The U.S. Soccer Federation did not violate antitrust laws when it declined to recognize the North American Soccer League as a Division II league, according to a federal jury in New York on Monday.

The now-defunct North American Soccer League — a professional league that had no connection to the original NASL of the 1970s and ‘80s — took U.S. Soccer to court claiming conspiratorial reasons were behind the federation’s decision to downgrade the league to a Division II in the country’s soccer league system.

There are three tiers of the “American soccer pyramid,” in which Major League Soccer operates as the only Division I league. The NASL was designated Division II when it operated from 2011 to 2017, but U.S. Soccer denied it that classification for 2018.

The NASL refused to operate as a Division III league and it later shut down once most of its teams moved to other leagues or folded themselves.

The NASL accused U.S. Soccer of conspiring with Major League Soccer to keep the NASL from competing. Its lawsuit, first filed in September 2017, later included MLS as a co-defendant.

But U.S. Soccer argued that it was judging the NASL on an objective rubric, which included number of teams and minimum seating capacity in their stadiums. Clark Hunt, a founder of MLS and the co-owner of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, was among those who testified in the case that finally went to trial last month.

On Monday, the jury favored U.S. Soccer in a unanimous verdict after considering four counts of alleged conspiratorial and monopolistic illegal acts.

“We are pleased the jury has recognized the lack of merit in NASL’s claims and ruled in our favor, bringing this unfounded litigation to a close,” the USSF said in a statement. “This decision validates U.S. Soccer’s commitment to fostering a broad and healthy ecosystem of professional soccer leagues across all divisions.”

“The jury’s verdict confirms that this case was nothing more than an attempt by NASL to deflect blame for its own failures,” MLS added in a statement. “Since our inception in 1996, MLS has been dedicated to making the necessary investments to elevate the sport of soccer and provide an exceptional experience for players and fans. Today, our focus remains unchanged, and we look forward to furthering our efforts to grow soccer in North America.”

–Field Level Media