The Cosmos Return – With A New Home, New League And Old Ideals

There’s a caller New York Cosmos successful municipality – successful nan municipality of Paterson, New Jersey, to beryllium precise. One of nan astir storied names successful American shot has deed nan reset button, uncovering a caller league, a caller metropolis and a refreshed, community-first approach.

While galore high-profile caller teams successful US sports are parachuted successful astatine nan apical of their league’s hierarchy, this Cosmos revival feels different – immoderate of that by design, immoderate by necessity. Thursday’s announcement astatine nan recently restored Hinchliffe Stadium successful Paterson offered longtime fans and funny onlookers a glimpse into this caller direction, and nan reasons down it.

The connection was clear successful nan location alone: nestled supra nan Great Falls of nan Passaic River, embedded successful a National Historical Park. It’s echoed successful nan club’s starting constituent – USL League One, nan 3rd and lowest tier of master shot successful nan US – a much unchangeable launchpad from which to build organically. And possibly astir significantly, this loop of nan Cosmos yet has a location stadium to telephone its ain – characterful, scenic, historical – thing previous, much nomadic versions ne'er had.

Two awesome themes tally parallel done this reboot. The first is rooted successful Paterson itself: a proudly section but cosmopolitan city, wherever nan caller Cosmos purpose to foster grassroots engagement not conscionable successful shot but successful a wide scope of activities.

The 2nd is nan name. Despite years of dormancy and mendacious starts, nan New York Cosmos stay 1 of nan astir recognisable brands successful American soccer. Its relation pinch Pelé helped cement that world profile, and further prima powerfulness – Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia, Carlos Alberto – ensured it endured.

But this type wants to beryllium much than a brand; it intends to beryllium a nine successful nan truest sense, thing still uncommon successful nan franchise-heavy scenery of American sports. The scheme includes a master women’s squad and abstraction for different sports and organization activities, from rugby and cricket to creation and chess. Like accepted sporting institutions astir nan world – nan Clube de Regatas of Brazil aliases European multisport clubs – nan caller Cosmos will not beryllium conscionable a shot team.

“This is nan cleanable organization for it,” Cosmos CEO Erik Stover tells nan Guardian. “It’s truthful diverse, pinch group from each complete nan world and divers interests, truthful it makes cleanable consciousness here.

“Proper clubs person aggregate sports. People from nan organization are volunteering, helping pinch nan cricket club, nan way club, nan tennis club, immoderate it is.

“For us, master shot will beryllium astatine nan apical of nan pyramid. But what really matters is that grassroots foundation.”

The Cosmos caller logo, explained. Illustration: Courtesy of nan Cosmos

The squad will clasp nan charismatic sanction New York Cosmos, but pinch its personality profoundly rooted successful Paterson, it will often beryllium referred to simply arsenic nan Cosmos.

“The purpose is organization first,” says Stover. “To build sustainably, to put successful section group – whether that’s players aliases beforehand agency – and to turn slow and deliberately.”

Finding a location stadium successful nan New York metropolitan area is nary easy feat – which is why truthful galore “New York” teams, including nan Red Bulls and some NFL franchises, play crossed nan Hudson successful New Jersey. For nan Cosmos, Hinchliffe isn’t conscionable a location – it’s cardinal to nan club’s revival.

New mostly proprietor and chairperson Baye Adofo-Wilson, a Paterson autochthonal who led nan stadium’s redevelopment, said of creating pathways to nan master crippled astatine a clip erstwhile shot has go progressively pay-to-play.

“More superstars are going to travel retired of Paterson, Passaic County, North Jersey, who will lead early generations,” he said astatine nan unveiling. “We want group to beryllium capable to spend this. When I was increasing up, a batch of these sports were free – but they nary longer are.

“Often kids don’t person access. What we really want to do is make judge we person a nine that’s affordable for kids, but besides breathtaking and move – reflective of nan diverseness of North Jersey. A batch of group are moving distant from diverseness astatine this point. We’re going to tally toward it.”

There whitethorn not yet beryllium stars connected nan field, but location is 1 successful nan beforehand office: Giuseppe Rossi, nan erstwhile Italy world and North Jersey native, is some investing successful nan nine and serving arsenic Head of Soccer.

“He’s lived it,” says Stover. “If he didn’t person that Italian passport that fto him spell to Europe astatine 12 – and he was stuck successful Clifton, New Jersey, dealing pinch pay-to-play – who knows? Maybe he doesn’t make it to Villarreal, Fiorentina, nan Azzurri.

“He understands those challenges amended than anyone. He tin talk to kids connected their level, because he’s walked nan aforesaid path. He made it to nan apical – and he knows what it takes.”

For Cosmos fans, there’s optimism – moreover if nan squad is starting from nan bottom. It whitethorn beryllium a acold outcry from nan glitzy NASL days of packed stadiums and marquee names, but pinch nan USL readying a promotion and relegation strategy and a caller Division I to tally alongside MLS, there’s a realistic way for nan Cosmos to climb.

“It’s not an mishap nan Cosmos are entering USL now,” says Stover. “Fifteen years ago, nan shot scenery successful this state was very different. Now, USL is moving connected promotion and relegation – and wherever that ends up, who knows?

“But what matters is that a nine for illustration ours has a way to grow, to compete, to triumph championships – for illustration we did 3 times successful 5 years successful NASL.

“I’ve been astir nan world and spoken to truthful galore sports executives, and I deliberation 1 large logic shot successful nan US isn’t wherever it could beryllium is that we’ve locked truthful galore communities retired of nan game. We request to make it much inclusive.”

Whatever nan early holds, fans were simply gladsome to person their squad back. Even aft years of inactivity, galore ne'er stopped believing. A fistful were location astatine Thursday’s announcement, exchanging affectional glances crossed nan room astatine nan Charles J Muth Museum astatine Hinchliffe Stadium, arsenic New Jersey politician Phil Murphy made it official.

The Cosmos are back. And while they whitethorn look different this time, their tone remains unmistakable.