The American Soccer War of 1927

In the 1920s, a dramatic dispute between leagues and the US Soccer Federation caused pro soccer in America to implode and disappear for forty years. This week, with all the talk about USL launching a Division One league to rival MLS, we look back at the Soccer War of 1927-1933. Plus, we visit the man who designed your favorite ‘90s kits, celebrate the first-ever MLS referee, and much more.

This week’s stories:

• 🎨 The Man Behind Nike's Soccer Revolution

• 👨‍⚖️ The First MLS Referee

• ⚔️ The American Soccer War of 1927

• 🧳 World Cup in Danger

• 🗳️ Poll + Last Week’s Answers

• ➡️ And More

CLUBELEVEN
The Man Behind Nike's Soccer Revolution

Drake Ramberg designed some of the most memorable ‘90s kits ever. From Arsenal's iconic Blue Lightning Bolt Kit to Borussia Dortmund's neon 94/95 jersey, Drake aimed to bring an “American sensibility” to soccer jerseys in Europe, which in turn, has made his creations stand the test of time.

For Drake, his collection is a way to preserve those memorable designs, relive his favorite memories from working in London, Paris, Italy, and Dortmund, and connect with others to celebrate the lasting legacy of '90s kit culture as a whole.

Of course, we flew all the way to Oregon—right outside the Nike campus—to pay him a visit.

OUR HISTORY
The First MLS Referee

The 30th season of MLS kicked off over the weekend, so we figured there was no better time to look back at the first opening day in 1996… with a twist.

Here is what that day looked like through the eyes of Esse Behermast, the first referee ever to officiate an MLS game.

Behermast is a legend in all regards. He made his way up the MISL [Major Indoor Soccer League] in the ‘80s until eventually becoming an outdoor FIFA referee in 1993.

In 1996, he completed a referee’s domestic grand slam by officiating MLS’s inaugural match, the first MLS Cup, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final, and the final of the A-League (now USL).

Then, in 1998, Behermast became the first American referee to officiate two World Cup matches in a competition. In one of them, he was at the heart of a monumental controversy that helped raise the profile of American referees to the eyes of the world.

Behermast is just one of the many unsung heroes who played a role in making MLS (and American soccer) what it is today. It’s good to remember them as we enter season #30.

COVER STORY
The American Soccer War of 1927

Soccer history is like poetry… it rhymes.

As I was reading about the latest news on USL’s announcement to start a Division One league to rival MLS in 2027, my mind immediately flashed back to a catastrophic incident in the late 1920s. One involving another ambitious league.

At the time, the ASL—the top pro soccer league in the country—was locked into a fierce battle with the United States Football Association (USFA).

The ASL had been frustrated with the USFA and the difficulties that the National Challenge Cup (US Open Cup) presented to the schedule, so they boycotted the tournament in 1924-25. They returned the following season, but the fractures were already in place.

In 1927, things boiled over. FIFA had started scrutinizing the U.S. after the ASL poached players still under contract across leagues all over Europe. To avoid penalties, the USFA president flew to Europe and bowed down to FIFA, much to the frustration of ASL owners. This only deepened the divide, with ASL owners pushing for greater independence (in true American fashion).

Then, in 1928, the ASL decided to boycott the Challenge Cup again—a power move meant to assert their dominance over the soccer landscape once and for all.

It was a bold maneuver by the ASL, but it didn’t pan out in the way they expected. Three ASL teams decided not to follow the boycott, and the league banned them in retaliation. Of course, the USFA and FIFA weren’t going to stand idly by, and they swiftly punished the ASL for their transgressions and deemed them an “outlaw league.”

Facing steep financial difficulties from trying to function without the support of the USFA and FIFA, the ASL quickly realized they weren’t going to win this war. In early October of 1929, they settled their dispute with the USFA, and it seemed like everything would go back to normal. But just two weeks later, the stock market crashed and the country was plunged into the Great Depression. Just horrible.

By 1933, the ASL stopped functioning as a professional league due to financial difficulties, and that was it. The U.S. wouldn’t have another fully successful professional league until the launch of the NASL in 1967. It was an almost 40-year-long drought.

The image of a U.S. athletic association conspiring with a European organization to undermine a domestic league simply alienated many American fans and helped create the image of soccer as a sport controlled by foreigners. It set us back decades.

Of course, this whole saga is very similar to the whole Open Cup - MLS dispute that kicked off last year, but it also made me reflect on everything going on with the USL and MLS. The next decade seems poised to be a battle for control over the U.S. Soccer landscape, and when competing interests clash at the highest level of American soccer bureaucracy, it can be a destructive force for the sport as a whole.

Not saying that something catastrophic will happen, but hopefully, our leaders will be careful throughout these next few years. It will surely be a time of immense, positive change, but I hope our leadership can navigate us through what will certainly be a turbulent period nonetheless.

TRAVEL
World Cup in Danger

Alarm bells are ringing. The global festival of soccer could be missing one key component: fans from all over the world.

The U.S. Travel Association released a report last week claiming that the U.S. air travel system is unprepared for the surge of international visitors expected for the 2026 World Cup + other landmark events over the coming decade.

Here’s what the report found and the solutions they proposed ahead of the World Cup. It looks pretty grim.

CLUBELEVEN
The Supporters Section

Time for super early predictions. Brownie points for whoever picks correctly. We’ll highlight your best answers next week!

CLUBELEVEN
Aggregates

We Believe: The quest for the USWNT’s 8th SheBelieves Cup trophy began last week against Colombia. This is how it looked through Kyros’ lens.

A$AP Rovers: A$AP Rocky is inching closer to buying this League Two side in England after his gun trial acquittal.

Prayers: Our thoughts are with Tony Meola, who suffered a heart attack last week. Fortunately, he is in stable condition now and was able to give an important message to all of us fans.

Senior Capstone: A young fan needs help with their senior capstone project. They’ve put out a survey inquiring about the issues that plague the U.S. soccer system, and I figured this was the right place to pass it along. Go nuts. 

Golden Debut: First game, first win. It was a dream MLS debut for San Diego, and they capped it off with a sensational goal to seal their victory over the Galaxy.

CREATIVE
Choose the Name

They’re kicking things off right.

NWSL Denver is officially letting the community help them choose a name, and it’s still not too late to cast your opinion. The shortlist of options is pretty great.

You can find all the names and select your favorite right here.

EVENTS
“Soccer Grannies” Author Talk

In 2023, Massachusetts-based author Jean Duffy published her first book, titled Soccer Grannies: The South African Women Who Inspire the World.

The book outlines the incredible true story of a team of 40 to 80-year-old women in rural South Africa who defy expectations by playing soccer, staying active, and building a strong, supportive community.

Jean, a self-proclaimed “soccer freak” began playing for the first time in 2003 at age 47 and has remained active in adult soccer leagues while also doing non-fiction writing related to the beautiful game.

She’ll be speaking in Cambridge, MA, tomorrow, so if you’re in the area, you should stop by! If you’re elsewhere around the country, you can check out her award-winning book here.

CLUBELEVEN
Your Takes 🗯️ 

Last week, we asked you: Who will win the 21st-century Soccer War? Here are some of your best answers:

• “MLS has billionaire owners, no shot they’re gonna let USL take market space. Major sports leagues in America are monopolies, don’t expect them to stand by while USL attempts to grow.” - Ben

• “I really hope they merge, but given history, this could go very bad. You could say they are very established leagues and that they won't dissolve but you never know.” - Dario

In the poll, “They’ll merge” finished in first place with 40% of the vote, while “USL” earned second place (and beat MLS) with 35% of the vote.

I could see things definitely playing out like when the NFL and the AFL merged back in the day in American Football. I have a strong feeling that if USL can thread the needle and make its plan work, it could seriously challenge MLS. It might be for the better, honestly. Some good old market competition to force the changes many of us want to see in the soccer space like pro/rel, etc. Only time will tell.

UP NEXT
We’re Off

And so it begins, the 2025 soccer season. We’ll start shaking off some of the offseason rust over the next couple of weeks and get right back into the groove.

If you haven’t joined us on YouTube yet, you can subscribe right here. We’ll be doing a lot more storytelling on that channel this year.

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Have a great Tuesday!

Pablo