The Las Vegas-based Justice Entertainment Group (JEG) had hoped to host a friendly between the New York Cosmos and Club America as part of its inaugural Winter Kick festivities. But in a press release issued by the promoter, it seems the event will be postponed due to “the recent unexpected collapse and subsequent attempted restructure of the newly formed New York Cosmos organization.”
Originally scheduled for February 25, 2012, the match allegedly would have featured aging international stars like “Paul Scholes, Luis Figo, and Fabio Cannavaro” according to the announcement. Perhaps it would have been a similar squad to the one that lost 6-0 to Manchester United in the Scholes Testimonial last August, which saw a number of professionals pair up with the Cosmos PDL squad.
Given that it’s unlikely that CosmoSela will even field a PDL side this year, it was prudent for JEG to make this call. It’s a shame for soccer fans, particularly those in Vegas. But the good news is that, much like the Cosmos, JEG is not giving up that easily.
“Our work to bring a premiere worldwide soccer event to the people of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada will continue,” said Justice Entertainment Group President and COO Daren Libonati. “The top executives of our company have been all over the world in the last few months in our effort to bring a match of the highest magnitude here. We have been to the MLS finals, Old Trafford in Manchester, UK and other places overseas and Mexico. We are pleased that people in the world of soccer have been so receptive and we are confident that Las Vegas will see soccer played at its highest level in person soon. We want the event and the experience to be just like what we do for boxing, with our city embracing the event.”
Which makes me wonder if JEG need any help travelling around the world and taking in all that top-shelf soccer! The company says it is working to bring international friendlies to Las Vegas this summer, with clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Barcelona on their target list.
As for the Cosmos, their approach under the new leadership of Sela Sport has been far more subdued. MLS Commissioner Don Garber is supposedly meeting with New York City officials this week regarding a stadium plan for the 20th franchise. Just last week he expressed confidence that MLS would be able to secure a suitable site and attract an owner. Time will tell.
[Editor's Note: This story also appears in my new Total Cosmos column on the This Is Cosmos Country site.]
Club America probably caught onto the fact that they are nothing more than a PDL-level team, and said it wasn’t worth their time.
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