With the Minnesota Thunder on shaky financial ground they could be considered a lame duck unless they can produce financing for the team in quick order. USL awarding a franchise to another group in the Twin Cities with the proper finances could severely damage the chances of the TOA. The breakaway league would need a strong 7th team to get up and off the ground in order to get approval from the USSF to start a new league.
Do take the time to read the above link, as Inside Minnesota Soccer has done a wonderful job of reporting the USL-1 - TOA
In summary, however, here is where we stand today. The TOA group has seven members. FIFA requires eight teams to sanction a league. However, seven teams have been allowed in the past so long as there is evidence that the new league is working on getting an eighth.
Two of the TOA teams -- Vancouver and Montreal -- look likely to make a jump to MLS in the near future. Whether they will keep a presence in the new league remains to be seen, although Vancouver has made noises about keeping a team in the second tier in the past.
Minnesota is, essentially, broke. So, if the USL puts a team in that market under other ownership the potential of the TOA Minnesota group finding enough local money to make a go of it becomes much more unlikely. So, before you dismiss the USL's move to put an expansion team in Minnesota as nothing more than a power play, you should at least acknowledge that it's a very effective one.
Both Montreal and Vancouver -- the two biggest and most important markets in the TOA group -- have made noises that they remain open to a repairing of the relationship with the USL. If that happens, the rest of the TOA is right screwed. Canadians, however, have every right to not really care about that. The truth is it's this country that is poised to lose the most if the dispute isn't resolved and the new TOA league isn't sanctioned.
The best outcome remains for there to be an agreement that allows for a single second tier league. Failing that we need to see both the USL-1 and the TOA league sanctioned. Without the stamp of approval, both Vancouver and Montréal would be better off sitting the year out than playing in an outlaw league (and if it's such a sure thing that the Voyageurs' Cup will not be impacted by this, how come the CSA continues to refuse to answer questions about it? If you're reading CSA...).
One last crazy thought: If the TOA league is not sanctioned and the dispute not resolved, maybe the Whitecaps and Impact could attempt to play a season in the Canadian Soccer League. It wouldn't be ideal (especially for the 'Caps), but at least it would allow the two sides to stay together for the year as they prepare for MLS. It would also ensure that there weren’t any issues with Canada's entry in the CONCACAF Champions League. Absolute worst case scenario, the 'Caps can probably play a season without a league. They could set-up friendlies with MLS teams as well as touring Euro sides. The Canadian championships would, effectively, be their regular season. Fans in B.C. know that they will be back as a MLS side in 2011. However, until we hear for sure that the Impact are making the jump, it's vital that Montreal find a league. Even if it’s playing against the Serbian White Eagles.
2 comments:
"It would also ensure that there weren't any issues with Canada's entry in the CONCACAF Champions League."
Wouldn't it? Hasn't CONCACAF come out and said that it wouldn't accept an entry from the CSL into the Champions League?
Who knows? It would be nice for the CSA to speak to the issue, but I’m pretty sure that they don’t know either.
Although my understanding is that it was the *teams* that were approved, rather than the league.
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