What is going on?

I’m sure that many of us have seen this video… we all saw it live and in person at the 2018 AGM. 

We're still waiting for @CACSoccer to hit the ground running and release the @ussoccer financials. Anyone else seen them? pic.twitter.com/wR8mXjGsG9

— American Soccer (@USASoccerTV) May 21, 2018

USSF CFO Eric Gleason gave us a response of 30-45 days from 2/10/18… 

We are now over 100 days since 2/10/18 and no audited financial statements have been posted on the USSF website for our review. The USSF posted its last audited statements in November 2016. 

What is really going on? Why is this taking so long? I’m not sure exactly, but we should all read Roger Pielke, Jr’s very informative research in to the USSF controlled ‘CA2016’ subsidiary and it’s financials.

“In 2014 the US Soccer Federation, a non-profit charity registered in New York, created a subsidiary non-profit related to the hosting of the Copa America Centenario soccer tournament. Specifically, on 29 October 2014 the USSF set up a single-member LLC, called The CA2016 Local Organizing Committee LLC.

I've reviewed the 2016 IRS 990 form from the CA2016, and this post raises some questions about the numbers reported in that form.”

Mr. Pielke Jr. came up with several very pertinent questions that may have something to do with the time it is taking to finish the report…

“The CA2016 reported $190 million in revenue in 2016 (specifically $189,681,375). CA2016 reported providing a grant of $64,941,805 to the USSF (Schedule I, Part ID, d). USSF 2017 IRS 990 (PDF) reported receiving $50,000,000 from CA2016 (p. 68, Part V (1)).

    Question #1: Why is there a $14,941,805 discrepancy between the two numbers?”

This multi-million dollar one and six more questions that the leadership of our organization need to answer are found in this article… 

http://leastthing.blogspot.com/2018/04/seven-questions-for-us-soccer-on-ca2016.html

These 7 questions do not cover the fact that USSF has not responded to another major  governance concern. Questions have been raised about the USSF being out of compliance with New York state law concerning Non-Profit Charitable Organization reporting and the potential issues with the NY Attorney General that this would bring about. 

http://leastthing.blogspot.com/2018/04/has-us-soccer-failed-to-comply-with.html

Non-profits like the USSF were required to file by February 18^th under New York State law with the penalty of doing so being the losing of non-profit status. Currently the USSF is over 90 days late. Are we as members of the organization worried about what the penalty could be? 

Finally, Corporate Governance Lawyer Josh Westerman asks for the USSF… us… to “aim higher” and touches on some very important issues when it comes to how our USSF Nominating and Governance Committee operates compared to industry standards and norms. 

https://medium.com/@joshwesterman/ussf-nominating-and-governance-committee-537ed7c0a427


As members of USSF, the associations that the board serves, and the clubs that the associations are made of… it is up to us to hold our Federation accountable. It is up to us to make sure that WE are doing all that we can to push this organization forward and to make sure that major questions and concerns like these are addressed. We can't sit on our hands, we must ask questions, we must demand answers…

Chris Kessell

West Side Soccer

Kanawha Valley Soccer League

West Virginia Soccer Association

Guest Post: Is USMNT's path to success a fan-owned Bundesliga club? by Jay Sorgi

Guest Post from Jay Sorgi

It's a crazy conundrum, this failure of the United States Men's National Team, in a nation with approximately eight million men and boys who play the game, can't field a team that can get to the 2018 World Cup, let alone have a reasonable chance to win it.
We know and have debated on - ad nauseum, but with defeinite reason - every reason why the USMNT has failed, what needs to change about U.S. Soccer and how the almighty dollar can conflict with the mission of winning the world's biggest single team sport event. The fundamental issues, including entry and youth-level, must be solved.

But perhaps at the top, the size of America's military presence in one particular soccer-loving nation could be a tool to help the USMNT gain a major competitive advantage on every other football-playing nation.

The rub: You, the American soccer fans, could be the controller of the direction.
(I don't claim this to be the panacea of the USMNT's problems, nor do I claim to be anywhere near an expert on the sport. This idea is rather meant to be a conversation starter which the soccer community can reject or refine into more of what it should be.)

Here goes:
A majority American fan-owned club that climbs the ranks of the German soccer system and, if/when it reaches the Bundesliga Official, becomes as much of the USMNT as possible within federation rules and their German-born player requirements. In lower leagues, it could be used as a talent developmental tool for U-23 and younger American players.

The club would be based in the south central area of Germany where tens of thousands of American military personnel are stationed, close to Mannheim and Kaiserslautern where the USMNT and USWNT played numerous World Cup matches in 2006 and 2011.

This would allow a major international competitive advantage, as American players would be playing together in European competition (read: NOT MLS) on the same side 12 months out of the year in both club and national team matches, something rarely seen at the top levels.

The key to retaining top American talent would be, of course, money - making sure the top talent would not head to other top clubs. If Christian Pulisic would be on such a squad, but get big money offers from Liverpool (as reported recently), Barcelona or one of the other megaclubs, it would certainly be a battle to keep him or others like him within the club.

However, that wouldn't have to stop top American players from growing together, so long as there is enough capital on hand (read, corporate minority ownership or top sponsorship with deep pockets - very possible considering the American corporate climate) to keep them on the roster.
It could have the US Soccer coaching staff. It could have youth clubs set up both in America and Germany (to fulfill German federation requirements).

Most importantly: MLS doesn't have to own it. You would.

You, the American soccer fan - perhaps through American Outlaws - would set the direction of the club. The US Soccer team's in-season operations would not have rich-pocketed MLS ownership whose main goal is to make money and not have the best interest of American soccer necessarily top of mind.

It would be you. Millions of you running a big part of the show of the team America supports more than any other.

Would US Soccer (sorry about the upcoming baseball pun) play ball? Would they let a fan-owned club be a major developer of their national team?

Who knows. You probably have more insight on that than I would.

Again, this is meant to be a brainstorm to be developed, debated and either fine-tuned or jettisoned in the spirit of wanting the best for my country's most well-known national team worldwide, with the goal of not only returning to, but someday winning the World Cup.

With you, the fan, owning a greater percentage of the direction of it.

(Make sure you comment on this post on Jay's Facebook!)

How did I get here?

Four and a half years ago I was just coaching a u8 girls team. I was only doing this because the original coach quit... I never wanted to coach my own child. I hated dad coaches as a kid. I didn't want to do this to any kid, especially mine. Have them hate playing for a team because of me. That said, I've never been one to not give my all when I do something. Especially when I'm dealing with other peoples children. My thinking is, these people have entrusted me with their children so I owe it to them to give it my all. I try to learn everything I can. I start my coaching education via Youtube, classes, clinics, asking questions, watching every coach I can watch, USSF courses, and whatever else I can do to try to learn and get better. 

It's fun, I love coaching.

I start putting on these free skills clinics every week for whatever players want to show up because of the sheer cost of doing private trainings with coaches at the local pay to play club. A few kids show up at first. After a while I'm getting a nice group of 15 to 20 kids a week.

The players on this team start to get better. We start entering our little neighborhood team made up of whatever girls show up in some tournaments. We try to play nice soccer. It takes a while but we end up beating a bunch of teams who pay quite a bit per player. Hearing parents yell at coaches across the field "We pay all this money to get beat by a REC TEAM????"

I'm not going to lie. It felt great.

The players who consistently show up at the skills clinics start to get pretty decent. They show that they want to work. I try to show them HOW to train at home. One kid with one ball for an hour. Jon Townsend had written this amazing 10,000 touches article and I did my best to put it in motion every week for these kids.

A local pay to play club offers me a coaching job if I bring my team over to them. I say thanks but no thanks. I think readers of this blog kind of understand I'm just not on board with the system as it is set up. I felt like I would have been betraying my morals if I would have gone.


While this is happening I get recruited by a different neighborhood club to become their new President.


Thing is... its MY neighborhoods club. When I was a child playing soccer, West Side Soccer Club played at a place called Cabell Field. This space was turned in to a new consolidated elementary named Mary C. Snow a few years back so I kind of thought the club went away. Little did I know the city had built a couple of u12 sized fields at a park on top of a hill on the West Side. We had been driving our kids a few miles out of the way just because the club had shrunk to a point where I didn't even know it existed any more.

When I took over the club only had 13 registered players.

We recruit the city. We grow to 50... then 75.... now 130 players. Our club looks like our community. The West Side and the East End of Charleston are two of the most economically disadvantaged communities in the largest city in the poorest state in the country. That is where we draw kids from. It is also the most diverse area of the state. We raise money to help offset the costs. We do ball and equipment drives to get some kids the stuff they need to play. We have a couple of AWESOME donors who pay for some kids registration fees.

We are the only "Recreational" club in the state to place kids in the WV ODP program. We had 3 over the last 2 years.

We still do our free skills clinics every week just now at our fields. Some weeks we now have 50+ kids. Just this past week we started a partnership with the D2 National Championship University of Charleston's Men's Soccer program where they send a couple players every week to help us do the skills clinics.

Almost three years ago I got together a few donations and a few volunteers and we converted a basketball court downtown in to a Futsal Court. We built a partnership with the Charleston Parks and Recreation Department to allow us to have a gym for free all winter at the Martin Luther King Center. We do a free weekly Futsal meetup/pick up games event every Friday (#FutsalFriday) and have built a nice following. 30 to 40 people a week.

We host multiple coaching clinics per year.

We hosted a USSF licensing course.

We implemented a coaching mentorship program for our volunteer coaches.

We host free cookouts after several game weekends where all of our teams play at home at the same time to help build our community through sport.

We are 100% going to offer EVERYTHING we can for these kids. They deserve it just as much as any kids anywhere. Just because they aren't "Travel" or "Select" or whatever you think they don't work hard? You think they don't want it? They don't want to get good?

Wrong. 

As a club president I'm on the KVSL (our league we play in) Board of Directors. I rabble rouse. I get super pissed quite often.

I bitch to my wife, my brother, my parents, my friends.

Change happens. Contrary to what many people think these people who I am mad at aren't bad people. They just know how things work now. They often times don't see a reason to change it. Why change it? It's working. Kids are playing soccer!

I have a different vision I am trying to get in place. Funny thing that happens is... once they see I'm just passionate and not just an asshole there to complain about things they join in. Other clubs start doing some of the same things we do. Skills clinics. Coaching Ed.

These things work. People see the change. Some go beyond what we even do! Those things work.

I keep working. I have to deal with the WVSA on a few occasions. I'm pretty sure they had the same initial reaction that KVSL had to me. Shit.... dude. Thing's are working... why are you trying to rock the boat?

I start trying to make some changes in Adult Soccer in WV. I go to the USYSA Regionals. I get introduced to the WVSA staff.

I go to a WVSA Board Meeting.

I just start showing up.

I don't stop.

I get added to a committee for a state adult soccer club league. 

Next thing you know the VP of Adult Soccer can't go to the USSF Convention.

I get asked to go in his place.

I go. I vote for Wynalda.

I run for a youth position on the WVSA Board.

I win.

It's just started for me. Trust me. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to stop trying to change the system for the better.

I'm sure you're asking why all this matters? It is pretty simple. What I would love to see is for you to go get involved. Don't let anybody tell you no thanks. Keep showing up. Be committed. If you want to see change... go make change happen. Literally 1000's of people from all over this country read these blog posts. I'm sure many of you think you are powerless to actually help make change within the system. YOU ARE NOT POWERLESS!

We need every state associations Board of Directors to have new blood ready to make change. We need every club's Board of Directors to have new blood ready to make change. We need every league... every everything that has anything to do with this sport in this country to be infused with new blood that is ready and willing to FIGHT FOR CHANGE.

Four and a half years ago I was coaching my first practice with a u8 team. I didn't have a plan... a few months ago I voted for USSF President.

What can you be doing four and a half years from now if you have a plan?

Hey soccer media can we see the 990 from CA2016?

With Sunil Gulati being removed as Bid Committee Chairman today and Carlos Cordiero taking 1/3rd of his place... I was reminded of some questions that I would LOVE to have answered concerning former USSF President Gulati and current President Carlos Cordiero's potential involvement in a company owned and operated by USSF. (this should have said CA2016 Local Organizing Committee LLC)

"CA216 LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE LLC" which is a 100% wholly owned subsidiary of the #USSF paid exactly $50M to the Federation...

What did the contract with Soccer United Marketing from this organization look like? It is obviously a lump sum payment not based on revenue.

— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) February 21, 2018

Who negotiated this contract?

Who is in charge of this subsidiary company?

More questions to be asked... more answers are now needed.

— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) February 21, 2018

We know CA LOC2016 paid the $50M from the USSF 990 that they filed...

Then this website says that this company makes between 100M and 500M in revenue.

Hopefully we can have some follow up questions from the US soccer media to find some answers out about this company as well.

There is plenty to find out... from what we've seen about the USSF relationship with SUM that has already been uncovered, I think it is safe to say that many people would find this relationship an interesting subject as well.

Who is involved?
How much were they paid?
What does the SUM contract look like?
Who negotiated it?
Who approved it?
Does the USSF board have oversight concerning this subsidiary corporation?
Who all is employed by this corporation?
Why was this corporation used to negotiate and administer this Copa America deal?

I'm sure you can come up with some more questions... 


Speak up on social media and use the #ReformUSSF and #ProRelForUSA hashtags when talking to your favorite soccer media members about your desire to read more about the subject.

USSF strategic plan.

Yesterday I participated in the WVSA AGM and it was pretty much what was expected... a group of people who really care about soccer at the local level meeting up and doing what they think is best for soccer in the state.

Something I have been thinking about all day today though is the fact that the WVSA operates in a vacuum. The state association has little to no direction from the USSF.

Question of the day for me.

Does the #USSF have a long term strategic plan with identified and measurable goals?

If they do... nobody has ever seen it.@ussoccer is doing a disservice to every organization under its umbrella by not giving them the goals of the organization

— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) March 4, 2018

I have never seen a USSF strategic plan, I have never heard any discussion about one, and the state associations never discuss how what they are doing works to accomplish the stated goals of the USSF strategic plan.

A strategic plan at the top would focus the energy, resources, and time of everyone in the organization at every level in the same direction. It also would add accountability...

And worse yet if there actually aren't set, defined and measurable goals, financial and on the field at all levels.

The worst answer to, "How did we do this year?" is "I don't know, pretty good I think."

— Mike Kopack (@MKopack) March 4, 2018

How do we know if we are doing a good job? How can we all have a discussion as a soccer nation on the direction we are heading if we don't have goals? How can we judge if the boards of the USSF and our state associations are doing a good job if we aren't working toward any overarching strategic goals?

A public strategic plan would also allow a discussion about where do we actually want to end up?

Write it down.

Let everybody talk about it.

Let us figure out if we agree with it or not.

#ReformUSSF
#ProRelForUSA 

Now that we have a copy of the 1988 USSF #ProRelForUSA plan... whats next?

Earlier today Michael Lewis released an article that described the 1988 plan that WAS PASSED by the USSF to create a pyramid featuring 3 tiers, 2 of which were regional, and #ProRelForUSA.

As I've discussed on Twitter quite extensively, I've heard from someone who has read it the original MLS business plan as proposed and accepted by USSF was said to contain provisions for eventual implementation of #ProRelForUSA. My guess is that these provisions were included only 2 years later because of this 1988 plan. Basically, USSF has a plan that was passed by the entire voting body so MLS business plan developers must include #ProRelForUSA to be, for lack of a better term, "legal". If this Pro/Rel provision wouldn't have been included... would it have ever been accepted?

So, in my opinion there are a few things that absolutely need to be addressed at this point.

1. If this was passed by the USSF... and never officially rescinded ... it seems that it still needs to be implemented. Is this true?

2. We now also need a copy of the original MLS business plan that was accepted by USSF for confirmation of what was indeed agreed upon by the Federation and the investors.

3. IF MLS has not lived up to its originally accepted business plan principals ... and this #ProRelForUSA plan has not ever been voted away... it would seem that Board Members, senior staff members, etc. that know about them... are not living up to their duty to USSF's constituency. What needs to happen to them?

4. As a current Board Member, Senior Staff, Legal Counsel, etc... if you are just finding out about this piece of information (and the potential business plan stipulations) ... it is your duty to find out about all of this information and talk to the highly paid legal council within USSF and figure out what to do next.

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section or on social media. Keep speaking up!