Washington Spirit VA ID sessions this Sunday

[Anonymous]

^^ As far as to whether you find the pro practice boring or not, I will not debate you there. To each his own, but just to be clear, you did not pay $500 JUST to watch a pro team practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every surrounding club is better. Let that sink in.

That is understood, but it doesn't mean that it will always be the case.

Spirit is a club that is for profit. Spirit VA exists to provide financial support to them...not the other way around.

Spirit VA is no different than Barca.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every surrounding club is better. Let that sink in.

That is understood, but it doesn't mean that it will always be the case.

Spirit is a club that is for profit. Spirit VA exists to provide financial support to them...not the other way around.

Spirit VA is no different than Barca.

Or FCV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every surrounding club is better. Let that sink in.

That is understood, but it doesn't mean that it will always be the case.

Spirit is a club that is for profit. Spirit VA exists to provide financial support to them...not the other way around.

Spirit VA is no different than Barca.

Since when does being Non-profit mean quality or that something is noble?

Coaches at non-profit clubs are not donating their time. Lots of people are making money off of youth sports.

Why is it expected that a profit club like Spirit should offer anything for free when non of the non-profits do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every surrounding club is better. Let that sink in.

That is understood, but it doesn't mean that it will always be the case.

Spirit is a club that is for profit. Spirit VA exists to provide financial support to them...not the other way around.

Spirit VA is no different than Barca.

Or FCV

Seriously, take a hard look at it.

Barca Academy and Spirit VA are very similar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every surrounding club is better. Let that sink in.

That is understood, but it doesn't mean that it will always be the case.

Spirit is a club that is for profit. Spirit VA exists to provide financial support to them...not the other way around.

Spirit VA is no different than Barca.

Or FCV

Seriously, take a hard look at it.

Barca Academy and Spirit VA are very similar

A hard look at what?

FCV is also profit.

What is your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every surrounding club is better. Let that sink in.

That is understood, but it doesn't mean that it will always be the case.

Spirit is a club that is for profit. Spirit VA exists to provide financial support to them...not the other way around.

Spirit VA is no different than Barca.

Since when does being Non-profit mean quality or that something is noble?

Coaches at non-profit clubs are not donating their time. Lots of people are making money off of youth sports.

Why is it expected that a profit club like Spirit should offer anything for free when non of the non-profits do?

They shouldn't and they won't. The pipe dream of offering free this and that to attract the best in BS. It's not happening. The NWSL is trying to stay afloat. If the academies become a financial drain, its adios.

[Anonymous]

Is Spirit VA getting ready to cut rosters down for 19-20? Have they started to tell players on the bubble?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Spirit VA getting ready to cut rosters down for 19-20? Have they started to tell players on the bubble?

Some coaches have said something to their teams that next year, the rosters will be smaller. So yes generally. Not sure they specifically said to little Lisa or Stephanie that she may not make the team next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic. If WS wants to fix the issue of not having the pipeline others do permanently, offer material incentives. More interaction with the pro team, to include actual training, gifting of sponsored products, subsidizing smaller costs in the short term (for example, uniforms and travel costs/meals), growing to partial and full subsidy as time and profitability emerges/grows. The tangible benefit of being associated with the pro team has to be larger than the two GAP sessions and wearing the same kit/sharing the same name as the pro team and having training that is the rough equivalent of the competing elite environments. Making these small but material changes at the margins should be able to help grab the 3-4 players per age group needed to level the field, and more significant subsidies would help elevate the club to DCU like status on the boys side. It's really not that complicated, nor is the reason for the current struggle that deep.

Except for the fact that Spirit's profit margins are likely razor thin.

Offering more interaction and practice time with the pro players costs them nothing, as does other events with the pro players. That can be a big draw for many young women who are in DA precisely for that reason. It's a big positive factor hardly being exploited right now. Ditto for the sponsored product offerings. I imagine they could work a deal with Nike for free kits and shoes for the entire team as part of a marketing strategy. It would be a pittance in cost from Nike's perspective. I'm sure there are other, similar business alignments/sponsorships that can be arranged. Larry's a creative guy, I'm sure he'll come up with something,

They have always had meet and greets as well as some players have had practice time with the pro team. While it is nice it would hardly move the needle for most players and parents.

A free kit is nice, but that won't move the needle in a wealthy area either, especially when it is generally good for 2 years anyway.

Reduced training fees, or simply paying for travel would be huge. The travel costs of clubs like DA and ECNL are what kill the bank account. But anything less than that while certainly helpful are not enough.

It’s about moving toward a tipping point, and baby steps are helpful in getting there. Even tipping 1-2 players over per age group would be helpful, and 3-4+ ideal. It’s not as big a gap as some here would like to believe

That's true. Some age groups are close to being competitive for their age group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is Spirit VA getting ready to cut rosters down for 19-20? Have they started to tell players on the bubble?

Some coaches have said something to their teams that next year, the rosters will be smaller. So yes generally. Not sure they specifically said to little Lisa or Stephanie that she may not make the team next year.

Seems like little Lisa or Stephanie can figure it out by looking at play time/starts. Bubble players typically know who they are -- or least their parents know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic. If WS wants to fix the issue of not having the pipeline others do permanently, offer material incentives. More interaction with the pro team, to include actual training, gifting of sponsored products, subsidizing smaller costs in the short term (for example, uniforms and travel costs/meals), growing to partial and full subsidy as time and profitability emerges/grows. The tangible benefit of being associated with the pro team has to be larger than the two GAP sessions and wearing the same kit/sharing the same name as the pro team and having training that is the rough equivalent of the competing elite environments. Making these small but material changes at the margins should be able to help grab the 3-4 players per age group needed to level the field, and more significant subsidies would help elevate the club to DCU like status on the boys side. It's really not that complicated, nor is the reason for the current struggle that deep.

Except for the fact that Spirit's profit margins are likely razor thin.

Offering more interaction and practice time with the pro players costs them nothing, as does other events with the pro players. That can be a big draw for many young women who are in DA precisely for that reason. It's a big positive factor hardly being exploited right now. Ditto for the sponsored product offerings. I imagine they could work a deal with Nike for free kits and shoes for the entire team as part of a marketing strategy. It would be a pittance in cost from Nike's perspective. I'm sure there are other, similar business alignments/sponsorships that can be arranged. Larry's a creative guy, I'm sure he'll come up with something,

We actually pay $500 for those 2 gap sessions. Don't ask me why. It's very unexciting to watch the pro team train.

You pay $500 for three practices a week during the summer.

No, we pay to watch the pro team. I asked what the fee was for. It's not free to watch them train. Ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is Spirit VA getting ready to cut rosters down for 19-20? Have they started to tell players on the bubble?

Some coaches have said something to their teams that next year, the rosters will be smaller. So yes generally. Not sure they specifically said to little Lisa or Stephanie that she may not make the team next year.

Seems like little Lisa or Stephanie can figure it out by looking at play time/starts. Bubble players typically know who they are -- or least their parents know.

Yeah, chances are they know. Which isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes a kid either digs in and works harder or she realizes that another level is better for her. She can see time on the field there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic. If WS wants to fix the issue of not having the pipeline others do permanently, offer material incentives. More interaction with the pro team, to include actual training, gifting of sponsored products, subsidizing smaller costs in the short term (for example, uniforms and travel costs/meals), growing to partial and full subsidy as time and profitability emerges/grows. The tangible benefit of being associated with the pro team has to be larger than the two GAP sessions and wearing the same kit/sharing the same name as the pro team and having training that is the rough equivalent of the competing elite environments. Making these small but material changes at the margins should be able to help grab the 3-4 players per age group needed to level the field, and more significant subsidies would help elevate the club to DCU like status on the boys side. It's really not that complicated, nor is the reason for the current struggle that deep.

Except for the fact that Spirit's profit margins are likely razor thin.

Offering more interaction and practice time with the pro players costs them nothing, as does other events with the pro players. That can be a big draw for many young women who are in DA precisely for that reason. It's a big positive factor hardly being exploited right now. Ditto for the sponsored product offerings. I imagine they could work a deal with Nike for free kits and shoes for the entire team as part of a marketing strategy. It would be a pittance in cost from Nike's perspective. I'm sure there are other, similar business alignments/sponsorships that can be arranged. Larry's a creative guy, I'm sure he'll come up with something,

We actually pay $500 for those 2 gap sessions. Don't ask me why. It's very unexciting to watch the pro team train.

You pay $500 for three practices a week during the summer.

No, we pay to watch the pro team. I asked what the fee was for. It's not free to watch them train. Ask.

So, there were not actually three practices a week over the summer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic. If WS wants to fix the issue of not having the pipeline others do permanently, offer material incentives. More interaction with the pro team, to include actual training, gifting of sponsored products, subsidizing smaller costs in the short term (for example, uniforms and travel costs/meals), growing to partial and full subsidy as time and profitability emerges/grows. The tangible benefit of being associated with the pro team has to be larger than the two GAP sessions and wearing the same kit/sharing the same name as the pro team and having training that is the rough equivalent of the competing elite environments. Making these small but material changes at the margins should be able to help grab the 3-4 players per age group needed to level the field, and more significant subsidies would help elevate the club to DCU like status on the boys side. It's really not that complicated, nor is the reason for the current struggle that deep.

Except for the fact that Spirit's profit margins are likely razor thin.

Offering more interaction and practice time with the pro players costs them nothing, as does other events with the pro players. That can be a big draw for many young women who are in DA precisely for that reason. It's a big positive factor hardly being exploited right now. Ditto for the sponsored product offerings. I imagine they could work a deal with Nike for free kits and shoes for the entire team as part of a marketing strategy. It would be a pittance in cost from Nike's perspective. I'm sure there are other, similar business alignments/sponsorships that can be arranged. Larry's a creative guy, I'm sure he'll come up with something,

Nike will reward an underperfming youth program with additional gear? Nike rewards programs that make the brand look good...