What happened to the original NASL?

The NASL rose to prominence in the late 1970s with stars like Pele, Beckenbauer, and Cruyff. The New York Cosmos drew massive crowds and generated significant media attention.

However, rapid expansion, overreliance on expensive foreign stars, and declining attendance led to financial collapse. It took over a decade before MLS launched in 1996, with lessons from the NASL informing the new league's conservative single-entity approach.