Confused by this. In the DC area, are you saying clubs like Alexandria, Bethesda, Springfield (all of which are in MLS Next today) are keeping their Tier 1 teams AND adding new teams for Tier 2 - and thus exists the development pathway you reference? So is the idea that MLS Next Tier 2 teams will have a chance for "promotion" into Tier 1? This whole things seems like a giant money grab by just creating more tiers so you're always chasing the next carrot. I am betting that several of these clubs moving from ECNL to MLS Next will look back and regret the decision in 2-3 years once they see that this is all designed as a money grab from the parents. |
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Bethesda doesn't have a Tier 1 team. The only current Tier 1 in VA are Alexandria and Springfield. I don't know whether they're staying in Tier (and now being joined by NVA in Tier 1), or whether they're moving down to Tier 2. |
And to layer on, the clubs that currently have a Tier 1 team, I am told have their second team in NAL (where today there is no MLSNext 2). If that is true and if those clubs stay MLS Tier 1 clubs, then presumably their second teams will move to MLS Next 2. And, if that happens, then who is left to be in the NAL league that McLean is using for their second teams? And is there any benefit to being in that league over NCSL and/or EDP? These questions should be top of mid for all "second team" players at McLean, and no details have been discussed by the club. |
From an individual development standpoint, if you are in a club that has both MLSNext 1 and MLSNext 2, players on the MLSNext 2 have the chance to earn a spot on MLSNext 1 internally (where coaches will know you better, etc). McLean doesn't have that path internally. McLean is saying that they hope to be promoted as a club to MLSNext 1, but the chances of that are very slim, in my opinion. |
McLean will be lucky to be allowed to stay in MLSNext 2, let alone ever get the opportunity to field an MLSNext 1 team. They definitely don't have the talent or depth that you need for MLSNext2. And because of the politics of McLean soccer, when they do get a better and larger talent pool available to them, such as when they had an alliance with SYC, the coaches make poor game day decisions to run off the talent. The players know who has the talent and if coaches are playing/starting certain players because of club politics, then talented players leave. |
Well, that would certainly explain some of the surprising decisions made after MLSNext 2 tryouts! |
Currently have Vienna, Valor, Villarreal, and Braddock Road. Two more clubs are joining soon. Who will they be? |
Same money grab as ECNL RL. |
Where are you seeing "two more joining soon" Seems like it already happened. The PR in Feb when MYS left noted that BRYC and VYS remained. Then in March they announced VALOR and VIVA had joined. |
Is business and marketing a money grab? That would make just about everything you purchase a money grab. It’s called capitalism. |
+1. It totally makes sense, both for MLSN and the club, for MLSN to host a second level of competition to capture the 2nd teams at existing MLSN clubs or as an entry point for new clubs. The parents are going to pay for it regardless, so MLSN may as well use their existing infrastructure to host it.. |
Can anyone here explain why a club would move from one league to another in this context? So for example McLean ... what's in it for McLean to move from ECNL/RL to MSLN2? If the above statements are true that Tier2 team A = ECNL level and Tier2 team B NAL = ECNL-RL level, then is the lure to move to MSLN the prospects of getting a Tier 1 team that is "better" than the teams they fielded by FFX Union? Or, is it that the economics of MLSN are more favorable to the club somehow (i.e. lower fees; higher revenue sharing; etc?) I dont know enough about the economics to truly understand the drivers behind these decisions. I'd welcome if others had an informed viewpoint on this. |
ECNL didn't allow McLean to stay in ECNL without being part of an alliance. They weren't happy in FVU because they didn't have enough power and weren't getting 100% of the money. So they looked at an alternative to ECNL that would allow them to operate independently again. None of this was done for the benefit of any of the players. This was all about what McLean thought was best for its club to make money. |
Yeah is this a rumor or does the PP have some inside knowledge? Seems an odd comment to just throw out there. |