Pele takes on Les Wilson of the Vancouver Whitecaps during the “glory days” of NASL.
The North American Soccer League is on its knees once again — are we really surprised? When the first iteration of the NASL closed its doors for business in 1984, it was clear what had led to its demise: lack of investment; lack of interest; and an unsustainable business model. Now? NASL 2.0 is facing the same consequences.
Professional soccer in America struggled until Major League Soccer laid the groundwork for responsible, tangible growth. MLS preached stability — it delivered — and for some reason this angered the American soccer fan. They wanted something more… they wanted the NASL back and in 2009 they got their wish. But now? It might be a wish they’d like to take back.
It’s been a tough year for NASL. The league has lost teams to MLS and to its United Soccer League affiliate, too. Now NASL looks set to lose arguably the biggest draw it has — the New York Cosmos — to dissolution. “How did we get here?” you’d be forgiven for asking, most have, and honestly? The writing was on the wall as soon as the Cosmos came back to town.
When the New York Cosmos announced they would be re-forming in 2010, most hoped that they would join Major League Soccer. The Cosmos would hire Eric Cantona as “Director of Soccer,” appointed Pele as their “President,” made Giorgio Chinaglia its “International Ambassador,” and handed former United States Men’s National Team star Cobi Jones an “Associate Director” role. The ownership group had brought in the big guns — it was ready for Major League Soccer.
The team started working with then-mayor Michael Bloomberg for a site they could build a soccer-specific stadium at, in the heart of New York’s boroughs — something that would set them apart from the New York Red Bulls, who actually ply their trade in Harrison, New Jersey. By March of 2011 twelve sites had been mooted, none of which worked out.
Then came the bickering about the fee.
When the Cosmos stated their intention to return to soccer operations, joining Major League Soccer, the league expansion fee was around $40 million. By the time the Cosmos were anywhere close to closing a deal — somewhere in the summer of 2011 — the expansion fee had risen over 50% to around $70 million.
While this had been a large concern for the Cosmos, the bigger fight for them was with the league’s “single-entity” structure… which begs the question: Why did they bother in the first place?
Under the management group of Terry Byrne and Paul Kelmsley, the Cosmos had already begun to show signs of their ill-fated predecessors by blowing massive amounts of cash on huge billboards in Times Square, renting a fancy headquarters in SoHo, and flying in their old stars for press conferences — speaking of building teams similar to the ones that featured Beckenbauer, Pele, and Chinaglia.
Of course, none of this surfaced, and it was obvious to most at this point that they wouldn’t be joining Major League Soccer.
Throughout the life of the “Cosmos 2.0,” ownership had maintained its goal was to join Major League Soccer but it seemed to become clear that they thought they could be exempt from MLS’s “single-entity” structure somehow. Obviously this failed, negotiations broke down, and in 2013 the New York Cosmos re-joined NASL.
Instead of Chinaglia it was aging ex-Real Madrid and Spain star Raul, instead of Pele? Marcos Senna formerly of Villarreal.
The final nail in the Cosmos’ coffin wasn’t hammered home this past week when it emerged through several reports — but most reliably through Dave Martinez at Empire of Soccer —, that staff “had been furloughed” and that the Cosmos were “behind with payroll,” with rumors portraying a mass exodus of players to keep the team afloat.
It’s also thought, though not confirmed, that when Marcos Senna left the Cosmos — they still owed the former Spanish international money.
The final nails in the coffin had first been cast back in 2011 when the team refused to comply with Major League Soccer’s “single-entity” structure, and secondly when Don Garber told the Associated Press in 2014 that MLS had “no plans” for a third team in New York.
The Cosmos were dead before they even began, especially when the excuses came in from chairman Seamus O’Brien. He told The Guardian:
“When I agreed to take over the managing part of this, I was of the same mindset as most people out there: that MLS is the only league and we would have to be in the MLS. Through the due diligence process that we undertook, we rapidly came to the conclusion that we did not think it was a very good investment.”
Well, what does he think of that investment now? Because if the New York Cosmos fold so too — most likely — will NASL. The sentiment portrayed in the public space is that the Cosmos’ impending failure for a second time is somehow bad for soccer in America.
Frankly the Cosmos are getting exactly what they deserve, and soccer in America will move on without them.
The pig-headedness displayed by the ownership and management groups in trying to “take-on” Major League Soccer and — to borrow a phrase from President-Elect Donald Trump — “make the NASL great again” was both obtuse and absurd.
The New York Cosmos had a chance to be the premier team in New York. All they had to do was cut a deal with Major League Soccer similar to what New York City FC did — barring Manchester City and the New York Yankee’s involvement.
The Cosmos are still a worldwide brand; an authentic brand; a uniquely New York brand — in Major League Soccer the team could have thrived.
New York should have had a global brand that raised the profile of Major League Soccer to the point that it is at right now. But it should have had it five years ago. The Cosmos are authentic in that they may not have needed backing from the New York Yankees and Manchester City; and authentic in that they wouldn’t have been “tarnished” by the moniker “Red Bulls.” The Cosmos management thought it would be a better business decision to take on MLS than to grow American soccer with MLS, and deliver the promises it did when it got the band back together.
The biggest irony of all, though? Cosmos could have spent the money it spent on players like Raul, Marcos Senna, and Niko Kranjcar (all thought to have been promised MLS “Designated Player” salaries) on far more attractive players.
Having Lampard, Villa, and Pirlo would’ve been more akin to the Cosmos of old; Dos Santos, Gerrard, Cole, and Keane would also have been closer — hell, having Drogba, Piatti, and Mancosu would still have been closer than what the Cosmos ended up fielding.
Their anti-establishment sentiment, and their unabashed attempt to hold on to the “glory days” of the 1970’s and 80’s were both admirable, desirable traits for the hardcore Cosmos fan but it seems like because of those same traits — those fans will soon have nothing to cheer on.
This is a situation that everybody should have seen coming. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Just ask the NASL.
