Look here: one of the questions addresses billing. Doesn't give you amounts because they don't want to scare you off this early.

https://www.dcunited.com/youth/rdsfaq

Anonymous wrote:"Designed as a supplemental program, the RDS exists to compliment a players’ current training environment. Players remain registered with their clubs. The program is open to both boys and girls (ages 8 to 14)."

If you think this is an actual program to help identify and train future DCU academy and first team players, the fact that it is open to girls is a pretty good indication it is not. It is something else. Maybe that something else is a valuable addition to the area, but it isn't going to take the place of academy teams and professional training for those age groups.

Also, "compliment"??

"Designed as a supplemental program, the RDS exists to compliment a players’ current training environment. Players remain registered with their clubs. The program is open to both boys and girls (ages 8 to 14)."

If you think this is an actual program to help identify and train future DCU academy and first team players, the fact that it is open to girls is a pretty good indication it is not. It is something else. Maybe that something else is a valuable addition to the area, but it isn't going to take the place of academy teams and professional training for those age groups.

Anonymous wrote:The fact that DCU would try to brand this effort as a "school" is really unbelievable and laughable.

All you need to know as a parent is that DCU has just introduced another vehicle into the market by which they will try to take your money for absolutely nothing in return. Other than the potential to be seen, which, if your kid was good enough he would be seen regardless.

The whole press release is disingenuous PR and it is a shame that they resort to basically misleading the public about the realities of what they are doing. Engagement with this new thing, whatever it is, is effectively burning your money.

I clicked on every link in the article announcement and can't find anything about payments and how much.

Where are you guys seeing that and how much is it per year?

The fact that DCU would try to brand this effort as a "school" is really unbelievable and laughable.

All you need to know as a parent is that DCU has just introduced another vehicle into the market by which they will try to take your money for absolutely nothing in return. Other than the potential to be seen, which, if your kid was good enough he would be seen regardless.

The whole press release is disingenuous PR and it is a shame that they resort to basically misleading the public about the realities of what they are doing. Engagement with this new thing, whatever it is, is effectively burning your money.

This is like the Colorado MLS club that has an attached sorta club that plays in ECNL while they actual academy is in MLS.

But wishing it into being right now seems ambitious - leagues and schedules are set, kids are all enrolled in teams, etc.

At this point they could... do an in-house rec league?

Anonymous wrote:Interesting development.

https://www.dcunited.com/news/d-c-united-to-relaunch-its-youth-programs

Would assume the Regional Development School will attract top talent throughout the DMV.

DC United isn't relaunching their youth programs.

They have a new gizmo to sell which looks like the other gizmos in the market but they are hoping to sell a bunch because there's comes in a shinier box.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So DCU is trying to sell the community that they are rolling out a quality, well thought out, sophisticated youth program in a month (which is fall of 2025)?? 🤣🤣🤣 This is again, an absolute joke. There are no details, no plans, no real information just, we are planning this stay tuned..

What is guaranteed is that this program will be total bullsh#t. It will be pay to play because DCU knows how gullible and uneducated the parents are in our area and realize there is untapped money to be made off people glazing the brand and like other people.said fomo.

This changes absolutely nothing at DCU. Literally nothing. Another PR stunt to mask how bad this organization is and how poor they are at youth development.

Here he is
The obsessed one on his forever perpetual hell-bent campaign lol

He's not wrong though.

I can't wait to see the kids peacocking that they got into the RDS while only learning ODP level technique. This is going to be more exciting than the Rising Stars Cup. I guess DCU got tired of seeing Christian on IG too and decided to drop in like a Mob boss and snatch that dough.

Anonymous wrote:So DCU is trying to sell the community that they are rolling out a quality, well thought out, sophisticated youth program in a month (which is fall of 2025)?? 🤣🤣🤣 This is again, an absolute joke. There are no details, no plans, no real information just, we are planning this stay tuned..

What is guaranteed is that this program will be total bullsh#t. It will be pay to play because DCU knows how gullible and uneducated the parents are in our area and realize there is untapped money to be made off people glazing the brand and like other people.said fomo.

This changes absolutely nothing at DCU. Literally nothing. Another PR stunt to mask how bad this organization is and how poor they are at youth development.

Here he is
The obsessed one on his forever perpetual hell-bent campaign lol

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting development.

https://www.dcunited.com/news/d-c-united-to-relaunch-its-youth-programs

Would assume the Regional Development School will attract top talent throughout the DMV.

Sounds expensive.

I noticed that it was promoted under the pay camps and clinics. And they will take all comers, "D.C. United Youth Programs are open to players of various ages and ability levels, from beginners, to more advanced youth soccer players."

Seems like they trying to get a solid cut of the parents fomo dollars to keep up with the Jones's.

Would assume the RDS will attract top dollar throughout the DMV.

I just hope Kevin spends 110% of his time on this and doesn't get caught up in the less important side of DC United.

First they cut U14, then the charge extortion money for YouTube school and now they are expanding their kids pickup game biz for more cash. Hope this is enough new cash to keep DC Academy afloat.

I'm not anti DC United or DC Academy but this stuff just weakens the brand even more.

Thank you!

I am actually anti-DCU and I was willing to give them a 2nd chance thinking they may be trying to finally do the right thing. Woke me up when I clicked the link and had to fill out a form.

You are probably 100% right as Philly Union has a similar pay to play program.

So you're anti Ford and love your Chevy

But you regularly go to the Ford dealership and unsuccessfully try to get a test drive

I don't get you people. I don't know many parents who want to send their kid away in their pre-teens or move an entire family as the penalty for a kid being gifted in a sport. My son has trained with a lot of players who were "home" from their academies this summer because we live in the area with the worst academy in the MLS. The kids in DCU system even know that. At least you folks can be "a little" unbiased and say the club is now trying something new that may have potential instead of these rancid responses. Yea, that guy is a psycho on the other threads. I clicked this one with hope but if this is another P2P cash grab like the Philly one, it is the same old DCU. Philly has the best academy in the MLS but their P2P program like this one is a cash grab per the PA parents. Ultimately, we will see if the Titanic can't stop sinking but bro...season tickets owners don't even like DCU. If you are supporter, you are easy to point out because there are so few of you. I will support Christos and DC Hyper before I give money to DCU. Loyalty is earned.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the club pays for this and sends out real coaches, it’s a game changer.

If it’s pay to play - yikes. Assume we will know more soon.

Based on the FAQ, it costs cash and there will be a multiple locations so it doesn't seem kids get access to special DC academy facilities. Kind of like just having a coach set up some drills for local kids like all the other "special" soccer trainings that random coaches do for side cash.

"Can I sign up for multiple tryouts?

Yes, but only if you plan to participate at multiple locations. Upon acceptance, billing is processed automatically."

You have to pay to participate. Full stop. This is a pay for us to look at your son model and a way to ease the load on the one scout they have for the entire DMV. They will register anyone and everyone for a tryout, make them all pay a fee to participate, have them all come to the tryout, select the best ones in their mind each tryout for a training session that same day and rinse and repeat this model to try and spot kids that may not get spotted from.the scout. It is seriously a complete joke. You can't take this or the organization seriously. Read the FAQ. This is a complete sham.

So DCU is trying to sell the community that they are rolling out a quality, well thought out, sophisticated youth program in a month (which is fall of 2025)?? 🤣🤣🤣 This is again, an absolute joke. There are no details, no plans, no real information just, we are planning this stay tuned..

What is guaranteed is that this program will be total bullsh#t. It will be pay to play because DCU knows how gullible and uneducated the parents are in our area and realize there is untapped money to be made off people glazing the brand and like other people.said fomo.

This changes absolutely nothing at DCU. Literally nothing. Another PR stunt to mask how bad this organization is and how poor they are at youth development.

Anonymous wrote:If the club pays for this and sends out real coaches, it’s a game changer.

If it’s pay to play - yikes. Assume we will know more soon.

Based on the FAQ, it costs cash and there will be a multiple locations so it doesn't seem kids get access to special DC academy facilities. Kind of like just having a coach set up some drills for local kids like all the other "special" soccer trainings that random coaches do for side cash.

"Can I sign up for multiple tryouts?

Yes, but only if you plan to participate at multiple locations. Upon acceptance, billing is processed automatically."

If the club pays for this and sends out real coaches, it’s a game changer.

If it’s pay to play - yikes. Assume we will know more soon.