Courtesy: sportsday.dallasnews.com

Mark Cuban isn't the only big-name investor in futsal; other NBA owners, prestigious soccer clubs have joined in

By Brad Townsend

Last week's announcement that Mark Cuban had become a principal owner of a new North American league for a sport called "futsal" heightened buzz about the venture.

As in, "Maybe this league is going to be a bigger deal than many imagined."

Indeed, a source told The Dallas Morning News on Monday that the 16-team Professional Futsal League franchisees include "multiple" NBA owners and some of the world's most prestigious soccer clubs.
In other words, it will be a marriage of soccer and basketball, which is how many describe Futsal, which is five-per-side indoor soccer, the only one sanctioned by FIFA.

The NBA owners include Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and the Buss family, which owns the Los Angeles Lakers.

World-power soccer clubs that have committed to full or partial franchise stakes include FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Boca Juniors of Argentina and Corinthians of Brazil.

And though futsal is played in 198 of the 207 FIFA member associations around the world, the Professional Futsal League is being planned as the world's most preeminent, with the top players being funneled here and receiving the sport's highest salaries.
Although the league doesn't plan to begin play until 2017, early details of its proposed structure emerged Monday evening because representatives from the 16 franchises and officials from soccer clubs in Europe, South America and China are scheduled to meet Tuesday and Wednesday in Dallas.

Why Dallas? It was in North Texas where plans for the league began to hatch during the spring of 2014, with Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and sports entrepreneur Brian Dick ultimately becoming principal league owners (joined Feb. 3 by Cuban) and Nelson's daughter, Christie, becoming executive director.
Along with Dallas, cities that will have franchises include New York, Los Angeles, Seattle/Vancouver, Boston, Chicago and Miami.
Donnie Nelson did not immediately respond to messages Monday evening seeking comment.

During the next two days, PFL are expected to decide such details as roster sizes and the salary cap. Among details that emerged Monday:

-- Along with Dallas, cities that will have franchises include New York, Los Angeles, Seattle/Vancouver, Boston, Chicago and Miami.

-- New York will have two teams. One will be owned outright by FC Barcelona; the other by Prokhorov, although the Nets owner probably will form a partnership with a world-power soccer organization.

-- FC Barcelona has two teams in Spanish futsal leagues, an indicator of how futsal is regarded as an effective training ground for Premier League players.

-- The PFL season will consist of about 50 games. The season's start and end dates probably will be largely determined by TV networks.

-- FC Barcelona, Chelsea and Bayern Munich have or are in the process of establishing offices in New York, a sign of their eagerness to tap into the North American market and strengthen.

-- Every PFL team will be either owned by or in partnership with a powerhouse soccer club outside of North America.




FP Staff --> info@futsalplanet.com