This is a classic rise and fall episode. Back in the 60s the NASL used to be just another struggling soccer league looking to fail again. But then came New York Cosmos who revolutionized not just the league but the world of soccer as a whole. They were one of the first soccer teams to popularize the notion of building an all star team, they brought pele to play for cosmos. They helped make nasl a crazy popular sports league in the 70s regularly selling out NFL stadiums and landing a big TV contract. However too many teams were coming into the nasl copying cosmos strategy of buying big name stars and quickly folded. It got to the point NASL expanded so quickly it burst like a bubble and folded in the 1980s. But the nasl left a lasting legacy in American soccer. For one, it influenced how the next soccer league to come around, MLS, were to structure themselves to prevent the mistakes of nasl. Also certain teams went on to continue to this day. New York cosmos plays in a semi pro team now but made history a couple of years ago as being the first American soccer team to play in the home of Manchester United and one of the first to play in Cuba. Teams like Portland timbers, Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps and San Jose earthquakes were reincarnated as MLS teams today. If you’re looking for a classic rise and fall episode definitely consider the nasl