SOCCER USA - NEWS

  


Reports: High-powered lawyer presses NASL demands

Sports attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who represented MLS players in the 1996 lawsuit against MLS, its owners and U.S. Soccer, is sticking his legal thorn into U.S. Soccer again. The Financial Times and New York Daily News reported that Kessler is representing the NASL and demanding that U.S. Soccer reconsider proposed changes to its Division I standards that he says are "anti-competitive."

Both publications cited a 13-page letter sent by Kessler July 23 to U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulatiand secretary general Daniel Flynn.

They said the proposed changes in Division I standards the NASL via Kessler objects to are:

-- 16 teams must play in the pro league, up from 12 (14 by Year 3);
-- 75 percent of the teams must of them based in cities with more than 2 million people, up from more than 1 million.

U.S. Soccer: 2014 Professional League Standards
(h/t: http://www.kenn.com)

Both reports cited Kessler's claim the proposed changes were intended to benefit Division I MLS (which has 20 teams and plans to add teams in Atlanta in 2017, as well teams in Los Angeles, Minnesota and Miami) at the expense of the Division 2 NASL (which has 11 teams and two more planned to start in 2016 and would like to obtain Division I standing).

“Doubling the population criteria now is an anticompetitive bait and switch," Kessler wrote, "with the purpose of entrenching MLS’s monopoly position at the very time when the NASL is threatening to become a serious competitor."

In 1996, Kessler represented eight players who sued MLS, its owners and U.S. Soccer in Fraser v. MLS (Fraser was Canadian Iain Fraser) file in Federal district court, attacking MLS's single-entity system on antitrust grounds.

MLS won in district court and the verdict was upheld on appeal. The decision did not affirm or deny that MLS was a single-entity but rather ruled MLS could not as a matter of fact dominate the market for players since it was a global argument.

U.S. Soccer's authority to regulate professional soccer -- specifically sanction international matches -- was the subject of another suit, ChampionsWorld LLC v. United States Soccer Federation, involving the bankrupt ChampionsWorld that operated an international series of matches in the United States. U.S. Soccer and MLS won by summary judgment, and the case was settled after an appeal was filed.

Kessler, who is currently New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's lawyer in Deflategate, has ties in soccer going back to the old NASL, which he successfully represented against the NFL in its suit to have the NFL's cross-ownership ban lifted.

USL: OKC's Koenig ties league scoring record

OKC Energy FC moved into first place and became the first Western Conference team to earn a berth in the playoffs with a 2-0 win over the Austin Aztex before a sellout crowd of more than 6,000 fans on at Taft Stadium. Striker Danni Koenig matched a USL record with his 20th goal of the season late in the game.

The goal moved the 28-year-old Dane even with Kevin Molino's mark set in 2014 for Orlando City. OKC  still has four games remaining.

“We haven’t talked about the record," said Koenig. "Some guys said congrats now, but I want to enjoy the record after the season. When the season’s over, I’ll be glad to say I’m happy about it, but right now I’m focusing on the team.”

USL Standings:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Rochester 53 Louisville City FC 45 NY Red Bulls II 39 Charleston 39 Richmond 36 Pittsburgh 35 // Harrisburg 34 Charlotte 33 Saint Louis FC 26 FC Montreal 25 Toronto FC II 19 Wilmington 16.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
OKC Energy FC 43 LA Galaxy II 42 Colorado Springs 39 Orange County 39 Sounders FC 39 Sacramento 38 // Tulsa 36 Timbers 2 32 Arizona United 31 Whitecaps FC 29 Austin 27 Real Monarchs SLC 20.

Pittsburgh midfielder Rob Vincent converted a penalty kick for his 18th goal in the Riverhounds' 1-0 road victory over Louisville City FC before 8,414 fans at Slugger Field. Vincent’s totals of 18 goals and five assists are the same as those of Louisville City FC’s Matt Fondy.
-- Rochester goalkeeper Brandon Miller picked up his 11th shutout this season with a 2-0 win against Saint Louis FC. It tied the USL record shared by Kristian Nicht (2012) and Miguel Gallardo (2011).

USL Week 24, Results:
Wednesday, August 26
Charlotte 1, FC Montreal 0
Real Monarchs SLC 2, Colorado Springs 1
Friday, August 28
Real Monarchs SLC 2, Sounders FC 2 1
Saturday, August 29
NY Red Bulls II 2, Wilmington 0
Harrisburg 6, FC Montreal 0
Charleston 2, Richmond 0
Pittsburgh 1, Louisville City 0
OKC Energy FC 2, Austin Aztex 0
Orange County Timbers 2 1
Arizona United 2, LA Galaxy II 1
Sacramento 3 Tulsa 1
Sunday, August 30
Charlotte 2, Toronto FC II 2
Rochester  2, Saint Louis FC

USL Week 25, Schedule:
Wednesday, September 2
Louisville City vs. Harrisburg, 7:30 p.m. ET
Real Monarchs SLC vs. OKC Energy FC, 9 p.m. ET
Thursday, September 3
Wilmington vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, September 5
Toronto FC II vs. FC Montreal, 3 p.m. ET
Timbers 2 vs. Colorado Springs, 6 p.m. ET
Charlotte vs. Wilmington, 7 p.m. ET
Richmond vs. Rochester, 7 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh vs. Charleston, 7 p.m. ET
Austin vs. Sounders FC 2, 8:30 p.m. ET
NY Red Bulls II vs. Louisville City, 8:30 p.m. ET
Orange County vs. LA Galaxy II, 10 p.m. ET
Arizona United vs. Real Monarchs SLC, 10:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, September 6
Whitecaps FC 2 vs. Sacramento, 6 p.m. ET
Harrisburg vs. Saint Louis FC, 6:30 p.m. ET
Tulsa vs. OKC Energy FC, 8:30 p.m. ET

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Klinsmann Names 23: No Lichaj, Lletget, or Finlay


Benny Feilhaber? Nope. Jermaine Jones, Matt Besler, and Bobby Wood will return for the U.S. national team match against Peru, but Klinsmann did not add key players who might fill positions of need.

F YOU THOUGHT Jurgen Klinsmann's abject failure in the 2015 Gold Cup would lead to meaningful personnel changes as the U.S. prepared for its massive CONCACAF showdown with Mexico on October 10, think again.

The coach did not call up Nottingham Forest fullback Eric Lichaj, Columbus Crew winger Ethan Finlay, or Los Angeles Galaxy spark plug Sebastian Lletget.

Instead, the German is doubling down on the same core that produced surprising friendly wins over the Netherlands and Germany but also finished a dismal fourth in the Gold Cup. Here is the squad.

GOALKEEPERS

Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), William Yarbrough (Club Leon)

DEFENDERS

Ventura Alvarado (Club America), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Greg Garza (Atlas), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham)

MIDFIELDERS

Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Joe Corona (Veracruz), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Alfredo Morales (FC Ingolstadt), Danny Williams (Reading), DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur)

FORWARDS

Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Aron Johannsson (Werder Bremen), Bobby Wood (Union Berlin), Andrew Wooten (SV Sandhausen), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)

"The bigger picture is to get some answers for how we put things together for the Mexico game a month from now," Klinsmann said. "Obviously we want to continue to have a good flow of guys from the Gold Cup, but also to bring back guys who are in position to compete for a spot on the roster for Oct. 10. Our message to these guys is simple: prove a point that you want to be at the Rose Bowl."

Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey will miss the Peru game but are slated to return for the match against Brazil.

Given the poor summer showings of John Brooks and Ventura Alvarado, it's somewhat surprising to see both players on the roster yet again. That said, Geoff Cameron and Matt Besler have returned to the team, which suggests that Klinsmann is at least considering other options over his preferred starting central defense pair.

The inclusion of Bobby Wood and Andrew Wooten will encourage U.S. supporters who are not convinced that Jozy Altidore is the answer at the tip of the spear.