The American Dream: Pelé, Cosmos + Rise & Fall of NASL | Part Two

Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. This week co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper continue onto part two of a four-part special on the North American Soccer League (NASL). They discuss the initial attempts to establish professional soccer leagues in America, including the rivalries between the NASL and the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). The episode covers the impact of foreign teams, the financial and logistical hurdles, and the ongoing struggle to gain popularity and acceptance in the U.S. market. With input from past experiences and key figures, they provide an in-depth look at why American soccer faced numerous setbacks and what was done to overcome them. Join us next week for part three!

01:09 The Early Years of Soccer in the USA

01:34 The Impact of the Wall Street Crash

06:46 Post-War Challenges

09:43 The Decline of American Soccer in the 1950s

21:46 The 1960s: A Decade of Missed Opportunities

27:15 The Birth of the NASL

33:25 Lack of American Players in Early Leagues

34:55 Rival Leagues: NPSL vs NASL

35:42 Initial Matches and Attendance Issues

40:11 Discipline Problems and Game Abandonments

48:10 Financial Struggles and Legal Battles

49:13 National Team Struggles and Attempts at Growth

50:31 Foreign Influence and Pre-season Tours

54:48 Financial Instability and League Contraction

58:20 NASL's Unconventional Season Format

01:00:32 Legacy and Future Prospects of NASL

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