U.S. Soccer presidential candidate Eric Wynalda yesterday said that he has "received campaign funding" from NASL club Miami FC Owner Riccardo Silva, but he "denied reports that he had received money for extensive campaign travel" from NASL club N.Y. Cosmos Owner and NASL BOD Chair Rocco Commisso, according to Grant Wahl of SI.com. There is nothing in U.S. Soccer's rules against "receiving financial support for the campaign, including travel costs." But Wynalda said that he wanted to "provide transparency about his campaign funding and clear up questions that had emerged about the support of Commisso." Wynalda said, "I am not receiving funding from Mr. Commisso, nor am I being bankrolled or flown around the country in a private jet. But I would say this: I value my friendship with Mr. Commisso, and I do reserve the right to work with anyone in the future." Commisso said in response to the reports, "With respect to me, we had one meeting (with Wynalda) where we financed the hotel (in New York). Other than that, I haven’t given him a private check saying, 'Here's $100,000 you can go out and spend.'" Wahl noted Silva has been the "most public proponent of introducing promotion and relegation to club soccer" in the U.S. Wynalda last week "spoke about best practices for leagues" at a conference in Dubai that is "part-owned by Silva." Silva and Commisso are also the "most powerful owners in the NASL, which has an ongoing legal case against U.S. Soccer" (SI.com, 1/3).
