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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If a prospective player's parents have to pay 5-10k a year for their kid to be seen, we will never be able to compete.[/quote]

How much do you think it costs to develop a pro player? Not even a top league pro?

Most academies estimate it to be around $250k minimum. FIFA requires a 5% (minimum) training fee be sent to the academy when the player goes pro - and that fee keeps going for every transfer until that player is 24yo. So the academies are fine with that, because it all balances out to stay in business.

If that’s what you want, you can get a job in one of 47 different European countries, establish residency and try your luck there, where as outside talent, it’s much harder to break into the system.

In the US the $250k (minimum!) is largely footed by families. But the barrier to entry is lower - everyone gets a shot! And if you can’t afford it, but you’re a genuine baller, or you’ve got clear potential, the clubs will sponsor you!

I held my DD out of a tournament that looked to be a shit show (it turned out to be, and glad we opted out) and the owner of the club offered to pay for everything just to get her there because “they needed her” - and I don’t have a “can’t afford it” problem - there is ALWAYS money and opportunity if your kid can ball in the US.

BUT if your kid can’t ball, then yeah, you gotta pay to be seen, and probably more than the ECNL teams do to attend a showcase…because you’re going to have to go to 10 ID camps to get the eyeballs the ECNL team got at 1 event. And if your kid can’t ball then they also wouldn’t have a shot in Europe…and guess what…you’d end up at a pay-to-play academy there too! But! Without a pathway to the pros OR college! And Yes, Europe has pay academies too! It’s not all “free for students, paid for by EPL Club X”

(Guess how much DC United Academy costs?…same as the European academies…it’s just in dollars not Euros)[/quote]

Everyone does not get a shot.  That makes no sense.  Euro clubs only pay to develop already talented players.  Lots of kids never play here, because barrier to entry in soccer is too high.[/quote]

You’re almost getting my point! It’s not some drastic different place.

Everyone points to “Europe” as the model to emulate (there are 47 countries in Europe….)
The US model (USSF sucks for sure) that has been build by the clubs, pro teams’ academies and private Academies over the past 15 years or so looks A LOT like the UK and Spanish academy model.

The barrier to entry to soccer in the US is actually pretty low. It’s very easy to play soccer anywhere in the US, and it’s cheap too. What you’re really talking about is the competitive landscape. The US actually has more competition and competitive pathways that, I’d argue, anywhere else in the world. The problem people have is that it there are a ton of kids in the non-elite (ie not top teams in E/G/Mn) platforms - and most of those kids aren’t doing the work necessary to climb, but parents keep paying and programs keep cashing checks. Those kids fall or rise to the teams that pretty much suit their skill level.

And that is where everyone starts to complain about why Bobby and Susie isn’t being discovered! [/quote]

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