NASL accuses MLS of violating antitrust laws

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NASL accuses MLS of violating antitrust laws

Post by Fran » Tue Sep 01, 2015 3:02 pm

I don't think the NASL has any leg to stand on. What do soccer fans think about this?

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/socce ... -1.2343893

Amid the turmoil of the U.S. government’s crackdown on FIFA corruption, American soccer authorities are facing accusations that the nation’s top professional league, Major League Soccer, violates antitrust laws.

The allegations come from the North American Soccer League, a smaller rival to MLS that consists of 11 teams, including the New York Cosmos.

Noted sports attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who represents the NASL, aired his concerns in a July 23 letter obtained by the Daily News. The 13-page letter is addressed to U.S. Soccer Federation leaders Sunil Gulati and Daniel Flynn.

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Post by Pounder » Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:54 pm

In a way, I can't blame the NASL. MLS is trying to raise USL to 2nd Division and, from my understanding, dropping hints that NASL should go down a notch. NASL probably thinks MLS is forcing down their valuations.

The NASL commissioner likes to drop these promotion/relegation hints, but I don't believe that this is involved here, no matter how much of the soccer population wishes it were so. All I've witnessed is NASL trying to use it to rally support, not to actually implement it. Right, NPSL?

Still, on that one hand, what you have is a lot of fans who believe that the independence of their clubs should be paramount. So NASL will not lack support.

But the NASL has their demons. This is a great little distraction.

However, Fraser v MLS kicked a can down the road and ChampionsWorld vs USSF (despite USSF winning the suit, the assumption of USSF rule over the pro game was not asserted) opened a door through which this could pass. Plus, as much as the NASL has its demons, so does FIFA. So if the prosecution sticks to the merits and FIFA issues, it could be interesting... which might be to say that NASL is suing the wrong entity. Then again, IIRC, the USFL won their suit against the NFL... with a big-ass chuckle.
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