Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think many people forget MLSNext is not just MLS Academies.

On the contrary, with tier 2 expansion the MLSN P2P clubs outnumber the academies.

So MLSN can’t ditch P2P clubs’ interests (huge amount of money is coming from P2P clubs to MLSN).

For a MLSN P2P it’s impossible to keep 2 age systems. Organization would be crazy.

U12 and younger, plus the rest of older teams (non MLSN) will be playing SY … so I see unavoidable that MLSN P2P push for moving to SY.

P2P MLSN clubs vastly outnumbered Academies before MLSN2 arrived. It is just, literally, another soccer league in a soup of them. Some of these people on here acting like these kids are all going pro and need to be grouped by BY because ('sans England') other countries group by BY (they do that because BY is also their school year cohorts) is wild. I know certain generations are susceptible to marketing but dang. Nothing would change if MLSN went SY or stayed BY. It would not change an iota. My god...

Why dont you just mind your own business and let people do what they want. Oh ya you know that if MLSN stays BY they will just ignore ECNL even more than they already do. Which will be really bad for boys ECNL.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think many people forget MLSNext is not just MLS Academies.

On the contrary, with tier 2 expansion the MLSN P2P clubs outnumber the academies.

So MLSN can’t ditch P2P clubs’ interests (huge amount of money is coming from P2P clubs to MLSN).

For a MLSN P2P it’s impossible to keep 2 age systems. Organization would be crazy.

U12 and younger, plus the rest of older teams (non MLSN) will be playing SY … so I see unavoidable that MLSN P2P push for moving to SY.

P2P MLSN clubs vastly outnumbered Academies before MLSN2 arrived. It is just, literally, another soccer league in a soup of them. Some of these people on here acting like these kids are all going pro and need to be grouped by BY because ('sans England') other countries group by BY (they do that because BY is also their school year cohorts) is wild. I know certain generations are susceptible to marketing but dang. Nothing would change if MLSN went SY or stayed BY. It would not change an iota. My god...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think many people forget MLSNext is not just MLS Academies.

On the contrary, with tier 2 expansion the MLSN P2P clubs outnumber the academies.

So MLSN can’t ditch P2P clubs’ interests (huge amount of money is coming from P2P clubs to MLSN).

For a MLSN P2P it’s impossible to keep 2 age systems. Organization would be crazy.

U12 and younger, plus the rest of older teams (non MLSN) will be playing SY … so I see unavoidable that MLSN P2P push for moving to SY.

P2P MLSN clubs vastly outnumbered Academies before MLSN2 arrived. It is just, literally, another soccer league in a soup of them. Some of these people on here acting like these kids are all going pro and need to be grouped by BY because ('sans England') other countries group by BY (they do that because BY is also their school year cohorts) is wild. I know certain generations are susceptible to marketing but dang. Nothing would change if MLSN went SY or stayed BY. It would not change an iota. My god...

Anonymous wrote:
I think many people forget MLSNext is not just MLS Academies.

On the contrary, with tier 2 expansion the MLSN P2P clubs outnumber the academies.

So MLSN can’t ditch P2P clubs’ interests (huge amount of money is coming from P2P clubs to MLSN).

For a MLSN P2P it’s impossible to keep 2 age systems. Organization would be crazy.

U12 and younger, plus the rest of older teams (non MLSN) will be playing SY … so I see unavoidable that MLSN P2P push for moving to SY.

Anonymous wrote:
I think many people forget MLSNext is not just MLS Academies.

On the contrary, with tier 2 expansion the MLSN P2P clubs outnumber the academies.

So MLSN can’t ditch P2P clubs’ interests (huge amount of money is coming from P2P clubs to MLSN).

For a MLSN P2P it’s impossible to keep 2 age systems. Organization would be crazy.

U12 and younger, plus the rest of older teams (non MLSN) will be playing SY … so I see unavoidable that MLSN P2P push for moving to SY.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again, MLSN top players can choose to play professionally or in college.

This is the appeal.

One can "choose to play professionally" after playing for any league/org. A player in their last club year at a P2P MLSN club has no better chance of playing pro than the same exact kid at an ECNL club. They've both got a long tough road ahead...

The appeal, for 99% of the players at a P2P MLSN club, is getting a better shot at D1 and college ball. The same exact percentage as at an ECNL club. I would argue the college scouts currently favor MLSN.

Anonymous wrote:Keep responding to your own posts.

Thats fine everyone sees through your ECNL SY fan fanboyism.

The more to try to twist reality the more people understand why youre wrong.

Anonymous wrote:Again, MLSN top players can choose to play professionally or in college.

This is the appeal.

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Anonymous wrote:How valid is the rumor that ECNL is allowing 4 trapped players to move to their SY teams in January 2026? It would be great to revisit where that came from

Well as of now ECNL has no plans of changing anything. So I would assume that was made up.

Only saving grace would be if US soccer decides to allow an early change. Which would be something they would discuss this fall during their meetings similarly to when they discussed the age group change at all.

USSF has no influence over youth soccer since DA folded (except the YNT). This do-whatever-you-want age cutoff is the manifestation of that.

They don't control anything anymore so they can't tell people what to do anymore. USYS , USCS and AYSO were merely giving them a token proposal.

But isn't the argument that USSF created their own private orgs (MLSN/GA) to replace DA, so that's where they show up? And, isn't this is why they left BY/SY to each organization?

US Soccer (USSF) most certainly does control all soccer in America. You only see the youth part of what they do. They allow (grant the right) for entities to sanction (player paperwork) this is what allows leagues to exist. US Soccer also does MLS USL NWSL USWNT USMNT.

What US Soccer did with with BY vs SY is allow leagues to choose what grouping type works best for them. ECNL has made it clear that they prefer SY. Unofficially ECNL worked with US Club (who sanctions ECNL) to "encourage" all leagues US Club sanctions to change to SY. USYS has also announced that they plan to change to SY

What the ECNL hats cant comprehend is that MLS sanctions MLS Next and GA is able to sanction itself. They are both completely different than US Club. There is a really good chance that neither change from BY. For boys MLSN controls who gets to play professionally. For girls GA staying BY might be happening becasue the plan is to link GA with NWSL the same way MLSN is linked with MLS. ECNL lovers see this possibility and because of it are trying everything they can to make up that GA is switching to SY. When in reality only GA + NWSL + US Soccer hleadership know what will happen next.

"There is a really good chance that neither change from BY. For boys MLSN controls who gets to play professionally. "P2P dad wishful thinking here

No idea what youre trying to say.

But, I agree that MLS controls MLSN and because they're a professional soccer organization (not a school) keeping things BY makes the most sense for them.

Please explain how BY helps them? Pro's don't care about age groups, so it doesn't matter either way. Long term would be easier to be consistent with everyone else, short term a little aggravation. At the end of three day the cutoff date is meaningless for pro pathway.

You are a blockhead.

SY has no meaning in professional sports.

BY defines a players age which translates into their shelf life. If they're not hitting certain age defined development goals clubs will stop investing in them.

You dont understand any of this because your kid is likely a girl and all you can see is what ECNL is spoon feeding you about college pathways.

BY doesn't define their age, birth date defines their age.

Sigh...

If someone says their kid is a 2014 how old is their kid? (BY grouping)

If someone says my kid is a freshman in HS how old are they? (SY grouping)

And yet neither one of those matter when looking at a kid for a professional opportunity. This is N of 1 situation where they will know the birthdate. Again, BY vs. SY makes absolutely zero difference for a pro decision.

You just keep posting even when you know you're wrong.

BY defines a players age which translates into their shelf life. If they're not hitting certain age defined development goals clubs will stop investing in them.

So yes pro teams 100% care if a potential player is 16 or 24 and playing at the same level. On top of that it translates into the "value" of their contract and what they can expect to get paid.

Wrong audience.

This thread is filled with NPL / DPL and RL parents that are convinced the change will make their children first team NL players.

The SY change, which is totally fine, won’t affect the top players in the US getting to college. But it will reduce the gains we’ve made in the professional pipeline. AND with the women’s game having a professional pipeline just forming, driven largely by the NWSL at first, the US is giving up the gains it’s made in professionalizing to the WSL and Women’s European leagues.

This audience doesn’t care about that.
They care about college and youth climb and having fun. Totally OK.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How valid is the rumor that ECNL is allowing 4 trapped players to move to their SY teams in January 2026? It would be great to revisit where that came from

Well as of now ECNL has no plans of changing anything. So I would assume that was made up.

Only saving grace would be if US soccer decides to allow an early change. Which would be something they would discuss this fall during their meetings similarly to when they discussed the age group change at all.

USSF has no influence over youth soccer since DA folded (except the YNT). This do-whatever-you-want age cutoff is the manifestation of that.

They don't control anything anymore so they can't tell people what to do anymore. USYS , USCS and AYSO were merely giving them a token proposal.

But isn't the argument that USSF created their own private orgs (MLSN/GA) to replace DA, so that's where they show up? And, isn't this is why they left BY/SY to each organization?

US Soccer (USSF) most certainly does control all soccer in America. You only see the youth part of what they do. They allow (grant the right) for entities to sanction (player paperwork) this is what allows leagues to exist. US Soccer also does MLS USL NWSL USWNT USMNT.

What US Soccer did with with BY vs SY is allow leagues to choose what grouping type works best for them. ECNL has made it clear that they prefer SY. Unofficially ECNL worked with US Club (who sanctions ECNL) to "encourage" all leagues US Club sanctions to change to SY. USYS has also announced that they plan to change to SY

What the ECNL hats cant comprehend is that MLS sanctions MLS Next and GA is able to sanction itself. They are both completely different than US Club. There is a really good chance that neither change from BY. For boys MLSN controls who gets to play professionally. For girls GA staying BY might be happening becasue the plan is to link GA with NWSL the same way MLSN is linked with MLS. ECNL lovers see this possibility and because of it are trying everything they can to make up that GA is switching to SY. When in reality only GA + NWSL + US Soccer hleadership know what will happen next.

"There is a really good chance that neither change from BY. For boys MLSN controls who gets to play professionally. "P2P dad wishful thinking here

No idea what youre trying to say.

But, I agree that MLS controls MLSN and because they're a professional soccer organization (not a school) keeping things BY makes the most sense for them.

Please explain how BY helps them? Pro's don't care about age groups, so it doesn't matter either way. Long term would be easier to be consistent with everyone else, short term a little aggravation. At the end of three day the cutoff date is meaningless for pro pathway.

You are a blockhead.

SY has no meaning in professional sports.

BY defines a players age which translates into their shelf life. If they're not hitting certain age defined development goals clubs will stop investing in them.

You dont understand any of this because your kid is likely a girl and all you can see is what ECNL is spoon feeding you about college pathways.

BY doesn't define their age, birth date defines their age.

Sigh...

If someone says their kid is a 2014 how old is their kid? (BY grouping)

If someone says my kid is a freshman in HS how old are they? (SY grouping)

And yet neither one of those matter when looking at a kid for a professional opportunity. This is N of 1 situation where they will know the birthdate. Again, BY vs. SY makes absolutely zero difference for a pro decision.

You just keep posting even when you know you're wrong.

BY defines a players age which translates into their shelf life. If they're not hitting certain age defined development goals clubs will stop investing in them.

So yes pro teams 100% care if a potential player is 16 or 24 and playing at the same level. On top of that it translates into the "value" of their contract and what they can expect to get paid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How valid is the rumor that ECNL is allowing 4 trapped players to move to their SY teams in January 2026? It would be great to revisit where that came from

Well as of now ECNL has no plans of changing anything. So I would assume that was made up.

Only saving grace would be if US soccer decides to allow an early change. Which would be something they would discuss this fall during their meetings similarly to when they discussed the age group change at all.

USSF has no influence over youth soccer since DA folded (except the YNT). This do-whatever-you-want age cutoff is the manifestation of that.

They don't control anything anymore so they can't tell people what to do anymore. USYS , USCS and AYSO were merely giving them a token proposal.

But isn't the argument that USSF created their own private orgs (MLSN/GA) to replace DA, so that's where they show up? And, isn't this is why they left BY/SY to each organization?

US Soccer (USSF) most certainly does control all soccer in America. You only see the youth part of what they do. They allow (grant the right) for entities to sanction (player paperwork) this is what allows leagues to exist. US Soccer also does MLS USL NWSL USWNT USMNT.

What US Soccer did with with BY vs SY is allow leagues to choose what grouping type works best for them. ECNL has made it clear that they prefer SY. Unofficially ECNL worked with US Club (who sanctions ECNL) to "encourage" all leagues US Club sanctions to change to SY. USYS has also announced that they plan to change to SY

What the ECNL hats cant comprehend is that MLS sanctions MLS Next and GA is able to sanction itself. They are both completely different than US Club. There is a really good chance that neither change from BY. For boys MLSN controls who gets to play professionally. For girls GA staying BY might be happening becasue the plan is to link GA with NWSL the same way MLSN is linked with MLS. ECNL lovers see this possibility and because of it are trying everything they can to make up that GA is switching to SY. When in reality only GA + NWSL + US Soccer hleadership know what will happen next.

"There is a really good chance that neither change from BY. For boys MLSN controls who gets to play professionally. "P2P dad wishful thinking here

No idea what youre trying to say.

But, I agree that MLS controls MLSN and because they're a professional soccer organization (not a school) keeping things BY makes the most sense for them.

Please explain how BY helps them? Pro's don't care about age groups, so it doesn't matter either way. Long term would be easier to be consistent with everyone else, short term a little aggravation. At the end of three day the cutoff date is meaningless for pro pathway.

You are a blockhead.

SY has no meaning in professional sports.

BY defines a players age which translates into their shelf life. If they're not hitting certain age defined development goals clubs will stop investing in them.

You dont understand any of this because your kid is likely a girl and all you can see is what ECNL is spoon feeding you about college pathways.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How valid is the rumor that ECNL is allowing 4 trapped players to move to their SY teams in January 2026? It would be great to revisit where that came from

Well as of now ECNL has no plans of changing anything. So I would assume that was made up.

Only saving grace would be if US soccer decides to allow an early change. Which would be something they would discuss this fall during their meetings similarly to when they discussed the age group change at all.

USSF has no influence over youth soccer since DA folded (except the YNT). This do-whatever-you-want age cutoff is the manifestation of that.

They don't control anything anymore so they can't tell people what to do anymore. USYS , USCS and AYSO were merely giving them a token proposal.

But isn't the argument that USSF created their own private orgs (MLSN/GA) to replace DA, so that's where they show up? And, isn't this is why they left BY/SY to each organization?

US Soccer (USSF) most certainly does control all soccer in America. You only see the youth part of what they do. They allow (grant the right) for entities to sanction (player paperwork) this is what allows leagues to exist. US Soccer also does MLS USL NWSL USWNT USMNT.

What US Soccer did with with BY vs SY is allow leagues to choose what grouping type works best for them. ECNL has made it clear that they prefer SY. Unofficially ECNL worked with US Club (who sanctions ECNL) to "encourage" all leagues US Club sanctions to change to SY. USYS has also announced that they plan to change to SY

What the ECNL hats cant comprehend is that MLS sanctions MLS Next and GA is able to sanction itself. They are both completely different than US Club. There is a really good chance that neither change from BY. For boys MLSN controls who gets to play professionally. For girls GA staying BY might be happening because the plan is to link GA with NWSL the same way MLSN is linked with MLS. ECNL lovers see this possibility and because of it are trying everything they can to make up that GA is switching to SY. When in reality only GA + NWSL + US Soccer leadership know what will happen next.

The reason ECNL went to SY is because that is what college coaches were asking for - they want to see players basically by graduating class (or close to it). And despite boy parents equating NWSL with MLS - there just isn't the market for professionally play on the girls side. NWSL salaries are miniscule compared to MLS, and going to college and getting a degree looks much better financially to lots of girls versus slogging it out to become a pro when the money isn't great. Thus, GA needs to decide what they want to be. If they want to be a path to pros (which is what maybe 1% wants) they stay BY; if they want to be a conduit to college recruiting, they go SY.

Also, this great linkage between GA/MLS/US Soccer leadership that you think is happenign, isn't. The head of US Soccer is also part of NCFC/NC Courage leadership, and they are firmly entrenched in ECNL. If they moved to GA, then you would know something is up in coordination with US Soccer.

You obviously dont understand that MLSN places players on pro teams and on college teams.

This is exactly what would happen with GA if it partnered with NWSL.

This is what I think peopel are missing. A) yes the path to pro goes through MLS Academies for the most part thats true. However those academies pick up kids from MLSN P2P, from ECNL, from other countries, from literally wherever. B) MLS Academies places FAR more kids in college programs than they do professional programs. By FAR.