Hartford Athletic Academy ?????

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Hartford

I wouldn’t think oakwood would do it until hartford proved they could survive. Odds are they will not survive too many years.

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Not the poster but you need to look down the road a few years from now. Most likely MLS is pulling out of DA. They practically are out now with A and B divisions for certain age groups. That greatly weakens the DA proposition for whoever is left - clubs like OW or BS. You're no longer playing pro teams and you're more like ECNL but can't play HS. MLS clubs will line up with USL as a farm team/youth program system. Granted Hartford may not make it that long, but the writing is on the wall for clubs like OW. they need to plan ahead.

MLS pulling out of DA will mean the end of the DA system. Why would USSF continue running DA without the pro clubs? Remember, DA exists to recruit and nurture future MNT talent, and all such prospects will be in Pro academies. No MLS = No DA.

I think that the future will consist of Pro only teams playing in their own league....these pro clubs will come from MLS, USL Championship, USL League One, and other pro leagues that develop over time.

OW needs a pro dance partner (ie. HA) or they will find themselves back in the NPL.

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They are putting real effort or real money??? Big difference. Yes, OW merger would HA would be much stronger than their relationship with USSF!! Who makes this stuff up?! HA is a very low level semi-pro team .... really low level. They have no clout anywhere and they certainly have no money. Who is going to coach the academy teams for free? Santa, the Easter Bunny? Where are they going to get decent coaches that would surpass the garbage clubs that are out there now? for free? Which players are going to jump ship from their current clubs (namely DA and ECNL larger clubs) to make that team elite? They would be the CFC branch or Simmons level club. C'mon, seriously ... think. We have too many teams already in a small state. The last thing we need is another C or D level club that has no capital or vision (doing it because they have been mandated too). Would by like Revs .... just throw something out as cheaply as possible.

Revs just announced a new $35 million training facility for the first team, and their academy. Google it. It looks first class (and not cheap).

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They are putting real effort or real money??? Big difference. Yes, OW merger would HA would be much stronger than their relationship with USSF!! Who makes this stuff up?! HA is a very low level semi-pro team .... really low level. They have no clout anywhere and they certainly have no money. Who is going to coach the academy teams for free? Santa, the Easter Bunny? Where are they going to get decent coaches that would surpass the garbage clubs that are out there now? for free? Which players are going to jump ship from their current clubs (namely DA and ECNL larger clubs) to make that team elite? They would be the CFC branch or Simmons level club. C'mon, seriously ... think. We have too many teams already in a small state. The last thing we need is another C or D level club that has no capital or vision (doing it because they have been mandated too). Would by like Revs .... just throw something out as cheaply as possible.

HA gets the DA badge if they merge with OW. OW needs pro affiliation to stay relevant. Otherwise OW gets pushed down the pyramid, and that would be their death.

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The Logical Voice

HA gets the DA badge if they merge with OW. OW needs pro affiliation to stay relevant. Otherwise OW gets pushed down the pyramid, and that would be their death.

People have been stating Oakwood is dead for years. They seem like that Energizer Bunny. They just keep on ticking.

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Revs just announced a new $35 million training facility for the first team, and their academy. Google it. It looks first class (and not cheap).

Their academy teams get worse every year. A fancy new facility won't do anything if they keep the same crap coaching.

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People have been stating Oakwood is dead for years. They seem like that Energizer Bunny. They just keep on ticking.

But this is about a fundamental structural change that will negatively impact clubs like OW, BS and others. If at all happens as predicted, clubs that aren't lined up with MLS or USL will find themselves trying to find another league to play in. Sure the non pro clubs might be able to cobble together a league, but it won't be much different than ECNL or others, if they could even get enough teams and geography worked.

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The Logical Voice

But this is about a fundamental structural change that will negatively impact clubs like OW, BS and others. If at all happens as predicted, clubs that aren't lined up with MLS or USL will find themselves trying to find another league to play in. Sure the non pro clubs might be able to cobble together a league, but it won't be much different than ECNL or others, if they could even get enough teams and geography worked.

Oakwood will be around, one way or another, long after you and I are done with all this.

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Oakwood will be around, one way or another, long after you and I are done with all this.

Surviving vs thriving. Big difference.

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Oakwood will be around, one way or another, long after you and I are done with all this.

Sure they can hang around, but without the DA badge or pro affiliation they will be less attractive for new players who want a high level experience.

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But this is about a fundamental structural change that will negatively impact clubs like OW, BS and others. If at all happens as predicted, clubs that aren't lined up with MLS or USL will find themselves trying to find another league to play in. Sure the non pro clubs might be able to cobble together a league, but it won't be much different than ECNL or others, if they could even get enough teams and geography worked.

With the dissolution of the DA system, OW would need to turn to either ECNL, EDP, or NPL....it is unlikely the non pro DA clubs will form their own league.

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With the dissolution of the DA system, OW would need to turn to either ECNL, EDP, or NPL....it is unlikely the non pro DA clubs will form their own league.

I agree - I don't think there's the geographic depth or market demand

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MLS pulling out of DA will mean the end of the DA system. Why would USSF continue running DA without the pro clubs? Remember, DA exists to recruit and nurture future MNT talent, and all such prospects will be in Pro academies. No MLS = No DA.

I think that the future will consist of Pro only teams playing in their own league....these pro clubs will come from MLS, USL Championship, USL League One, and other pro leagues that develop over time.

OW needs a pro dance partner (ie. HA) or they will find themselves back in the NPL.

u keep pushing this narrative but neglect that running youth teams is an expensive proposition and it seems pretty crazy to assume that low tier "pro" clubs will have anywhere near the capital available to do anything other than pay to play. and then even if they are "pro" academies, why would they create anything better than the current DA/ECNL product?

also, the non-MLS DA teams are already feeders for the MLS clubs. there are only 5 MLS clubs in the northeast (ex Montreal) and another 4 USL-C clubs (but 1 of those is RBNY 2 and 2 others are already affiliated with MLS clubs). that doesn't seem like enough clubs for an area with a population not dissimilar to england.

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u keep pushing this narrative but neglect that running youth teams is an expensive proposition and it seems pretty crazy to assume that low tier "pro" clubs will have anywhere near the capital available to do anything other than pay to play. and then even if they are "pro" academies, why would they create anything better than the current DA/ECNL product?

also, the non-MLS DA teams are already feeders for the MLS clubs. there are only 5 MLS clubs in the northeast (ex Montreal) and another 4 USL-C clubs (but 1 of those is RBNY 2 and 2 others are already affiliated with MLS clubs). that doesn't seem like enough clubs for an area with a population not dissimilar to england.

https://www.usl-academy.com/about

Once this develops further, a merger with MLS clubs makes the most sense. If you take MLS clubs (30), USL Championship (34 and growing) and USL League One (10 and growing) - you end up with a league of 75+ professional clubs with academies.

Some of these academies will be free to play, some will be partially subsidized, and some will be pay to play - most importantly all academies will be part of professional soccer organizations that will be incentivized to develop players (remember they now have access to solidarity payments and training compensation).This structure will resemble much of the rest of the world.

Once this is off the ground, ECNL and others will remain pay to play and serve primarily as feeder systems for college bound players.

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But this is about a fundamental structural change that will negatively impact clubs like OW, BS and others. If at all happens as predicted, clubs that aren't lined up with MLS or USL will find themselves trying to find another league to play in. Sure the non pro clubs might be able to cobble together a league, but it won't be much different than ECNL or others, if they could even get enough teams and geography worked.

Spot on.