ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to the real rumor that college soccer might turn into a semi pro league with US Soccer somehow involved.

https://x.com/ProspectsUsmnt/status/1849972556826112220

NEW: College soccer is on the verge of a monumental shift in the landscape, per numerous sources I’ve talked to in the past 24 hours.

Here’s what I know:

There is a plan that at most basic level will make the college soccer season a full-time season. It will most likely mirror the pro calendar. Gone will be the three month season. It will essentially double (if not more) in length.

This is where things get interesting: This shift is likely to happen in 2025-26 or 2026-27. Most seem to think it will start up in 2026-27 to align with the likely shift of MLS/MLSNP (and probably USL too) to the European calendar at that point.

This has been something that has been worked on for some time now, but my belief is that the plan might’ve gotten a boost from MLS’s acceleration of their shift in their calendar.

How would it work?

From those I’ve spoken too, there’s a high likelihood that US Soccer Federation will be involved as a governing body and/or power broker. Numerous sources have expressed their active role in making this work.

Currently, I believe there are two major conferences that have signaled they are on board: ACC and Big 10. In fairness, I’ve heard mixed things on whether every single program in those conferences is on board at this point.

Yet, the premise of how it’s going to work is simple and moving forward: The top 40-50 programs in college soccer are lining up their ducks in a row to go to the NCAA (if they haven’t already) and ask them to cooperate in this new venture.

NCAA is losing the amateurism battle right now in many sports. They don’t have much leverage. I believe the pitch is “work in cooperation with US Soccer in this venture or we will completely breakaway from the NCAA and join the US Soccer umbrella.”

From discussions I’ve had, it sounds like this new landscape would be classified as “semi-professional” in how it would work. There’s the possibility that players might be able to have some role in the professional club landscape.

Most likely, that could happen in the form of participating during the college offseason. That’s still to be worked out I believe, and any compensation during the season is another topic that I believe is in play and needs to be sorted out.

Yet, it does appear that a monumental shift is coming for college soccer. It seems to be a matter of when, not if, at this point.

So how is this supposed to work for a non-revenue sport, that often shares facilities between men’s and women’s, and sometimes the football team (revenue engine)?

Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea! But it sounds like something some old coot coach has been yammering on about for 30 or 40 years and it’s finally getting amplified because attention is on college sports.

I think what is vastly more likely is that many college soccer programs (and other non-revenue sports) will go dark in the next 5 years.

Just like it works now.

The soccer teams practice somewhere else and share the main fields with other sports on weekends or other days with other teams.

Odd that you don't know this.

Both genders in season at the same time? Think bro

Bro since you can’t tell this is for guys only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this similar to what USL Super W League and DC Power FC is doing with their academy players? They signed a few high school girls who are playing with them now but will go off to college in the Spring and Fall. One of them, who plays for VDA, had a brace in her debut. Seems like a great opportunity, but I guess still can’t play with Power once they go off to college. Sounds like a step in the direction you all are referring to.

VDA girl is one of the best I've ever seen. Also, the U17 keeper signed with USL NC team and will head to Duke. By all reasoning some girls are basically pros already.

The NC USL team is basically an extension of their academy on the girls side. An opportunity to pad resume and get some hardware. “Pro” in that tier is generous to the extreme.

The U17 Keeper on the NC pro team is not from NC, she orginally played ECNL in Illinois, but now plays ECNL Solar, which is in Texas. To suggest she's just a product of the pyramid shows you didn't know that. These kids are moving around and now have contracts without being an adult. Yeah, what else are you adding to the term pro absent of full salary? I admit there are nuances, but semi-pro and pro is a level of competition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this similar to what USL Super W League and DC Power FC is doing with their academy players? They signed a few high school girls who are playing with them now but will go off to college in the Spring and Fall. One of them, who plays for VDA, had a brace in her debut. Seems like a great opportunity, but I guess still can’t play with Power once they go off to college. Sounds like a step in the direction you all are referring to.

VDA girl is one of the best I've ever seen. Also, the U17 keeper signed with USL NC team and will head to Duke. By all reasoning some girls are basically pros already.

The NC USL team is basically an extension of their academy on the girls side. An opportunity to pad resume and get some hardware. “Pro” in that tier is generous to the extreme.

The U17 Keeper on the NC pro team is not from NC, she orginally played ECNL in Illinois, but now plays ECNL Solar, which is in Texas. To suggest she's just a product of the pyramid shows you didn't know that. These kids are moving around and now have contracts without being an adult. Yeah, what else are you adding to the term pro absent of full salary? I admit there are nuances, but semi-pro and pro is a level of competition.

She also didn’t play ECNL in IL. Not to be pedantic but she played GA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this similar to what USL Super W League and DC Power FC is doing with their academy players? They signed a few high school girls who are playing with them now but will go off to college in the Spring and Fall. One of them, who plays for VDA, had a brace in her debut. Seems like a great opportunity, but I guess still can’t play with Power once they go off to college. Sounds like a step in the direction you all are referring to.

VDA girl is one of the best I've ever seen. Also, the U17 keeper signed with USL NC team and will head to Duke. By all reasoning some girls are basically pros already.

The NC USL team is basically an extension of their academy on the girls side. An opportunity to pad resume and get some hardware. “Pro” in that tier is generous to the extreme.

The U17 Keeper on the NC pro team is not from NC, she orginally played ECNL in Illinois, but now plays ECNL Solar, which is in Texas. To suggest she's just a product of the pyramid shows you didn't know that. These kids are moving around and now have contracts without being an adult. Yeah, what else are you adding to the term pro absent of full salary? I admit there are nuances, but semi-pro and pro is a level of competition.

She also didn’t play ECNL in IL. Not to be pedantic but she played GA.

Oh dear god no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this similar to what USL Super W League and DC Power FC is doing with their academy players? They signed a few high school girls who are playing with them now but will go off to college in the Spring and Fall. One of them, who plays for VDA, had a brace in her debut. Seems like a great opportunity, but I guess still can’t play with Power once they go off to college. Sounds like a step in the direction you all are referring to.

VDA girl is one of the best I've ever seen. Also, the U17 keeper signed with USL NC team and will head to Duke. By all reasoning some girls are basically pros already.

The NC USL team is basically an extension of their academy on the girls side. An opportunity to pad resume and get some hardware. “Pro” in that tier is generous to the extreme.

The U17 Keeper on the NC pro team is not from NC, she orginally played ECNL in Illinois, but now plays ECNL Solar, which is in Texas. To suggest she's just a product of the pyramid shows you didn't know that. These kids are moving around and now have contracts without being an adult. Yeah, what else are you adding to the term pro absent of full salary? I admit there are nuances, but semi-pro and pro is a level of competition.

She also didn’t play ECNL in IL. Not to be pedantic but she played GA.

Oh dear god no.

No one cares. Honestly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this similar to what USL Super W League and DC Power FC is doing with their academy players? They signed a few high school girls who are playing with them now but will go off to college in the Spring and Fall. One of them, who plays for VDA, had a brace in her debut. Seems like a great opportunity, but I guess still can’t play with Power once they go off to college. Sounds like a step in the direction you all are referring to.

VDA girl is one of the best I've ever seen. Also, the U17 keeper signed with USL NC team and will head to Duke. By all reasoning some girls are basically pros already.

The NC USL team is basically an extension of their academy on the girls side. An opportunity to pad resume and get some hardware. “Pro” in that tier is generous to the extreme.

The U17 Keeper on the NC pro team is not from NC, she orginally played ECNL in Illinois, but now plays ECNL Solar, which is in Texas. To suggest she's just a product of the pyramid shows you didn't know that. These kids are moving around and now have contracts without being an adult. Yeah, what else are you adding to the term pro absent of full salary? I admit there are nuances, but semi-pro and pro is a level of competition.

She also didn’t play ECNL in IL. Not to be pedantic but she played GA.

Oh dear god no.

No one cares. Honestly.

ECNL hats care

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to the real rumor that college soccer might turn into a semi pro league with US Soccer somehow involved.

https://x.com/ProspectsUsmnt/status/1849972556826112220

NEW: College soccer is on the verge of a monumental shift in the landscape, per numerous sources I’ve talked to in the past 24 hours.

Here’s what I know:

There is a plan that at most basic level will make the college soccer season a full-time season. It will most likely mirror the pro calendar. Gone will be the three month season. It will essentially double (if not more) in length.

This is where things get interesting: This shift is likely to happen in 2025-26 or 2026-27. Most seem to think it will start up in 2026-27 to align with the likely shift of MLS/MLSNP (and probably USL too) to the European calendar at that point.

This has been something that has been worked on for some time now, but my belief is that the plan might’ve gotten a boost from MLS’s acceleration of their shift in their calendar.

How would it work?

From those I’ve spoken too, there’s a high likelihood that US Soccer Federation will be involved as a governing body and/or power broker. Numerous sources have expressed their active role in making this work.

Currently, I believe there are two major conferences that have signaled they are on board: ACC and Big 10. In fairness, I’ve heard mixed things on whether every single program in those conferences is on board at this point.

Yet, the premise of how it’s going to work is simple and moving forward: The top 40-50 programs in college soccer are lining up their ducks in a row to go to the NCAA (if they haven’t already) and ask them to cooperate in this new venture.

NCAA is losing the amateurism battle right now in many sports. They don’t have much leverage. I believe the pitch is “work in cooperation with US Soccer in this venture or we will completely breakaway from the NCAA and join the US Soccer umbrella.”

From discussions I’ve had, it sounds like this new landscape would be classified as “semi-professional” in how it would work. There’s the possibility that players might be able to have some role in the professional club landscape.

Most likely, that could happen in the form of participating during the college offseason. That’s still to be worked out I believe, and any compensation during the season is another topic that I believe is in play and needs to be sorted out.

Yet, it does appear that a monumental shift is coming for college soccer. It seems to be a matter of when, not if, at this point.

This is just the soccer version of what's been discussed for college football.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/10/07/college-football

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to the real rumor that college soccer might turn into a semi pro league with US Soccer somehow involved.

https://x.com/ProspectsUsmnt/status/1849972556826112220

NEW: College soccer is on the verge of a monumental shift in the landscape, per numerous sources I’ve talked to in the past 24 hours.

Here’s what I know:

There is a plan that at most basic level will make the college soccer season a full-time season. It will most likely mirror the pro calendar. Gone will be the three month season. It will essentially double (if not more) in length.

This is where things get interesting: This shift is likely to happen in 2025-26 or 2026-27. Most seem to think it will start up in 2026-27 to align with the likely shift of MLS/MLSNP (and probably USL too) to the European calendar at that point.

This has been something that has been worked on for some time now, but my belief is that the plan might’ve gotten a boost from MLS’s acceleration of their shift in their calendar.

How would it work?

From those I’ve spoken too, there’s a high likelihood that US Soccer Federation will be involved as a governing body and/or power broker. Numerous sources have expressed their active role in making this work.

Currently, I believe there are two major conferences that have signaled they are on board: ACC and Big 10. In fairness, I’ve heard mixed things on whether every single program in those conferences is on board at this point.

Yet, the premise of how it’s going to work is simple and moving forward: The top 40-50 programs in college soccer are lining up their ducks in a row to go to the NCAA (if they haven’t already) and ask them to cooperate in this new venture.

NCAA is losing the amateurism battle right now in many sports. They don’t have much leverage. I believe the pitch is “work in cooperation with US Soccer in this venture or we will completely breakaway from the NCAA and join the US Soccer umbrella.”

From discussions I’ve had, it sounds like this new landscape would be classified as “semi-professional” in how it would work. There’s the possibility that players might be able to have some role in the professional club landscape.

Most likely, that could happen in the form of participating during the college offseason. That’s still to be worked out I believe, and any compensation during the season is another topic that I believe is in play and needs to be sorted out.

Yet, it does appear that a monumental shift is coming for college soccer. It seems to be a matter of when, not if, at this point.

This would just destroy any notion that these are student athletes. The number able to complete their degrees would plummet.

Hilarious you think universities care if these kids get a degree or not. The very small percentage of enrollment who play sports is so small, it's irrelevant in the grand scheme of educated class joint workforce. So what if they don't graduate? The uni's made some money, kids had fun and now they follow their goals. win-win-win

They care in that these future stars become big donors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this similar to what USL Super W League and DC Power FC is doing with their academy players? They signed a few high school girls who are playing with them now but will go off to college in the Spring and Fall. One of them, who plays for VDA, had a brace in her debut. Seems like a great opportunity, but I guess still can’t play with Power once they go off to college. Sounds like a step in the direction you all are referring to.

VDA girl is one of the best I've ever seen. Also, the U17 keeper signed with USL NC team and will head to Duke. By all reasoning some girls are basically pros already.

The NC USL team is basically an extension of their academy on the girls side. An opportunity to pad resume and get some hardware. “Pro” in that tier is generous to the extreme.

The U17 Keeper on the NC pro team is not from NC, she orginally played ECNL in Illinois, but now plays ECNL Solar, which is in Texas. To suggest she's just a product of the pyramid shows you didn't know that. These kids are moving around and now have contracts without being an adult. Yeah, what else are you adding to the term pro absent of full salary? I admit there are nuances, but semi-pro and pro is a level of competition.

She also didn’t play ECNL in IL. Not to be pedantic but she played GA.

Got me with the best counter-argument I've seen on this space. WELL played, sir. My hat is effing off to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this similar to what USL Super W League and DC Power FC is doing with their academy players? They signed a few high school girls who are playing with them now but will go off to college in the Spring and Fall. One of them, who plays for VDA, had a brace in her debut. Seems like a great opportunity, but I guess still can’t play with Power once they go off to college. Sounds like a step in the direction you all are referring to.

VDA girl is one of the best I've ever seen. Also, the U17 keeper signed with USL NC team and will head to Duke. By all reasoning some girls are basically pros already.

The NC USL team is basically an extension of their academy on the girls side. An opportunity to pad resume and get some hardware. “Pro” in that tier is generous to the extreme.

The U17 Keeper on the NC pro team is not from NC, she orginally played ECNL in Illinois, but now plays ECNL Solar, which is in Texas. To suggest she's just a product of the pyramid shows you didn't know that. These kids are moving around and now have contracts without being an adult. Yeah, what else are you adding to the term pro absent of full salary? I admit there are nuances, but semi-pro and pro is a level of competition.

She also didn’t play ECNL in IL. Not to be pedantic but she played GA.

Got me with the best counter-argument I've seen on this space. WELL played, sir. My hat is effing off to you.

Do you mean your "ECNL hat" by chance?

You know the one that shows your part of the group but not the team your kid plays on because that would be embarassing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to the real rumor that college soccer might turn into a semi pro league with US Soccer somehow involved.

https://x.com/ProspectsUsmnt/status/1849972556826112220

NEW: College soccer is on the verge of a monumental shift in the landscape, per numerous sources I’ve talked to in the past 24 hours.

Here’s what I know:

There is a plan that at most basic level will make the college soccer season a full-time season. It will most likely mirror the pro calendar. Gone will be the three month season. It will essentially double (if not more) in length.

This is where things get interesting: This shift is likely to happen in 2025-26 or 2026-27. Most seem to think it will start up in 2026-27 to align with the likely shift of MLS/MLSNP (and probably USL too) to the European calendar at that point.

This has been something that has been worked on for some time now, but my belief is that the plan might’ve gotten a boost from MLS’s acceleration of their shift in their calendar.

How would it work?

From those I’ve spoken too, there’s a high likelihood that US Soccer Federation will be involved as a governing body and/or power broker. Numerous sources have expressed their active role in making this work.

Currently, I believe there are two major conferences that have signaled they are on board: ACC and Big 10. In fairness, I’ve heard mixed things on whether every single program in those conferences is on board at this point.

Yet, the premise of how it’s going to work is simple and moving forward: The top 40-50 programs in college soccer are lining up their ducks in a row to go to the NCAA (if they haven’t already) and ask them to cooperate in this new venture.

NCAA is losing the amateurism battle right now in many sports. They don’t have much leverage. I believe the pitch is “work in cooperation with US Soccer in this venture or we will completely breakaway from the NCAA and join the US Soccer umbrella.”

From discussions I’ve had, it sounds like this new landscape would be classified as “semi-professional” in how it would work. There’s the possibility that players might be able to have some role in the professional club landscape.

Most likely, that could happen in the form of participating during the college offseason. That’s still to be worked out I believe, and any compensation during the season is another topic that I believe is in play and needs to be sorted out.

Yet, it does appear that a monumental shift is coming for college soccer. It seems to be a matter of when, not if, at this point.

So how is this supposed to work for a non-revenue sport, that often shares facilities between men’s and women’s, and sometimes the football team (revenue engine)?

Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea! But it sounds like something some old coot coach has been yammering on about for 30 or 40 years and it’s finally getting amplified because attention is on college sports.

I think what is vastly more likely is that many college soccer programs (and other non-revenue sports) will go dark in the next 5 years.

Just like it works now.

The soccer teams practice somewhere else and share the main fields with other sports on weekends or other days with other teams.

Odd that you don't know this.

Both genders in season at the same time? Think bro

Bro since you can’t tell this is for guys only.

That’s even dumber. The only way that works is if you get rid of women’s soccer at those same programs. Why expanding facilities for a non-rev sport because you created a significant facility use conflict during the fall? Easier to justify if it was year round, but it’s stupid all around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to the real rumor that college soccer might turn into a semi pro league with US Soccer somehow involved.

https://x.com/ProspectsUsmnt/status/1849972556826112220

NEW: College soccer is on the verge of a monumental shift in the landscape, per numerous sources I’ve talked to in the past 24 hours.

Here’s what I know:

There is a plan that at most basic level will make the college soccer season a full-time season. It will most likely mirror the pro calendar. Gone will be the three month season. It will essentially double (if not more) in length.

This is where things get interesting: This shift is likely to happen in 2025-26 or 2026-27. Most seem to think it will start up in 2026-27 to align with the likely shift of MLS/MLSNP (and probably USL too) to the European calendar at that point.

This has been something that has been worked on for some time now, but my belief is that the plan might’ve gotten a boost from MLS’s acceleration of their shift in their calendar.

How would it work?

From those I’ve spoken too, there’s a high likelihood that US Soccer Federation will be involved as a governing body and/or power broker. Numerous sources have expressed their active role in making this work.

Currently, I believe there are two major conferences that have signaled they are on board: ACC and Big 10. In fairness, I’ve heard mixed things on whether every single program in those conferences is on board at this point.

Yet, the premise of how it’s going to work is simple and moving forward: The top 40-50 programs in college soccer are lining up their ducks in a row to go to the NCAA (if they haven’t already) and ask them to cooperate in this new venture.

NCAA is losing the amateurism battle right now in many sports. They don’t have much leverage. I believe the pitch is “work in cooperation with US Soccer in this venture or we will completely breakaway from the NCAA and join the US Soccer umbrella.”

From discussions I’ve had, it sounds like this new landscape would be classified as “semi-professional” in how it would work. There’s the possibility that players might be able to have some role in the professional club landscape.

Most likely, that could happen in the form of participating during the college offseason. That’s still to be worked out I believe, and any compensation during the season is another topic that I believe is in play and needs to be sorted out.

Yet, it does appear that a monumental shift is coming for college soccer. It seems to be a matter of when, not if, at this point.

So how is this supposed to work for a non-revenue sport, that often shares facilities between men’s and women’s, and sometimes the football team (revenue engine)?

Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea! But it sounds like something some old coot coach has been yammering on about for 30 or 40 years and it’s finally getting amplified because attention is on college sports.

I think what is vastly more likely is that many college soccer programs (and other non-revenue sports) will go dark in the next 5 years.

Just like it works now.

The soccer teams practice somewhere else and share the main fields with other sports on weekends or other days with other teams.

Odd that you don't know this.

Both genders in season at the same time? Think bro

Bro since you can’t tell this is for guys only.

That’s even dumber. The only way that works is if you get rid of women’s soccer at those same programs. Why expanding facilities for a non-rev sport because you created a significant facility use conflict during the fall? Easier to justify if it was year round, but it’s stupid all around.

Nope, your statements while true in your head are not true in the real world.

[Anonymous]

In the SY system how do kids that were held back get placed? Wouldn’t they be trapped too? My son and a lot of his teammates were held back with Jan-March birthdays and my daughter has a summer birthday and was held back l… where would they be placed and would they be trapped?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the SY system how do kids that were held back get placed? Wouldn’t they be trapped too? My son and a lot of his teammates were held back with Jan-March birthdays and my daughter has a summer birthday and was held back l… where would they be placed and would they be trapped?

Yes, if the cutoff strictly goes back to 8/1 these held back, or redshirted, kids will be trapped. The idea is that there are far, far fewer of them, and that they chose to be trapped rather than being forced by the cutoff rules.

[Anonymous]

So the problem is not being fixed only creating another problem? If you look at the trend more kids are being held back now then 20 years ago because private schools and schools want kindergartens to read and be able write. This SY thing does not make sense to me. If they want to fix a problem they are not fixing a problem.