New league formed

[Unregistered]

That’s the way it was about 10 years ago
Then all the alphabet leagues took over and now you have to drive to new Hampshire for a game

Yup. Our family ventured into this mess about ten years ago with our oldest. Going out of state was reserved for an occasional tournament. All the top clubs played (mostly) in state and the competition was very good. We thought going to NJ for a game was nuts! Now we're thrilled for the rare in state game

[Unregistered]

Question Man Responds

Yup. Our family ventured into this mess about ten years ago with our oldest. Going out of state was reserved for an occasional tournament. All the top clubs played (mostly) in state and the competition was very good. We thought going to NJ for a game was nuts! Now we're thrilled for the rare in state game

And what has led us to this state of affairs?

Is it the clubs themselves, seeking new niches and more players and more registration revenue? Is it a struggle for power at a political level between clubs, states and and the national organizations behind it all?

Or is it the willingness of parents to be sold to and buy in to all this nonsense in the first place?

[Unregistered]

And what has led us to this state of affairs?

Is it the clubs themselves, seeking new niches and more players and more registration revenue? Is it a struggle for power at a political level between clubs, states and and the national organizations behind it all?

Or is it the willingness of parents to be sold to and buy in to all this nonsense in the first place?

Of course it's a combo. But it changes all the time and supply/demand can't find an equilibrium.

[Unregistered]

Youth soccer is broken. This doesn't aid it.

US Club is losing control in CT. Take a look at CCSL and you'll see many of the premier clubs are fleeing and there is an abundance of travel level teams playing there.

US Club wants to claw back control and the way to do it is emulate the NEP model. Clubs start a league, prominent clubs make the decisions and shape it in their interests. You'll see an Alliance League board member appear in CT soon as he relentlessly buys up clubs, rebrands them and moves on.

This is how they will bleed into CT from the North

The reality here is very simple. PDA, Cedar Stars, Match Fit and STA create a league that is basically a shark tank where they can recruit the other clubs players. The bait is the price.

Anyone who understands youth soccer in NJ knows that the likes of PDA and Match Fit have built their brand on player recruitment. While they develop players they are not renown at the younger ages and this is a way for them to catch the players in their net early.

Any club entering into this would be foolish to do so. To save a few hundred dollars in the short term they risk losing membership and/or their identity in the long term.

Those who do will help US Club bleed into CT from the South.

[Unregistered]

Last comment I made got deleted for some reason...

It is exactly the same concept as NEP. Start a league, have prominent club reps sit on that leagues board, attract other clubs and absorb their members.

NEP has monopolized soccer in New England and small clubs are in danger of losing their identity. The leagues decisions, primarily regarding who gets access to NPL, forces small clubs to sell their soul and ultimately become a satellite branch of an existing NPL club.

US Club Soccer essentially wants to emulate that in NJ. For the good of the game? The players? I think not.

In New Jersey the reality is very simple. PDA, Cedar Stars, Match Fit and STA create a league that is basically a shark tank where they can recruit the other clubs players. The bait is the price.

Anyone who understands youth soccer in NJ knows that the likes of PDA and Match Fit have built their brand on player recruitment. While they develop players they are not renown at the younger ages and this is a way for them to catch the players in their net early.

Any club entering into this would be foolish to do so. To save a few hundred dollars in the short term they risk losing membership and/or their identity in the long term.

[Unregistered]

Yup. Our family ventured into this mess about ten years ago with our oldest. Going out of state was reserved for an occasional tournament. All the top clubs played (mostly) in state and the competition was very good. We thought going to NJ for a game was nuts! Now we're thrilled for the rare in state game

For certain levels the out of state travel can't be avoided. Where it gets out of control is when third tier premier clubs and younger teams are going to PA, Long Island and New Jersey. It just makes no sense at all.

At the top of the Pyramid you've got the ECNL and DA teams. Within reason those teams capture the majority of the top 3% to 5% of the State's top players. They could play one another locally and the games should be competitive (FSA and CFC are in the same league). The issue becomes what do you do for the rest of your season?

CFC United aggregates the best female players in CT and has been the gold standard for the last decade. What happens if they stay in CT for league games? Do you suppose they should play Sporting, Ginga and Academica and win 15-1? They've got to play the likes of Stars of Mass and PDA to get a match that makes sense

On the other side of the coin, the NPL teams don't need to leave the state borders to be challenged. The old CJSA structure with a top tier would be perfect to the CFC and FSA NPL teams, Yankee, Wolves, Rush etc.

The creation of new leagues seems to be driven by putting $$ in club owner's pockets.

[Unregistered]

And what has led us to this state of affairs?

Is it the clubs themselves, seeking new niches and more players and more registration revenue? Is it a struggle for power at a political level between clubs, states and and the national organizations behind it all?

Or is it the willingness of parents to be sold to and buy in to all this nonsense in the first place?

The clubs weren’t looking for new revenues they were trying to not lose players to each other
BS plays Arsenal- whoever won got half the losing teams best players at next year try outs
Good teams were getting gutted every year

[Unregistered]

The clubs weren’t looking for new revenues they were trying to not lose players to each other
BS plays Arsenal- whoever won got half the losing teams best players at next year try outs
Good teams were getting gutted every year

Oh absolutely that was part of it. It started with a few clubs playing out of state, claiming it was for better competition. That was partly true, there is good competition elsewhere, but it wasn't a necessity. Keeping players was a necessity. Then once a few left, others followed, either in self preservation or to keep up with the Jones's.

[Unregistered]

Oh absolutely that was part of it. It started with a few clubs playing out of state, claiming it was for better competition. That was partly true, there is good competition elsewhere, but it wasn't a necessity. Keeping players was a necessity. Then once a few left, others followed, either in self preservation or to keep up with the Jones's.

But, this isn't new. AAU has been doing it with basketball for years. I grew up in the same environment with hockey over 30 years ago. All this angst over something that is, sadly, the norm.

[Unregistered]

Sorry if folks don't want to just sit down and shut up. The situation is very counter productive. Counter productive for children will always get lots of complaints and rightly so.

[Unregistered]

For certain levels the out of state travel can't be avoided. Where it gets out of control is when third tier premier clubs and younger teams are going to PA, Long Island and New Jersey. It just makes no sense at all.

At the top of the Pyramid you've got the ECNL and DA teams. Within reason those teams capture the majority of the top 3% to 5% of the State's top players. They could play one another locally and the games should be competitive (FSA and CFC are in the same league). The issue becomes what do you do for the rest of your season?

CFC United aggregates the best female players in CT and has been the gold standard for the last decade. What happens if they stay in CT for league games? Do you suppose they should play Sporting, Ginga and Academica and win 15-1? They've got to play the likes of Stars of Mass and PDA to get a match that makes sense

On the other side of the coin, the NPL teams don't need to leave the state borders to be challenged. The old CJSA structure with a top tier would be perfect to the CFC and FSA NPL teams, Yankee, Wolves, Rush etc.

The creation of new leagues seems to be driven by putting $$ in club owner's pockets.

Whoops...not so fast. Guess this didn't take off, or maybe US Club was passing along misinformation. Just saw this: https://www.soccerwire.com/news/top-...019-20-season/