I read that part but it really didn't make sense. Either way , it doesn't look like they will find a solution.
And USSF. Indeed. There isn't an uprising amongst the public to make USSF hand over a bunch of money in this case.
They lost the case in court. Public outrage prodded US Soccer to offer a generous settlement rather than continue into an appeal the Federation was sure to win. Taking credit for that is a bit like representing a plaintiff who sues over a traffic accident and claiming victory when that plaintiff wins the lottery. He did indeed take a hefty part of the settlement for himself -- it would've been more if Hope Solo hadn't objected to the payout.
I dunno. He may actually "win" Relevent. FIFA has already settled with Relevent and the Judge allowed them to be dropped from the lawsuit as a result. Relevent is still going after USSF for damages and I wouldn't be surprised if USSF settles just to make it go away as they'll have bigger fish to fry WRT making sure FIFA doesn't lift the ban on league games outside their home country only for the US.
That's basically what I'm saying, yeah. My guess is they would've settled already except that the lawyer$ like Ke$$ler still want their $hare.
Congrats on the North American Suing League for their $169 in monetary damages. Can we go back paying attention to the game now?
PRAYER FOR RELIEF WHEREFORE, Plaintiff prays as follows: A. That the agreement among the USSF and its members including MLS that is embodied in the Professional League Standards themselves, in totality, be adjudged to be an unreasonable restraint of trade in the relevant markets alleged in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1; B. That the conspiracy by Defendants regarding the imposition, implementation, and application of the Professional League Standards, including the discriminatory and selective grants and denials of waivers from such Standards, as well as other conspiratorial conduct described in this Complaint, with the purpose and effect of excluding competition from the relevant markets to protect the monopoly position of MLS in the top-tier market and USL in the second-tier market, or MLS in the broader alternative relevant market, be adjudged to be in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act; C. That the conspiracy of Defendants to monopolize the relevant top-tier and secondtier markets, with the specific intent that MLS and USL alone compete in such markets—or, in the alternative, for MLS to monopolize the broader alleged relevant market, with the specific intent that MLS alone compete in that market—be adjudged to be in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2; D. That MLS's monopolization of the relevant top-tier market, or in the alternative the broader relevant market for men's professional soccer leagues, as alleged in this Complaint, be adjudged to be in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2; E. That MLS's attempted monopolization of the relevant top-tier market, or in the alternative the broader relevant market for men's professional soccer leagues, as alleged in this Complaint, be adjudged to be in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2; F. That the Court issue a permanent injunction enjoining USSF from continuing to promulgate or implement the Professional League Standards to sanction men's professional soccer leagues, leaving the competitive market and consumer preference to determine which men's professional soccer leagues in the U.S. and Canada, including NASL, MLS and USL, are top-tier, second-tier or some other competitive level; G. H. That Defendants be enjoined from further violations of the antitrust laws; That judgment be entered for Plaintiff against Defendants for three times the amount of damages sustained by Plaintiff as allowed by law, in an amount to be determined at trial, together with the costs of this action and reasonable attorneys' fees, pursuant to Sections 4 and 16 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 15 and 26; and I. That Plaintiff be accorded such other, further or different relief as the case may require and the Court may deem just and proper under the circumstances.
Hypothetically, what happens exactly if the NASL ends up winning their lawsuit? Will they continue as a D1 league or will their teams be allowed into MLS without paying expansion fees?
I think if they win the suit the PLS go away and they can call themselves what the hell they like. They won't be allowed in MLS.
The PLS aren't going to go away, if anything they'll be revised. IF the NASL win the suit, Commisso and Kessler will get some small monetary reward and this will dissipate faster than a fart blowing in the wind. The NASL does not exist anymore. The Cosmos are "on hiatus" and The Miami FC, Indy 11 and the Tampa Bay Rowdies now play in the USL Championship. The Jacksonville Armada barely exist. Maybe the USL will apply for D1 sanctioning for the Championship? IF they are granted D1 status, MAYBE Commisso pays an expansion fee to bring the Cosmos back as a USL-C team? I doubt it though, seeing as he moved to Italy.
No, they'd get damages and, I believe, USSF would have to grant them D1 status equal to MLS. I believe as well that, This. I hope someone writes a book about the 2000-2020 period in US professional soccer someday. At the beginning of the period, even MLS was on shaky footing and the levels below were comedically bad. By 2010, MLS was on surer footing but the lower levels were still the wild west ... the USL/NASL split, USL's bizarre expansion into Puerto Rico, the Cosmos coming into NASL and sabotaging the partnership with MLS that ended up saving USL, bizarre clubs like Rayo OKC and the SF Deltas ... it goes on and on. I'm reading a good book on the Sacramento Republic. The author has a good rundown of the city's previous minor league clubs and their travails. He also has interesting stories from the early days of Sacramento Republic where USL had bizarre, cost-saving scheduling measures with short, multi-game road trips. There's a few other books out there with similar anecdotes about sketchy, underfunded owners and fly-by night clubs. @Beau Dure, do you have another book in you?
@kenntomasch would know more about it than I would but I'd imagine that's entirely true. Granting another waiver wouldn't have cost the USSF much/any money and they'd have been very aware of the risk of being sued successfully if there was even the appearance of unfairness in their decision. They set out standards and invited NASL (and others) to meet them. Since the NASL was vaporware, they didn't and the provisional status was yanked. End of
What they're asking is quote: "the Court issue a permanent injunction enjoining USSF from continuing to promulgate or implement the Professional League Standards to sanction men's professional soccer leagues". They can call themselves what the hell they like, it was still a shitty league with 8 teams. I think India has about 8 leagues that call themselves "Super League". Most are 4th tier.
Yep, that was a draft response that I didn't mean to post. Even if they were granted D1 status, it wouldn't have changed anything. MLS wouldn't be forced to accept them ... their most stable teams had already joined MLS and USL. Don't forget as well that a league that prided itself on clubs being able to chose their own fate implemented crazy exit fees at the end. This seems like a zombie case only continuing because Rocco's pissed and lawyers need paychecks. Where we are now is a much better place. MLS is stable and growing. USL, without MLS2 teams is a good place. Teams are free to move between leagues to a place that matches their facilities, fanbases, and finances. I'm a little worried about MLS Next Pro's independent teams and USL League 1 competing with each other but that's not too big a concern. NISA seems to be on its last legs but, hopefully, its teams can find a place in USL or NPSL.