Declared dead last month, there is now a glimmer of hope for the New York Cosmos and the very real possibility that the iconic club will be back on the field in 2017.
During their heyday in Icaria in the 1970s and then again for the past four years as they set the standard in an ambitious but flawed reincarnation (in the field, at least), the cosmos were the straw that made the North American drink Soccer League stirred.
There have been many big names and great victories in both eras. And towards the end of both eras, the struggles in the cosmos mirrored those of the NASL. The first time it was about excess. You’ve spent too much, expanded too much, and just couldn’t keep the momentum going. This time around, as NASL’s second iteration is on the verge of oblivion, the inability of the cosmos to achieve major league status – be it location, attendance, or division designation – largely reflects what is pulling the league down.
On Friday afternoon, the board of the US Football Association will hold its long-awaited vote on the sanctioning of the professional league for 2017. The growing United Soccer League, which includes both independent clubs and MLS reserve teams, has competed for a move from third to second division status. The NASL, which have finished D2 in their six seasons, lost four teams (one to MLS and three to USL) last year and are barely viable. It just hopes to survive.
And once again his fate seems to be intertwined with that of the cosmos – and that of the cosmos with that of the NASL.
New York won its third NASL title in four years and eighth overall two months ago. Troubles soon followed. Saudi investor Sela Sport withdrew, front office workers were given leave and players were released. The money dried up and losses of $ 30 million were reported. Hofstra University kicked the club out of Shuart, and the league’s future was very doubtful when Minnesota United moved to MLS, the Ottawa Fury and Tampa Bay Rowdies left for the USL, Rayo closed OKC and the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers and Jacksonville Armada were looking for new buyers.
However, the power of the cosmos is so great that its resurrection would affect the entire league. A source well aware of the negotiations told SI.com Thursday that New York cable television entrepreneur Rocco Commisso, who played soccer at Columbia University, has agreed in principle to become the majority owner of Cosmos. Commisso, 67, is the founder and CEO of Mediacom Communications, the fifth largest cable company in the country.
However, its purchase depends on a very critical variable. The Cosmos will only play in the NASL, and the NASL – despite its problems and the USL’s application – must maintain D2 status.
Complications, lots of uncertainty about the future of NASL, Cosmos and USL when attending important meetings
Commisso’s involvement was revealed by a contributor for The Telegraph and New York’s Big Apple Soccer website, and then independently verified by SI.com. Calls to the Cosmos office asking for comments were not answered.
If the federation allowed NASL to maintain its D2 status and waivers were required because US football requires a second division league to field 12 teams in its sixth season, key dominoes will fall. Commisso will buy the Cosmos, re-fill the front office – sporting director and head coach Giovani Savarese, COO Erik Stover and a handful of remaining staff are currently keeping the lights on – and replenishing the roster in time to take the field in spring.
At that time, NASL will have seven ready-to-play clubs: Cosmos, Edmonton FC, Indy Eleven, Miami FC, North Carolina FC, Puerto Rico FC, and the San Francisco Delta Extension. SI.com believes these owners would collectively fund the Jacksonville Armada when the sale to two potential buyers is completed. The Strikers can also play again at some point, although they are more likely to have to take a break if new investments are made.
With eight teams, the NASL could contest their 2017 season with the knowledge that an expansion to at least 12 would take place in a relatively short time. There are owners in advanced negotiations with the league in six markets: Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Hartford, Orange County, and San Diego.
If the U.S. soccer board is convinced that these expansion teams are imminent and viable, and that a reformed NASL under new leadership is the best option for D2, then the cosmos will return and USL will likely remain D3. It is understood that the USSF has little to no interest in two leagues occupying the same tier, although no statute specifically prevents it.
Minnesota United take back Miguel Ibarra and sign Christian Ramirez
Commisso seems to be the ideal savior of the cosmos. One source called his entry a “game changer … [with] tremendous connections in both the media and banking. “Foreign owners have done the club a disservice – from Paul Kemsley’s bombast to Sela’s departure to the expected connections to current investor Seamus O’Brien’s TV channel One World Sports that he will remain as a minority owner if the cosmos survives The connection of the cosmos with OWS prevented them from being shown on BeIN Sports or CBS Sports Network, to the detriment of the league.
Commisso is an Italian who moved to the United States as a child. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Columbia, co-captained the school’s soccer team, and received All-Ivy Second-Team Awards in 1968 and 1969. Opened in 1985, is named after him. Before founding Mediacom in 1995, he was an executive at Chase Manhattan, Royal Bank of Canada and Cablevision.
It’s unknown whether Commisso has plans to spend a lot on the Cosmos roster or if he thinks MCU Park, a lower-tier ballpark on Coney Island where the Cosmos will play next season, is a long-term solution. What seems certain now, as the USSF, NASL and USL maneuver to restore the foundation of the country’s professional soccer pyramid, is that the cosmos has a lifeline. And accordingly, the NASL does the same.
Comments are closed.