Anonymous wrote:Oh, and don't think for one second that WS is not eyeballing the new 5,000 seat soccer stadium being built near FCVs homebase.

That wouldn’t be a big upgrade over what they have now. They want more games at Audi.

Oh, and don't think for one second that WS is not eyeballing the new 5,000 seat soccer stadium being built near FCVs homebase.

A VA DA team with the Spirit brand will absoulty be fielded in the fall of 2019. That's not even up for debate.

Heres the question:

Is Spirit trying to copy the MD model when they essentailly gave the program to Pipeline-Sac. If so, then Spirit VA DA as you currently know it will be dissolved and FCv will take it over....to include the dues

The DA/ECNL crowd is so panicky...

I was the one who emailed Larry and who posted his response.

I have no problem with his answer and think it's perfectly reasonable given that he's only been on the job a few days, not to mention there was a NWSL draft today to get ready for. He's not in a position to have evaluated the DAs, determine what their future should be, and then to have discussed and resolved those futures with the new owner to be. No competent CEO would commit, one way or the other, to a specific course of action this soon into his tenure.

I don't feel liking digging up my email to him but it just asked if there was any truth to Spirit getting rid of the VA DA and just having MD, and if so, when would notice be given to players.

Anonymous wrote:^^^^This x 10000000. Give parents a timeline to work with. Some of the current players are already jumping ship. A terrible situation for those caught up in it!!

Oh really? Who has “jumped ship?”

^^^^This x 10000000. Give parents a timeline to work with. Some of the current players are already jumping ship. A terrible situation for those caught up in it!!

Seems like the logical followup for the person who reached out to Larry Best and got that answer would be a reply saying something like, "Larry, your answer doesn't inspire confidence -- if anything it fuels the rumors you described are rampant in youth soccer... The fact that you didn't say the DA is definitely continued validates the rumor that it may not be going forward. WHEN specifically can I expect a decision and communication on the future of the Spirit DA program or programs (VA/MD)? FCV and Arlington are hosting ID sessions starting this month. Is Spirit officially giving all its players permission/release to reach out to these other clubs/attend ID sessions in case the Spirit decision about 2019 and beyond leaves them without a club?"

Of course a new owner/management team have every right to evaluate the company/Club business operations and strategy, and that may mean they make hard decisions that WS DA parents don't like. But be up front about it. Alienating a whole pool of families (and everyone they can reach via their social media networks) that will likely never again attend a Spirit pro game if their DDs are left in the lurch isn't a good way to begin a new chapter....

What question was actually asked of Mr. Best? Before analyzing his answer that would seem to be important.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's a concerning non-answer if you are a Spirit player/parent. No one is asking about this spring....

I hear you, but his prior sentence did say "no decisions have been made about the Spirit youth model or programming for 2019 and beyond." Read together, and assuming both sentences are true statements, I don't know how this could be interpreted as meaning that, for example, Spirit will be eliminating its VA DA program for the 2019-20 season. However, I think a fair reading of these sentences is that, while Spirit has not yet made a definitive decision on its youth programming for the 2019-20 season, they could be currently deliberating over what to do next season with their DA and youth programming.

With all of that said, I am sure there will be some paranoid interpretation by some posters that Burke used the phrase "youth programming" in both sentences, but then used the phrase "DA support" in the second sentence, which one could argue means that he thinks "youth programming" and "DA" are two distinct items. If that is the case (and I don't think it is), then a paranoid parent could read between the lines that Burke only mentioned supporting DA through the end of this spring.

Oh, please, if there was certainty and no doubt that Spirit would continue its support of DA in the coming future it is easy enough to say so. They could even up-sell and say buzzy things and how they are looking to improve the experience and the product. But in the end, this just says, "Spirit is committed through the Spring".

I’m not concerned. They haven’t made a decision to terminate the program means just that. A good CEO is not going to do what you just said for any number of reasons, to include not getting pinned down with that answer in the event something were to come up that really required abandoning the program.

Again, it makes no financial sense to throw away the revenue stream they currently have and has been stable. There has been no issue filling rosters and in fact people have only complained that rosters were on the higher ends.

You are just a FUD factory poster.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's a concerning non-answer if you are a Spirit player/parent. No one is asking about this spring....

I hear you, but his prior sentence did say "no decisions have been made about the Spirit youth model or programming for 2019 and beyond." Read together, and assuming both sentences are true statements, I don't know how this could be interpreted as meaning that, for example, Spirit will be eliminating its VA DA program for the 2019-20 season. However, I think a fair reading of these sentences is that, while Spirit has not yet made a definitive decision on its youth programming for the 2019-20 season, they could be currently deliberating over what to do next season with their DA and youth programming.

With all of that said, I am sure there will be some paranoid interpretation by some posters that Burke used the phrase "youth programming" in both sentences, but then used the phrase "DA support" in the second sentence, which one could argue means that he thinks "youth programming" and "DA" are two distinct items. If that is the case (and I don't think it is), then a paranoid parent could read between the lines that Burke only mentioned supporting DA through the end of this spring.

Oh, please, if there was certainty and no doubt that Spirit would continue its support of DA in the coming future it is easy enough to say so. They could even up-sell and say buzzy things and how they are looking to improve the experience and the product. But in the end, this just says, "Spirit is committed through the Spring".

Anonymous wrote:That's a concerning non-answer if you are a Spirit player/parent. No one is asking about this spring....

I hear you, but his prior sentence did say "no decisions have been made about the Spirit youth model or programming for 2019 and beyond." Read together, and assuming both sentences are true statements, I don't know how this could be interpreted as meaning that, for example, Spirit will be eliminating its VA DA program for the 2019-20 season. However, I think a fair reading of these sentences is that, while Spirit has not yet made a definitive decision on its youth programming for the 2019-20 season, they could be currently deliberating over what to do next season with their DA and youth programming.

With all of that said, I am sure there will be some paranoid interpretation by some posters that Burke used the phrase "youth programming" in both sentences, but then used the phrase "DA support" in the second sentence, which one could argue means that he thinks "youth programming" and "DA" are two distinct items. If that is the case (and I don't think it is), then a paranoid parent could read between the lines that Burke only mentioned supporting DA through the end of this spring.

That's a concerning non-answer if you are a Spirit player/parent. No one is asking about this spring....

Anonymous wrote:Someone on this board emailed WS DA staff, right? What was the response?

Thanks for reaching out and its nice to hear from you. In the soccer landscape (especially youth) the rumors can circulate like wildfire. I can assure you that no decisions have been made about the Spirit youth model or programming for 2019 and beyond.

Right now it's business as usual with the Spirit youth programing and DA support continuing this spring for both the Virginia and Maryland DA programs.

Thanks again for reaching out.

Cheers,

LRB

Someone on this board emailed WS DA staff, right? What was the response?