Richmond Strikers and Kickers Merging

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They both currently have their own RL teams. Strikers has the best RL teams in Virginia. Moving forward, Richmond Strikers and Kickers RL teams will merge to make a second ECNL team in Richmond. Like Courage / NCFC.

Richmond is a growing soccer market. The Richmond Kickers boys won the RL national championship a couple times in the last few years. Richmond United won one in 2023.

Kickers won it and Strikers won it. They’ve had teams at the RL level go to Nationals the past few years

[Anonymous]

Maybe the top boys teams are breaking off to join MLS Next and they're using the new boys ECNL to hold onto ECNL for girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the top boys teams are breaking off to join MLS Next and they're using the new boys ECNL to hold onto ECNL for girls.

Most realistic comment.

Boys are good enough to compete in MLSN. Keep a strong ECNL squad and still get to keep the girls ECNL.

Remember though -ECNL doesn’t want teams to put their 1st teams outside of ECNL though…

[Anonymous]

Richmond Strikers are certainly the only club not currently with GA or ECNL that would make sense to be next in line to join ECNL.

[Anonymous]

The VA Beach MSA has 400k more people than the Richmond MSA. Maybe they should be first in line to get a second ECNL team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Richmond Strikers are certainly the only club not currently with GA or ECNL that would make sense to be next in line to join ECNL.

Isn't that what Richmond United is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richmond Strikers are certainly the only club not currently with GA or ECNL that would make sense to be next in line to join ECNL.

Isn't that what Richmond United is?

Richmond United is the combined players from Strikers and Kickers once they reach U13. They will pick up others as the teams evolve over the years from other clubs as well. From the rumor rumblings, the plan is that another NL team will be formed across the age groups. Don't really know more than that or when it will be "officially" announced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richmond Strikers are certainly the only club not currently with GA or ECNL that would make sense to be next in line to join ECNL.

Isn't that what Richmond United is?

Richmond United is the combined players from Strikers and Kickers once they reach U13. They will pick up others as the teams evolve over the years from other clubs as well. From the rumor rumblings, the plan is that another NL team will be formed across the age groups. Don't really know more than that or when it will be "officially" announced.

Announcement will be within 2 weeks. Trust people. Trust.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richmond Strikers are certainly the only club not currently with GA or ECNL that would make sense to be next in line to join ECNL.

Isn't that what Richmond United is?

Richmond United is the combined players from Strikers and Kickers once they reach U13. They will pick up others as the teams evolve over the years from other clubs as well. From the rumor rumblings, the plan is that another NL team will be formed across the age groups. Don't really know more than that or when it will be "officially" announced.

We know what Richmond United is, but is rumor that there will be a Richmond United II. The poster stated that Richmond Strikers would make the most sense to get ECNL (but they already have it with Richmond United). So is the rumor that they will split and each (Strikers and Kickers) get ECNL or stay combined and create a 2nd Richmond United ECNL team?

Because the title of this thread is Strikers and Kickers merging, but as we know they're already together as Richmond United

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richmond Strikers are certainly the only club not currently with GA or ECNL that would make sense to be next in line to join ECNL.

Isn't that what Richmond United is?

Richmond United is the combined players from Strikers and Kickers once they reach U13. They will pick up others as the teams evolve over the years from other clubs as well. From the rumor rumblings, the plan is that another NL team will be formed across the age groups. Don't really know more than that or when it will be "officially" announced.

We know what Richmond United is, but is rumor that there will be a Richmond United II. The poster stated that Richmond Strikers would make the most sense to get ECNL (but they already have it with Richmond United). So is the rumor that they will split and each (Strikers and Kickers) get ECNL or stay combined and create a 2nd Richmond United ECNL team?

Because the title of this thread is Strikers and Kickers merging, but as we know they're already together as Richmond United

IMO, it would be a mess if they split into Kickers ECNL and Strikers ECNL. Splitting goes right back to where they were when they formed United to begin with - te teams weren't consistently competitive when standalone. More sense to continue to combine groups into a I and II and balance out the teams across both clubs.

But, just like everything, egos get in the way and folks want to be kings and queens of their kingdoms and heaven forbid the spotlight gets shared or folks feel slighted that they aren't getting the accolades that they deserve.

And, two weeks is announcement date...doubt it will stay unwraps until then.

[Anonymous]

When we were with Richmond United, there were rumors about merging of Richmond Kicker and Strikers every winter. Not sure if it will happen in 2025, but rumor was youth soccer part of Strikers (they organize more sports than just soccer) would basically merge into Kickers. Then both Kicker's first (current Richmond United) and second teams (kicker RL +Striker RL) will play in ECNL.

[Anonymous]

With an ECNL club transitioning to MLS Next and GA, Richmond United is preparing to fill the potential vacancy

[Anonymous]

I don't think that setup really helps the clubs with two ECNL teams in NC. One team plays HS soccer and the other doesn't. The teams that don't play HS are usually marginally better than the ones that do, but not always. It just waters down the player pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the most bestest time of the year in youth soccer. Rumors of clubs merging, coaches and players defecting, league addition/subtraction. LFG!

Who cares. ECNL is a joke. MLSNext? This is the way.

[Anonymous]

Hmmmmm

STARTING IN SEPTEMBER 2025, CLUBS IN THE PROGRAM WILL COMPETE IN REGULAR SEASON GAMES, REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS, AND VARIOUS MLS NEXT NATIONAL EVENTS AS WELL AS COACHING DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, TALENT IDENTIFICATION, AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS EXPANSION WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOUSANDS OF ADDITIONAL PLAYERS AND COACHES, ALLOWING MEMBER CLUBS GREATER ABILITY TO ALIGN TEAM TRAVEL AND SCHEDULING, OPTIMIZE PLAYER POOLS, AND MORE EFFECTIVELY ALLOCATE CLUB RESOURCES.
THE EXPANDED TIER OF MLS NEXT WILL BE MANAGED BY LEADING LEAGUE OPERATORS ACROSS THE YOUTH LANDSCAPE WITH A STRONG COMMITMENT TO PLAYER DEVELOPMENT. THE OPERATORS WILL FOLLOW MANDATED PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND TECHNICAL STANDARDS SET BY MLS NEXT TO ENSURE A HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCT.
OPERATORS WILL INCLUDE THE NATIONAL ACADEMY LEAGUE (NAL) OPERATED BY 3STEP SOCCER, ELITE ACADEMY LEAGUE (EAL), SPORTING DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE (SDL), COBALT SPORTS, AND CAL NORTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION.
IN THE EXPANDED TIER OF MLS NEXT, CLUBS WILL PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF EIGHT REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS EACH SEASON IN ADDITION TO THE OPTION FOR ELIGIBLE AGE GROUPS TO ATTEND MLS NEXT FEST IN DECEMBER. THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS WILL SERVE AS QUALIFYING FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT AT MLS NEXT CUP LATER IN 2026.