ECNL has three levels now?

[Unregistered]

This ECNL thing is a waste. You all hide and watch when full clubs move to the DA.

So. Cal and Texas are making the move

Hmm I wonder which level Oregon ECNL will be? Top, middle, or bottom of the barrel? Hmmm let me guess.

[Unregistered]

Hmm I wonder which level Oregon ECNL will be? Top, middle, or bottom of the barrel? Hmmm let me guess.

let me help by flushing.....................................

[Unregistered]

so what you're saying is that there are only so many "Elite" teams?
What a waste of money if you're team is not playing at that level.

I looked at the schedule. Every "lower" showcase team has a conflict with the "Champions" level teams. I wonder which game the college coaches will go watch.

you guys are really stupid to waste your money on this type of stuff.

Look. It's only $10,000 per year. That's not that much. Granted, I could have paid for a full ride had I been smart and invested this yearly fee, but let us not go there.

[Unregistered]

They are creating the three tiers at the request of the elite clubs that aren't willing to travel to play mediocre teams. They don't want to play the Oregon teams because they aren't very competitive.

Oregon will be in the ECNL Bronze division (the equivalent of silver division at Bend Cup).

FC Portland will be paired up with Eastside Timbers ECNL and Clackamas Power Rays ECNL for travel.

[Unregistered]

Look. It's only $10,000 per year. That's not that much. Granted, I could have paid for a full ride had I been smart and invested this yearly fee, but let us not go there.

Actually about $6K, or about the same as Thorns Academy or other top travel teams. But with much better training, competition, and exposure to college coaches. Your pick.

[Unregistered]

It's not 3 levels. There is the Champions League, North American Cup, and the Showcase Cup at the playoffs. There is merit to the Champions League and any team that advances in the Champions League and makes a decent showing is deserving of it. The other 2 tiers, though, seem like a "money grab" to me. A lot of families, quite honestly, dread the extension of the season and the big expenses that come from airfares, hotels, rental cars, food, etc. It's a lot of extra money being spent to play for what is essentially a consolation prize or "losers bracket." It's almost seems like juice pouches, snacks, and puppy dogs for everybody.

Groan!!!! I really do not like the multiple levels of 'cups'. Like you said - juice boxes and snacks for everyone...
The kids don't need everyone to be a 'winner' and us parents don't need to spend the extra $1000+ for a non-championship bracket. I thought the league had better leadership than that.

[Unregistered]

Look. It's only $10,000 per year. That's not that much. Granted, I could have paid for a full ride had I been smart and invested this yearly fee, but let us not go there.

It was not 10,000 more like $9500. That doesn't count parent travel.

[Unregistered]

Groan!!!! I really do not like the multiple levels of 'cups'. Like you said - juice boxes and snacks for everyone...
The kids don't need everyone to be a 'winner' and us parents don't need to spend the extra $1000+ for a non-championship bracket. I thought the league had better leadership than that.

$1000 wouldn't be bad. You did, though, say $1000+. It's probably more like $1000+++. If a family is from the Midwest or the East, they're probably shelling out $800 to $1000 on airfare alone - and that's for one kid and only one parent. 4 or 5 nights in a hotel is at least another $750 to $1000. Car rental is probably $200ish. Food is at least another $200 & probably closer to $300. All told it's probably about $2500 to $3000 for the privilege to play in a consolation bracket. It's totally ridiculous.

[Unregistered]

Groan!!!! I really do not like the multiple levels of 'cups'. Like you said - juice boxes and snacks for everyone...
The kids don't need everyone to be a 'winner' and us parents don't need to spend the extra $1000+ for a non-championship bracket. I thought the league had better leadership than that.

So I assume you are against the OYSA playing model then? With State cup, Presidents cup, and Directors cup?

I assume you are against OYSA having two premier leagues for youth age groups?

I assume you're against the multiple brwckets of teams at showcases tournaments like Vegas, where thorns academy won the 5th highest bracket? (I'm sure that was a cheap trip to Vegas)

I assume you are against thorns academy playing on age in a rec level Beaverton cup?

Thought so.

[Unregistered]

FC Portland will be paired up with Eastside Timbers ECNL and Clackamas Power Rays ECNL for travel.

That will be quite the sight to see in the airport.

[Unregistered]

That will be quite the sight to see in the airport.

Too bad Eastside and Clackamas can't even form teams at the ECNL ages.

[Unregistered]

FC Portland will be paired up with Eastside Timbers ECNL and Clackamas Power Rays ECNL for travel.

It was only a matter of time. How exciting for those girls. Great opportunity to travel to play.

[Unregistered]

It was only a matter of time. How exciting for those girls. Great opportunity to travel to play.

It is only a matter of time. Until the Thorns Academy folds up and the TA clubs stop trying to form girls HS teams that is. Although you can't really tell that that time hasn't already arrived.

[Unregistered]

So I assume you are against the OYSA playing model then? With State cup, Presidents cup, and Directors cup?

I assume you are against OYSA having two premier leagues for youth age groups?

I assume you're against the multiple brwckets of teams at showcases tournaments like Vegas, where thorns academy won the 5th highest bracket? (I'm sure that was a cheap trip to Vegas)

I assume you are against thorns academy playing on age in a rec level Beaverton cup?

Thought so.

I can't speak for the OP but I will interject....

We need multiple levels of play at the local level that way more players are playing by similar abilities.

ECNL is "Elite" which means the top players.

What people are trying to say is that the ECNL isn't Elite anymore. Don't get me wrong, there are a dozen Elite teams but 75% of the teams are glorified Premier teams.

They added the tiered playoffs because the top teams don't want to waste their money traveling to play teams like FCPDX and CU.

Next year they will be adding a second division in league play

[Unregistered]

I can't speak for the OP but I will interject....

We need multiple levels of play at the local level that way more players are playing by similar abilities.

ECNL is "Elite" which means the top players.

What people are trying to say is that the ECNL isn't Elite anymore. Don't get me wrong, there are a dozen Elite teams but 75% of the teams are glorified Premier teams.

They added the tiered playoffs because the top teams don't want to waste their money traveling to play teams like FCPDX and CU.

Next year they will be adding a second division in league play

Two things. The OP didn't differentiate between "local" and "elite" - so I think you are assuming some intention that might not exist. Second, assuming what you are saying is true...where does that leave Thorns academy? They call themselves elite but play in OYSA. They call themselves elite but play in the 5th highest bracket in Vegas and on age in a rec tournament like Beaverton cup.

If you aren't doing ECNL, their levels of "elite" don't really affect you. Any more than you are affected by English soccer having the Premier League, Championship League, League 1 and League 2. But if your kid is doing OYSA soccer, like 95% of kids in Oregon, you are very much affected by the multiple leagues and multiple championship cups. And if your daughter is on an OYSA team that is playing in u16 or u18 Beaverton cup this year, you will see firsthand the affects of an "elite" club like thorns academy playing in rec tournaments.

Is it possible you are picking the wrong things to be upset about?