Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with the Richmond United merger, RU will have 3 ECNL RL teams per age group. FC Richmond has 1, meaning in 25/26 Richmond will have a total of 4 ECNL RL teams and 1 ECNL team in the Richmond area. This just dilutes the ECNL RL level, don't you think?

Possibly, but In reality, there will be one new RL team since there were already teams at Strikers, Kickers and FC Richmond. And, from what I read, they plan to have this Blue team play in the VA North Division and the Orange and Red teams in the VA South Division. The long term goal is to get another NL level team...it may give a chance for players more flexibility to move without having to switch clubs now as well which could strengthen teams. More impact on the younger age groups - if your a HS kid playing on the NL team now, this really doesn't change much of anything.

Correct, 5 teams is still a lot of ECNL rl for Richmond player pool. Their RU ECNL National barely can compete already.

I see national championships for both RU and Richmond Kickers on the boys side since 2018. Interestingly enough, I also see championships for Beach, Pipeline and Charlotte Independence. Nova seems to be under represented.

https://theecnl.com/sports/2024/6/18/ECNLB_0618244412.aspx?path=general

Don't forget the Strikers ECRL championship - 2009B at U13 and the multitude of Strikers and Kickers teams that have qualified for RL nationals the past 5 years.

Anonymous wrote:Bad move. This helps FCR and other thorny new clubs surrounding Short Pump United

Unlikely..FCR is so bad and devoid of any real youth soccer talent that it will not matter for U13-19. Previously, any decent left for Strikers/Kickers well before the U13 group. Now, even if after the pull the top 5-8 kids off Strikers and Kickers, FCR is still a distant 3rd in the region. I'm betting FCR will be gone in a few years bc they won't have the market to compete anymore based on the success of Strikers, now RU.

Grove United will get a few stragglers as evidence of his persistent marketing and social media presence. Mostly parents who are annoyed at how little attention their child gets but willing to spend MORE $$$ on youth soccer as GU is a year round commitment.

Lastly, the ECRL teams for each age group will be among the better teams in VA; hence, the 3-5 projection of RU getting 2 ECNL teams for the club. They are modeling this after NCFC's merger and using their success as the barometer for future growth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RU ECRL x 2

So combining clubs, keeping 1 NL level squad and having 2 -RL squads, which is in essence what is there today with the Kickers and Strikers running their own -RL programs.

Maybe the club combo warrants that given the past relationships of the clubs, which maybe has improved since the onset of the United group back in 2014. Not exactly a seismic shift in Richmond soccer.

ECNL trajectory for the merged RU Blue club. In the next 3-5 years, RVA will have 2 ECNL clubs. That's the overall mission of this merger.

agree

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with the Richmond United merger, RU will have 3 ECNL RL teams per age group. FC Richmond has 1, meaning in 25/26 Richmond will have a total of 4 ECNL RL teams and 1 ECNL team in the Richmond area. This just dilutes the ECNL RL level, don't you think?

Possibly, but In reality, there will be one new RL team since there were already teams at Strikers, Kickers and FC Richmond. And, from what I read, they plan to have this Blue team play in the VA North Division and the Orange and Red teams in the VA South Division. The long term goal is to get another NL level team...it may give a chance for players more flexibility to move without having to switch clubs now as well which could strengthen teams. More impact on the younger age groups - if your a HS kid playing on the NL team now, this really doesn't change much of anything.

Correct, 5 teams is still a lot of ECNL rl for Richmond player pool. Their RU ECNL National barely can compete already.

I see national championships for both RU and Richmond Kickers on the boys side since 2018. Interestingly enough, I also see championships for Beach, Pipeline and Charlotte Independence. Nova seems to be under represented.

https://theecnl.com/sports/2024/6/18/ECNLB_0618244412.aspx?path=general

Nova is watered down.

Yes and DCU is pinching the best players. Raliegh and Richmond both have about 1.5M people in the MSA and each have one ECNL club. DC MSA is around 6M people including DC proper and MD. VDA, NVA, FVU, Arlington, Alexandria, SYC all in Nova. We probably needs some further consolidation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with the Richmond United merger, RU will have 3 ECNL RL teams per age group. FC Richmond has 1, meaning in 25/26 Richmond will have a total of 4 ECNL RL teams and 1 ECNL team in the Richmond area. This just dilutes the ECNL RL level, don't you think?

Possibly, but In reality, there will be one new RL team since there were already teams at Strikers, Kickers and FC Richmond. And, from what I read, they plan to have this Blue team play in the VA North Division and the Orange and Red teams in the VA South Division. The long term goal is to get another NL level team...it may give a chance for players more flexibility to move without having to switch clubs now as well which could strengthen teams. More impact on the younger age groups - if your a HS kid playing on the NL team now, this really doesn't change much of anything.

Correct, 5 teams is still a lot of ECNL rl for Richmond player pool. Their RU ECNL National barely can compete already.

I see national championships for both RU and Richmond Kickers on the boys side since 2018. Interestingly enough, I also see championships for Beach, Pipeline and Charlotte Independence. Nova seems to be under represented.

https://theecnl.com/sports/2024/6/18/ECNLB_0618244412.aspx?path=general

Nova is watered down.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with the Richmond United merger, RU will have 3 ECNL RL teams per age group. FC Richmond has 1, meaning in 25/26 Richmond will have a total of 4 ECNL RL teams and 1 ECNL team in the Richmond area. This just dilutes the ECNL RL level, don't you think?

Possibly, but In reality, there will be one new RL team since there were already teams at Strikers, Kickers and FC Richmond. And, from what I read, they plan to have this Blue team play in the VA North Division and the Orange and Red teams in the VA South Division. The long term goal is to get another NL level team...it may give a chance for players more flexibility to move without having to switch clubs now as well which could strengthen teams. More impact on the younger age groups - if your a HS kid playing on the NL team now, this really doesn't change much of anything.

Correct, 5 teams is still a lot of ECNL rl for Richmond player pool. Their RU ECNL National barely can compete already.

3 of the 6 RU ECNL National teams are still undefeated on the year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with the Richmond United merger, RU will have 3 ECNL RL teams per age group. FC Richmond has 1, meaning in 25/26 Richmond will have a total of 4 ECNL RL teams and 1 ECNL team in the Richmond area. This just dilutes the ECNL RL level, don't you think?

Possibly, but In reality, there will be one new RL team since there were already teams at Strikers, Kickers and FC Richmond. And, from what I read, they plan to have this Blue team play in the VA North Division and the Orange and Red teams in the VA South Division. The long term goal is to get another NL level team...it may give a chance for players more flexibility to move without having to switch clubs now as well which could strengthen teams. More impact on the younger age groups - if your a HS kid playing on the NL team now, this really doesn't change much of anything.

Correct, 5 teams is still a lot of ECNL rl for Richmond player pool. Their RU ECNL National barely can compete already.

I see national championships for both RU and Richmond Kickers on the boys side since 2018. Interestingly enough, I also see championships for Beach, Pipeline and Charlotte Independence. Nova seems to be under represented.

https://theecnl.com/sports/2024/6/18/ECNLB_0618244412.aspx?path=general

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with the Richmond United merger, RU will have 3 ECNL RL teams per age group. FC Richmond has 1, meaning in 25/26 Richmond will have a total of 4 ECNL RL teams and 1 ECNL team in the Richmond area. This just dilutes the ECNL RL level, don't you think?

Possibly, but In reality, there will be one new RL team since there were already teams at Strikers, Kickers and FC Richmond. And, from what I read, they plan to have this Blue team play in the VA North Division and the Orange and Red teams in the VA South Division. The long term goal is to get another NL level team...it may give a chance for players more flexibility to move without having to switch clubs now as well which could strengthen teams. More impact on the younger age groups - if your a HS kid playing on the NL team now, this really doesn't change much of anything.

Correct, 5 teams is still a lot of ECNL rl for Richmond player pool. Their RU ECNL National barely can compete already.

Anonymous wrote:So, with the Richmond United merger, RU will have 3 ECNL RL teams per age group. FC Richmond has 1, meaning in 25/26 Richmond will have a total of 4 ECNL RL teams and 1 ECNL team in the Richmond area. This just dilutes the ECNL RL level, don't you think?

Possibly, but In reality, there will be one new RL team since there were already teams at Strikers, Kickers and FC Richmond. And, from what I read, they plan to have this Blue team play in the VA North Division and the Orange and Red teams in the VA South Division. The long term goal is to get another NL level team...it may give a chance for players more flexibility to move without having to switch clubs now as well which could strengthen teams. More impact on the younger age groups - if your a HS kid playing on the NL team now, this really doesn't change much of anything.

So, with the Richmond United merger, RU will have 3 ECNL RL teams per age group. FC Richmond has 1, meaning in 25/26 Richmond will have a total of 4 ECNL RL teams and 1 ECNL team in the Richmond area. This just dilutes the ECNL RL level, don't you think?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:News flash - no one in here gives a flying flip about Richmond

I think it is interesting because RU is one of the stronger youth clubs in the area. In fact, both RU and NCFC are probably stronger orgs than most of the DC area clubs. Too many clubs. It’s good to know what other groups are doing.

Agree. IMO, it's worthwhile to see what's going on in the area, even if Richmond is not in the DC Metro directly, they are close enough. This is interesting because while the past RU was only the 5 Boys & 5 Girls NL level teams, this is bringing both clubs completely together under one umbrella which should allow for improved communication, development, etc throughout the groups.

Anonymous wrote:News flash - no one in here gives a flying flip about Richmond

I think it is interesting because RU is one of the stronger youth clubs in the area. In fact, both RU and NCFC are probably stronger orgs than most of the DC area clubs. Too many clubs. It’s good to know what other groups are doing.

News flash - no one in here gives a flying flip about Richmond

Bad move. This helps FCR and other thorny new clubs surrounding Short Pump United