How will the new Thorns owners affect the academy and girls' soccer?

[Guest]

Merritt Failson no longer has anything to do with local girls' soccer, with the sale of the Thorns to a woman-led California investment group.

And the new owners are both committing to build a new training facility for the team in Portland, and to a sublease of Prov Park from Peregrine (the stadium is owned by the City of Portland, but the Timbers are the primary/exclusive tenant, so the Thorns will be subleasing from them rather than dealing with the City directly), so the rumors of the Thorns moving can be safely put to bed.

But how will this affect the Thorns Academy? Might new ownership try and make it something more than a pay-to-play club with pro-team branding? Might they get serious about running it themselves? If they continue to partner with youth clubs, might they be better partners than Peregrine (who has screwed over half the clubs in town, most notably the various "alliance" clubs who didn't really get anything from their relationship), who has had three different youth partners in three seasons?

[Guest]

Merritt Failson no longer has anything to do with local girls' soccer, with the sale of the Thorns to a woman-led California investment group.

And the new owners are both committing to build a new training facility for the team in Portland, and to a sublease of Prov Park from Peregrine (the stadium is owned by the City of Portland, but the Timbers are the primary/exclusive tenant, so the Thorns will be subleasing from them rather than dealing with the City directly), so the rumors of the Thorns moving can be safely put to bed.

But how will this affect the Thorns Academy? Might new ownership try and make it something more than a pay-to-play club with pro-team branding? Might they get serious about running it themselves? If they continue to partner with youth clubs, might they be better partners than Peregrine (who has screwed over half the clubs in town, most notably the various "alliance" clubs who didn't really get anything from their relationship), who has had three different youth partners in three seasons?

Might they disassociate from the Thorns youth academy entirely?

[Guest]

Merritt Failson no longer has anything to do with local girls' soccer, with the sale of the Thorns to a woman-led California investment group.

And the new owners are both committing to build a new training facility for the team in Portland, and to a sublease of Prov Park from Peregrine (the stadium is owned by the City of Portland, but the Timbers are the primary/exclusive tenant, so the Thorns will be subleasing from them rather than dealing with the City directly), so the rumors of the Thorns moving can be safely put to bed.

But how will this affect the Thorns Academy? Might new ownership try and make it something more than a pay-to-play club with pro-team branding? Might they get serious about running it themselves? If they continue to partner with youth clubs, might they be better partners than Peregrine (who has screwed over half the clubs in town, most notably the various "alliance" clubs who didn't really get anything from their relationship), who has had three different youth partners in three seasons?

I love how you read a press release and think everything will magically change and they weren’t telling you what you wanted to hear.

[Guest]

My guess is at the very least nothing will happen. The Thorns academy are a pay for play club and could financially operate outside the Thorns and associate only in name with a loose affiliation at no risk to the pro club. My guess is the opposite will happen and the new owners will put a focus on the coaching and development. Still will likely be pay for play but an enhanced program. Just my thoughts, no inside info

[Guest]

My guess is at the very least nothing will happen. The Thorns academy are a pay for play club and could financially operate outside the Thorns and associate only in name with a loose affiliation at no risk to the pro club. My guess is the opposite will happen and the new owners will put a focus on the coaching and development. Still will likely be pay for play but an enhanced program. Just my thoughts, no inside info

Nothing will happen because it is not a real academy of the Thorns. Just like Eastside, California and Boise Thorns. They will keep those affiliates as long as they have sucker parents and failing clubs to jump on their name. If they had any sense of youth soccer, they would pull the plug and start a real academy that is free. Just like it is free for boys, but parents are blinded by the DD playing on a fake Thorns team.

[Guest]

Nothing will happen because it is not a real academy of the Thorns. Just like Eastside, California and Boise Thorns. They will keep those affiliates as long as they have sucker parents and failing clubs to jump on their name. If they had any sense of youth soccer, they would pull the plug and start a real academy that is free. Just like it is free for boys, but parents are blinded by the DD playing on a fake Thorns team.

Free costs a club money. A lot of money. With a rare return. The system is working for them now and doesn't cost them precious resources

[Guest]

Free costs a club money. A lot of money. With a rare return. The system is working for them now and doesn't cost them precious resources

What system? They don't have a youth academy on the Women's team. They have no holding on any player from an alliance club. It's complete nonsense.

[Guest]

Nothing will happen because it is not a real academy of the Thorns. Just like Eastside, California and Boise Thorns. They will keep those affiliates as long as they have sucker parents and failing clubs to jump on their name. If they had any sense of youth soccer, they would pull the plug and start a real academy that is free. Just like it is free for boys, but parents are blinded by the DD playing on a fake Thorns team.

They aren’t going to spend the money merit has to pay for the boys academy as part of the mls agreement unless they are forced to.

No parent thinks they are playing for the Thorns pro team . They are paying for a club that is NOT NW Elite or united PDX . That’s worth the money and most important

[Guest]

Why do people keep thinking that the Thorns Academy is part of the Thorns pro team? It is not. It is just the name. They have zero affiliation with the Pro side, other than Paulson has 2 kids that play there.

They used to be part of the Pro team with the DA system, but that was dissolved in 2020 and ever since has been its own entity.

Thorns Academy has merged 3 different times now with local clubs to try and stay financially solvent. Eventually it will crash because they do not have enough players to generate revenue needed to pay all the staff and travel etc..

[Guest]

Like the pro teams the Thorns leverage the Timbers, now they have to pay for everything themselves. As the Thorns no have to pay for the stadium and training grounds, so do the Thorns academy, get ready for a nice bill !

[Guest]

Why do people keep thinking that the Thorns Academy is part of the Thorns pro team? It is not. It is just the name. They have zero affiliation with the Pro side, other than Paulson has 2 kids that play there.

They used to be part of the Pro team with the DA system, but that was dissolved in 2020 and ever since has been its own entity.

Thorns Academy has merged 3 different times now with local clubs to try and stay financially solvent. Eventually it will crash because they do not have enough players to generate revenue needed to pay all the staff and travel etc..

Nonsense.

If NWE can exist as a functional pay-to-play ECNL program, so can Thorns. The idea they can't field full competitive rosters is ludicrous.

[Guest]

Like the pro teams the Thorns leverage the Timbers, now they have to pay for everything themselves. As the Thorns no have to pay for the stadium and training grounds, so do the Thorns academy, get ready for a nice bill !

Thorns are building a training ground of their own, and will only use Prov Park for games once it is complete. The professional team will be fine. How much money they will spend on the academy remains to be seen.

One problem with operating a girls' academy, is that NWSL has no concept of a homegrown or academy player. Teams that play for the Thorns Academy are still subject to the draft. If I recall correctly, the Thorns had to make a trade to acquire the rights to draft Olivia Moultrie even though she'd been playing with the academy for several years.

As long as there is a draft requirement for entry into the league, one that isn't bypassed by academy status, the business model for running a full academy is problematic.

[Guest]

Thorns are building a training ground of their own, and will only use Prov Park for games once it is complete. The professional team will be fine. How much money they will spend on the academy remains to be seen.

One problem with operating a girls' academy, is that NWSL has no concept of a homegrown or academy player. Teams that play for the Thorns Academy are still subject to the draft. If I recall correctly, the Thorns had to make a trade to acquire the rights to draft Olivia Moultrie even though she'd been playing with the academy for several years.

As long as there is a draft requirement for entry into the league, one that isn't bypassed by academy status, the business model for running a full academy is problematic.

This is spot on. All except Moultrie trained for a year or less with the academy. The academy did not “develop” her, she comes from a lot of money and has been trained to be a soccer player privately her whole life. You have to have a willing kid but this is the way many, dare I say most, top kids in the US are developed today. A whole lot of money.

[Guest]

Thorns are building a training ground of their own, and will only use Prov Park for games once it is complete. The professional team will be fine. How much money they will spend on the academy remains to be seen.

One problem with operating a girls' academy, is that NWSL has no concept of a homegrown or academy player. Teams that play for the Thorns Academy are still subject to the draft. If I recall correctly, the Thorns had to make a trade to acquire the rights to draft Olivia Moultrie even though she'd been playing with the academy for several years.

As long as there is a draft requirement for entry into the league, one that isn't bypassed by academy status, the business model for running a full academy is problematic.

Ha, it will take at least three years to build their own place. Welcome to Delta park

[Guest]

Ha, it will take at least three years to build their own place. Welcome to Delta park

According to the news report, the new training center is expected to be open next calendar year, the Thorns will be able to train for free at Prov Park in the meantime, and there has been no announcement of where it will be located.

If an organization has money, building a soccer training facility doesn't take three years. For nonprofit youth clubs, yeah, things can take that long.