MLS' delegates will account for 14% of the "overall vote in the upcoming election" for U.S. Soccer President, according to sources cited by Jeff Carlisle of ESPN.com. Sources said that the USSF BOD on Sunday "passed a proposal regarding the allocation of delegates within the Professional Council." The proposal -- put forward by MLS, the USL and the NWSL -- sees MLS "control nine of the 16 delegates in the Pro Council, which is comprised of representatives" from U.S. professional leagues. The USL and NWSL will get "three delegates each, with the NASL -- which is currently engaged in an anti-trust lawsuit against the USSF -- getting one delegate." MLS announced last month that it would support Soccer United Marketing President Kathy Carter as the league's "preferred candidate" (ESPN.com, 1/16).
SIZING UP THE CANDIDATES: In Philadelphia, Jonathan Tannenwald writes the "conventional wisdom among media and insiders" is that Carter and Eric Wynalda are the front-runners for USSF President. Carter is a "consummate insider" who has played a "key role in turning American soccer into a profitable business while in charge of SUM." But the entity, which markets the national team as well as MLS, has "long been criticized for a lack of transparency." Voters wanting change see Carter as "part of the status quo." Meanwhile, Wynalda is calling for a "dramatic overhaul of the American soccer landscape." He is a proponent of MLS "adopting the promotion-relegation system used to crown winners and losers in the rest of the world." Wynalda also wants to "shift the MLS calendar to the fall-to-spring schedule that Europe uses." Candidate Kyle Martino and USSF VP Carlos Cordeiro have the "best odds of staking a middle ground." Seven of the eight candidates are "scheduled for solo speaking sessions on stage" at the United Soccer Coaches' convention, which begins today and runs through Sunday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Cordeiro is the "only one who isn't" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 1/17).
STATE YOUR CASE: USSF presidential candidate Michael Winograd made his pitch on "ESPN FC" yesterday and said he is the right pick because he has a "deep soccer knowledge and experience from all angles on the soccer side, I’ve got the deep experience and knowledge on the business side and I’ve got complete independence." Winograd: "I have no hidden agenda, no sponsors, no special ties to any constituents. I have only one interest, and that is the interest of U.S. Soccer. I will invariably put that first.” Winograd said U.S. Soccer should not be "run through edicts coming from an ivory tower in Chicago,” and instead it “needs to involve the folks with boots on the ground, with expertise in all the decision making” (“ESPN FC,” ESPNews, 1/16).
