Implications of DC United plan on Loudoun Soccer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, loudoun boys DA is through U15, not U14.

Loudoun DA teams haven’t played DC United this season, but in years past they haven’t had any issues being competitive with DCU.

Here’s how it works. DCU likes a player from another DA, they go after them.

Has Loudoun DA made DA playoffs in any of the age groups? DCU is regularly in DA playoffs in multiple age groups. I am not saying Loudoun's DA players are terrible, but it is unlikely that DCU would be interested in more than a couple of Loudoun players per age group. This year DCU added a number of players from different DAs and clubs (with Arlington being the biggest contributor), but did not add a single player from Loudoun DA (although I think one of the kids that came to DCU from Bethesda DA used to play for Loudoun in the past). While Loudoun DA may lose a handful of its very top players to DCU once DCU DA moves to Loudoun, I think most of Loudoun's DA players will stay put.

The playoffs are only in the older age groups, in which Loundoun had no teams.
No doubt though that the Loudoun (as Arlington) DA teams are not as strong as DCU and Bethesda ones.
Also, if you're a starter on a Loudoun team, you have to be pretty confident that you will have decent playing time to consider moving to DCU.
Agree that most of them will stay put.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, loudoun boys DA is through U15, not U14.

Loudoun DA teams haven’t played DC United this season, but in years past they haven’t had any issues being competitive with DCU.

Here’s how it works. DCU likes a player from another DA, they go after them.

Has Loudoun DA made DA playoffs in any of the age groups? DCU is regularly in DA playoffs in multiple age groups. I am not saying Loudoun's DA players are terrible, but it is unlikely that DCU would be interested in more than a couple of Loudoun players per age group. This year DCU added a number of players from different DAs and clubs (with Arlington being the biggest contributor), but did not add a single player from Loudoun DA (although I think one of the kids that came to DCU from Bethesda DA used to play for Loudoun in the past). While Loudoun DA may lose a handful of its very top players to DCU once DCU DA moves to Loudoun, I think most of Loudoun's DA players will stay put.

The playoffs are only in the older age groups, in which Loundoun had no teams.
No doubt though that the Loudoun (as Arlington) DA teams are not as strong as DCU and Bethesda ones.
Also, if you're a starter on a Loudoun team, you have to be pretty confident that you will have decent playing time to consider moving to DCU.
Agree that most of them will stay put.

I have heard playing time can be a huge issue with DCU. Like I know a boy who was offered a spot and chose not to go. I asked him why and he said they have something like 35 kids on the roster of the team he was looking at. That's massive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP Here. Completely agree that if they take the merger route Loudoun would lose its DA vs DCU. Besides merger/partnership and coexistence with literally a fence divIding the two organizations, what are the other options?

Frankly for Loudoun there are no options short of suing to prevent the move in the first place. There is literally nothing Loudoun has that DC United needs.

Loudoun has money and a huge player pool. I wouldn’t be surprised if Loudoun soccer makes more money than DC United. If the two clubs merged and streamlined operations they could easily have the money to fully fund the academy teams.

Lol! Why would DC United merge and what would be the point for Loudoun?

I'd agree, I don't see any need to merge with the exception of the lower DA programs where Loudoun truly becomes a feeder.

If Loudoun has its own DA, what makes it a feeder for anyone else?

[Anonymous]

^^^I mean the "smaller" DAs.

[Anonymous]

Loudoun has a partnership type agreement with DCU, plus DCU DA teams are generally stronger so they tend to attract stronger players from non-MLS clubs, including local DAs.