Twelve months ago, Steve Gans was running to become president of the United States Soccer Federation. Fueled by his interest in youth soccer—his sons played in a Development Academy and Gans had served as a board member of a DA club—the Boston-based attorney was the only challenger to announce his candidacy before the USMNT’s folly in Couva.



Carlos Cordeiro ultimately won the election to replace Sunil Gulati, but as Gans attempted to get some rest after a strenuous campaign, he began to receive some intriguing requests from around the country. Gans signed on to help Tommy Heinemann’s successful arbitration suit against FC Cincinnati, and while he was doing that, he received a second request from within the USL—one that would prove to have a scope well beyond a single player or franchise.



“Soon after the election, I got an extremely well-written email from (North Carolina FC defender) Connor Tobin,” Gans said over the phone.