United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association (USA) was a North American professional football league that after just one season with its main competitor, National Professional Soccer League ( NPSL ) to North American Soccer League ( NASL ) merged in 1968. The U.S. consisted of ten U.S. and two Canadian franchises, but did not have their own teams, but consisted of the cadres of European and South American professional teams; the only champion of the League were accruing as Los Angeles Wolves Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Prehistory
In the spring of 1966, independently found three inverse gates groups that want to start the game operation of a professional football league in North America in each of the following years, and all vying for recognition by the American Football Association USSFA, the demand of the Association to go along, but were totally opposed. The USSFA 's demand for financial participation - $ 25,000 lump sum for each new franchise, as well as 4-10 % of all revenue - was only one of the groups of investors to the owner of the LA Lakers, Jack Kent Cooke and the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Bulls, Lamar Hunt, the original North American Soccer League named their league meet. After being recognized by the USSFA and thus FIFA as the only legitimate league in November 1966, they named the league in United Soccer Association (USA ), officially in order to avoid confusion with the now merged as National Professional Soccer League competition and the " to make official recognition for the fans visible ", the name should appeal to American patriotism
Season 1967
Because of the NPSL - competition of league start was moved at short notice from 1968 a year ago, to the spring of 1967; in the few remaining months it seemed impossible own teams together, so that the plan was professional for approx $ 250,000 teams from Europe and South America for the operation of gambling, which should take place in the off-season of the European leagues to recruit. Originally, the top teams are involved, but it quickly became apparent that this could not usually be required in the short time due to other commitments. Only the two English clubs Wolverhampton Wanderers and Stoke City, as well as the reigning state champion in recruitment of Rio de Janeiro Bangu AC were top teams, the other club either originated from playing weaker leagues, or were not a top national teams. The teams were divided among the cities with franchises partly by ethnic identity of the population of each city - as the Shamrock Rovers were sent to the Irish capital of the United States to the Boston Rovers and Cagliari Calcio due to the large local Italian community to the Chicago Mustangs remaining teams were, however, easily distributed.
The game operation ran from 27 May to the final game on July 14, the teams were divided into two divisions with six teams, their respective master playing off the championship in a final game. Sporty winners were the Wolves after a 6 to 5 victory over the East Coast First Washington Whips in the 36th minute of overtime, which was continued until golden goal or Sudden Death. The quality of the game was mediocre at best, the players looked in their stay does not really competition, but more or less a paid summer The audience response was mixed: while the previous year's national champion of Rio de Janeiro Bangu AC as Houston Stars reached an average attendance of nearly 20,000, were to the games of the Boston Rovers no average 5,000 spectators, a record crowd of 35,000 was about the league opening game of Bangu AC / Houston against the Wolves. - Remained in relation to ML Baseball no bad results, where the New York Yankees in 1967, only 14,000 reached a home interface and other traditional clubs like Chicago or Philadelphia at an average of 10,000, massive financial losses, however, could not prevent. Because of these losses triggered at the end of the 1967 season, the franchise Toronto and New York City Skyliner, also fused the San Francisco Golden Gate Gales with the Vancouver Royal Canadians. In addition, the United States united after the season with the competitor to the NASL, but nearly collapsed in its first season because of further losses; of the U.S. franchises survived the 1968 season, only the Club Dallas Tornado of Lamar Hunt.
Statements Tables
Eastern Division
Western Division
Championship game
In the second extension, with golden-goal rule after 126 minutes.
Stadium Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Attendance: 17 824
Champion Team: Phil Parkes, Gery Taylor, Bobby Thomson, John Holsgrove, Dave Woodfield, Dave Burnside, Terry Wharton, Ernie Hunt, Derek Dougan, Peter Knowles, Dave Wagstaffe.