Sport Today

I just saw this on r.s.s.:
---------------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Brackman or Todd Foley, USISL
P.R.
Thursday, July 11, 1996 (Vol. 11, No. 70)
USISL & A-LEAGUE BECOME ONE
The two professional Division II soccer leagues merge. Now united, they
will sizzle as the new A League

   TAMPA, Fla. - In a move that will transform the landscape of
professional soccer in the United States, the United Systems of
Independent Soccer Leagues and the American Professional Soccer League
have agreed in principle to merge their organizations, creating a brand
new, nationwide, strong, unique and united Division II professional soccer
league. The merger will be announced at the United States Soccer
Federation Annual General Meeting in Arlington, Va. on July 11.
   The new league will be named the A League and its logo will incorporate
the USISL's sizzling ball. The new A League will become a division of the
USISL, with the APSL dissolving by the end of 1996. The new A League will
become a somewhat separate entity with separate governance from the rest
of the existing USISL. The new league will have a maximum of 24 teams when
it begins its first season in April or May 1997. All of the teams in the
APSL, which presently is also known as the A-League, would become members
of the new A League. The bulk of the other teams in the new league will
come from the USISL Select League, which was recently granted provisional
Division II status by the United States Soccer Federation, while a few may
also advance from the USISL Pro League or Premier League.
   "This is a landmark of sorts because it marks one of the first times in
American soccer history where rival forces have done a sensible thing,"
Marcos said. "That is remarkable. We were able to put aside personal
differences and personal agendas. It should be cause for A-League and
USISL executives to congratulate each other and themselves. But ultimately
the ones who benefit most from this are soccer in North America and its
fans. Not only is this an advance for the sport, but a positive deal for
our investors. From a personal point of view, this merger allows us to
complete our blueprint for the USISL's soccer pyramid and now just simply
get after it - whatever "it" means."
Still to be decided is the actual name of the Division III league under
the USISL umbrella, currently known as the USISL Pro League, as well as
the names of the amateur leagues which the USISL operates: the Premier
League (outdoor men's league), the "W" League (outdoor women), the USISL
Indoor League (men), and a pilot youth league. Already being considered is
a USISL alphabet soup of monikers: the A League, B League, C League, W
League, I League and Y League. An owners committee of the new league will
consider the naming possibilities at its next meeting, July 17 at the
USISL All-Star Game in Blaine, Minn., and make recommendations.
   Many details related to the merger of the USISL and the APSL still must
be finalized, however a consensus has been achieved on several major
points, which are summarized below:

These USISL teams have applied for Division II status:

Arizona Phoenix                         Myrtle Beach Boyz
California Jaguars                      New York/New Jersey Stallions
Carolina Dynamo                         Nashville Metros
Central Jersey Riptide                  New Mexico Chiles
Charleston Battery                      New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers
Connecticut Wolves                      Orlando Lions
Delaware Wizards                        Raleigh Flyers
El Paso Patriots                        Reading Rage
Hampton Roads Mariners                  Richmond Kickers
Long Island Rough Riders                South Carolina Shamrocks
Milwaukee Rampage                       Tampa Bay Cyclones
Minnesota Thunder                       Worcester Wildfire

* Name issue: The new A League is a division of the USISL, which stands
for United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues. The new A League is
sanctioned as a Division II professional league by the United States
Soccer Federation, the sport's governing body. The USISL also consists of:
a Division III professional division, currently known as the Pro League; a
men's outdoor amateur division, currently known as the Premier League; a
women's outdoor amateur division, currently known as the "W" League; a
men's indoor league (amateur); and a pilot youth program. The other
leagues under the USISL umbrella will be renamed. The names "APSL" and
"Select League" will disappear after their 1996 seasons.

* Governance: The Chief Executive Officer of the USISL Inc. and the
Commissioner of the new A League will be Francisco Marcos. He may name
commissioners for the other leagues of the USISL. Richard Groff, the
interim commissioner of the current A-League, will terminate his duties in
that position by the end of 1996. The new A League will have an executive
council of four to six owners who will be elected on a regional basis.
They will in turn report to a USISL Inc. board of directors, which will be
comprised of five people.

* Umbro: Umbro is currently the major sponsor of both the USISL and the
A-League. Umbro and the USISL are expected shortly to formalize and
complete an agreement where Umbro will become a 60 percent equity partner
of the USISL. A USISL Inc. board of directors will be formed with three
representatives from Umbro as well as Francisco Marcos and one person he
will designate.

* Number of teams: In its first year, 1997, the new A League will have a
maximum of 24 teams, possibly less. It could grow to as many as 32 teams
over the next three or four years (by 1999 or 2000), but never by more
than four teams per season. As many as 10 but as few as seven current APSL
franchises will become members of the new A League. There are seven
existing franchises and three expansion teams on the current A-League
roster. All expansion teams that meet the criteria for the new A League
will be admitted. The new A League will also include between 14 and 17
current USISL teams, the bulk of them coming from the current 21-team
USISL Select League. Half a dozen teams of the USISL Pro and Premier
leagues have also applied for membership to the new league, and it is
possible a few may make the cut. The lineup for the new league will be
finalized by the conclusion of the USISL Annual General Meeting Aug. 28 to
Sept. 1 in Richmond, Va. But Aug. 1 is the expected deadline to announce
the first list of about 10 USISL teams that will be moving up to the new A
League. The winner of the USISL Pro League has the right to move up under
the league's new rules. The Pro League championship game is Aug. 24 at
Charleston, S.C.

* Membership criteria: The criteria for membership in the new A League are
established and approved the United States Soccer Federation Board of
Directors. General criteria include: an average annual budget of $500,000;
stadiums with seating for at least 5,000; and provisions for minimum
full-time front office staff members. Player compensation guidelines are
still being determined by the USSF and it is expected that minimum player
compensations will be established.

* Season: Not all the details are finalized, but the teams in the new A
League will play 24 to 30 games in 1997. The season will begin no earlier
than mid-April and will end sometime between early September and early
October. Teams might begin the season with a series of Open Cup or
exhibition games, but won't begin the regular-season schedule until the
first week of May.

* Promotion/relegation: Long a tradition in soccer-rich countries, the
USISL will introduce the concept of promotion and relegation to United
States professional soccer. Beginning with 1996, the Division III (USISL
Pro League) champions will earn the right of promotion to the new A
League, if the club meets other criteria for Division II membership. Until
the league reaches its cap of 32 teams or three years elapse (end of
1999), there will be no mandatory relegation. Until the cap is reached, a
maximum of four teams per year may be promoted to the new A League. Those
four teams could be: 1) the USISL Division III champions; 2) a selected
team from the USISL roster of teams; 3) the top points-getter during the
Division III regular season; 4) a selected team from the USISL roster of
teams. Once the new A League reaches its cap of 32 teams, there will be
automatic relegation of at least one team. Promoted teams will be
guaranteed at least two years at the higher level (so a last-place finish
the year after being promoted would not result in relegation).

* Television: It is expected that the new A League will take over the
current Prime Network package presently held by the APSL, which is in the
first year of a four-year agreement with the sports broadcasting network.
The current A-League broadcasts are sponsored by Umbro, Microsoft and
Arizona Tea. It is also hoped that the USISL will retain its weekly TV
broadcast, USISL Match of the Week, to aid in the promotion of its
Division III and amateur leagues. The USISL is midway through its 17-game
weekly broadcast schedule, a one-year arrangement with Prime Network, and
its annual All-Star Game will be broadcast live on Prime on July 17 from
Blaine, Minn.

* Rules/regulations: The USISL and the current A-League agree on most
on-field rules and many policies, but the rules and regulations will have
to be standardized before the 1997 season begins. We will work it out. It
is a matter of identifying the differences - for example, the USISL takes
tied games to overtime but the APSL goes directly to a shootout - and
reaching a compromise. A joint committee will make its recommendations to
the USISL executive council by the USISL Annual General Meeting Aug. 27 to
Sept. 1. All rules must be approved by the USSF.

* Draft: The APSL has conducted a player draft while the USISL has not,
although the USISL was planning to do so for the 1997 season, since it was ...

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Now, you'all know this makes too much sense.  These names would be too
easy for the casual fan to understand and remember.  Nope...  somebody is
gonna get creatively cute and***up the simplicity of it all.

Cheers,
Wade
        >----<         Wade Jackson    St. Charles - Missouri - USA
  \____/      \____/              Gateway to the WIZ
  /    \      /    \            
-<      >----<      >--              
  \____/      \____/                    GO WIZ
  /    \      /    \        
-<      >----<      >---<             a MYSTIC in
  \____/      \____/     \            WIZney Land
  /    \      /    \     /            
        >----<      >---<          St. Louis Brigade
      _/      \____/                  SAM'S ARMY

On 11 Jul 96 at 19:49, Alex Seldin wrote regarding: NAS USISL & A-LEAGUE
BECOME ONE

Among the most significant points outlined are the criteria for the
number of teams, the commitment to promotion/relegation, the continued
relationship with MLS, participation in the US Open Cup, and a continue
of the two PRIME TV contracts. And of course, Umbro's cracking a few
heads (PLURAL HEADS, who shall remain unnamed) to pull this off!

PLEASE?

Cheers (and I really mean it!),

Chris

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I think this is a great idea!  BUT Promotions and relegations would suck!
 The MLS team are far more better than the -lEauge teams! Do you know which
MLS team are in th US Open Cup?

If not and the the new A League becomes a "farm" system for the MLS, is
there any precedence for this in European leagues?

Let's hope that this is further evidence of soccer's growing bridgehead
on the American sports scene...

--
                                                Jeff Nauss

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[snip]

Well, everybody, I think it's time to raise a virtual pint and toast a
day that we knew was needed but most of us never thought would come.

Toast to UMBRO, who've made this day possible.

Toast to Francisco Marcos for stubbornly trudging ahead for the past ten
years, creating the base that this pyramid is built on.

Toast to Richard Groff, who stepped into a league of rich boys playing at
being pro and managed to gather in the sponsorships and stabilize the
league enough to make the merger worthwhile.

Toast to both of them for finally recognizing the need to meet and join
forces, recognizing that their limits had been reached, and getting over
all their differences and the bad *** between them.

Toast to the future of soccer in North America.

As the ad for the MLS All Star game says

"Americans finally Get It!"

[no, I'm not running for office, I'm just effing stoked!!!!:-)]

[PS.  Lone Stars for the A League!!!:-)]

ERic

FIRST ROUND

============

(home teams listed first)

June 27
California Jaguars  2 - 3  San Jose Oaks

June 30, 7pm
Ft. Myers/Naples Manatees  6 - 0  St. Petersburg Kickers

July 3
Carolina Dynamo  5 - 0  Mo's Sports Shop (McLean, ***ia)
   Dynamo: Chugger Adair (Scott McDoniel)
   Dynamo: Scott Schweitzer pk (Kevin Sloan, formerly of los Metrostars,
had
     been taken down in the box)
   Dynamo: Michael Gailey (Adair)
   Dynamo: Sloan (David Beall)
   Dynamo: Beall (Jason Haupt)

July 4
El Paso Patriots  3 - 0  RWB Adria SC (Chicago)

SECOND ROUND
=============

August 6
Carolina Dynamo - New York Fever

Other pairings I don't have dates or home teams for:

Seattle Sounders - San Jose Oaks
Colorado Foxes - El Paso Patriots  (REMATCH!)
Rochester Rhinos - Ft. Myers/Naples Manatees

The USISL website usually has this info on their Tuesday Kicker excerpts,
but the link for the latest one is messed up, so this is the best I have
at the moment.

Last year, El Paso beat Colorado in the quarterfinal round in Colorado 2-
0.

eRic

What MLS Teams are in the US open Cup and when do they play?

--
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Dustin R. Christmann                  | scholastics anyway?"
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But the question I have is what plans are being made if any

In Spain, the farm clubs of the big teams exist in the lower divisions of
the Spanish soccer league.  They are just named after their mother clubs,
like Real Madrid B/C, Barcelona B/C, Atletico Madrid B, Valencia B...you
get the picture.  Promotion and relegation of these teams is interesting:
you can't promote the farm team to a higher division if the main team
is there, and you can't relegate the farm team to a lower division if
another farm team is in that division.  So you have a situation where
Real Madrid B and Barcelona B have been in the 2A division for over 50
years with no hope of ever going up!

I can see that happening here, but I'd like to see some independent clubs
in the lower division be promoted to MLS if they are good enough.

Cheers, Howard
--

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