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    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    Get real. I believe in GDA, but GDA did it for the money.
    Not solely. They did it to try to take away the power from ECNL because of the problems. I believe in it too, but I also see it's flawed.
    ECNL was great and then after the founding commissioner left, it went downhill. She kept the Board in line. I think USSF saw that happen as well.
    I was at an ECNL showcase tourney. Saw a somewhat heated exchange between the USSF scouts and those on the board of ECNL. I don't think USSF was on board with a Board selection. Anyway, it wasn't pretty. A few months later, the GDA was announced. I don't think it was coincidential.

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      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      Not solely. They did it to try to take away the power from ECNL because of the problems. I believe in it too, but I also see it's flawed.
      ECNL was great and then after the founding commissioner left, it went downhill. She kept the Board in line. I think USSF saw that happen as well.
      I was at an ECNL showcase tourney. Saw a somewhat heated exchange between the USSF scouts and those on the board of ECNL. I don't think USSF was on board with a Board selection. Anyway, it wasn't pretty. A few months later, the GDA was announced. I don't think it was coincidential.
      ...with an ECNL Board selection (suggestions of players) to upcoming camps. That's what I heard and saw.

      Comment


        Originally posted by Unregistered
        Not solely. They did it to try to take away the power from ECNL because of the problems. I believe in it too, but I also see it's flawed.
        ECNL was great and then after the founding commissioner left, it went downhill. She kept the Board in line. I think USSF saw that happen as well.
        I was at an ECNL showcase tourney. Saw a somewhat heated exchange between the USSF scouts and those on the board of ECNL. I don't think USSF was on board with a Board selection. Anyway, it wasn't pretty. A few months later, the GDA was announced. I don't think it was coincidential.
        And you know this because what? If GDA was announced a few months later, maybe that was the reason for a heated exchange. Or maybe it was something else. Or maybe, because this is talking soccer, it never happened. Who knows. I care about GDA because my daughter plays in GDA and other than the expensive trips it is a joke.

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          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          Not solely. They did it to try to take away the power from ECNL because of the problems. I believe in it too, but I also see it's flawed.
          ECNL was great and then after the founding commissioner left, it went downhill. She kept the Board in line. I think USSF saw that happen as well.
          I was at an ECNL showcase tourney. Saw a somewhat heated exchange between the USSF scouts and those on the board of ECNL. I don't think USSF was on board with a Board selection. Anyway, it wasn't pretty. A few months later, the GDA was announced. I don't think it was coincidential.
          It also wasn't coincidental that it came shortly after the WNT filed their first lawsuit for fair treatment. It was a good PR move to take some heat off USSF - look we have girls teams too so that means we care!

          Anyway, no doubt ECNL had flaws and the NT needed shoring up, but USSF blew every bit of the execution. Part of that was ego, another incompetence, the rest greed.

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            ECNL and GDA are first and foremost marketing exercises. The product they are selling is not soccer or athletic development. They are selling exclusivity and future opportunities (college admissions, scholarship, pro career, NT assignment). Their best salespeople are their main customers similar to other brands. Exclusivity is achieved by limited access, and most importantly never showing the down-side of the product such as lack of quality. The cost and limited # of teams achieves the exclusivity. The lack of play outside the league and the fear of being left out by families/players ensures that quality failures are not made public.

            At the end of the day, the soccer is the same, if not worse, than elsewhere. The teams are not unbeatable and there is a documented history of ECNL and GDA teams being beaten by NPL and other supposedly lesser teams. Don’t believe the hype.

            Comment


              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              ECNL and GDA are first and foremost marketing exercises. The product they are selling is not soccer or athletic development. They are selling exclusivity and future opportunities (college admissions, scholarship, pro career, NT assignment). Their best salespeople are their main customers similar to other brands. Exclusivity is achieved by limited access, and most importantly never showing the down-side of the product such as lack of quality. The cost and limited # of teams achieves the exclusivity. The lack of play outside the league and the fear of being left out by families/players ensures that quality failures are not made public.

              At the end of the day, the soccer is the same, if not worse, than elsewhere. The teams are not unbeatable and there is a documented history of ECNL and GDA teams being beaten by NPL and other supposedly lesser teams. Don’t believe the hype.
              Unfortunately, they opted to devalue their exclusivity by creating an ECNL "West". Have they never heard of supply and demand?

              They knew full well they weren't ever going to be "all-in" with DA but needed to place all these girls due to the promises they had made the previous season.

              These ECNL teams now have proven that those who wear the badge are simply NOT the best. Not a good marketing strategy.

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                And that is absolutely the truth.Marketing the asinine belief that you need Ecnl/GDA to get into college.You need talent/grades .

                Comment


                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  And you know this because what? If GDA was announced a few months later, maybe that was the reason for a heated exchange. Or maybe it was something else. Or maybe, because this is talking soccer, it never happened. Who knows. I care about GDA because my daughter plays in GDA and other than the expensive trips it is a joke.
                  Believe what you want. And I agree up here it is a joke. Playing top teams elsewhere it isn't. ECNL has vacancies in the slots in it's league as well where good teams used to be or teams currently still in it have dropped talent level. ALL of soccer is expensive and many games aren't worth the trip. There is just too much disparity in the leagues and divisions.
                  I have a kid that did each (GDA and ECNL). We had blow out games in ECNL too as far as wins. I'm not twisting any arms. But the politics in ECNL is real for those that pretend it isn't. GDA has it as well, but just not having those with a direct financial interest on the Board. It's all smarmy. And the kids are who is suffering as well as our wallets.

                  Comment


                    NPL has a place in all of this. It needs to figure it out.

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by Unregistered
                      Believe what you want. And I agree up here it is a joke. Playing top teams elsewhere it isn't. ECNL has vacancies in the slots in it's league as well where good teams used to be or teams currently still in it have dropped talent level. ALL of soccer is expensive and many games aren't worth the trip. There is just too much disparity in the leagues and divisions.
                      I have a kid that did each (GDA and ECNL). We had blow out games in ECNL too as far as wins. I'm not twisting any arms. But the politics in ECNL is real for those that pretend it isn't. GDA has it as well, but just not having those with a direct financial interest on the Board. It's all smarmy. And the kids are who is suffering as well as our wallets.
                      Do you really think the kids are suffering? I don't think they notice. They like their teammates and their club, and that's that. I agree on wallets.

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