we can agree to disagree. The product is very exclusionary by design by cost as much as talent IMO. That is how status brands work no matter if it is cars, shoes or youth soccer clubs.
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
Sound familiar?
Collapse
X
-
Unregistered
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View Postwe can agree to disagree. The product is very exclusionary by design by cost as much as talent IMO. That is how status brands work no matter if it is cars, shoes or youth soccer clubs.
I'm sure that Stars, NEFC or SSS want their top teams to be seen as elite ("exclusionary") and aspirational to players and families at other clubs or thinking of joining clubs. But are you going to try to convince me that a small local club - created to raise the level of play of the local kids - is a status brand? That's lunacy.
ECNL? Yes, its organization and the way it markets itself is all about status, and the clubs that align themselves with the league take advantage of that status to separate themselves from their local non-ECNL competition. That's why they need to be very careful about over-expansion; once everyone is driving a Mercedes it no longer means anything and the snobs need to find a higher brand.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostSo all club soccer organizations are status brands? I think your brush is way too broad.
I'm sure that Stars, NEFC or SSS want their top teams to be seen as elite ("exclusionary") and aspirational to players and families at other clubs or thinking of joining clubs. But are you going to try to convince me that a small local club - created to raise the level of play of the local kids - is a status brand? That's lunacy.
ECNL? Yes, its organization and the way it markets itself is all about status, and the clubs that align themselves with the league take advantage of that status to separate themselves from their local non-ECNL competition. That's why they need to be very careful about over-expansion; once everyone is driving a Mercedes it no longer means anything and the snobs need to find a higher brand.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostThe entire business model is about status. Absolutely no different form a luxury car or joining a country club. Only this product lets parents pay a fortune to compete fro status through the sports exploits their children.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostThe clubs might want to be luxury items, but for many parents, club soccer is just a means to an end. Their kid seems to be good at soccer, so mom and dad use club soccer to maybe get junior to college. Luxury cars and country clubs are not a means to an end. They are the ends.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostWhile I won't argue against the idea that some parents put their kids in club sports for status reasons, it is incredibly naive to think that there aren't lots of other reasons why families pay for club sports:
1) the kid is an athlete, and real athletes seek challenge and competition - even at young ages. Some kids that are dominating rec leagues or travel leagues are happy to be the best player and don't really want to challenge themselves, BUT others do. One of my kids would go crazy if she knew that there were good players in some league that she couldn't take on.
2) the parents are ex-athletes who have been around organized sports and know how to manage their kids' development. They know that developing a soccer player means pushing the kid outside his/her comfort zone, playing against better athletes in higher-paced games.
3) some kids grow up playing with a group of friends in little kids soccer and travel teams. When those kids start looking at moving to clubs, they often do it in groups.
4) recruiting - our oldest kid was recruited by several club coaches at a U-little tournament one Memorial Day weekend. She was big and fast, and comparatively skilled vs. the other kids in her games. At the time, we figured she'd have to move to a club in 3-4 years, but the interest made us start investigating much sooner. BTW - she didn't join any of the clubs that recruited her.
5) the "pathway" - our kids had a couple of older kids in the neighborhood that were the stars of the HS program in their respective sports. Our kids would hang around with them and learn to play from them. We asked them and their parents how they learned their sports, and figured it might work for our kids as well.
The OP needs to acknowledge that there are families in our culture that LOVE sports, and their kids often love sports too. When kids are in the backyard kicking a soccer ball around for hours, or playing hoop in the driveway all afternoon, etc., it is NOT about status...
I agree with everything you posted above - no argument. I nor any other poster used the word status. Why do you seem to equate Luxury solely with Status?
There are so many valid reasons outside of status to play club sports. Just as there are so many reasons I can justify my expenditures on the country club, our 2nd home, and our interesting vacations as aligned with our passions, better health, community involvement, and quality family time. I'm sure you can add more.
This doesn't change the fact that all of the above, like elite club sports, are Luxury items funded from disposable income. The majority of people who think status plays a role in those decision are mostly on the outside claiming the rest of us do it for status. Taking status out of it, the business of club soccer operates under the same dynamics as other luxury businesses. That's my only point. Brand, performance, quality, experience, etc all play a role.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostI am referring to the uber-expensive "high level" soccer clubs playing in exclusionary leagues like GDA and ECNL - Not lower cost soccer options that are not so exclusionary and therefore not as high status.
The status is meaningful, but so is the payoff for those that wish to participate. My kids would not be at the college she's at and having the college soccer career she's having if it wasn't for the club she played for and the league they played in. Fact.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostSo there are two OPs. you directly responded to my post, and I responding in support of another that used phrase "Luxury Item". Not sure if that poster has also responded.
I agree with everything you posted above - no argument. I nor any other poster used the word status. Why do you seem to equate Luxury solely with Status?
There are so many valid reasons outside of status to play club sports. Just as there are so many reasons I can justify my expenditures on the country club, our 2nd home, and our interesting vacations as aligned with our passions, better health, community involvement, and quality family time. I'm sure you can add more.
This doesn't change the fact that all of the above, like elite club sports, are Luxury items funded from disposable income. The majority of people who think status plays a role in those decision are mostly on the outside claiming the rest of us do it for status. Taking status out of it, the business of club soccer operates under the same dynamics as other luxury businesses. That's my only point. Brand, performance, quality, experience, etc all play a role.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostI am referring to the uber-expensive "high level" soccer clubs playing in exclusionary leagues like GDA and ECNL - Not lower cost soccer options that are not so exclusionary and therefore not as high status.
Everyone at a lower league complains about the league above them. And, those who cannot get into any league complains about the lowest of the leagues. So, it doesn't matter where you are and what you spend your money on, someone can't do what you do and has an issue with it.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostSo all club soccer organizations are status brands? I think your brush is way too broad.
I'm sure that Stars, NEFC or SSS want their top teams to be seen as elite ("exclusionary") and aspirational to players and families at other clubs or thinking of joining clubs. But are you going to try to convince me that a small local club - created to raise the level of play of the local kids - is a status brand? That's lunacy.
ECNL? Yes, its organization and the way it markets itself is all about status, and the clubs that align themselves with the league take advantage of that status to separate themselves from their local non-ECNL competition. That's why they need to be very careful about over-expansion; once everyone is driving a Mercedes it no longer means anything and the snobs need to find a higher brand.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostI disagree. They are a means to signaling status and that is why plenty (not all) of families pursue deluxe youth soccer. If you play in these leagues, you will find there are a fair number of players that do not intend to pursue college soccer although many do,
As to % of ECNL players that intend to play in college (I don't know enough DA players to comment), I would say the # is 90%.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostOkay. We're not in disagreement. I think I get triggered when what I read feels like a broad generalization about motivations, thought processes, etc. Every family has its own truth. Thanks for clarifying.
My comments on Luxury are grounded solely on the business model. In the US the only funding source is Parents. Other countries have different funding sources, and I get triggered by posters who cite models from other countries as exemplars for how the US should operate. The economics are entirely different.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostBut, even those "lower cost" options still don't allow everyone entry.
Everyone at a lower league complains about the league above them. And, those who cannot get into any league complains about the lowest of the leagues. So, it doesn't matter where you are and what you spend your money on, someone can't do what you do and has an issue with it.
- Quote
Comment
-
Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostThe entire business model is about status. Absolutely no different form a luxury car or joining a country club. Only this product lets parents pay a fortune to compete fro status through the sports exploits their children.
- Quote
Comment
Comment