As of now, the aglinment for USLD2 will be;
Richmond, Charlotte, Charleston, PGH, Harrisburg, Real Maryland, Wilmington and Dayton(moving up from PDL).

Source? Is this REAL news or just clairvoyance?

It's official! The source is the Dayton press release. They made the announcement yesterday.

Is Wilmington being back official too?

I'm only going by what I heard the officials at Wilmington said before they left. There has been nothing lately(unless anyone from Wilmington has heard anything).

IF (big if) the second division is sorted out, I would expect Charleston to go back up. Unless they enjoy having rivals in Richmond and Charlotte rather than Antigua, which they might.

As far as I'm concerned, the USLD2 is the second Division(though it is looked at as the 3rd). And as far as the USSFD2, why would they want to go back up to a league they chose to get away from?
D1 is combined with NASL and I don't expect that to change anytime soon. Why would it stay intact for just 1 season?
Maybe I don't understand life, but there are a lot of things in life that don't make sense to me. But the Battery are doing well in USLD2 and I see no reason why that would change after this season. Maybe you are right, but that's how I see it. But I would like to see this league with more than 8 teams. Maybe CPB will come back.
As far as Dayton, I'm glad they are joining(they will be the farthest team West, since Cincinnati left).

Don't even have the time to respond to such stupid remarks!
You must be kidding... What planet are you from?

I wish Wilmington would come back, but I'll believe it when i see it. Then again, the USL is so desperate for pro franchises right now, I could probably buy one with the $12 I have in my wallet.

And yeah, I don't see Palace staying in the USNASL more then this season. I hoep they have $$$ to drop back to USL-2 but I'm not optimistic about that, and after seeing first hand the small gatherings, i refuse to call them "crowds", that Real Maryland are pulling in, I don't really expect them to be back in USL-2.... Maybe NoVa can replace them??

It's only looked at as the third division by people who can count. Feel free to consider it whatever you desire.



To Charleston's credit, they stayed above the fray by taking themselves completely out of the mix when all the nastiness and uncertainty was going on. Because, at the end of the day, they had a club to run and all the "we're going to get sanctioned/no we're going to get sanctioned" was creating uncertainty that (as we see now, to varying degrees) hampers business. So dropping to the third division when they did was a prescient decision because it allowed them to get their ducks in a row - it may have actually helped them financially, because they're drawing similar numbers and they're in first place in the league with (I'm guessing) a smaller budget for players and travel.

But Charleston is a proven second division - not third division - club. They've shown they can make a go of it at the second division level. They didn't self-relegate because they couldn't compete with the Traffics (tee hee) of the world. They did it because they saw it as the best way forward for their club, even if it meant a temporary step back. My guess is that if the 2nd division mess is sorted - one way or another - they'll move back up.



Did you not pay attention when the whole thing was going down? The entire USSFD2 thing is a stopgap measure because neither the USL-1 nor the NASL could get sanctioning to stand alone (now we see why, right?). It was always intended to be a one-year holding pattern league.



It's okay. You're still way ahead of Jeff. At least you admit what you don't know.



See above. My theory is that they're slumming it for a year and a year only.



Baltimore will be lucky to be in existence. Now I hear they're moving their next four games to some other outpost? They're definitely in the death throes.



I wonder if that impacts the folks who were trying to do a USL2 team in Indianapolis. Maybe not. I think they discovered the numbers just couldn't work and gave up entirely. But a team in Dayton would at least be a start.

The latest I heard was that they had new (potential) owners that were interested and things looked promising but things were definitely still in negotiations.

Bernie, let's just agree to disagree on USSFD2. I would like to see this league grow, you apparently do not(if you want to see Charleston go back up). Regardless of what level they play in, Charleston still has a soccer team, even if you don't like this league. Heck, even PDL is soccer!

Fred, that's the last I heard also. Hopefully that is still their goal.

From my talks with teh owners it is going to be a wait and see thing here in charleston. Bernie nailed it with the fact Charleston wanted to get on withe 2010 season as soon as possilbe and with so much unknown at the time they did the drop.

As to moving back up I think it will be one season after thing stablize.

As to the folks looking at indianapolis, I understand that is the same group involved in the Wilmington purchase. there might be another group interested in Indiapolis. If it is the one based in Chicago, they went with Wilmington over indianapolis.

It's not a question of "agree to disagree." I'm right and you're wrong. USSFD2 was always intended to be a one-year holding pattern.

Original release from January 7:

CHICAGO (Jan. 7, 2009) – The U.S. Soccer Federation, United Soccer Leagues (USL) and the North American Soccer League (NASL) have come to an agreement on the formation and operation of a Division 2 professional soccer league for the 2010 season. Under the agreement, U.S. Soccer will oversee the league for the 2010 season, working with both the USL and NASL on the day-to-day league activities.

The agreement pertains only to the 2010 season, and during the next year U.S. Soccer will continue to work with USL and NASL to build a long-term solution for the future.

That day, Sunil Gulati said on a conference call that day, "What we think we’ve achieved today is a short-term solution for the 2010 season, but we want to work with a number of people and all the teams to find a long-term solution so we don’t have teams changing back and forth between divisions. We’re extremely excited about this agreement and certainly about 2010 overall for the sport in the U.S.”



I didn't say I wanted to see them go back up and I didn't say I didn't want to see this league grow. But it's my educated guess that Charleston, being ( a ) a smart organization and ( b ) a better-than-third-division organization, would go back up. What I want has nothing to do with it. It's their business, they can run it however they like. If the third division makes more sense for Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Dayton, whomever, more power to them. I was merely speculating that Charleston's motives for self-relegation were largely to stay out of the whole mess, that one year in the third division wouldn't hurt them at all and might actually help them, and that they could go back up at any time if they wanted.

How are you not able to understand that?



Show me where I said I don't like this league. Because I said Charleston might go back up where they've been for most of the last 15 years? How the hell did you get "don't like this league" out of that?

ok.

And by the way, who's idea was it that Crystal Palace Baltimore will no longer be around after this season? The reason they began was as a sister franchise for their storied team in England.

The people who aren't going to their games. It was their idea.



They wish. They use the name. The official NASL flack would like you to believe there's more of a connection than that. But "sister franchise" is stretching it. More like "crack whore identity thief franchise."

I can't wait for the next installment of this ongoing soap opra. I need more drama in my life!

After their miserable FAILURES in USSF2 a few of them will be lucky to have the resources to field a PDL squad so any proposed realignment should include that scenario also.

even if there was an official "sisterhood", Crystal palace, the real one, is in administration also, the first thing theyd do is jettison a team thats lucky to get 500 fans. CPB has only ever had 2 players from Palace, that was their first season and neither lasted long. Since then, Palace haven't bothered with the Baltimore version, other then to play a friendly.

'Heck even the PDL is soccer'.... Did you spout that crap when you 'went' to West Virginia ?

The PDL provides a level of football for fans to get into all over the nation, unlike the D2 which appears just to be an east coast operation.

Again, engage your brain before you slam your foot into your mouth waffle.

This is the final weekend.
What is known about 2011 is the following. In addition to Dayton joining; PGH, Charlotte, Richmond, Harrisburg and Real Maryland will be returning. The status is unclear on Charleston and Wilmington.
But also joining will be Phoenix.
Rumors on more teams; Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego and San Francisco.

I am 99% sure charleston will be back in USL2 next season. they are already selling season tickets. Wilmington isnt as close a done deal I once thought it was but everyone seems very confident. Also hearing very promissing rumors out of Indianapolis.

Phoenix is part of a small group that want D2 status but havent heard anything about them wanting to go the USL2 route. If anything they will play as an independent league until the dust seattles.

I also think with the new USSf standards a team or two might drop down from USSF D2. FCNY looks to be heading to USL2 according to an IMS report and Orlando might have USL2 in their future.

I think things will be much more clear come late september or oct about next season.

Has Real Maryland announced that they are 100% returning? Has any of the teams listed for that matter? I know the Kickers haven't.

Usually we know how is going to be in the league after the November meetings, and sometimes later then that. Last year we all knew Bermuda and Wilmington were out and Charleston was in before hand, but we didnt know Western Mass were goners until January. Just a feeling I get and they've been known to be right (and wrong)but I have a feeling tomorrow night Maryland game is it for them at this level.

You may be right about the Monarchs, Mikey, remember what happened to CPB, they decided to go up to USSFD2 and now they are in financial trouble.
I would hope that Charleston and Wilmington return.
I read about the new teams from 'Inside Minn'. My sister lives in Phoenix so I told her about the team. It would be nice if they come on board(imo).
I never knew about Indianapolis, though. They(state) have not had a pro team since the Indiana Blast(I don't remember if they were part of US Pro 40 or not).

"WE" may have known about Bermuda before hand but as of at least December "THEY" were at least claiming that having a D2 team was still a consideration for them.
As you said, in a normal year the teams have basicially until the Meetings to say if they will be back or not. This year was of course really screwed up and not at all normal.

If Real Maryland somehow makes it to next season, then that is where you will find me.

But I'm not holding my breath. I've already accepted what seems to be the inevitable with Baltimore and now that the USSF is dimissing Puerto Rico...

If they all are gone then I'm out.

We will miss you Yanki.

A prediction on the Md teams rather than wanting you gone of course.

you will always be welcome at the Baud Yanki, in fact im sure I still owe you a beer or two in the pub....

Sorry, Yanki. You were a good friend, I hate to see you go. I hope things work out.

After Chattanooga's success in the NPSL, I wonder if they would ever consider jumping to USL?

Just for kicks...

Southern Division
Charlotte
Charleston
Chattanooga
Richmond
Wilmington

Northern Division
Dayton
Harrisburg
Indianapolis
Minnesota
Pittsburgh

horrible travel for the northerners. Chattanooga would be a nice edition, but have their numbers really been verified or are they heavily padded?

Chattanooga? Where did they come from? That's the first I've heard of them! And I thought it was going to be East and West not North and South!

Chattanooga is an NPSL team, and (according to themselves) they're drawing in 3500-4000 a game. I'm highly skeptical to say the least, but would he very happy is I was proven wrong.

Take out Minnesota and it is very reasonable.

i read some newspaper articles and saw a clip from the match that had over 5000. cant find the link now but it did look very full but is hard to tell from the video clip.

of course tehy only play a 8 game season but seem to have the support of the community.


As to Welly's specualtion, I notice you dont have Real Maryland in there? I also understand that FCNY will focus there efforts to USL2 in 2011, according to IMS.

other things to ponder, Possible drop of Baltimore. Orlando going D3 vs. D2.

who know, prehaps D2 wont have a sanction league next year and there will be a few other teams coming back in.

I've been to a couple of Real Maryland games. Their owners seem like really nice people, they're very hard working, but I just can't see a team that close to DC making a go of it as a pro team when they only pull in 300 or so to their games. I hope they do return, its a quick and easy road trip up there. And they have, without a doubt, the best pizza in the league.

Thanks a lot Doc. I hope that i am wrong about the Maryland teams.

I talked to one of Baltimore owners on Saturday night. Of course they are fighting to keep the club. That goes without saying.

I haven't talked to anyone from the Monarchs at all this year. Just didn't work out for me to get to one of their games; they were either playing at the same time Baltimore, Puerto Rico or DC were (which I now regret)...

Man, my wife started up again on Saturday morning--I would really like to go to Charleston with you sometime.

Ok. Now that PR doesn't travel there. Now that Baltimore and Real Maryland won't be going there, you want me to make a 2 day trip and stretch it into 4 days (my wife doesn't travel so well by car--guess that's what happens when you grow up on an island where you only need 3 hours to cross).

Yeah, right...

You can bet if I get down there, I will be looking for you out in the parking lot before the game and in the pub after the game.

Y'all know how to do it right, down there...

Who?!?! What club is that?

Oh. You mean the "Bull slayers" who ran a lot of smack but have yet to kick a ball. The "saviours" or soccer in NY...

Those guys...

People really do need to let this go. The idea that they will be able to make a go of it in a 13,000 seat facility that they do not own is happy fantasy, unless of course they can draw on the population of nearby Hicksville. I am not making that city name up by the way.

Long Island has another facility besides Hofstra's?

Not that I am aware of. James M. Shuart Stadium on the campus of Hofstra has a capacity between 13,000 and 15,000, dependent on who is doing the description. Why this theoretical club needs a ground that size is not immediately apparent to me.

Would you prefer Hicksville High???
Oh yeah. I forgot when they had talked about Columbia U.

I thought you were leaving Yanki ? :P

Maybe. Lorraine Bracco did grow up there.



OK. I like this idea better. The Upper West Side and Harlem have been crying out for FC New York. And the Seinfeld restaurant is up that way as well, maybe they could do promotional tie-ins.

I wonder if FCNY will even playing PDL soccer when God sends us and Donnie Garber the reborn New York Cosmos.

Geeesh!

The reborn New York Cosmos. It looks more like an Onion headline than a marketing slogan.

What I said was that if Baltimore and Real Maryland have to shut it down due to lack of funds and the USSF sends Puerto Rico packing because they can't meet the new $20 million dollar, single investor net worth requirment that I will (probably) be ghost.

Until then I plan on sticking around. Somebody has to represent Puerto Rico and Maryland around here...

I've not been on Long Island in over 21 years so clearly much has changed. In fact so has Hofstra's Stadium(and it's new name). The Pride used to be known as the Flying Dutchmen(which I still referr to them as).
But I have seen their facility on televised games. I don't even know if it can accomodate soccer, but I know the Long Island Rough Riders(PDL) play their games at St. Anthony's and some at Adelphi University. I remember when Mitchell Field was constructed.
I've also seen the stadium that Columbia Univ. calls home, that is so old that that should not even me considered(imo).