January 7, 2010
MEETING OF THE MINDS
USL, NASL reach truce for 2010

There is a cease fire, at least for the time being in the war between the United Soccer Leagues and North American Soccer League.

U.S. Soccer has scheduled a conference call for Thursday at 3 p.m. to announce an an agreement between the two Division 2 professional leagues.

U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati, U.S. Soccer CEO and secretary general Dan Flynn, USL CEO Alec Papadakis and NASL acting commissioner Jeff Cooper are scheduled to address the plans for a Division 2 professional soccer league for this year.

According to Montreal's Team 990's Noel Butler reported on his show that the USL and NASL have reached an agreement that will see both leagues operate in 2010.

Bulter also repeated the news on It's Called Football.

On Wednesday nightt, Montreal owner Joey Saputo said that the two groups, along with U.S. Soccer to work out the fine details of the agreement before announcing it. Plans beyond this year have yet to be worked out, the report said.

According to a report on www.24thminute.com, the leagues will run in a similar way to Major League Baseball, with teams playing an interleague schedule and for a common championship. U.S. Soccer will sanction the league, so teams can be eligible for international competition.

Several teams, including FC Miami and Minnesota Thunder, broke away from the USL last year and formed the NASL.

The NASL in the past month announced ten teams the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Miami FC Blues, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, Rochester Rhinos, St. Louis United, Tampa Bay Rowdies and Vancouver Whitecaps.

The USL had not announced a proposed lineup for 2010, although it is believed to included FC New York, the Austin Aztex, the Puerto Rico Islanders and Portland Timbers. The Charleston Battery has already announced they plan to drop down to USL2.