A COSMIC ANOMALY
February 16, 2011 • 2:03 pm • POSTED BY David Burden
As a soccer player who moonlights at a branding agency, I am equal parts giddy and baffled over the “return” of the New York Cosmos, the iconic North American Soccer League club of the 70’s that briefly yet spectacularly caught America’s attention. Cosmos starts rubbed elbows with the likes of Mick and Bianca at Studio 54, and its fans (including yours truly, at the ripe age of 7) filled Giants Stadium. The club has remained quiet since the 70’s, running a small but renowned camp program tucked away from the leering eye of Major League Soccer, its owner fearing (until now) that the league was not yet worthy of the Cosmos brand, like the “one ring” on the J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy. The meteoric rise and fall of the team, its maverick ownership and cast of international stars including Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Giorgio Chinaglia is wonderfully chronicled in the documentary Once In A Lifetime.
In late 2010, an equally fascinating cast of characters announced their plans to relaunch the club the including former vice-Chairman of English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur Paul Kelmsley, director of Aura Entertainment (and former personal manager of David Beckham) Terry Byrne, and Carl Johnson, founder of New York branding agency Anomaly (Anomaly’s Cosmos venture is among its most ambitious, involving the establishment of a limited liability company, the creation of a 120-page prospectus, the wooing of investors and the recruitment of Pele).
Pele has been named “Honorary President”, Chinaglia is back as “International Ambassador” and Eric Cantona, the brilliant, mercurial star of France and Manchester United (perhaps best known in the US for his pop-collar utterance of “Au Revoir” in the Nike Good vs. Evil commercial) has been anointed Director of Soccer. Another potential actor in this drama is David Beckham, who is currently training with Hotspur, and had been attempting to get out of his contract with MLS’ Los Angeles Galaxy to play the remainder of the English season with the Spurs (then back to the States perhaps). Umbro, the English sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Greater Manchester, England (owned and managed by Nike since 2008) has signed on as the equipment and apparel sponsor.
The baffling part of this story is the fact that there is as of yet NO TEAM, and NO LEAGUE. Of course the most logical place for the team to play is in the MLS, but Red Bull New York has exclusive rights to the New York franchise until 2013 (Red Bull New York, formerly the New York/New Jersey Metrostars, itself is a bit of a professional sports marketing anomoly, the first MLS and perhaps ONLY professional team to be completely rebranded by its corporate sponsor). Until then, the Cosmos are raising money to build an actual team, stadium and community, by running camps, youth programs and promotions, and plans on playing “inspirational” games in 2011.
The MLS may be ready for the Cosmos by 2013. Though the league has prospered financially primarily by developing and exporting American talent, the signing of David Beckham to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 was a major reinvestment back into the league that, while it had its galactic ups and downs on and off the pitch, paid massive dividends in publicity and merchandise sales. The resulting designated player rule also opened up salary restrictions and paved the way for international superstars in the twilight of their careers like Thierry Henry to play in the MLS, as Pele, Chinaglia, Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyuff did in the NASL back in the 70’s. The addition of this star power has made the games more alluring and entertaining, dare I say even Cosmos worthy.
While at first it seems a bit confusing and premature, given the players involved in this drama and the moves taking place, its highly orchestrated. In his announcement video, the probably very well scripted “King Eric” Cantona refers to the whole endeavor as “a mix between football and art”. Unlike the Philadelphia Union, a team virtually mandated by the people (thank you, Sons of Ben), this team is being created from on high. And I like it.