Showing posts tagged “Chris Economides”
David Fellerath ·
3 Dec 2009, 11:13 AM ·
6 Comments
While flipping through my soccer channels in search of a game, I spotted USL Breakaways on Fox Soccer Channel and taped it. Given the news of the past few weeks, and the generally clumsy PR operation of the United Soccer Leagues, I wanted to see how the USL is presenting itself.
I watched the hour-long program, which was hosted by Andrew Bell, former marketing director and current president of the Charleston Battery, who is young, British (Scottish?) and has a bit of Warren Barton about him (he’s also an FSC announcer). There wasn’t much news in this infomercial, produced for USL by Cultural Videos and Sports Communications, Inc., but I noticed a couple of points of emphasis.
First, the opening 30 minutes were devoted to the Super-Y league and its annual tournament in Tampa. We saw kids playing, and interviews with U15 players and coaches. No doubt intentionally, this segment spotlighted one of the main strengths of the United Soccer Leagues: fostering youth development.
After a segment featuring banquet highlights from the annual general meeting, and the Hall of Fame inductees (including Scott Schweitzer, star defender for Rochester who coached the Carolina RailHawks for its first two seasons), the theme of “development” was picked up midway through the program with an interview with USL President Tim Holt.
Holt didn’t engage directly with the fact that the first division that seems to have all but collapsed, but instead sounded the theme of “player development.”
Here are his remarks in full, with emphasis added:
Tim Holt: Yeah, it’s exciting, there’s a new direction, a new culture about USL. Probably most people know at this point, USL was acquired by NuRock Soccer Holdings from Nike, which was the previous owner. Nike Inc and the Umbro brands and Nike Soccer Brands will stay on as long-term partners in a 10-year partnership, so we get the best of both worlds. We have committed ownership from NuRock, Rob Hoskins, Alek Papadakis, their CEO. They’re soccer guys but they’re accomplished business executives, and they’re really bringing professional—more sophisticated approach to everything we do from our front-office standpoint, allowing us to serve our teams better. And it’s just a real exciting time, obviously, to be able to continue the relationship with Nike and Umbro, especially Umbro, the long time partners with USL, it’s very exciting. So we’re a few months into that transition, it’s been almost seamless, and we look forward to furthering that into 2010. Continue reading »
Carolina RailHawks, NASL, Soccer Alek Papadakis, Andrew Bell, Anton Peterlin, Brian Quarstad, Chris Economides, NASL, Scott Schweitzer, Tim Holt, USL
David Fellerath ·
5 Oct 2009, 7:15 AM ·
14 Comments
Fans from the 204 Depot after the RailHawks' 2-1 victory over Puerto Rico on Sept. 12. (Photo by Jeremy M. Lange)
Last night the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Montreal Impact advanced to the USL-1 finals with victories in the two-leg semifinal round. Not only will there be an all-Canadian final, but this represents the victory of the No. 5 and No. 7 seeds over the league’s “big four” of Portland, Carolina, Puerto Rico and Charleston that had dominated regular season play.
And there’s an irony at work, too, for the two remaining teams are also members of the dissident USL-1 owners’ group known as the Team Owners Association. Last week, the USL took steps to sever ties with Carolina, Miami FC and Minnesota, by sending emails purporting to release those teams’ players from their contracts, and by removing links to those clubs on the USL Web site.
We spoke with RailHawks president Brian Wellman over the weekend and he clarified a number of issues, including the fact that Vancouver and Montreal have not renewed their franchise agreements with the USL, but were not included in the league’s actions last week simply because they are still playing.
“The day [Montreal and Vancouver] stop playing,” Wellman said, “they’re going to receive everything we received because they’ve not renewed.” That day will be Oct. 18, the day after the second leg of the USL finals.
Wellman also said that the Carolina players are under contract to the RailHawks, rejecting the USL’s position that the players are now free agents. He noted that the players have not been released by the United States Soccer Federation, the sanctioning body for American soccer.
We also discussed the options facing the TOA—including possibly partnering with the MLS—along with the status of the RailHawks player contracts and the surprising fact that, despite the decline in reported attendance, the RailHawks actually experienced a rise in paid attendance this year.
TRIANGLE OFFENSE: It sounds like the USL sent out a note to the three teams (Carolina, Miami, Minnesota) that the players are not under contract anymore. Is that right?
BRIAN WELLMAN: Contractually speaking, while it is true the RailHawks have not renewed their franchise agreement with the USL-1 for the 2010 season, there’s still a chance that could happen-and several other teams haven’t either. There was a specific date when the franchise agreement ran out which meant our contract expired with the USL, but our players are under contract with the RailHawks and they’re still under registration with the federation—the USSF [United States Soccer Federation]. It’s a little misleading because under normal circumstances when you let a player go out of contract he goes onto the list and anyone can talk to him. Under this situation its very unusual that all the TOA teams are getting the same information but at the same time the federation is not releasing any of our players from their registration with our club. It’s a little unfortunate, it may have been a bit of a posturing, scare tactic technique on the part of the league due to the nature of the negotiation. It was unnecessary and unfortunate. We met with our players today [Saturday, Oct. 3] for about an hour and a half to explain the entire situation. Our players are under contract with us, and they’re under registration to the federation whether we play in the USL, in a new league or partnering with the MLS, wherever we play next year, our players are under contract with us. That’s the bottom line. Continue reading »
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer Alec Papadakis, Brian Wellman, Chris Economides, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, NuRock Soccer Holdings, Team Owners Association, TOA, USL-1, Vancouver Whitecaps
David Fellerath ·
5 Aug 2009, 3:54 PM ·
1 Comment
Tonight, the RailHawks have an opportunity to take possession of first place for the first time in about two months when they face off against the Rochester Raging Rhinos up by Lake Ontario.
Joe Diveronica of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle has a piece out about tonight’s match-up between two sides that have a few things in common, including a shared history with the RailHawks’ founding GM Chris Economides and inaugural coach Scott Schweitzer, as well as common ties to players Hamed Diallo and Luke Kreamalmeyer.
The first point is familiar territory around here, but the article sheds light on the issue of the two players—both of whom were Rhinos last year:
Kreamalmeyer, who tied a team record with nine assists last year in his only season in Rochester, signed as a free agent and reportedly got a big raise. His four goals are tied with forward Sallieu Bundu for the team high in Carolina.
Diallo, Rochester’s 2007 MVP who was traded last year, has played only 196 minutes because he doesn’t fit the 4-5-1 formation Rennie employs, the coach said.
“Even though he’s a dangerous goal-scorer, he doesn’t bring a lot necessarily outside the box,” Rennie said. “He’s more suited to a 4-4-2 system.”
If it’s true that Kreamalmeyer got a big raise (sources, Mr. Diveronica?), no doubt the RailHawks owners are happy with the investment. He’s been solid all season, with a relentless work rate. As for the Ivorian, we’ve noticed Rennie altering the formation and attacking strategy when inserting Diallo as far back as the Revolution friendly, but we didn’t realize the gaffer had such a stark view of the 32-year-old French Ligue 2 veteran’s limitations.
Game time is 7 p.m. at Marina Auto Stadium, a field whose naming rights were awarded to a local dealership in a raffle drawing. It’s a nice field, albeit one with artificial turf, that seats close to 14,000 and was built, apparently, with the expectation of an MLS franchise. Rochester, which is the size of Durham, has a good record of supporting the Rhinos, with attendance regularly in the 5,000-7,000 range.
Last Saturday, prior to the Austin game, we got 15 of the 18 players in the lineup correct, including 10 of 11 in the starting XI. Tonight’s lineup prediction is: Patterson, Schulte, Tolleson, McKenney, Low, Lowery, Paladini, Kabwe, Richardson, Bundu, Kreamalmeyer. On the bench: Reed, Shields, Rusin, Watson, Budnyy, Plotkin, Gardner.
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer Chris Economides, Hamed Diallo, Luke Kreamalmeyer, Marina Auto Stadium, Martin Rennie, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Scott Schweitzer
David Fellerath ·
8 Oct 2008, 1:02 AM ·
Comment
It’s been a big week for the USL-1 Carolina RailHawks soccer club. First, the announcement that team founder, GM and president Chris Economides had been bought out. Then Tuesday afternoon’s announcement of the departure of coach Scott Schweitzer. Then, after several days of portentous word of major developments to be announced soon, WRAL.com’s Tim Candon got the scoop on the team’s new stakeholder.
The headline, then the link: Bob Young, founder of the on-demand self-publishing company Lulu, has purchased an interest in the club. Young is no stranger to sports ownership: Since 2003, he has owned the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (what’s up with that name-moniker?) of the Canadian Football League. He was also the CEO of Red Hat, the Triangle-based purveyor of Linux-related products.
And here’s the rest of Candon’s scoop.
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer Bob Young, Chris Economides, Lulu, Scott Schweitzer
David Fellerath ·
7 Oct 2008, 4:04 PM ·
Comment
After two years coaching the USL-1 RailHawks, Scott Schweitzer’s contract, which was set to expire at the end of this month, was not renewed, the team announced today. Owner Brian Wellman praised the efforts of Schweitzer, who posted a record of 24 wins, 24 losses and 24 draws in league and Cup play and professional friendlies in his two seasons that also saw one playoff appearance and a drive to the semifinals of the 2007 U.S. Open Cup.
“Scotty Schweitzer will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play in the United Soccer Leagues,” Wellman said. “His dedication and passion as a player was just as evident as a coach. We are grateful to Scotty for all he gave to the organization and wish him well in his future endeavors.”
This was Schweitzer’s first head coaching job after a stellar career in the USL and its predecessor, the A League. He will retain his job as the head of Next Level Academy, a Cary youth soccer training school.
Although this year’s team finished strongly, with 16 points in its final eight games, the season was nonetheless a disappointing one. Despite the infusion of several talented midfielders and forwards—including Dan Antoniuk, Hamed Diallo, Matt Watson and Martin Nuñez—the team often struggled offensively and missed the playoffs with an eighth-place finish.
In the team’s press release, Schweitzer doesn’t disguise the existence of disagreements between him and the management:
“There was simply a difference of opinion between myself and the ownership group. I wish all of the players that gave everything to me and the organization all the best.”
This is the second major change announced in the last few days. Over the weekend, the team announced the buyout and departure of Chris Economides, the team’s founder, president and GM. Schweitzer and Economides have shared roots with the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the USL-1.
UPDATE 4:17 p.m.: In a phone interview, team publicist Marco Rosa stressed that the move was not a firing or a response to the team’s showing last season. It was an option, Rosa said, for Schweitzer to return but the coach and management were unable to resolve their differences. “It was a mutual parting of the ways,” Rosa said.
The team will conduct an international search for a new coach “starting today,” Rosa said.
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer Brian Wellman, Chris Economides, Scott Schweitzer
David Fellerath ·
5 Oct 2008, 9:13 PM ·
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We’re not sure what this means, but Jarrett at Triangle Soccer Fanatics has the story: Chris Economides, co-founder of the USL-1 soccer team, is leaving the club.
Co-owner Brian Wellman announced that Triangle Professional Sports, LLC has bought out Economides’ ownership stake.
Economides, who is a member of the USL Hall of Fame, previously managed the Rochester Raging Rhinos before establishing the RailHawks in 2006.
Carolina RailHawks Brian Wellman, Chris Economides, Contracts
