Sockers to Seek Another League
The Sockers, who already have outlived two leagues, will look into aligning with a third after last week’s demise of the Major Soccer League, Oscar Ancira, managing general partner, said Tuesday.
The Sockers, who began in the North American Soccer League, will remain in business with a scaled-down front office. Ancira notified 10 employees--including assistant coach Erich Geyer--they would be laid off at the end of the week, at least until the club can find a league.
It appears the proposed Continental Indoor Soccer League is the Sockers’ best bet. That circuit is scheduled to begin its inaugural season in June, 1993. It is being organized by Lakers owner Jerry Buss and other NBA owners.
Ancira previously ruled out the CISL and the National Professional Soccer League because they operate in a semipro manner.
“It is unfortunate that the Major Soccer League had to dissolve,” Ancira said in a statement. “(Coach) Ron Newman, the staff, and I, however, will be exploring our options in the coming weeks as they relate to future indoor play. . . . It is our full intention to do our best to keep soccer alive in San Diego.”
Newman said he will work with Dallas Sidekicks officials in an attempt to form “a mini-league” among the four survivors of the MSL (the Sockers, Sidekicks, Baltimore Blast and Cleveland Crunch) that would play a winter schedule and bridge the gap between now and the start of the CISL’s summer season.
If all goes well, the team of Mexican players arranged by Ancira to barnstorm the MSL before it folded and another travel-only team from Montreal would be included, Newman said.
But Newman’s concept apparently is not being well received. Already there is at least one defection--Baltimore.
The NPSL announced it has received a formal application from a group fronted by Blast Coach Kenny Cooper.
Paul Luchowski, NPSL director of operations, said owners will consider Cooper’s application Monday. Luchowski also said the NPSL has held discussions with Crunch owner George Hoffman and with Abe Hawatmeh, the St. Louis urologist denied by MSL owners in his bid to take over the Storm because of poor financing.
The Storm’s demise triggered the downfall of the MSL.
Luchowski also said that Dallas representatives had made informal contacts with the league.
The NPSL, however, does not appear to be an option for the Sockers. Luchowski went on a tirade when Ancira’s name was mentioned.
“That guy’s a jerk,” Luchowski said. “He’s totally clueless. He has absolutely no concept of where soccer is at in this country. And that’s not coming from me--MSL owners are saying that.”
Ancira, who could not be reached for reaction, has been trying to upgrade the quality of play in indoor soccer and disdains the frugal ways of the NPSL, which operates with a salary cap roughly one-third of the MSL’s $550,000 ceiling.
“Oscar is ahead of the game,” Newman said in answering Luchowski’s charge. “He might want it to be bigger than it could be at this stage, but he’s willing to spend money to make money and all he sees is people cutting back so they don’t lose money. Well, he’s willing to spend more to create more interest in the game.”
