Potomac Soccer

[Anonymous]

This is the video from March 19, 2021 from the MoCo County Council Meeting about masking requirements:

https://youtu.be/7jLVj-nyuqQ

At 29:25, Laurie Lane, Exec Dir. of Potomac Soccer, indicated that the masking requirement will bankrupt them as no team will sign up for the Potomac Memorial Tournament.

Since MoCo did not change the masking requirement, do you think Potomac can still survive?

[Anonymous]

One tournament isn’t going to bankrupt anyone. Follow the trail leading up to this point. They can put on a tournament at a later date too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One tournament isn’t going to bankrupt anyone. Follow the trail leading up to this point. They can put on a tournament at a later date too.

It is just 1 tournament but this could be the “straw that broke the camel’s back” due to the pandemic. But they canceled the 2020 tournament too. So it’s 2 tournaments. I’m sure all Clubs with successful tournaments are having problems though.

[Anonymous]

They can still hold a tournament with a mask mandate. Might not be as highly attended as in the past—then again, there may be no mandate come early May.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can still hold a tournament with a mask mandate. Might not be as highly attended as in the past—then again, there may be no mandate come early May.

Isn’t the bigger problem that teams from out of state can’t play in MoCo right now? That may change by May, but are many out of state teams going to register for a tournament and just cross their fingers that things change? It’d be easier to just register for a different tournament.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can still hold a tournament with a mask mandate. Might not be as highly attended as in the past—then again, there may be no mandate come early May.

Isn’t the bigger problem that teams from out of state can’t play in MoCo right now? That may change by May, but are many out of state teams going to register for a tournament and just cross their fingers that things change? It’d be easier to just register for a different tournament.

I believe teams from the DMV are fine but it’s the other states that are required to be quarantined.

[Anonymous]

Dramatic much? Am certain that bit of histrionics was for the Council, but not based in reality

[Anonymous]

So assuming Potomac tournament cancelled what next? Do Potomac players all try to find spots with other clubs?

[Anonymous]

No, because Laurie was speaking in hyperbole, trying to make a point with County Council members. Will it hurt not having income because out of state cannot come and masks have to be worn, yes. But Potomac Soccer will be just fine.

[Anonymous]

So she was lying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So she was lying.

Laurie Lane came across very aggressive, disingenuous and a liar. She didn’t represent Potomac Soccer well at all.

While nothing might have changed MoCo’s vote, having her speak was detrimental in getting the rules changed. I think she also damaged Potomac’s reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So she was lying.

She was bending the truth slightly to make a point. Every politician does it basically every time they speak.

[Anonymous]

It’s interesting that only Potomac’s ED came and spoke at the MoCo Council meeting. I guess BSC, MSI, and all the other MoCo clubs are accepting of the mask mandate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s interesting that only Potomac’s ED came and spoke at the MoCo Council meeting. I guess BSC, MSI, and all the other MoCo clubs are accepting of the mask mandate.

The clubs all play out of the county. we had a home game about an hour away. If you watched her testimony about the loss of hotel rooms, 5000 and soon to be 10,000 that is a lot of lost revenue.

Look at the Jeff Cup this past weekend. We had an early Friday game so 3 nights, you have to wonder how many others did a 3 night stay, just the tax revenue from the rooms, add on the food and beverage. Richmond did a great job with it.

She shouldn't have made it all about Potomac but about all the clubs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s interesting that only Potomac’s ED came and spoke at the MoCo Council meeting. I guess BSC, MSI, and all the other MoCo clubs are accepting of the mask mandate.

No they have all spoken at one point or another during Covid. Potomac has their tournament Memorial Day weekend and hopefully it can still be a go. Bethesda is doing their tournament the weekend of April 2/3 and moved it to Howard County. MSI is the only other big "club" and they gave up on their tournament. Also, MSI rec and classic just plays other county teams, so the mask mandate may not be that big of a deal.