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Category Archives: New York Cosmos

NPSL National Player of the Week #1 Announced

The National Premier Soccer League is proud to announce its first National Player of the Week for the 2013 regular season.

The first winner, for the week ending April 7th, is FC Hasental midfielder Armando Gaitan.

As a youth, he played in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy with the Los Angeles Football Club.  Gaitan also trained in Mexico with the Pachuca Reserves and spent six months in the PDL with the New York Cosmos U-23s. He is in his second year with FC Hasental.

Gaitan scored a hat trick against Las Vegas on April 6, leading his team
to a 13-0 rout of the Stallions. The attacking midfielder also helped FC
Hasental punch their ticket to the U.S. Open Cup, landing an early goal
from 30 yards out in a 2-0 win over the San Diego Flash on March 30.

The award, voted on by media from across the country, is part of the
league’s commitment to honoring players, coaches, and staff for their
exemplary work.

2013 IMG World Congress of Sports Recap – April 3-4

Thank you to J.P. Terrasi for contributing to this report.

The 2013 IMG World Congress of Sports presented by SportsBusiness Daily/Global/Journal saw the leaders in the world of sports come together in Naples, Florida to share their expertise and experiences with attendees.  Some of the biggest names and brands in sports were at the event. Obviously soccer is always on our mind and apparently that was also the case for the organizers as the beautiful game was widely represented.

“Examining the New Wave of Sports and Entertainment Marketing” saw leaders from across the spectrum, including JP Morgan Chase and Coca-Cola.

But talking about FIFA 13 and the FIFA brand was right up our alley.  EA Sports Executive Vice President Andrew Wilson talked about “thinking bigger than just video games.” This included tying the game into social networks and engaging fans in the ad campaign. It just makes sense to pair the world’s largest football fans with the world’s largest clubs.

“The Globalization of the Beautiful Game: Building Brands Beyond Borders” brought ESPN, Liverpool FC, and AS Roma to the forefront along with MLS and the New York Cosmos.  It was a diverse and impressive panel that showcased the diversity and the truly global reach of the game we all cherish.

Cosmos Chairman Seamus O’Brien talked about rebuilding and growing a famous brand.

“This is a business for us. We intend to build the Cosmos as a viable business.”

Growing a brand globally is also on the mind of Liverpool FC, a team that has benefited from overseas tours, the Being: Liverpool series on FOX, and massive popularity in emerging markets like Asia.

“Our owners want to grow and build a sustainable business,” LFC Managing Director Ian Ayre added. ”Our overall revenues have gone up.”

MLS Commissioner Don Garber and ESPN analyst Julie Foudy talked even more about the game here in the States.

“We must protect the integrity of the game or we’ll all be out of business,” Garber exclaimed.

He also listed priorities for MLS as a New York team as the 20th franchise, getting better TV deals, and growing the fan base in local markets.

Foudy had a lot to say about the women’s game, particularly the previous two attempts at a professional league.

“There were good intentions, but the original management just didn’t know how to run a business.”

But she remains hopeful for the women’s game in America.  Hopefully the NWSL will have much better luck with the helf of the USSF.

It is easy to see that this event was first-class in every sense.

How the Cosmos Will Save the NASL

Some people stand by the faulty claim that the New York Cosmos caused the original NASL to fold.  On the other hand, the Cosmos arguably were the best thing to ever happen to American soccer.

Pundits are arguing whether the move to the new NASL is a temporary one, but who cares? It instantly gives the NASL global credibility and gives the league hope moving forward.  I have to say I never heard ESPN, Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, or Fox Sports even mention the NASL until the Cosmos announced their return after nearly 30 years.

Remember this league has struggled to gain sanctioning by the USSF at times and its member clubs have had their own struggles, but that is certainly understandable as marketing second division American soccer is not as easy as it sounds.  It’s not like selling tickets for the Dallas Cowboys or even getting people to come out to see the LA Galaxy.  It is a challenge, but one that will be bit easier with the Cosmos in the fold.

The Cosmos, saved by former owner and “curator” Peppe Pinton, draws attention and curiosity as it is something that people remember and adore even if they aren’t hardcore soccer supporters.  Thousands of people will wander out to NASL games just to catch a glimpse of the Cosmos, to see if they rekindle even a bit of the old magic.

There won’t be a Pelé, a Chinaglia, or even a Beckenbauer on the pitch.  The Cosmos will never be what they were in their heyday, but they are still the Cosmos and it is still an opportunity to reconnect with one of the greatest brands in soccer history.   The Cosmos will play actual soccer, putting a priority on performance and wins and losses, not exhibitions and Umbro jersey sales.

The fact that the Cosmos are alive and have a home is a good thing, says Pinton.

Pinton, pictured here with the great Giorgio Chinaglia, is the sole reason the Cosmos remain alive today.

“The most important thing is that the Cosmos are in a league, rather than being nowhere. Being nowhere is not a good thing. Starting with the NASL is a good thing which could dictate the future to go almost anywhere from there.”

Not only is it good for the Cosmos, it will be a saving grace for a league that has struggled to be more than a stepping stone to MLS.  They don’t have the Pacific Northwest magic of the Vancouver Whitecaps or the Portland Timbers or even the eccentric flair of the Montreal Impact.

It’s no secret that several clubs, including the Minnesota and Carolina franchises, have had ownership issues. But league attendance is up 9% in 2012 and 10,000+ crowds are not a pipe dream any longer.  The Cosmos should help in the attendance department and will probably sell more merchandise than all the NASL clubs combined.

It is a win-win situation for all involved.  The league gets to remain in operation and remain relevant, while the Cosmos get some time on the pitch before making the jump to the top-flight.  It also marks the return of professional soccer to New York City, a huge diverse market that deserves a team of their own, not just a name with a stadium in New Jersey.

You never know, maybe the Cosmos will spark a renaissance for the NASL and the league will reach unexpected heights.  The Cosmos might have a little of that magic left after all those years.

The Death of a Roman Soccer Emperor

The passing of Giorgio Chinaglia will always be remembered as a sorrowful date in the history of the American game.  Several weeks have passed and his fans have had their opportunities to mourn the death of a soccer icon and a hero to many.

In Italy, supporters responded in a passionate fashion, including a massive tifo unveiled at a Lazio match. It was a way to say goodbye to a player that meant everything to them.  Lazio coach Edy Reja even dedicated a victory over Napoli to Chinaglia’s memory.  In America, the best soccer writers and analysts paid tribute with their words.

Chinaglia was the biggest star to ever shine on a U.S. league, a superstar on a team of superstars and one of the purest strikers to ever play the game. He was the crowning piece of America’s first soccer dynasty, a team known as the New York Cosmos.  Because of Chinaglia and the Cosmos, soccer had a chance in America and it exploded onto the national scene.

Pairing the former Italy and Lazio forward with the world famous Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, and Carlos Alberto was pure genius.  The accomplishment: Chinaglia simply scored goals and created records.  He was the last of a generation of pure strikers that did one thing and did it well: scored goals and lots of them.  He was the right man to energize the American soccer scene, the right man to make it relevant on a big stage.

In his prime, he was indefensible and would often breakout in wild fashion, showering goals on his opponents.  In 1980, Chinaglia scored an incredible and completely unheard of 7 goals in a single playoff match against Tulsa. In all he scored 193 goals in 213 NASL matches, a record that is still incomprehensible to many. Today he has no counterpart; there is no such dominant player.

His success is best remembered by a famous quote.“I am Chinaglia. If I shoot from a place, it’s because Chinaglia can score from there.” Not lacking confidence, he made everyone live in his shadow, including his famed teammates with the Cosmos.

But there was more to Chinaglia than his larger than life personality and no one shared a closer relationship with him than former Lazio and Cosmos owner Peppe Pinton.

“We were like a team,” Pinton commeneted. “I lost a friend, a leader, a man that contributed to the growth of the sport in this country.”

Pinton enjoyed his 20+ years of friendship with Chinaglia, emphasizing the impact it had on his life.  He praised Chinaglia’s vision for life, one of hard work and perseverance, saying it helped him become the person he is today.

The pair saw the rise and fall of the NASL, the highs and lows that make up the history of soccer in America.  They were there for the record crowds at Giants Stadium as soccer took its hold on the American people, but they also saw the league sputter and eventually fold.

“Giorgio and the Cosmos paved the way for what we enjoy today,” Pinton stated. “They paved the way for David Beckham.”

For over 20 years, Pinton kept the Cosmos brand alive with hopes of a return finally becoming a reality. The Cosmos name is now front and center once again as they fight to become the 20th MLS team.

“The revival of the Cosmos gave Giorgio pride,” Pinton continued. Chinaglia had joined the relaunched Cosmos as a soccer ambassador, a role he had embraced all his life.

Al of that being said, it is safe to say that no article or honor would do Chinaglia’s career justice.  His greatness and love of the game transcended the beautiful game in a way that no other has ever done.  Being great in a soccer mad country is one thing, but becoming an icon in a land barren of the sport is another.