Academy Update

New York Cosmos: The Children of BW Gottschee Comes First

 By: Cesar Diaz

“Please assure the coaches and parent of our players that I will return from London by Friday with an answer.” – Terry Byrne’s statement read by Cosmos Academy Director Giovanni Savarese on Monday, November 7, 2011 to the parents of the Players of BW Gottschee

On Sunday, November 13, we were informed by a BW Gottschee (BWG) representative that the New York Cosmos have yet to contact them after they were assured they would receive an answer by Friday, November 11, 2011 regarding the outstanding balance of $210K owed to them.

Last Monday, BW Gottschee filed a lawsuit against the New York Cosmos for violating their sponsorship agreement. Basically, it’s been over 100 days since the New York Cosmos failed to pay the sum of $210K owed to BW Gottschee.

While it’s easy to dehumanize a 60-year old program like BW Gottschee… one thing that will not be dehumanized are the families, the Cosmos Academy coaches, and BWG representatives who were present at last Monday’s meeting.

Last Monday’s meeting was also attended by Borough Boys President Nick Laveglia, Chris Dobens of TotalFootblog.com, and me as we were made aware of it during the weekend. Prior to Monday’s meeting, we tweeted that BWG has filed legal action against the Cosmos and had obtained the lawsuit document within hours.

With permission to attend last Monday’s meeting by a BWG representative, we witnessed BWG Youth Director of Coaching Paul McGlynn inform the families of the possibility of having to revert to a “pay to play” format because the New York Cosmos organization hadn’t met their contractual obligation.

Representing the New York Cosmos that evening was Cosmos Academy Director Giovanni Savarese who read a statement emailed to him from Interim Chairman Terry Byrne. It was pretty clear to everyone the difficult position Savarese was in as he addressed the families. Unfortunately for him, he played the role of the bearer of bad news.

State of the League - Expansion

Don Garber held his state of the league address today and as always the topic of expansion came up. Some quotes:

“The issue remains the soccer stadium,” Garber said. “We do believe we have two or three sites that are viable, and we’re going to continue to work as hard as we can to move this [forward] as fast as we can.”

Does this mean that in the next few months we will be seeing a lot of news about a potential soccer stadium? There is no secret that this is the biggest hurdle for getting a team and Garber later stated he wanted ensure that whichever ownership group is selected, that the stadium plans are moving along for them. 

Garber also stated that there are still many potential owners in and outside of New York for that 20th team. He does mention other cities but gave no indication that the focus has fallen from New York city. He also took the Wilpon family out of the equation.

Finally, Garber had a comment that was in favor of the new owners of the Cosmos. 

"I, for one, believe that the Cosmos are a great brand, and we like the ownership group that's taken over," Garber also added "If they're able to satisfy all the things that we have as ownership requirements, then I think they could be good prospects. Right now it is very focused on a stadium and less focused on ownership." 

Well, it was clear that Garber did not get on well with Paul Kemsley. One of the things the new Cosmos group will need to do is win over Garber and the 19 other league owners and this is a nice step towards that goal. 


It also is a boost  that Garber is more interested in the stadium than picking an owner, as it will give the new owners some time to right the ship and get things back to normal in Cosmos Country. 

The fact that Don Garber likes this group has to be seen as a positive sign that the new owners do in fact have the best of intentions. We can not jump to conclusions on the new owners and hope that Garber's stamp of approval is a good sign that the new group will fix what has been broken. 

Cosmos New Owners speak to fans

Yesterday, we received another call from the New York Cosmos who wanted to make another statement to the fans.

As we know, Terry Byrne met with the new owners of the Cosmos Wednesday to discuss moving forward. The message we got from the Cosmos was that the meeting was positive and the new owners wanted the fans to know that they have the best of intentions for the New York Cosmos.

This ends their message. (We state this to not confuse anyone as the next portion is our statement)




Now, we have thought about ways to reply to the new owners and we decided that the best way to do so is in public.

For the past year, The Borough Boys stood by the Cosmos when many doubted the capability and/or good intentions of Kemsley & Co.  We got behind them because they were the first potential investor group to go public and state that their intention to join MLS.  We didn’t just take them at their word.  In extensive meetings, and our own investigations, it seemed that indeed, these guys were serious.  If this all falls apart, as seems quite possible, let us be the first to come forward, we were wrong. Now all we can do is the best we can to at least fix the Academy mess.

To the NEW OWNERS (rumors have you being Sela Sport but whoever you are):

We thank you for taking the time to address the fans but our stance can only be actions speak louder than words. We are not stating that you don’t have the best intentions but we are saying that we have heard this before.

Clearly there are some items of business you need to address, but in order to win back the fans and the local community the first step is to address the academy situation.  Somebody must step forward with a $210,000* check for BW Gottschee immediately.  You assumed the debt, it is your legal responsibility to pay the obligation.  It is the moral responsibility of the old owners, the new owners, and all the honorary “Cosmos” – Pele, Cantona, Messing and Alberto to make this right.  You gloried in the Cosmos name, now take some responsibility for it!

And yes, this is OUR business.  Unlike those who signed the agreement, we are New Yorkers and local New York children are being told unless their parents can pay thousands of dollars, they need to take a walk because of an unfulfilled promise.  Not to mention, if you can’t handle the orderly operation of a youth academy, why would anyone, including the league, believe that you can handle a division 1 professional team in the United States?

Once that is cleared up, we suggest a meeting between you guys and the fans. Talk to us, share your thoughts and visions with us, let us give you feedback. This will not exactly make things fine and dandy but this will be a start. (Just to set expectations, things will ONLY be 100% if and when you guys get announced to Major League Soccer.)

We are fans. We are going to be mad, we are going to complain, but if all works out, we are going to be season ticket holders.  We are going to engage our fertile soccer community with you as the centerpiece.  But first, fix the academy issue and do it ASAP.  The notifications are already out to these working class kids:  “No pay, no play”.  Make this right and then let’s meet and discuss how we can work to put the relationship on better footing.

We would also like to state that none of our anger is directed towards the staff, past or present.  We fully understand that they are in an almost impossible position, and we have always appreciated their professionalism in their dealings with us.

*EDITOR NOTE - UPDATE

The actual lawsuit from BW Gottschee is for $460,000. This is for the outstanding August payment, facility fee as well as the upcoming payment which is due in 50 Days. This is all public records.

Statement from Cosmos

Today a representative from the Cosmos front office reached out to Nick Laveglia, the Borough Boys president, to follow up on the recent news surrounding the Cosmos Academy.

During that call the Cosmos assured The Borough Boys that the goals of the organization remain the same – entry into MLS -- even under the new ownership. The transitional phase to the new ownership has taken longer than expected.

As you may know by now, the Cosmos have only partially paid its contractual obligations to BW Gottschee, which has caused the Academy serious financial hardship.  However, the Cosmos assured us that the Academy is a TOP priority and said that the situation with BW Gottschee would be rectified.

Laveglia took the opportunity to explain the fans frustrations over the past few months.  They understood, and repeated that the goal was entry into the MLS.  We certainly appreciated the outreach, and hope that the actions follow the encouraging words.

Statement from BW Gottschee

BW GOTTSCHEE FORCED TO GO IT ALONE

In 2010, Blau Weiss Gottschee entered into a sponsorship agreement with
the New York Cosmos. The terms of the agreement gave the New York
Cosmos the right to call the Blau Weiss Gottschee Development Academy
teams, "New York Cosmos Academy". In return, Blau Weiss Gottschee
received funds to facilitate free play and travel for all Academy
players. Funding is required per year, paid semi-annually (August and
January), and the first year's payments were delivered, generally, as
promised.

This season, 2011-2012, required funding for the Academy teams, 50% due
in August given the substantial up front costs and commitments for such a serious program, 
has yet to arrive, putting Blau Weiss Gottschee under extreme financial stress and severely impacting the club's operation. Assurances have been given by the Cosmos but to date no
money has arrived. As an unfortunate result, Blau Weiss Gottschee has
been forced to engage legal assistance and filed suit to ensure
compliance with the contractual terms of the agreement with the New York Cosmos.

In the meantime, Blau Weiss Gottschee's commitment to its players,
teams, community, and sport has not wavered. Unfortunately, Gottschee
will not be able to continue to provide free play in the immediate
term, but it will  continue to do what it has done for the past sixty
years; provide the highest quality soccer program possible, holding
true to its ideals of dedication, commitment, and integrity.

We will continue to keep fans posted as this situation develops. 

Academy Update

BW Gottschee has filed legal actions towards the New York Cosmos due to non fulfillment of contractual obligations.

Gottschee had a meeting tonight where they informed parents that at any time they could be going back to a pay to play system, as they have not been paid per their agreement.

Chris Dobens of Total Footblog.com, Cesar Diaz of LatinoSport.com and the Borough Boys president attended BW Gottschee's meeting tonight regarding the lawsuit they filed against the Cosmos.

There was a representative of the Cosmos present and he read a statement from Interim General Manager Terry Byrne stating that the Academy is the number one priority to them and they plan on honoring the contract negotiations. Following the meeting, we spoke with Paul McGlynn and a Cosmos representative about the situation.

Changes in the front office have halted things on the Cosmos side and the Academy is preparing for potentially having to alter its financing. Fans are already on the Cosmos Facebook page lashing out frustrations but there might be more news coming in the next week or so about this topic, and the hope is that it all gets rectified. 

It seems the NEW Cosmos ownership is planning on honoring this obligation so we must wait and see that they pay the funds. We will keep you posted as we learn more. 

For those who are unaware, BW Gottschee is a historic local club that has been around since 1951 and has been a force in local soccer. Please read about the clubs history on their website: http://www.bwgottschee.org/ClubHistory/index_E.html

What of the Copa?

With the internal changes taking place within the New York Cosmos, most fans understandably wish to know how this affects your organization's progress in becoming a MLS team. For supporters, this is the most important question that want answered as immediately as possible.

By no means am I suggesting that supporters jump ship. However the reality is, we as your potential season ticket holders are no longer interested with the marketing fluff that was previously fed to us.  While it was initially fun and amusing, we are no longer interested. The only thing we at this stage is a MLS Club.

If your goal is be part of Major League Soccer, than start playing the role by covering MLS and the local NYC Scene. You have a recognizable website with the social media accounts and we want content. We understand the online store but at the end of the day, readers want to read something related to American Soccer. From your discussions with Major League Soccer, I am sure that MLS Commissioner Don Garber is able to grant you Media Credentials.

With all do respect, your organization set the bar and has failed to achieve it... end of story. Don't blame us for being upset. We listened, we defended, and we invested in merchandise. As supporters, we have no reservation in being patient but loyalty is a two-way street and the lack of communication to us has been disrespectful.

Had you simply generated a Press Release admitting that things haven't ran as smoothly as expected, we would have been understanding and who knows, even more sympathetic in your plight. Despite our frustrations, we are impressed with two elements of your organization.

They are the Cosmos Academy and the Cosmos Copa.

For the time being, we're going to focus on the Cosmos Copa. We hope that the new ownership of the Cosmos realize the importance of this tournament. Not only for the possibility of finding some talent (MLS scouts were at last years edition) but for what it actually does for New York.

Our world isn t filled with the prejudices that once were, however, that does not mean we should stray away from bringing people together.

While the Cosmos Copa has clearly offered some fantastic soccer, it also brought together people from various communities and more importantly, various cultures.

This is something that needs to continue because in a city as diverse as New York, the variety needs to interact and what better way to get them together, than to celebrate the game of soccer.

In the past, our site has praised the efforts of Chris Noble and Spencer Dormitzer before, and we will continue to do so. The fact that 5 Points Press volunteered hours of their personal time in not only covering the Cosmos Copa but meeting with the clubs while creating a Special Edition issue clearly demonstrates the respect we have for not only Chris and Spencer but also for the tournament itself.

The Cosmos Copa is a unique spectacle that can't be pulled off in many cities around the world, but you can in New York. Let s hope the new owners of the Cosmos recognize that and continue this tradition. Not only will it be good for the Cosmos as an organization, but it will be good for New York.

We maybe upset with you right now but we anticipate that it ll be an issue of the past once we actually see some progress. You know where we stand and the it's up to you to decide how you re going to honor our loyalty.

We know that you can not provide us with an MLS team next summer, but you can provide us with the 3rd installment of the Cosmos Copa.

Cosmos Statement

From their website

http://nycosmos.com/news/management-update-new-york-cosmos

November 2, 2011 (New York, NY) - There has been a buyout at The New York Cosmos and management changes have taken place in various areas of our organization. This also results in a full restructure of both our business and staffing, which will continue to be assessed by the new leadership team that is expected to be appointed within the next 60 days. It is unequivocally the goal of the current ownership to become an MLS team in the most expedient manner possible, and decisions for the club will be made with this in mind.




The goal remains MLS, and they want it fast. Lets see how they action that. 

Changes confirmed

The rumored changes at the top of the New York Cosmos group were confirmed today by Mike Lewis

About a month ago, Jack Bell tweeted that Paul Kemsley was being bought out but there was no news since that information.

Mike Lewis spoke to Joe Fraga and he states that while there will be changes at the top, operations will remain the same at the aspiring club.

There will be those that feel that this is good news because of the uncertainty around Paul Kemsley's character. Would he have fit in well with the other owners in the league? It is to soon to say if this is good or bad as just don't know anything about the new ownership group or their resources.

Yesterday Paul Gardner put out an opinion piece which revealed that there was a falling out between the Saudi backers and Kemsley due to his questionable business decisions.

So the Cosmos are moving on from Paul Kemsley and so must the fans. It seems that the transition is still in progress but as soon as its complete, the pressure will be on the Cosmos to show that they once again are players in the expansion race. Don Garber mentioned that they had some ownership issues that they needed to sort out and they are sorting them out. Is it enough though?

ADDED
The New York Cosmos also released this http://nycosmos.com/news/paul-kemsley-steps-down-chairmanceo-new-york-cosmos-0

Fans still waiting for more answers

In response to Don Garber's recent comments that the Cosmos no longer in the mix for the MLS NYC franchise, the Cosmos Front office released a statement saying that they are "willing to work with other investors."

While it was nice to hear something out of the Cosmos camp, fans still have a lot of questions and concerns that this statement did not answer.

Many are dying to know what is going on internally at the Cosmos as there is still that rumor lingering that Paul Kemsley has sold out to foreign investors.

We understand that the Cosmos are a private organization and changes at the top do not need to be announced in public. However, the fact remains that they are aspiring to be a professional sports organization, they should be behooved to act like one. Like any professional franchise, fans want to know what is going on with the team they have emotionally and financially invested in.

Take a glance at the Cosmos Facebook page, you will see fans expressing their anger. Some have expressed thos in a mild manner while others in a more colorful tone. From a financial standpoint, many of these fans ran out in the past year and spent their hard earned money on gear for the team that promised top flight by 2013. Now, with that date looking less likely, fans are asking for updates and sadly not getting a response.

However, this is not time to jump off the Cosmos bridge. If we've learned anything from past expansion history is there will be more twists in this story before the final chapter is written. In the meantime, fans have every right to question. They question out of anger, out of frustration but most of all, question out of passion.

At this point, there's no reason to point our fingers solely at the Cosmos as Don Garber is not really being open and honest with fans as well. He speaks of mysterious investors who refuse to be mentioned at this time.

Who's to say that Garber is using the fans emotions to get leverage from expansion groups such as the Cosmos. Also, are the Wilpon's still going to be somehow involved in this?

Perhaps all these big decision makers should be reminded of words from the great European Cup winning Celtic coach Jock Stein "Football without fans is nothing".