USL releases statement regarding USL-1 and TOA's filing of papers to create new Division II league.

While yesterday was an eventful day with the Team Owners Associations (TOA) releasing an official statement saying it had filed papers with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) to start a new Division II league in the US, it seems today could also be full of fireworks.

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USL releases statement regarding USL-1 and TOA's filing of papers to create new Division II league.

While yesterday was an eventful day with the Team Owners Associations (TOA) releasing an official statement saying it had filed papers with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) to start a new Division II league in the US, it seems today could also be full of fireworks.

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Jeff Cooper Now that the Team Owners Association has officially announced their intentions to break away from USL and strike out on their own, there are more than a few questions facing them. From...

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USL_at-a-crossroads

From the Inside Minnesota Soccer website, which has been breaking this story from the beginning, comes word that the Members of the Team Owners Association, TOA, have just released a press statement making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America. Click to continue reading...

USL_at-a-crossroads

From the Inside Minnesota Soccer website, which has been breaking this story from the beginning, comes word that the Members of the Team Owners Association, TOA, have just released a press statement making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America. Click to continue reading...

Official Press Release
TOA announces formation of new league for 2010
Owners of teams in Atlanta, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Montreal, St. Louis and Vancouver form new league that will debut in 2010
Nov. 10, 2009 – The owners of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps, formerly of USL-1, together with St. Click to continue reading...

Big Story
After months of speculation about a breakaway in North America's second division, featuring farcical news management by USL and ambitious statements from the renegade Team Owners Association, it's been confirmed today that a new second division professional league will launch in the United States in 2010, consisting of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps and St.

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Press Release:
OWNERS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAMS IN ATLANTA, CAROLINA, MIAMI, MINNESOTA, MONTREAL, ST. LOUIS AND VANCOUVER FORM NEW PRO SOCCER LEAGUE TO BEGIN PLAY IN 2010
Nov. 10, 2009 – The owners of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps, formerly of USL-1, together with St. Click to continue reading...

Some big news is coming out today. The Team Owners Association or TOA is moving forward in their plan to break away from the USL first division and form their own league. TOA just released a press release making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America.

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The Members of the Team Owners Association TOA have just released a press statement making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America.

OWNERS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAMS IN ATLANTA, CAROLINA, MIAMI, MINNESOTA, MONTREAL, ST.

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The Members of the Team Owners Association TOA have just released a press statement making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America.

OWNERS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAMS IN ATLANTA, CAROLINA, MIAMI, MINNESOTA, MONTREAL, ST.

Click to continue reading...

The Members of the Team Owners Association, TOA, have just released a press statement making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America.

OWNERS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAMS IN ATLANTA, CAROLINA, MIAMI, MINNESOTA, MONTREAL, ST.

Click to continue reading...

Kartik Krishnaiyer of Major League Soccer Talk invited me onto his show to discuss the ongoing situation between the USL-1 Team Owners Association (TOA) and the United Soccer League. As you know, the USL announced Nike's sale of the league to NuRock Holdings last week after a supposed high bid was awarded to a group headed up by Jeff Cooper of St.

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Kartik Krishnaiyer of Major League Soccer Talk invited me onto his show to discuss the ongoing situation between the USL-1 Team Owners Association (TOA) and the United Soccer League. As you know, the USL announced Nike's sale of the league to NuRock Holdings last week after a supposed high bid was awarded to a group headed up by Jeff Cooper of St.

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I've just arrived home in San Francisco and am about to start working on some video footage from the All-Star Awards dinner. But before I do, I thought it would be nice to pick up where I ended my blog yesterday and share a bit more from the WPS All-Star weekend.

Saturday night, we held the First Annual WPS Awards Dinner in the Versailles Ballroom at the Chalet Hotel in St.

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Jeff Cooper

Inside Minnesota Soccer and Kartik Krishnaiyer of Major League Soccer Talk have been continuing to gather information concerning the story of the USL to NuRock. We hoped to bring you that story Monday morning and planned on including the name of the 3rd party who had made the highest bid to Nike.

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Jeff Cooper

Inside Minnesota Soccer and Kartik Krishnaiyer of Major League Soccer Talk have been continuing to gather information concerning the story of the sale of USL to NuRock. We hoped to bring you that story Monday morning and planned on including the name of the 3rd party who had made the highest bid to Nike.

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0 for 2?
According to great friend of MLSR, Major League Soccer Talk's Kartik Krishnayer maybe:

Jeff Cooper was believed to have won the USL bid according to several team owners. He had supposedly submitted the highest sealed bid, but the group chosen is more in line with the current USL leadership.

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Haven't had much to report regarding Major League Soccer recently, primarily due to the lack of positive results in Kansas City. Mama taught me that if you don't have something good to say, then shut up. Or something along those lines...

Regarding the Wizards, this is a pretty strong message from a major supporter, Down The Byline

Since scoring 3 goals in the first half against New England back on June 13th, the Wizards have scored 1 goal in the next 13 halves of soccer.

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Haven't had much to report regarding Major League Soccer recently, primarily due to the lack of positive results in Kansas City. Mama taught me that if you don't have something good to say, then shut up. Or something along those lines...

Regarding the Wizards, this is a pretty strong message from a major supporter, Down The Byline

Since scoring 3 goals in the first half against New England back on June 13th, the Wizards have scored 1 goal in the next 13 halves of soccer.

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Last week we learned details of another soccer specific stadium plan headed by a group not associated with Jeff Cooper, a St Louis attorney who has MLS dreams.
Today we hear from Cooper regarding that groups proposal.
Courtesy of St Louis Today:

The developer of a $572 million Major League Soccer stadium and mixed-use center in Collinsville said a similar idea brought before Richmond Heights, Mo.

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Original St. Louis stadium design.

With Montreal all but given an expansion key to Major League Soccer there is still one bid that will be up for grabs, that lovely 20th spot. St. Louis is hoping to be that city that finally gets into MLS. While they already had one stadium option in their initial proposal to MLS, they now seem to have another couple options coming up.

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So many stadiums....So few investors. File this under, interesting but only if Jeff Cooper or someone else has the cash to properly enter MLS.

From St Louis Today:
Update (2:10 p.m.)
While Gateway Real Estate Partners hopes to build a Major League Soccer stadium in Richmond Heights (see full story below), it's doing so without the explicit support of the group that's trying to bring an MLS franchise to St.

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The recent rash of MLS expansion has seemingly left St. Louis in its dust. Despite being an early favorite before Vancouver and Portland jumped to the head of the pack, Jeff Cooper's bid was deemed...

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It looks as though the MLS dream for St. Louis is fading somewhat after a failure on the part of Jeff Cooper's Soccer United Marketing to meet the requirements of MLS for a deep pocketed investor. MLS having seen a Miami team fold due to the lack of such an investor may be rightfully reluctant to take on the risk of what would be viewed as a massive failure if a St Louis team folded. Click to continue reading...

Today, yep I bet they are out there despite the weather. Here's the story from the Post Dispatch:

St. Louis Athletica's Hope Solo, left and Lori Chalupny unveil their team's soccer uniforms

Ready to do some kicking
By Tom Timmermann
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 03/01/2009

Twenty-six players — but not most of the team's big names — will be on hand when practice for St.

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Today, yep I bet they are out there despite the weather. Here's the story from the Post Dispatch:

St. Louis Athletica's Hope Solo, left and Lori Chalupny unveil their team's soccer uniforms

Ready to do some kicking
By Tom Timmermann
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 03/01/2009

Twenty-six players — but not most of the team's big names — will be on hand when practice for St.

Click to continue reading...

 

With the New Year upon is, it is time to start thinking about which two lucky cities will be granted MLS expansion franchises. While the FC Barcelona-backed Miami bid has received plenty of attention in recent weeks, it isn't the bid that makes the most sense.

The bid that remains the best of the bunch is the St.

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Two of the men leading MLS expansion charges get the ink from their local papers today. Québécois dairy tycoon andMontréal Impact owner Joey Saputo has an enjoyable Q&A in the Montréal Gazette, while Portland Timbers impresario Merritt Paulson reveals loads of revenue and attendance related dirt on the Rose City club. Click to continue reading...

St. Louis is usually one of the first cities mentioned when talking about future MLS expansion, but with the league drastically hiking fees for a group to land the rights to a club over the past few years, Major League Soccer may have just priced themselves out of the St. Louis market.
When Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment brought Toronto FC into MLS in 2006, they paid $10 million to the league. Click to continue reading...

Talk about an insert-foot-into-mouth kind of moment. Jeff Cooper, the man behind the machine that is trying to get a MLS club in the Gateway City of St. Louis had a couple comments about the league's expansion fee. "We're not going to pay so much," Cooper said. "If they're unreasonable with the price, we can go elsewhere," [. Click to continue reading...

Would-be St. Louis MLS investor Jeff Cooper on the league's $50 million expansion fee:
"We're not going to pay so much...If they're unreasonable with the price, we can go elsewhere".
The 'elsewhere' being referred to is USL 1. If he's able to sell the county, city, state and his fellow investor's that they should shell out $573 million for the mixed-use stadium complex for a minor league team, someone in Obama's camp should get this cat on a flight to Denver immediately. Click to continue reading...

Some good news for those in St. Louis who are wanting a MLS club in their city. Jeff Cooper, the man leading the charge for the St. Louis expansion, appears to have gotten the financial backing that he has been looking for. As we all know Cooper and St. Louis have a stadium deal in [...] Click to continue reading...

Jeff Cooper speaking on KMOX "Sports On Sunday" states that he finalised the final investor and will be resubmitting his bid to MLS. Listen Below.
Get the Google Audio Widget widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox!
Sweet stadium eh? Click to continue reading...

It looks like Jeff Cooper and St. Louis United are headed to the birthplace of football to scare up some £££'s for the St Louis expansion bid.
According to this article:
Jeff Cooper's effort to bring Major League Soccer to St. Louis took him this week to London, where he met with several interested parties who are involved in pro soccer in the UK. Click to continue reading...