Photo: Michael Long

Before I get too far into discussing the decision of WPS to cancel the 2012 season, let me say that my initial reaction when the news first broke was that I was simply gutted. Gutted for every fantastic person I've met covering the Independence and women's soccer in general.

Philadelphia Independence owner David Halstead says the Philadelphia Independence will be back in 2013.

In a letter to Independence fans on the club's website, Halstead said the decision to cancel the 2012 season was difficult, but necessary.

Halstead points to the ongoing litigation with Dan Borislow about his Florida-based franchise as the reason for the cancellation of the season.

There will be no Women's Professional Soccer in 2012. Earlier today, the league's Board of Governors voted to suspend operations until the 2013 season, with the hope of play resuming then.

This past October, WPS decided to drop its franchise in South Florida amid constant issues with former owner Dan Borislow.

Official Announcement by WPS press release:
WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER
SUSPENDS PLAY FOR 2012 SEASON
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (January 30, 2012) – Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) announced today that its Board of Governors has voted to suspend the 2012 season to permit the League to focus on the resolution of certain pending legal issues and the challenges that now face the League as a result of its ongoing dispute with a former owner.

The day after U.S. soccer fans celebrated the women's CONCACAF win and their Olympic qualification comes word that the WPS is on ice for the 2012 season.

Word began to filter out via players and bloggers on social networks like Twitter Monday morning, and the league officially made the announcement midday.

US Soccer has given Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) until Monday to find a sixth team. You may recall that the league's Board of Governors recently voted to expel Dan Borislow's Boca Raton-based magicJack from the league. The relationship between Borislow and WPS has been fairly roller-coaster-esque from the start.

The playoffs and MLS Cup final are being completely revamped in 2012.

Instead of rotating the MLS Cup between different cities, starting in 2012, the MLS Cup final will be played at the home venue of the participating team with a higher regular-season point total. No more neutral fields, which is something that the MLS has done since 1996.

As expected the Supporters' Shield winner will host MLS Cup, a welcome and long overdue change.

But the top five in each conference - Montreal joins the now 10-team Eastern Conference while the nine-team Western Conference remains the same - will now qualify for the playoffs. The fourth and fifth place teams will play a single game to determine who advances to play the conference champion in the two-game aggregate score semifinals, while the second and third place teams faceoff in the other semi.

Since the league's inception, Major League Soccer has been trying to find the right playoff format, right meaning one that gave some meaning to the regular season while creating increased fan interest during the post-season. The latest iteration came yesterday, when the MLS Board of Governors approved four major changes in the league playoff format: Top five teams in each conference, no wild-card slots.

Changes were bound to happen when Major League Soccer added a 19th club for the 2012 season. With an odd number of teams and a desire to reduce some of the travel for some clubs, the balanced schedule was going to go out the window for a while and changes were going to have to be made to the format.

That the 2012 Major League Soccer season will be unbalanced comes as little surprise. The surprise is that MLS' Board of Governors decided to go with the least balance they could thereby creating enormous strength of schedule differences both for the overall standings and within the Conference. When MLS Executive Vice-President Nelson Rodriguez says "We have established a fair and compelling format for the 2012 season," one must wonder what the definition of fair is that he's using.

The US will be joined in their third round CONCACAF qualifying group by Guatemala, Jamaica and Antigua & Barbuda. Oh thank goodness. I was worried I'd never see Carlos Ruiz again! The round-robin system means the US plays home-and-homes with each team between June 1 and October 16 2012.

The MLS Board of Governors are ready to address playoff shortcomings again.

By CALEB SONNELAND

Chelsea may not be bolting from Stamford Bridge for a new home after all.

The club came up short in its attempt to convince the necessary majority of the Chelsea Pitch Owners to sell back the stadium land that the club sold to the supporter-spearheaded group, and as a result, the club can't regain ownership of the entire grounds.

With the news just released today that the WPS has officially terminated the former Washington Freedom franchise now known as magicJack is their now a glimmer of hope for fans in the D.C. area that a return of the Freedom may be in the making?
Dan Borislow did respond to the Washington Post about the termination of his team: Read his response here
WPS Press Release:
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 26, 2011) – After careful consideration, the Board of Governors of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) voted on Tuesday to terminate the Boca Raton based magicJack franchise.

By Dario Camacho - MIAMI, FL (Oct 11, 2011) US Soccer Players -- Here we go again. Deep into the final weeks of Major League Soccer's regular season, we start to talk about next year. The addition of the Montreal Impact in 2012 as MLS's 19th team will have one major consequence to every MLS team. Montreal's debut unbalances the schedule.

Drew Fitzgerald, Missouri State Bears

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri State women's soccer head coach Rob Brewer announced today the addition of Drew Fitzgerald to his coaching staff for 2011. Fitzgerald was a volunteer assistant coach with the team last fall and takes the place of former assistant Josh Ganson.

MISL Board of Governors Meets - Major Indoor Soccer League

The United Soccer Leagues announced on Monday a merger between the United Soccer Leagues (USL) and the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). The announcement states that the USL will run the MISL for the 2011-2012 season.

The League will be led by Chris Economides, senior director of USL's professional leagues.

From the Missouri Comets.
United Soccer Leagues is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement with the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and will operate North America's most storied and tradition-rich professional indoor soccer league beginning with the 2011-12 season.

The MISL represents the top level of professional indoor soccer in North America and currently consists of seven franchises for 2011-12, with additional announcements expected in the coming weeks.

USL PRO, the organization that will run D3 soccer in the United States and Caribbean for the 2011 season, announced the playoff format for their fifteen-team league today from their Tampa, Florida headquarters. Eight of the league's fifteen teams will be eligible for the post-season playoffs.

USL PRO Postseason Format Unveiled
Eight teams to advance following 180-game regular season
TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues unveiled the postseason format for the 2011 USL PRO season today. The format, approved by a vote of the USL PRO Board of Governors, will see eight clubs advancing to the postseason in 2011.