the league with compensatory amounts being given to the participating teams. The amount should be comparable to revenue earned via a regional broadcast, if not higher.
Through the various fees and revenue sharing programs the league would cover officials, travel, and accommodations for domestic and league-approved international events (CONCACAF Champions League, SuperLiga, Club World Cup). Friendlies hosted against international clubs would be considered as team marketing expenses and not counted as revenue; the referee costs would be paid to the league, however.
Speaking of Champions League and SuperLiga, these two events should be given more emphasis. Both are important to creating a more European flavor within our league system and have the potential to increase the profile of North American soccer greatly. Unfortunately both have serious flaws.
Currently US teams are given four spots in the Champions League tournament - three through MLS and one through the USOC. Canada is given a single entry through the Canadian Championship (Toronto cannot qualify through MLS). Bermuda and Puerto Rico must qualify through a Caribbean tournament. Under the new league structure things should be different.
The MLS champion should qualify for the Champions League, regardless of nationality. The USOC winner and runner-up should also qualify, as should the winner of the new "League Cup." The Canadian Championship could still serve as a qualifier if it is expanded into a USOC-like competition. The final spot would go to the winner of a round robin play-off between the second and third place finishers in MLS, the runner-up of the Canadian Championship, and the top teams from Bermuda and Puerto Rico (plus US Virgin Islands or any other Caribbean nation joining our system). For classification purposes, this tournament could be called the "North American Trophy." This is a rough concept, but should provide an idea of how it would work.
The SuperLiga should be expanded beyond MLS and FMF 1 to include teams from other leagues in CONCACAF. It should be the secondary league to our Champions League mirroring the relationship between the European UEFA Champions League and Europa League. The top four MLS teams not qualifying for the Champions League, regardless of country, would qualify.
Although I feel my ideas are fairly decent, by no means do I assume they are the best out there. Really I am exploring my own thoughts for making US soccer more similar to European soccer and more competitive as a whole. I realize that these posts are wordy and complex. Hopefully tomorrow's post will clear things up a bit as I plan on making a rough outline of the strategy...
Continue to Part 3
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Fixing US Soccer Part 1
A good chunk of this article comes from a comment I posted on a recent article at Major League Soccer Talk. The primary point of this post is structuring professional soccer in the US to be more similar to European soccer instead of other pro sports in the US. In order to grow and thrive rather than barely survive, something has to be done to improve Major League Soccer. Read on!
Finding a way to get MLS and United Soccer Leagues to work together is vital to the continued growth and success of professional soccer in the US (plus Canada, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda). Coming up with a promotion & relegation system is great; it adds meaning to more games. Is it feasible in the US? I am not sure. However, the salary cap might be the key to making it work.
Imagine if USL and MLS started a work relationship like the Premiership and League. Carry over the salary cap and Designated Player rules to USL-1 and USL-2, but decrease the scale - like allow 3-4 DPs for MLS, 2 for USL-1, and 1 for USL-2; have the salary cap increment down as well. So that USL-1 is x amount higher than USL-2 and MLS is y amount higher than USL-1. This would help to minimize cost differences between the top team in MLS and the bottom team in USL-2 thus making a system with reasonable parity to prevent "giant clubs" from dominating year in and year out like Barcelona & Real Madrid in Spain and Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, & Liverpool in England. The salary cap system would keep the game American enough to give promotion & relegation a chance to work here.
Also, I think MLS should stop at 20, maybe 22 teams. Yes more established nations hold at 18, but we are very large country, geographically speaking. Our population is spread over four time zones (six if you include Hawaii); Russia is the only other country that can claim that. We need more teams in order to decrease travel issues (Becks has commented on the 6 hour flights to NY from LA) that most European countries could never imagine. Plus Canada, like it or not, is & will remain part of our league. This necessitates more teams as it is. You also have to add in PR and Bermuda should promotion & relegation come into play; neither is large enough to support its own league.
The trick to making soccer work on a large scale is ensuring that the best 20-22 teams represent MLS every year. Promotion and relegation is the key to this. Automatic promotion for the regular season winner; playoffs between the second and third for a second spot. Automatic relegation for the bottom (sorry Red Bulls) and a playoff between the second and third worst to stay in the higher league. Of course there are some other issues to work out concerning franchise fees and such nonsense, but it could eventually work (maybe in 10 years or so)...
Currently, MLS is charging $40 million for expansion teams. I know that if I recently dropped that kind of cash to bring in a team (Seattle, Philly, Portland, Vancouver) I would be pissed if I was relegated and some other club gets to jump up for free. Also consider that Red Bull's purchase of the MetroStars cost $100 (although it did include the stadium deal among other things). Making matters worse, MLS is a profit sharing, single entity league. The league also owns the rights to the players (except for DPs) and negotiates their salary. Obviously some of this will have to change in order for the promotion & relegation system to work.
In order for the promotion & relegation system to work, teams must be willing to participate and would have to meet certain standards. One of these standards would be the ability to meet a salary floor when moving up. This would ensure that teams are at least competitive at the higher level. At the same time, relegated teams cannot be expected to shed all of their higher salaries upon moving down; European leagues (France being a great example) often give them a window in which to decrease salaries if they are do not make it back up to MLS within that time frame.
Another hurdle for promotion & relegation is the constant up and down movement and its effect on the fan base. Theoretically, the most recently promoted team is the most likely candidate to finish at the bottom of the table and the most recently relegated team is the most likely to be promoted. In practice it seldom works this way, but such movement does seem likely. In the fickle and competitive American sports market this might make it hard for teams (especially newer teams) to develop strong fan bases. Then again, fighting to reach MLS, stay in MLS, or regain a place in MLS might make for more passionate fans. In any event, a stronger relationship between the leagues would make the US Open Cup more meaningful.
With an expanded relationship between MLS and USL, adding new teams becomes more difficult. Now either league decides which cities/ownership groups are viable, charges an expansion fee, and grants the team in the desired league. The new system would more muddy than that.
In European leagues teams enter at a bottom level and have to earn their way up via promotion. While that system is fair, balanced, and allows for smaller markets to build a strong fan base, how would it work with currently untapped major markets like Phoenix? Sure Krause could turn the Menace pro at USL-2 with the current PDL fan base continuing to grow as we advance up the pro ranks, but how would larger "major league" cities respond to this? In the American sports' model, huge cities are granted top level teams based on the virtue of being huge. They do not have to earn the right to play in the top league.
So how can promotion and relegation work with our nation's entitlement mentality? Tomorrow's post will address that issue.
Continue to Part 2
Finding a way to get MLS and United Soccer Leagues to work together is vital to the continued growth and success of professional soccer in the US (plus Canada, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda). Coming up with a promotion & relegation system is great; it adds meaning to more games. Is it feasible in the US? I am not sure. However, the salary cap might be the key to making it work.
Imagine if USL and MLS started a work relationship like the Premiership and League. Carry over the salary cap and Designated Player rules to USL-1 and USL-2, but decrease the scale - like allow 3-4 DPs for MLS, 2 for USL-1, and 1 for USL-2; have the salary cap increment down as well. So that USL-1 is x amount higher than USL-2 and MLS is y amount higher than USL-1. This would help to minimize cost differences between the top team in MLS and the bottom team in USL-2 thus making a system with reasonable parity to prevent "giant clubs" from dominating year in and year out like Barcelona & Real Madrid in Spain and Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, & Liverpool in England. The salary cap system would keep the game American enough to give promotion & relegation a chance to work here.
Also, I think MLS should stop at 20, maybe 22 teams. Yes more established nations hold at 18, but we are very large country, geographically speaking. Our population is spread over four time zones (six if you include Hawaii); Russia is the only other country that can claim that. We need more teams in order to decrease travel issues (Becks has commented on the 6 hour flights to NY from LA) that most European countries could never imagine. Plus Canada, like it or not, is & will remain part of our league. This necessitates more teams as it is. You also have to add in PR and Bermuda should promotion & relegation come into play; neither is large enough to support its own league.
The trick to making soccer work on a large scale is ensuring that the best 20-22 teams represent MLS every year. Promotion and relegation is the key to this. Automatic promotion for the regular season winner; playoffs between the second and third for a second spot. Automatic relegation for the bottom (sorry Red Bulls) and a playoff between the second and third worst to stay in the higher league. Of course there are some other issues to work out concerning franchise fees and such nonsense, but it could eventually work (maybe in 10 years or so)...
Currently, MLS is charging $40 million for expansion teams. I know that if I recently dropped that kind of cash to bring in a team (Seattle, Philly, Portland, Vancouver) I would be pissed if I was relegated and some other club gets to jump up for free. Also consider that Red Bull's purchase of the MetroStars cost $100 (although it did include the stadium deal among other things). Making matters worse, MLS is a profit sharing, single entity league. The league also owns the rights to the players (except for DPs) and negotiates their salary. Obviously some of this will have to change in order for the promotion & relegation system to work.
In order for the promotion & relegation system to work, teams must be willing to participate and would have to meet certain standards. One of these standards would be the ability to meet a salary floor when moving up. This would ensure that teams are at least competitive at the higher level. At the same time, relegated teams cannot be expected to shed all of their higher salaries upon moving down; European leagues (France being a great example) often give them a window in which to decrease salaries if they are do not make it back up to MLS within that time frame.
Another hurdle for promotion & relegation is the constant up and down movement and its effect on the fan base. Theoretically, the most recently promoted team is the most likely candidate to finish at the bottom of the table and the most recently relegated team is the most likely to be promoted. In practice it seldom works this way, but such movement does seem likely. In the fickle and competitive American sports market this might make it hard for teams (especially newer teams) to develop strong fan bases. Then again, fighting to reach MLS, stay in MLS, or regain a place in MLS might make for more passionate fans. In any event, a stronger relationship between the leagues would make the US Open Cup more meaningful.
With an expanded relationship between MLS and USL, adding new teams becomes more difficult. Now either league decides which cities/ownership groups are viable, charges an expansion fee, and grants the team in the desired league. The new system would more muddy than that.
In European leagues teams enter at a bottom level and have to earn their way up via promotion. While that system is fair, balanced, and allows for smaller markets to build a strong fan base, how would it work with currently untapped major markets like Phoenix? Sure Krause could turn the Menace pro at USL-2 with the current PDL fan base continuing to grow as we advance up the pro ranks, but how would larger "major league" cities respond to this? In the American sports' model, huge cities are granted top level teams based on the virtue of being huge. They do not have to earn the right to play in the top league.
So how can promotion and relegation work with our nation's entitlement mentality? Tomorrow's post will address that issue.
Continue to Part 2
Monday, July 27, 2009
Lax Reminder
1. There is no lax tonight. Lax resumes on Thursday at 5:30 pm
2. If there is any interest in having a box lax league, I need to hear from you. Register on the forums and respond to the polls. Or check out this post and respond. Since we have to compete with the indoor soccer leagues for time, waiting until the last minute is not an option!!!!
2. If there is any interest in having a box lax league, I need to hear from you. Register on the forums and respond to the polls. Or check out this post and respond. Since we have to compete with the indoor soccer leagues for time, waiting until the last minute is not an option!!!!
5-0 Mexico. Holy Crap
Team USA's "C" team completely blew it last night. Sure the first goal came on a questionable penalty call. The other four came from an utter lack of defense.
This Gold Cup was relatively meaningless, but what does this loss do to the psyche of the full US squad? More importantly, what will be the effect on both teams through the rest of World Cup qualifying? The US faces Mexico at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on August 12 to open the next round...
This Gold Cup was relatively meaningless, but what does this loss do to the psyche of the full US squad? More importantly, what will be the effect on both teams through the rest of World Cup qualifying? The US faces Mexico at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on August 12 to open the next round...
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