Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine the shift to the local landscape if Arlington and/or Loudoun(NVA) switched to MLS Next/GA in an effort to salvage their boys programs. And I’m sure MLS and GA would take either of them. Now imagine 1-2 teams in every metro area doing the same. It doesn’t take much. If you have the soccer rankings app, there are virtually no ECNL Boys teams in the top 20 nationally. I don’t see how this doesn’t happen.

Arlington may belong in MLS next but definitely not Loudoun. Actually, both clubs have DC united's kids that couldn't play full time for them.

What do you mean DCU kids couldn't play full time for them? Can you elaborate on that?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If ECNL boys teams keep losing their best players to MLS, more big clubs could consider applying for MLS. And, if they switch to MLS on the boys side, the GA is the best non-ECNL option for their girls teams. It seems natural that GA will rise in this current scenario.

Agree. Not a GA cheerleader, but I think people vastly overstate the dominance of ECNL.

Now? Yes. In 10 years? I wouldn't assume that.

If ECNL unbundles boy and girl club membership, they solve this problem in a heartbeat. If they don't, they have only themselves to blame for what happens.

If ECNL unbundles, the boys ECNL program will be dead very quickly. Lots of ECNL clubs will want to switch their boys team to MLS and keep their girls teams in ECNL.

If ECNL doesn’t unbundle, the ECNL clubs will continue to lose top boys to MLS. These clubs will have to decide whether to prioritize girls teams by keeping ECNL/ECNL or boys by switching to MLS/GA. If GA is a reasonable alternative to ECNL for girls, it seems like an easy decision to drop ECNL altogether. GA stands to gain in this scenario.

On the boys side, plenty may want to be in MLS Next, but that doesn't mean MLS Next wants plenty.

Even pay-to-play has it's limits. Writing a check doesn't get junior on to every team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If ECNL boys teams keep losing their best players to MLS, more big clubs could consider applying for MLS. And, if they switch to MLS on the boys side, the GA is the best non-ECNL option for their girls teams. It seems natural that GA will rise in this current scenario.

Agree. Not a GA cheerleader, but I think people vastly overstate the dominance of ECNL.

Now? Yes. In 10 years? I wouldn't assume that.

If ECNL unbundles boy and girl club membership, they solve this problem in a heartbeat. If they don't, they have only themselves to blame for what happens.

If ECNL unbundles, the boys ECNL program will be dead very quickly. Lots of ECNL clubs will want to switch their boys team to MLS and keep their girls teams in ECNL.

If ECNL doesn’t unbundle, the ECNL clubs will continue to lose top boys to MLS. These clubs will have to decide whether to prioritize girls teams by keeping ECNL/ECNL or boys by switching to MLS/GA. If GA is a reasonable alternative to ECNL for girls, it seems like an easy decision to drop ECNL altogether. GA stands to gain in this scenario.

On the boys side, plenty may want to be in MLS Next, but that doesn't mean MLS Next wants plenty.

If they can profit, they will.

Who are "they?" Do you think MLS profits from MLS Next? They don't. The club academies don't - not really. And the non-MLS clubs do not run MLS Next and, in any event, are marketing competitiveness, which requires selectivity. You must have this mixed up with something else.

Maybe they think MLS charges a subscription fee to wear the fancy 'MLS Next' badge on the shirt sleeve

The point of being an Elite League is to have Elite Clubs. Taking everyone completely waters that down.
Considering the few spots D1 College teams have for incoming American freshman you’ll quickly see coaches only spend their time on Academy teams. It’s close to that now.
It could happen, but I don’t think it will have the result a lot of parents want. Your Clubs and your kids sole purpose will be to help fund the Academies while you’re playing teams that were EDP last year.
I agree with the 10 years from now guy, you can’t predict what’s going to still play out this Spring let alone next Spring .
You want your kid in the best fit, whatever the League. Coaching, travel, competition. Getting hooked on Leagues won’t get you anywhere these days.
That’s boys, girls are a different story.

Anonymous wrote:Imagine the shift to the local landscape if Arlington and/or Loudoun(NVA) switched to MLS Next/GA in an effort to salvage their boys programs. And I’m sure MLS and GA would take either of them. Now imagine 1-2 teams in every metro area doing the same. It doesn’t take much. If you have the soccer rankings app, there are virtually no ECNL Boys teams in the top 20 nationally. I don’t see how this doesn’t happen.

Arlington may belong in MLS next but definitely not Loudoun. Actually, both clubs have DC united's kids that couldn't play full time for them.

This has the potential to let ECNL boys die. Before MLS Next and GA, USSF DA was putting pressure on ECNL, and ECNL won on the girls side. IMO, wasn't actually anything merit based but more of an inside job, selling off the market to ECNL. Now with the rise of MLS Next, ECNL doesn't have someone on the inside of MLS Next that would help them maintain control in the market like they did on the girls side.

Time will correct the market on this. The question is, will ECNL's strangle hold on the girls market suffer with clubs shifting girls programs over to a growing GA market?

It would be amazing it unify USL and MLS Next for boys into a single pyramid and let boys ENCL die. It doesn't serve the purpose, college scholarships, for which it exists.

Imagine the shift to the local landscape if Arlington and/or Loudoun(NVA) switched to MLS Next/GA in an effort to salvage their boys programs. And I’m sure MLS and GA would take either of them. Now imagine 1-2 teams in every metro area doing the same. It doesn’t take much. If you have the soccer rankings app, there are virtually no ECNL Boys teams in the top 20 nationally. I don’t see how this doesn’t happen.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If ECNL boys teams keep losing their best players to MLS, more big clubs could consider applying for MLS. And, if they switch to MLS on the boys side, the GA is the best non-ECNL option for their girls teams. It seems natural that GA will rise in this current scenario.

Agree. Not a GA cheerleader, but I think people vastly overstate the dominance of ECNL.

Now? Yes. In 10 years? I wouldn't assume that.

If ECNL unbundles boy and girl club membership, they solve this problem in a heartbeat. If they don't, they have only themselves to blame for what happens.

If ECNL unbundles, the boys ECNL program will be dead very quickly. Lots of ECNL clubs will want to switch their boys team to MLS and keep their girls teams in ECNL.

If ECNL doesn’t unbundle, the ECNL clubs will continue to lose top boys to MLS. These clubs will have to decide whether to prioritize girls teams by keeping ECNL/ECNL or boys by switching to MLS/GA. If GA is a reasonable alternative to ECNL for girls, it seems like an easy decision to drop ECNL altogether. GA stands to gain in this scenario.

On the boys side, plenty may want to be in MLS Next, but that doesn't mean MLS Next wants plenty.

If they can profit, they will.

Who are "they?" Do you think MLS profits from MLS Next? They don't. The club academies don't - not really. And the non-MLS clubs do not run MLS Next and, in any event, are marketing competitiveness, which requires selectivity. You must have this mixed up with something else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If ECNL boys teams keep losing their best players to MLS, more big clubs could consider applying for MLS. And, if they switch to MLS on the boys side, the GA is the best non-ECNL option for their girls teams. It seems natural that GA will rise in this current scenario.

Agree. Not a GA cheerleader, but I think people vastly overstate the dominance of ECNL.

Now? Yes. In 10 years? I wouldn't assume that.

If ECNL unbundles boy and girl club membership, they solve this problem in a heartbeat. If they don't, they have only themselves to blame for what happens.

If ECNL unbundles, the boys ECNL program will be dead very quickly. Lots of ECNL clubs will want to switch their boys team to MLS and keep their girls teams in ECNL.

If ECNL doesn’t unbundle, the ECNL clubs will continue to lose top boys to MLS. These clubs will have to decide whether to prioritize girls teams by keeping ECNL/ECNL or boys by switching to MLS/GA. If GA is a reasonable alternative to ECNL for girls, it seems like an easy decision to drop ECNL altogether. GA stands to gain in this scenario.

On the boys side, plenty may want to be in MLS Next, but that doesn't mean MLS Next wants plenty.

If they can profit, they will.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If ECNL boys teams keep losing their best players to MLS, more big clubs could consider applying for MLS. And, if they switch to MLS on the boys side, the GA is the best non-ECNL option for their girls teams. It seems natural that GA will rise in this current scenario.

Agree. Not a GA cheerleader, but I think people vastly overstate the dominance of ECNL.

Now? Yes. In 10 years? I wouldn't assume that.

If ECNL unbundles boy and girl club membership, they solve this problem in a heartbeat. If they don't, they have only themselves to blame for what happens.

If ECNL unbundles, the boys ECNL program will be dead very quickly. Lots of ECNL clubs will want to switch their boys team to MLS and keep their girls teams in ECNL.

If ECNL doesn’t unbundle, the ECNL clubs will continue to lose top boys to MLS. These clubs will have to decide whether to prioritize girls teams by keeping ECNL/ECNL or boys by switching to MLS/GA. If GA is a reasonable alternative to ECNL for girls, it seems like an easy decision to drop ECNL altogether. GA stands to gain in this scenario.

On the boys side, plenty may want to be in MLS Next, but that doesn't mean MLS Next wants plenty.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If ECNL boys teams keep losing their best players to MLS, more big clubs could consider applying for MLS. And, if they switch to MLS on the boys side, the GA is the best non-ECNL option for their girls teams. It seems natural that GA will rise in this current scenario.

Agree. Not a GA cheerleader, but I think people vastly overstate the dominance of ECNL.

Now? Yes. In 10 years? I wouldn't assume that.

If ECNL unbundles boy and girl club membership, they solve this problem in a heartbeat. If they don't, they have only themselves to blame for what happens.

If ECNL unbundles, the boys ECNL program will be dead very quickly. Lots of ECNL clubs will want to switch their boys team to MLS and keep their girls teams in ECNL.

If ECNL doesn’t unbundle, the ECNL clubs will continue to lose top boys to MLS. These clubs will have to decide whether to prioritize girls teams by keeping ECNL/ECNL or boys by switching to MLS/GA. If GA is a reasonable alternative to ECNL for girls, it seems like an easy decision to drop ECNL altogether. GA stands to gain in this scenario.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If ECNL boys teams keep losing their best players to MLS, more big clubs could consider applying for MLS. And, if they switch to MLS on the boys side, the GA is the best non-ECNL option for their girls teams. It seems natural that GA will rise in this current scenario.

Agree. Not a GA cheerleader, but I think people vastly overstate the dominance of ECNL.

Now? Yes. In 10 years? I wouldn't assume that.

If ECNL unbundles boy and girl club membership, they solve this problem in a heartbeat. If they don't, they have only themselves to blame for what happens.

In 10 years, I doubt many (any?) on this forum will care, and most the coaches at said clubs will be gone and some new crazy league will probably have formed

Anonymous wrote:If ECNL boys teams keep losing their best players to MLS, more big clubs could consider applying for MLS. And, if they switch to MLS on the boys side, the GA is the best non-ECNL option for their girls teams. It seems natural that GA will rise in this current scenario.

Application(clubs) and vacancy/acceptance (MLS Next) need to all be in sync for there to be a mass exodus scenario.