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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It doesn't work. The talent gap between MLS DA clubs and non-MLS clubs (i.e, the regular travel clubs that have DA) is becoming too great and some games are not meaningful.

They are locked into one geographic area for competition except for a few times a year when they can travel and play other high level teams. I have heard a few of the coaches complain that many of the teams they face in their division just cant give them the high level competition they are looking for. [b]As a result they blow out 60% to 70% of the teams they play 6-0, 7-1 etc[/b].

Take the Philadelphia Union for example. They are in the DA North Atlantic division. They have 8 other teams in their division but only one of them is a MLS team, the New York Red Bulls who they play twice a season... Can they drive an extra 30 minutes past the Red Bulls and play NYCFC? Nope, they are in the New York Metro division. Can they drive an hour south and play DC United? Nope, they are in the Mid-Atlantic division.

The Union kids have to play the other local teams in their division and only get a few times a year to go to exhibition tourneys to play other MLS academies. They want more chances to play really high level competition and the DA just doesn't allow it.

Further:

Around 2000, FIFA introduced a system to help reward small clubs and youth academies that would develop players but then lose them for nothing in exchange. One, called “training compensation,” mandated a series of fees paid to clubs that trained young players who went on to sign their first pro contracts in another country. Another, called “solidarity payments,” mandated more fees to be sent to those youth clubs when the player was later sold.

MLS has never participated in this approach, partly because the league wanted to take players from other non-MLS American youth academies, sell them abroad and keep the transfer fee rather than send money to the developing academy.
[/quote]

I keep hearing that, but I'm just not seeing it.  If you look at the standings, sure the MLS clubs generally do very well, but there are plenty of non-MLS clubs making the top 5 in their divisions also.   In the Atlantic U16/17 for example, PU is pretty dominant, winning by 11 points with a 56:21 goal ratio, but Bethesda and Armour also made the top 5.  NYRB finished 4th, tied with Amour and just 2 points ahead of PDA.   For U18/19s, the top 5 were BA, NYRB, PDA, PU, and then BSC.  DCU finished 7th.

It's fairly similar in most places:   http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/league/standings.php?leagueId=MTA3Ng%3D%3D

[/quote]

When there are only one or two MLS clubs per division exactly what other clubs would you expect be in the top five of any division?[/quote]

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