NASL and TV
TKR has learned that despite being unsanctioned at this time, that the newly formed NASL has moved forward with its plans to broadcast its inaugural season on Television. Two sources confirmed to us that the league has leveraged the relationships of Traffic Sports USA and reached out preliminarily to multiple cable/satellite channels.
USL-1 has one game weekly on Fox Soccer Channel and a monthly breakaways show on the channel, which more often than not features PDL, W-League and USL-2 content. Last year, USL offered its broadband package, USL Live which previously cost $49.95, for free. The video, produced by NuLion who also works with the NHL and NFL was of a good quality, and gave USL the ability to place highlights on local news telecasts.
USL has paid Fox Soccer Channel for the time to broadcast matches. Our understanding is that the new NASL would do the same with is chosen broadcast carrier (from 1996 to 2006, MLS had to pay to broadcast games, and ESPN had to buy the time on ABC. That’s why after the 1999 season, ABC’s MLS coverage was reduced substantially), but may find its matches in more lucrative time slots than USL does.
While the NASL is not yet sanctioned, they are moving forward making plans for the 2010 season. USL has not announced its plans for broadband or TV in 2010, but let us hope the USL Live product continues to be of the highest quality. The ability to watch games on broadband last year helped expand USL’s fan base beyond those who simply attend matches.
I didn’t think the USL matches on nuLion were that good. I appreciated the fact that we had some sort of coverage, but most of the coverage was poor with no instant replays.
Also, NuLion caters so much to PC’s that I know a lot of Mac people that had nothing but problems with the coverage and some gave up because they never could get it to work correctly.
As to the FSC games, could USL have chosen any more games on turf fields with football lines? Cleveland, Austin, Austin, Cleveland. Who is marketing this league anyway?
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USL Live was okay, but the lack of fullscreen support for Mac was a big problem for me. Hopefully NASL does better in terms of supporting more browser. For instance, getting the stream to work on the PS3 and Wii web browsers would be great so people could watch games on their TVs even if they aren’t broadcast on TV. But actually having games on TV in the team’s markets would be huge. Some teams have done this already, but when it comes to Miami FC it would really help fan support I think. Finally Traffic is proving to be a useful owner for our team.
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Any idea who the “multiple cable/satellite channels” are? Now I’m VERY curious… do they mean networks like USA Network, or TNT? Or Comcast channels such as Versus? Or just the usual soccer channels like Gol TV or FSC… those are nice and all, but we want to reach out to ALL sports fans in our markets, not just the soccer ones.
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The NASL better be sanctioned by the USSF. It would be a crime to not sanction and promote this league.
They’ve returned high level soccer to St Louis.
They are working to restore the game in Miami and Tampa after MLS just disappeared in the night from both places.
They will be on TV.
They will be promoted better than USL
They will probably work better with MLS than USL
They will export more players to Europe than USL
They will be able to bring high quality soccer to Atlanta, and North Carolina, taking advantage of both the European oriented fans there, and the support for College soccer in the region.
They will be structured in accordance with FIFA regulations unlike USL
Need I even go on?
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Please no Friday Night TV games! USL’s package was terrible.
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USL was structured in accordance with FIFA regulations. Please quit propagating this lie. MLS is further out of bounds with FIFA statutes than USL.
Kartik reported on this months ago, after he did, the TOA never mentioned it again because they knew they’d been caught.
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Is this just a move to try to push USSF to sanction the new NASL? It would be really embarrassing if a league on TV was not sanctioned. It would almost make the USSF look unnecessary. Any comments from FSC or ESPN or other networks? Would Versus be an option for them. I saw the new UFL on Versus while flipping channels.
Also, how is USSF going to react to the lawsuits? Could they pull the USL-1 sanctioning? How would this effect the USL-2 and PDL?
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The team has yet to play a game and is owned by people who lost $2.5M on their WPS team. Oh, and they’re coached by one of the worst managers ever. But, yes, high level.
You have absolutely no idea what happened in the case of Miami and Tampa Bay, do you? You don’t. You just don’t. Ken Horowitz disappeared and Tampa Bay never found an owner. MLS made the decision that having ownerless teams was bad for business, and, guess what? They were right.
As for “restoring the game” to Miami and Tampa Bay, well….Miami FC has been an absolute disaster. There’s really no other way to spin that. Just an unmitigated disaster. And what good does it do to “restore the game” somewhere where no one notices? As for Tampa Bay…what, exactly, have they done to make anyone think they know what they’re doing?
So, in the comments on a blog entry that says they’re trying to get on TV, working to get on TV, you write definitively “They will be on TV.” Which would be different from USL because….????
And you know this because the people involved in the NASL have shown an uncanny acumen to promote their own teams to this point. Oh, wait. No, they actually haven’t. You’re just pulling that out of an orifice.
Again, orifice. You have zero idea whether or not this is true – it just helps bolster your point to assert it. The reason MLS and USL haven’t had a great relationship the last several years is because neither side could agree on fair compensation for things. You want to tell me that the NASL guys woke up one morning and thought, “Wait, a minute, we’ve been wrong this whole time! We’ll work with them! We can come to an agreement that really works!” You’re delusional if you think that. The history of our sport is that people don’t get along. They all think they’re the geniuses who can make it work and that they know better than the other guy. NASL will be no different. They already think they know better than the people in Tampa – what makes you think they won’t believe they know better than MLS?
And you know this because…..
A second-division-level player is a second-division-level player, no matter what you call the league. You’re just completely making this part up. What, exactly, has been keeping USL from exporting players to Europe? Could it be the quality of the players themselves? Could that be it? So the NASL is going to get second-division players of a much higher quality? With what money, exactly?
Plus, if they clap their hands together three times and believe in Tinkerbell the Fairy, everything will be great!!! Exactly what has been keeping the ownership groups in Atlanta and North Carolina from taking advantage of the European-oriented fans in those markets and the support for college soccer to this point?
Nothing. Exactly. Nothing has been keeping them from doing that. No fiat from Tampa, nothing but either (a) their own ineptitude at getting that done or (b) the fact that that stuff doesn’t sell tickets to second-division soccer games in this country. It just doesn’t. It hasn’t. It won’t. No matter what you call the league.
Complete and utter lie. Absolute, complete and utter, pulled-out-of-an-orifice lie. You are just parroting the party line initially spelled out by the TOA people, which has been proven to be a complete canard.
Considering how bad you got your butt kicked the first time, I’m kinda torn. Part of me kind of likes it, part of me is just sad for you.
Just a typical American soccer fan with internet access. You have no clue. Knee-jerk, hyper-reactive, full of more bluster than facts or reason.
Sure, then. Go on. I would love to hear what other nonsense you can come up with.
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Did someone really wonder if ESPN was interested in 2nd Division Pro Soccer?
That gave me the laugh of the day.
I’ll be surprised if the NASL doesn’t end up on GolTV (which I don’t get……) or a Spanish Language channel.
Since Traffic is working with networks that they’ve worked with before, then GolTV is in the mix.
Does anyone know what other networks Traffic has dealt with before?
I doubt VS or ESPN have………….
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I bet the leagueends up on FSC.
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I know that ESPN would be a long shot, but they do have a Spanish Language channel and may want to target the Miami market. This has been done before. NBC has Mun2 which is a network that was created to tarket in part the Miami market. A start up of a new league is a time for brainstorming and thinking of all possiblilities, even the remote ones.
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With the NBC-Universal-Comcast merger occurring (pending legal stuff) that creates more penetration for Vs (comcast), Universal Sports (NBC’s dedicated Olympics channel) and the regional Comcast networks (which has some MLS now)
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Is it possible that Traffic is going to force someone to take the NASL TV rights in order to get Copa America or some of the CONCACAF rights that Traffic owns? ESPN, for example has to deal with Traffic to get rights to US away qualifiers in many places- the same qualifiers where Miami FC billboards were so prominently placed in front of the TV cameras.
Also, what about GOLTV and Copa America- could Traffic tell GOL TV that in order to get the copa rights they have to take the NASL rights? SUM made a similar deal with ESPN who wanted FIFA rights to get a fee for MLS.
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Hey, that tells me they’re already going to be stronger than the USL! Nothing wrong with a ilttle strong arming!
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Jason, you’re sounding like a USL employee!
BTW, Horowitz didn’t disappear in Miami…he had no money! He was trying to play with the big boys and it was all just smoke and mirrors!
BTW, do you really know why the USL and MLS couldn’t work together? or are YOU just talking out of an orifice? 🙂
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Fact of the matter is Miami FC with Traffic in power has been last in attendance in the USL every single year they’ve been in the league, even with Traffic’s advertising arm behind them. In 2007, they averaged 916 fans a game. They had an average 1063 last season, had crowds of under 500 twice, and never drew more than 2106 to a home game (the season opener, which was well-publicized). Getting the games on local television might help exposure, but Traffic have a loooong way to go to make Miami FC successful.
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Kartik..don’t be a sell-out when you say “TKR has learned” be real! Davison/traffic calls you up to give you a scoup…they use you for what they hope is timely proaganda…They are selling a car without and engine and calling you that the car is driving at the Brickyard on ESPN. The NASL has no legs..
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I no longer support the USL. They have been creating propoganda and spreading false informaion all over the internet. They are even writing comments on their own articles in support of themselves.
The lawsuits are a disgrace. The courts will see that the USL is using our justice system for nothing more than legal coersion. This is America. We were built on the idea of free will and opprotunities for people to introduce ideas. The ideas of the USL are dead. The fact that the USL owners owe ridiculous amounts of money is embarassing to American soccer. It is obvious that their attempt to create obstacles is motivated by desperate greed.
The NASL has showed that their priority is to promote soccer in this country at every level. I support the NASL and suggest that the USSF continue to do the same.
I would also encourage Florida courts to reprimand the USL for abusing a system which was created to protect people from organisations such as the USL.
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This battle between NASL and USL comes down to one point. The NASL group has come out from the very beginning discussing how they plan to fix the problems and deficiencies of USL they have experienced over the past years. All of the USL responses have not addressed the structure of the league and the issues raised by their former owners what so ever. USL is still stuck in the 90’s and that is bad news for not only team owners, but all of US soccer.
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Jason, all you wrote was blah, blah, blah…one of those people who likes to hear themselves talk. Did you have a point you wanted to make? You sound like a moron with internet access.
The USL has no product without the fans, bottom line. You can’t buy or own fans.
The fans support the NASL and the TOA…bottom line.
Jason…less is more, remember that before wasting your time on a long winded post to yourself. I stopped reading after blah, blah, blah, blah…i crawl up NuRocks orfice…blah, blah, blah.
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As an employee of USL I would just like to say how disturbing it is to see such a lack of loyalty toward the USL. You should be thankful NuRock bought out the USL. The TOA are living in a fantasy world and so are US soccer fans if they think the NASL will succeed.
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“The fact that the USL owners owe ridiculous amounts of money is embarassing to American soccer.”
I thought the Minnesota Thunder is an NASL/TOA club?
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Why should someone be loyal to a league that has shown little loyalty to the dozens of cities that have watched said league fold teams in their cities?
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The truth comes out! Am employee of the USL!
Tell me, as a soccer fan in Miami, what has the USL done for me? Was it the USL that brought Miami FC here? or was it the team owner? so, who should I be loyal to, the league which all they did was take the money, or the owner who is at least attempting go bring soccer to South Florida?
when the Fusion left here, we were left without pro soccer. But if you look at that situation, yes the league allowed the team to fold, but it was the owner that got rid of his expensive hobby, not the league. He wasn’t even a soccer fan – almost never went to the games! The MLS was trying to make it work here!
I’m grateful to the USL for what they have accomplished, but my loyalty is to my team and its owner, not the USL!
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Jason, do you really believe everything you say and that USL is the best thing for soccer or are you just saying everything because you want to save your job? Give me one reason why any investor would rather own a team in USL than NASL or really just a reason why an investor would want to own a team in USL. The USL is a for profit business and cares nothing about the teams or where they are as long as they pay fees and dues. They were successful and beneficial in the beginning, but they need change and the only change that occurs is the teams that come and go each year. Not the key to success. And why will the NASL fail? It’s the teams from USL-1. Do you not think those owners could exist with out the almighty USL to take their money?
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Jason Minnick is an employee at USL. Why is he spamming all these soccer blogs? He is supposed to be writing propaganda for the USL. Not harassing NASL fans.
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James Ward and Jason Minnick are both buddies from USL posting on this site to try and convince NASL fans to believe the same crap that they have been told by NuRock owners. James and Jason can believe what they want. We understand boys…you might get promoted if you flatter the big suits enough times. You might even get a bonus big enough to afford yourselves ties to go with those collars, but isn’t it a little desperate to go around pretending to be fans of your own league. Why don’t you two go and write yourselves a fan letter to your bosses from a pretend USL fan. It might get you further.
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That Jason can write.. or is Gerald writing this for you
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The USL seems to care little about the USSF’s gag order on both parties involved…intersting.
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What makes you think that is James or Jason? There’s a lot to this whole internet anonymity thing, especially when you don’t have to register to post comments on this site… Just a thought, why would they post with their real names and identify themselves as employees?
Pitchforks and torches 🙄 Get over yourselves.
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Jason – please show a link to an article stating how much money the St. Louis WPS team lost last year. If you’ve got it, and it’s legit, that’s fine, I’ve just seen this number thrown around but I’ve never seen it accredited to a source.
And, I’m not sure why losing money to develop a mens/womens soccer program here in St. Louis makes Jeff Cooper a bad owner. I’ve yet to be able to make the connection drawn here and elsewhere. Most businesses lose money in the first year of operation. It takes money to make money.
Not picking a fight here, just asking if you can clarify your point.
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Actual St. Louis Soccer Fan: there is no point. He’s just desperately throwing out every factoid he thinks supports his case. Funny how he doesn’t mention a word about why USL is actually better than NASL, because he can’t. It’s all just mudslinging and obfuscation. But what would you expect from a USL employee? That’s what they teach them on day one of orientation. Maybe next he’ll sue somebody.
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go back under the desk and wait James and Jason. you can change your names but its obvious when you two post on these blogs. 99% of fans hate NuRock, the other 1% are errand boys for NuRock owners. Why would anyone support an ownership group that has only been around for3 months and already failed.
FANS HATE NUROCK = FAILURE
Employee of NuRock = Not very impressive resume and not an expert on soccer.
GO AC ST. LOUIS!
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New Comments Policy
December 14, 2009 Kartik Krishnaiyer Leave a comment
Over the past several days we have had pro TOA/NASL posters representing themselves as USL employees to stir up controversy. This will not be tolerated: IP addresses are now being monitored by our administrators and if you misrepresent yourself, the post will be deleted and you will be banned from the website.
Your opinion is valuable and both pro USL and pro TOA/NASL viewpoints are encouraged in our message section. However, misrepresentation will not be tolerated on this website.
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I hope the NASL succeeds and we get a great new league.
Getting away from Marcos and his selfish Tampa tyranny will be for the good of the game at this level.
I also don’t care if they get 3 or 30 clubs from Puerto Rico, the USL should be mostly USA/CAN clubs. Let Puerto Rico run their own league and grow without having to pay Marcos crazy amounts of franchise payments. Silly.
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What makes you think that is James or Jason? There’s a lot to this whole internet anonymity thing, especially when you don’t have to register to post comments on this site… Just a thought, why would they post with their real names and identify themselves as employees?
Pitchforks and torches 🙄 Get over yourselves.
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