The MLS Wikipedia link for their homegrown rule is worth reading. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homegrown_Player_Rule_(MLS) |
Exactly what part of it will happen but it will take a decade don't you understand? Exactly what part of women's sports simply do not match men's sports in revenue don't you understand? What part of when US Soccer created and included MLS with the development of the DA leaving the girls' and women's game out in the cold don't you understand? ECNL exists solely as a reaction to US Soccer ignoring the girls game. It has taken MLS over a decade to get where it currently is now. How can you just not understand that these things take time? Not a single person here is arguing against NWSL or arguing for pay to play. We are all just telling you to pump your breaks on anything imminent. There hasn't even been anything close to formal announcement and you have an entire academy structure and national youth league based on it all plotted out in your mind like it will happen this fall. The fact that you discount the economics of the process as if they are of no concern shows how ignorant you truly are. |
You seem to leave out the 14 years MLS existed before 2008 without any academy system. NWSL is only 11 years old. It took DC United 23 years to build their own stadium, and shortly after that they were able to fully fund their own academy. Is it possible that NWSL learns from MLS and is able to accelerate some timelines? Sure, but the hardest part is the economics of it all. |
Did I touch a nerve there big fella? A little too close to your cash cow (girls pay to play) How things will map out when NWSL implements Acadamies is very important to players and parents. As of right now it looks like NWSL will create something like MLS Next. This will be implemented through US Soccer (just like MLS Next was after DA) and it also means that "NWSL Next" will be done through GA because US Soccer recently made GA a full platform member. Financially NWSL in 2024 is where MLS was in 2008 when MLS implemented a homegrown rule which allowed clubs to implement true Acadamies. |
Who likes pay to play? I don't like pay to play. That said, the women's game is not the same as the men's game. TRUE academies for MLS haven't really existed until the last 8 years or so. DC United was the last club to be fully funded, which is how I am defining a "true academy". And, MLS was a part of DA until the DA no longer served MLS's needs. NWSL will likely take a club approach as opposed to operating a formal league. Spirit may partner with a local club to get the ball rolling, just as Courage and a couple of other NWSL clubs are doing. Over time, if they find success developing talent I would expect NWSL to form their own youth league like MLS has recently done. It is easier early on to pick club partners than try to pick a league as partner. If the club is GA or ECNL, it won't matter to the NWSL club. But this will all take time. IS it really your expectation that NWSL will have an academy/league system set up by 2025? |
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NWSL will first focus on having a 2nd team. And those players will be those identified as having true potential to turn pro...those willing to give up college, etc. and dedicate their HS years to soccer (online school, etc.)
IMO, a younger league is several years away, but having U19 teams (comprised of players 15-18 years old) is coming sooner than later. NWSL focus isn't on developing 12 year olds and younger players rt now. But they want those YNT U15, U16, U17 players being developed in a professional environment. And the USYNT system wants those players being developed in that way, too. The U17 YNT girls are told to go find a pro team to train with, etc. |
This is a much more reasonable response vs the "girls don't have money" response. The money is there and if NWSL wanted to implement Acadamies they could have done it yesterday. I agree that the approach will come in phases. There's NWSL clubs like SD Wave that have a higher attendance than some MLS Clubs and there's the bottom feeders that can't give tickets away. Berman is currently focused on Club valuations and getting more professional sports investors involved. Which makes sense, why deal with the technical details (Acadamies) when you don't have to. However soon NWSL won't be the flavor of the month and they'll be forced to look inward at the product they're selling and field the highest levels of talent. General heads up... Many of the big NWSL clubs are starting to partner with WPSL and field their second pro teams there. If the trend continues this would give NWSL and equivalent to MLS Next Pro but without any of the overhead or costs involved with managing a league. |
I completely agree with this |
My only expectation is to expose how bad the youth age bound pay to play is for player development. It's frustrating when I see all the new ECNL parents talking about wins and why XYZ club is "better" than ABC club and the reasons cited have nothing to do with actual player development. Youth pay to play soccer is all about recruiting the biggest early developers to play on an age bound team. Skill isn't required if you're just more aggressive on defense and able to boot the ball up. Players could be so much better but Ameicans don't know that pay to play isn't the best way to train talent. |
I don't disagree with this sentiment, but the realities of incumbent systems and economics are still at play. You're also waaaay off base by believing people are against pro academies. You're posts all come off as a crazed zealot vs a rational fan of the game who wants to see our national game improve. |
Thank you for your assessment. I think you come across as a cheapskate. |
How can I spend other people's money? I don't own a NWSL club who's salaries are so low many players need to live in people's basements? Don't call me the cheapskate. |
Funny, the guy that's a massive cheapskate doesn't want to be called out as a cheapskate. |
Haven’t you also accused me of loving expensive pay to play ECNL? Your arguments and insults make little sense and are contradictory. “Women’s soccer is booming!!” Yet “women’s college soccer is doomed” I don’t care how NWSL spends their money I’m just saying that it ain’t gonna be on a fully funded academy system any time soon. |
Doubling down on being a cheapskate I see. Sigh... |