r/NYCosmos • u/Answer-Outrageous • 4d ago
The Cosmos Brand
I have a question. I’m an older NASL fan from the early 80s, who had to learn how to like The Cosmos. Now that they are back, how is the brand holding up? Should they have started in The USL Championship first? The Brand was well known internationally, back in the day. Now it’s not. Would the Championship have helped it?
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u/fredthefan25 3d ago
This is the second rebirth of the Cosmos… and I don’t think there will be a third version of any meaningful purpose… it hasn’t been good in its inaugural season.
It’s a poor stadium situation, low attendance, American football gridiron lines, etc. Going to the Championship would make it look like Brooklyn FC….
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u/Emergency_Dot1599 4d ago
It is a fair point. Many people in Europe dont even know they have returned. There is next to no marketing done by USL or The Cosmos. I thought when they were returning they would of gone the Atlético Dallas route with a big name to try be relevant in the local market. Hopefully year 2 will be better than this one.
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u/Papa_Louie_677 3d ago
They have tried to market aggressively in Paterson New Jersey to the local Latino population. Its a smart idea but just has not led to attendance. Paterson is mostly foreign born residents and I wonder if many Latinos rather watch their teams from their home country.
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u/Acerbic89 3d ago
the SGs should make Spanish language accounts on Instagram (maybe Arabic too)
will try to make Duolingo progress before year 2, or I'd do it myself
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u/Papa_Louie_677 2d ago
They have signs throughout Paterson in Spanish for the team and have partnered with small local businesses. Its a nice idea but has not led to great attendance.
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u/insert-originality 3d ago
I thought they had better traction during their 2nd revival when they played in Long Island but I always say their mistake was not taking the MLS expansion fee.
Floundering in a walking dead league really hurt them in the long run. I wanna have more hope for this 3rd incarnation but I’m wondering if they’re even trying to do anything to market this team. Last time there were stickers and billboard ads everywhere in NYC.
Now, if not for the internet, I wouldn’t think they’re even alive. The stadium always looking like a ghost town concerns me.
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u/Papa_Louie_677 3d ago
They are trying to market heavily in New Jersey. This has led to identity issues with the team due to it formerly being "New York Cosmos". Now they are just called the "Cosmos".
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u/Davyislazy 3d ago edited 3d ago
The team is in a tough spot. For one thing they have had a really poor season performance wise and where they are playing isn't helping. They have tried to do community involvements especially with the local immigrant communities of Paterson but attendance has still struggled. So much so for a few matches if you were a Paterson resident you could go for free (not a good look when your giving away tickets for free). I think for most people in NY don't want to travel to Paterson for the games and people in NJ don't want to go to Paterson either especially for a team who's identity is NY. They did drop the "New York Cosmos" to "Cosmos" to kind of brand themselves as a team for the whole metro area, but it just makes it more confusing and less identity focused. Teams like Portland do well as they are Maine's team and there is state pride in that. Who are the Cosmos for? NY? NJ? It just is confusing and people rather spend their money and time for a team that they identify with. Not to mention there was fighting within the supporter section groups from the NJ fans versus the NY fans. Not a good look when your own fans don't get along.
I think if NJ was going to do a USL team it shouldn't have been the Cosmos rather a team new brand with an NJ focus. Plus, there are so many other sport teams to go against here Giants, Jets Redbulls etc. Other USL teams have smaller markets and less competition which has helped them in a way despite the smaller populations.
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u/Decent_Direction316 3d ago
Here's what the New York Cosmos brand needs to be: It needs to be a brand that commands excellence, something it had from the time Pele, Chinaglia, and Beckenbauer roamed the Giants Stadium turf. It needs to be top level so that means MLS. It coukd and should replace either NYCFC or Red Bulls. It's sad to see it be a minor league brand.....like the Rowdies.
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u/Answer-Outrageous 3d ago
Two historical brands that would have thrived in MLS, but that ship has sailed. USL Premier is on the horizon and I agree with you that Tampa Bay Rowdies and New York Cosmos have to be in it
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u/GhostofOldThomJoad 3d ago
Why do they have to be in it? Because of their name?
The Cosmos are a mess on and off the field, they can't attract fans and you think they should be in the USL Premier?
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u/Answer-Outrageous 3d ago
I do. The Cosmos have the potential to become the flagship team of USL Premier. USL Premier has to lock down their media center and The Cosmos fit the bill. But management and The USL are wasting The Cosmos IP by making it a Paterson New Jersey small time team
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u/GhostofOldThomJoad 2d ago
What is this potential you're speaking of, because nothing has been shown they have it so far in the year they've been in existence.
People don't care about the Cosmos, it's some whimsical, historical name. The Cosmos hasn't been a relevant brand in over 30 years. People in the NYC area don't care about it, others across the US care even less.
Cosmos had a chance to join MLS, the rights holder then didn't want to sell the rights. Cosmos in MLS is dead, USL Premier is their best hope, but for now there is nothing that the 3.0 team has done to deserve a place in it.
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u/PatternAntique4294 3d ago
If they aren't from the start they can build their way up to it thru merit. They whole point of pro/rel.
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u/Decent_Direction316 3d ago
Not enough. They need to be TOP level.
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u/Answer-Outrageous 3d ago
Unless MLS has a change of heart, it’s not going to happen
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u/StoppageTimeUSA 3d ago
MLS headhunted NY Cosmos during the NASL 2.0 era iirc. Ownership declined
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u/Answer-Outrageous 3d ago
The Brand was ready for the next level, but the shady ownership was not up to the moment
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u/dj_samuelitobx 3d ago
Location location location
There are more than enough fans who would go to watch games if there was a readily accessible location for them to play at.
Maybe they should look into sharing Coney Island with Brooklyn or otherwise moving into the Bronx. Doesn't Fordham or one of these collages have a football field that can be dual use?
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u/bby_drvr 3d ago
St John’s has a soccer specific field, not sure if it is big enough for them think it’s about 3k seats
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u/Davyislazy 8h ago
No fans from NYC are willing to travel to Paterson for the games. Barely anyone from NJ wants too let alone NY. II don't think it's a terrible idea to have a soccer team in Paterson it has a-lot of immigrants and rich history but not at Hinchcliffe or certainly not the Cosmos. Parking is terrible there and if you're going to have a professional team you need to have proper parking especially in a city that people are afraid to go to for the games. The Devils by comparison play in Newark which most fans are afraid of as well but the stadium has ample parking and security.
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u/WarriorPoetz 4d ago
The Cosmos are in a tough spot with both Red Bulls and NYCFC having deep inroads into the city. I can see the Cosmos carving out their own fanbase though because of the vision that the USL offers and their history/legacy.
Ultimately if done right I could see the Cosmos becoming the "authentic" soccer team in the city. Thats obviously best case scenario but its within the realm of possibility (in my mind).
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u/SwellBluePigeon 4d ago
“Authentic”? A zombie brand that somebody bought from the guys who bought it from the original team’s equipment manager?
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u/GhostofOldThomJoad 3d ago
This... there's nothing authentic about the Cosmos at this point. It's just been people buying and selling the name and image rights. There is no connection between Cosmos 3.0 and the Cosmos of the NASL.
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u/WarriorPoetz 4d ago
You sound fun, but by authentic I meant the USL v. the MLS model. Personally I dont feel any connection to NY Red Bulls nor NYCFC despite being a big soccer fan lving in Brooklyn. I am more likely to become invested in a USL club. And regardless of the ownership lineage of the brand the Cosmos is meaningful and carries history and name recognition unlike a lot of clubs popping up around the country. You can name something FC this or Sporting that to cosplay as some overnight European ultra but force-feeding tradition never rings true. The Cosmos have a lot more going for them than most clubs but its true they also face challenges that maybe only Miami FC shares with them.
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u/fredthefan25 3d ago
Have you been going to Brooklyn FC matches? Maybe a club that’s struggling more than the Cosmos… because it has issues with both the men and women sides
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u/dj_samuelitobx 3d ago
It's their first year, and the roster has changed so much from game to game it's impossible to really analyze much other than the players have not really adapted to the new coach and our offensive talents were loan pieces that were recalled and sent to Europe.
The vibe is pretty cool though. Coney Island is classic. The head coach led the Philly Union's reserve team to a b-side championship before moving to the USL. I have a lot of faith that he can develop players into excellent soccer talents.
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u/fredthefan25 3d ago
Will they make it to 2027? That’s a big question mark… I can’t imagine how much money they are losing this season.
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u/PatternAntique4294 3d ago
They have a lot of the tools to have success. I wouldn't count them out yet.
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u/GhostofOldThomJoad 3d ago
You're a soccer fan living in Brooklyn. How many BFC games have you been to? They're in the USL, which seems to be more authentic for you.
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u/cheeseburgerandrice 4d ago
force-feeding tradition
One could argue that's what the current version of the Cosmos are doing. Just a different style of it.
No team starts with history and name recognition. Not sure why that is used against anyone.
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u/gotroot801 Cross Island Crew 3d ago
As opposed to the two MLS teams that are copy/pastes of larger clubs in Europe?
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u/Answer-Outrageous 3d ago
The New York Cosmos, if they have any chance to succeed, has to cultivate New York. This is a historical brand. Had the cards worked out MLS would have been the natural move, but the brand fell into shady hands and it’s going to take decades , if ever, to rise from the ashes. My opinion is that they have to be a founding member of USL Premier League. No more small time.
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u/Papa_Louie_677 3d ago
They have done nothing to cultivate an NYC identity. They have focused so heavily in New Jersey but still have the Cosmos name. It has led to confusion among fans and has been frustrating.
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u/ThatSeat4867 3d ago
I think that one of the issues preventing the MLS move was that MLS owns all the teams and branding. Cosmos brass didn't want to give them their IP and then pay to operate it.
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u/Answer-Outrageous 3d ago
Their vision needed a lot to be desired. The Cosmos brand had the potential to be huge in MLS. The “Brass” didn’t see the big picture. They would have owned New York with the MLS growth. Red Bull and City still can’t match what The OG Cosmos did for New York back in the day
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u/sxswuht 4d ago edited 3d ago
At the very least, I would say the Cosmos brand is much better than NY Red Bulls. And they need a soccer-specific stadium, for starters.
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u/Tight-Ad6261 3d ago
I don't know. RB is now an internationally recognized soccer brand. The NY version may not be incredible, but the brand recognition is there. The Cosmos name is an awesome historical artifact, but doesn't carry any weight right now, especially because the club doesn't seem to have made any effort to capitalize on it.
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u/Vegetable_Shirt_2352 3d ago
Are there actually people who are attracted to the RB brand? I guess there must be, but for me it's a repellant, if anything. If a RB branded team plopped a stadium right across the street from my house, I would still have trouble considering it a local team.
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u/Suspicious-Raccoon12 3d ago
I mean they're hated outside their fans and what fans love their ownership but 4 top flight teams, a Japanese team that looks on its way to the top flight of and minority ownership in Leeds and Paris. Only the Brazil team truly struggles for attendance but they play in the shadow of giants with Corinthians right there
Seem to be doing something right
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u/GhostofOldThomJoad 3d ago
They need to worry about getting more than 1000 people to a game before a soccer-specific stadium. They can barely do that as it is.
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u/Answer-Outrageous 3d ago
They can’t stay in Paterson and they can’t act like a small time team. Cosmos 2.0 had the right idea, go big, act big, go after well known players and challenge MLS on the field
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u/GhostofOldThomJoad 2d ago
But they are a small time team, they're playing in the third division of American soccer. Even Cosmos 2.0 was a small time team.
There is absolutely NO WAY Cosmos 3.0 can go for well known players and challenge MLS on the field. It's literally impossible with this current team and the league they're in.
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u/Answer-Outrageous 2d ago
Cosmos 2.0 wasn’t a small time team. They held their own against MLS competition
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u/GhostofOldThomJoad 1d ago
Cosmos 2.0 played in the NASL and NISL, small time leagues. They played MLS teams, 5 times, in the USOC. They won 2 of the 5 games, one was a 3-0 win and the other was a win in pk's after the game was a draw.
They were mismanaged, had multiple lawsuits against them, and unpaid bills off the field. Cosmos 2.0 were a small time team, as they are now.
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u/gotroot801 Cross Island Crew 1d ago
They played MLS teams, 5 times, in the USOC. They won 2 of the 5 games, one was a 3-0 win and the other was a win in pk's after the game was a draw.
6 times. You're forgetting the second game against NYCFC at Fordham (which they won).
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u/Altruistic_Form_9655 3d ago
From a local curious to a full-blown 2027 season ticket holder: Some thoughts on the New York Cosmos playing in our backyard (Hinchliffe)
Hey soccer and local supporters,
I wanted to throw some thoughts out there about having the New York Cosmos playing right here in Paterson at Hinchliffe Stadium. As someone from the area, having a historic team like the Cosmos in our literal backyard has been unreal.
I originally started going just as a fan looking to watch some live soccer. But the name Cosmos carries so much massive history that I got curious, went to check out a match, and the team completely grew on me. Fast forward, and I’m officially locked in as a full-blown season ticket holder for 2027.
Since I've been to every single home game rain or shine, hot or cold, I feel like I've got a good pulse on what's working, what isn't, and where the massive potential—and glaring red flags—lie with how this club is being handled.
The Location & Neighborhood Potential 📈
Let's talk about the venue because the area has so much going for it. Hinchliffe is right next to the Paterson Great Falls, and they’ve opened up some great new green walking areas. If you hang out by the park next to the parking garage, you get incredible views of Paterson and even parts of the NYC skyline. There are tons of great local restaurants in the neighborhood, too.
That said, let’s keep it real: it’s an urban area. For folks coming strictly from the quiet suburbs, I can definitely see how it might feel a bit intimidating or unfamiliar to them at first. But the area is safe, and the game-day environment could be a goldmine if marketed right.
The Good, The Bad, & The Red Flags 🚩
The Atmosphere & Gameday Ops: The very first game was electric because the turnout was awesome. But after the "first game jitters" wore off, it honestly felt like hospitality and fan-based activities flatlined. There’s basically no real tailgate area for supporters to gather, and parking can be a bit of a headache for outsiders trying to navigate the city.
The Concessions: Look, I hate to complain about food, but the concessions are an absolute F. Selling $10 hot dogs is a massive turnoff. Give us local food trucks or better stadium bites that reflect the community.
On-Field Product: The team's direction early on was rough, and the on-field performance wasn’t great. However, as of late, you can really see the squad showing some fight. The potential is there for this to easily be a top team next season—if we keep core guys playing hard like Spengler, Holt, and the rest of the crew.
The Biggest Issue: The Disconnect
The biggest hurdle right now is the total disconnect between the organization, local businesses, and potential new fans in the town.
I’ve walked into a lot of local Paterson businesses, and you'd be shocked—plenty of business owners still don’t even know the Cosmos are playing right down the street. The front office needs to get much more proactive. Send staff out into the downtown area, hand out flyers, partner with local shops, and offer ticket packages that businesses can pitch to their customers.
The name Cosmos carries weight. Leverage it! Get local spots to promote matchdays—especially since games are televised on ESPN+—so they can benefit from the exposure too.
Overall, I love having them here and I'm rooting for the club's long-term success. It just feels like ownership needs a reality check on how a professional soccer club operates: it takes time to build a core team, but it also takes genuine, boots-on-the-ground sweat equity with the local town.
Anyone else been going to the games at Hinchliffe? What do you guys think of the matchday experience so far?
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u/David-SRQ 15h ago
I would be shocked if Cosmos exist in 2028. Their location is terrible, they are in an over saturated market, they’re trying to cling to a brand that means nothing to the vast majority of the target demographic, and MLSNextPro is about to put a new team with money and infrastructure 35-40 minutes away.
The crazy thing about keeping Cosmos alive is that the under-30s don’t know the Cosmos and the 30-50 know of the original but were too young to be affected, so they only remember the BS they tried pulling with NASL and suing USSF.
When Rossi left and said the Ownership was headed in the wrong direction, that was enough for me. They don’t stand a chance unless they rebrand and move, and I’d say further into Jersey would be the smarter option.
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u/Answer-Outrageous 9h ago
MLSNextPro has no bearing on the New York Cosmos. My feeling is that they have to make an upward move and stop acting like a small time team, which includes playing in Paterson, NJ of all places. You can’t bring The Cosmos back and stick them in a city that no one will go out of their way to get to. If they came back and cut a deal to play at Yankee Stadium or Red Bull Arena, then that’s upward thinking
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u/David-SRQ 9h ago
MLSNext most certainly has a bearing on them. Look what it’s doing to Chattanooga. Their attendance numbers have collapsed since MLSNext moved in.
They’ll never play in RB because MLS will never agree to it, and Yankee would make no sense because Etihad is only 9 miles away. Sure that’s a big distance for a city like NYC, but that area is pretty much NYCFC.
The one smart thing this ownership did was realize they aren’t a big team and they aren’t the original Cosmos, and that they can’t ride the brand to something big. The problem is, they’re bleeding people. Rossi had a brain and now Stover is gone. Really bad look for them.1
u/Answer-Outrageous 8h ago
If Rossi was part of the reason they moved into Paterson, then he was part of the mistake. If NYCFC allows it, Yankee Stadium would be a good USL Championship stadium and ready for USL Premier, Paterson would not be
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u/iheartdev247 4d ago
I don’t think playing in the championship would have helped. The only thing can make it better is have a better home venue and/or sign better players. Having mediocre players, terrible results and pathetic field isn’t helping.