National Soccer Hall of Fame News Release - www.soccerhall.org

Monday, January 28, 2008

ONEONTA, NY -- The National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum announced the 2008 Builders Ballot today. Among the 16 individuals selected by the Builder's Screening Committee was USL founder and President Francisco Marcos.

Other best-known individuals on the ballot are former U.S. Men’s National Team coach Bruce Arena, Chuck Blazer, member of the FIFA Executive Committee and General Secretary of CONCACAF, the regional governing body for soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean region, former U.S. Soccer President Dr. Bob Contiguglia, University of North Carolina and former U.S. Women’s National Team coach Anson Dorrance, and D.C. United President Kevin Payne.

Builder candidates were selected by vote of the Builder’s Screening Committee, a 16-member committee made up of selected Hall of Famers, from a list of 53 eligible candidates

Individuals advancing to the Builders Ballot:

• Bruce Arena – coach, Univ. of Virginia, D.C. United, U.S. Men’s National Team, New York Red Bulls
• Esse Baharmast – MLS, National and international referee
• Chuck Blazer – soccer administrator and executive, FIFA Executive Committee Member, CONCACAF General Secretary
• Robert ‘Bob’ Contiguglia – former president of U.S. Soccer and Chair, U.S. Youth Soccer
• Bill Cox – soccer investor, founder of the International Soccer League in the 60s, president of the NASL’s San Diego Toros
• Gino D’Ippolito – NASL, National and international referee
• Anson Dorrance – Univ. of North Carolina and U.S. Women’s National Team coach
• Bob Gansler – MLS and U.S. Men’s National Team coach
• Robert Kraft – MLS investor - operator, New England Revolution
• Frank Longo – collegiate soccer and U.S. Soccer administrator
• Joe Machnick – collegiate coach, professional referee, currently Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner for On-Field Competition at Major League Soccer
• Francisco Marcos – Founder of the United Soccer Leagues and current president of USL -- Bio [+]
• Fritz Marth – former Executive Director of U.S. Amateur (now Adult) Soccer Association
• Thom Meredith – executive with the North American Soccer League, U.S. Soccer and the Women’s United Soccer Association
• Kevin Payne – President and CEO, D.C. United of Major League Soccer
• George Strawbridge – owner of the NASL’s Tampa Bay Rowdies

Marcos was most recently honored in February of 2007at the US Soccer Annual General Meeting Awards Gala, where was the fifth-ever recipient of the prestigious US Soccer Werner Fricker Builder Award, which is presented annually to an individual who has worked tirelessly in furthering the interest of the sport of soccer, without regard to personal recognition or advancement. The award was created in 2002 and is the greatest recognition bestowed by US Soccer on its membership. Related Story [+]

More information about each of the Builder candidates is on the Hall of Fame and Museum’s web site, www.soccerhall.org.  

The Ballot will be submitted to all Hall of Famers and a select group of current soccer administrators for their vote. The builder candidate who receives the most votes, as long as the total represents at least 50% of the ballots cast, will be elected to the Hall of Fame. In 2007 former U.S. Soccer President and Chair of the 1994 World Cup Organizing Committee Alan I. Rothenberg was inducted to the Hall of Fame.