Let me start by saying happy new year to all the soccer fans out there. With spring being not too far off in the future we can honestly begin to feel that business around the A-League will be picking up soon. In the spirit of changes and fresh starts that a new millennium can provide I've decided to attempt to provide some insight on a subject that will always be relevant to soccer here in the "States". Of course I'm referring to the interlocking relationship between MLS and the USL and this time out I was able to get some comments from people on each level as it regards the way the sides approach things. One thing that people on each side can disagree about is whether or not bigger is better. When it comes to the number of clubs competing in the A-League some feel that less might just be more. Some, such as Chicago Fire GM Peter Wilt, believe the structure of U.S. Pro soccer might be better served by having a second division with somewhere around 18 stable clubs. The argument there is that a second division that always has to deal with reshuffling because of the involvement of clubs who cannot survive is extremely detrimental in the long run. On the other hand some probably feel inclined to think that the more markets that are opened by having teams in their own backyard the better for the soccer hierarchy in the end. In my estimation the best route is to look for those 16 or so stable clubs who will eventually prove to be profitable members of the league while affording all of the current clubs the opportunity to prove themselves capable of lasting.
Another major issue that comes between the two leagues is the way in which player personnel are handled. Peter Wilt and Dan Doucette from Milwaukee both agree that they have benefited from their partnership particularly last season as players who needed to develop away from the Fire had a chance to play with the Rampage. In their relationship the two clubs have been able to fairly assess and assist in one another's needs. The Fire seem to be one particular MLS club who have been able to maintain a strong bond with their A-League affiliates despite the noted lack of vested financial interests. Richmond Kickers GM Billy Hallock says that his club has a good working relationship with both the Tampa Bay Mutiny and D.C. United and particularly in dealing with Bill Manning and Thomas Rongen. Hallock also cited the lack of distance between Richmond and D.C. as a reason that he feels Rongen would and maybe should feel free to send some of his younger players who might be riding the bench in D.C. down to get seasoned with the Kickers. He also mentions the fact that Leigh Cowlishaw, coach of the Kickers, has been involved with some of the Mutiny's invite-only tryouts, which he says, helps create a better affiliate system. Continuity between the players and coaches at all the levels are essential to soccer succeeding this time around and back-room politics is the last thing needed at this stage. With the agreements that are in place now as far as personnel goes we should see some revamping soon but don't look for anything earth shattering.
Touching quickly on one aspect of the personnel issue is the manner in which players are received by clubs when they are brought up to an MLS club or down to one of their A-League counterparts. Rapids coach Tim Hankinson specifically made mention of the fact that some players won't typically go for the idea of losing their "star" money in the A-League to a lesser wage in MLS. He also makes a valid concern out of the fact that often times an MLS club sends a player down only a day in advance of a typical A-League match which he says can often lead to disruptions in "team chemistry". A large part of the disruption comes from the way players have little to no "preparation with the team" and the fact that "many of the A-League contracts are playing time sensitive to achieve bonuses." When an MLS player comes down some regular team members feel that it is a case of this player benefiting from a "local player's playing time." All of Coach Hankinson's points are valid and demonstrate the nature with which the dynamic between players needs to be considered in the relations between the leagues.
Another of the major issues involved is the lack of financial influence each league has with the other. Coach Hankinson, who has been virtually everywhere and seen practically everything concerning both leagues, feels that the relationship between the leagues won't get any better until the MLS has more at stake in the financial area of the USL and vice versa. This sentiment has also been echoed by several people on both sides including Devinder Sandhu, GM for the Nashville Metros, who said in a USLdiscussions.com chat with fans that the "relationship could be improved by some sort of financial stake in the USL." Some in MLS will likely point to D.C. and other clubs from the league participating in the Y-League as an example of their attempts to become, dare I say, more of a partner with the USL. Yet, even this bit of involvement does little to intimate that the MLS clubs will soon start putting their money where their PR machines are and get more directly involved financially with the USL. People in MLS would likely point to the recent revelation that the league has lost somewhere in the neighborhood of $250 million as a reason to back away from talks of investing in the USL. One has to wonder, though, exactly when the bulk of these figures were lost especially when taking initial investments and losses on behalf of the league into account. The one overiding factor in all of this financial talk is that just about everyone has their hand out while only a select few can honestly feel that they have some sort of control over their own purse strings.
All of these issues are important to the continuing relationship between the USL and MLS and should be on the agenda when both parties meet to hash out a new deal. The ground that has been gained in understanding between each party has been good to see yet as the above evidence indicates they are still quite definitely apart on some very serious issues. The mending and building of these bridges is essential to the strengthening and future health of the game here in the U.S. and hopefully we, the fans, will get to see a period of true cooperation backed up by action as opposed to some of the shadowy dealing we've only heard whispers of in the last five years. I would be remiss if I did not thank all of the gentleman involved on both sides of the debate who were so generous with their time and their thoughts on the matter. If anything it proves that some of the people who run soccer in this country aren't afraid to let the fans know and understand what is going on behind the curtain sometimes. After all, the USL and the MLS have to remember that they not only need to foster a relationship between themselves, they also need to foster a relationship with the fans.
You've Got Problems? I've Got Solutions
Why is it that the USL headquarters are in Florida yet there is no longer a strong enough footprint for the sport in the Sunshine State to merit a solid A-League franchise? My guess is because MLS already has a strong A-League team in Florida, the Miami Fusion. People, myself included, have spent a lot of time and effort griping about the lack of results on the field and in the stands in South Florida. The solution to this and to a slew of other problems facing MLS might just be to finally realize why Rochester is a perfect fit for them right now. Rochester was the league champion last season and turned a tidy profit at the gates. The Fusion made a valiant effort in the horrid Eastern division and in the Open Cup but the biggest disappointment was in the stands where the Afusionados were one of the most vocal audiences in the league but remained few in number. There have been rumblings in the league of dismantling the Ft. Lauderdale based club but I say send them to the A-League. Let the USL waive the franchise fees for the promise of a club that will likely draw between 5-8,000 a game, which is practically a packed house in the A-League. In exchange MLS will finally promote Rochester and get a club that, once a new stadium is built, should average around 11-15,000 a game. The A-League might object to losing Rochester but they need to think that the impending success in Portland will balance the books in respect to this loss. A steady upswing in the turnouts in places like Vancouver, Milwaukee, and the continued strong support in Minnesota would help to absorb the loss of the Rhinos as well. The absolute worst scenario that could play out would be for the Fusion to simply relocate to Rochester, which has been rumored. DuRoss and Economides are highly unlikely to push for this situation because this kind of move would clearly be divisive for the current Rochester fan-base. Jettisoning fan favorites such as Lenin Steenkamp and Yari Allnut in favor of guys like Welton and Diego Serna would be, to put it simply, public relations suicide. In all likelihood this situation won't occur any time soon. If things continue their current path, though, this may merit some serious consideration among both sides if they do truly want soccer to survive on this go around here in the U.S. I fully expect to witness another couple of years of excuse-making by MLS for the sub-10K turn outs at Ft. Lauderdale while the Rhinos continue to challenge the likes of Dallas, San Jose, and Kansas City in terms of attendance numbers. If anything I also fully expect to see Rochester bide their time until MLS clubs actually have some sort of direct control over their own affairs before jumping ship. Just some food for thought on ways to get a decent sized A-League team in the USL's home state while adding prestige to the USL and A-League by having a club such as Rochester "promoted".
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