League Structures Going Forward

[Unregistered]

Why did six clubs put their premier teams in the DA? Why are all the top Washington teams in BECNL? Why are CU and FC in girls ECNL?

You’re talking about the top clubs in the Northwest. They have waaaaay more weight than a disgruntled SCA. Everyone will stay in USYS rotation because of state cups and championships.

[Unregistered]

Why did six clubs put their premier teams in the DA? Why are all the top Washington teams in BECNL? Why are CU and FC in girls ECNL?

Not exactly.

[Unregistered]

one + would be that we would split the top teams into different leagues so we could all go back to arguing who the best teams are.

[Unregistered]

You still aren't answering the question. WHY do they need to leave OYSA to have a "premier" division if they have that in OYSA?

That is the question. What will starting a new premier league do for them that they are not getting at OYSA? Outside of allowing SCA to join?

And why the assumption that SCA would even qualify to play in a premier league? Their teams have performed pretty shabbily in the summer tournaments.

[Unregistered]

And why the assumption that SCA would even qualify to play in a premier league? Their teams have performed pretty shabbily in the summer tournaments.

I agree with you. But the whoever is the one throwing this idea out, has yet to give 1 actual tangible reason why this would benefit the teams who joined this league that is different than OYSA, that you could explain to the parents as the reason you are taking your team/club and leaving OYSA.

[Unregistered]

My suspicion is that someone, sometime, will want to screw OYSA, someone with more juice than SCA has.

Soccer politics are like that in this country. US Soccer is incompetent, and since we have three competing youth sanctioning organizations (though AYSO has no presence in Oregon), club directors can ALWAYS play them off against each other. There's a reason that some of the pro-SCA partisans here have been whining about the "Timbers", even though I really doubt Peregrine much cares about this--they're trying to draft the "Nike clubs" to their side.

Now, if OYSA were smart, they'd make it clear to the "Nike clubs", and anyone else who likes to whine about how things are done down on Cirrus Drive, that they are the bulwark against for-profit clubs and integrated training centers (think ADF without restraints) blasting their business model to smithereens. SCA actually appears to have a good product--JS and company, by all reports I've heard, are excellent coaches, and our club has lost a few players (and one coach) to them already. ADF has a good product, and Jo is a good coach, even if they got over their skis this past spring with their attempt to keep their kids from being scouted by the Timbers. Even MJ, despite all his baggage, can coach.

But OYSA isn't terribly smart. And there is much money to be made off of crazy rich soccer parents, who think that by hauling junior around the state (or the country, or even the world) they can turn him or her into the next Messi. ADF was the first. SCA is the second. I'm sure there are plenty more who will show up. And US Club will happily issue them cards, if for no other reason than to spite USYSA. Sooner or later, there might be enough for a league--and if they start beating the old clubs in tournaments, watch out.

[Unregistered]

The smartest thing OYSA has done to stay in business right now, is they are basically ran by Pcu, Crossfire and FC portland. At the same time affiliated with Timbers, so the have a good balance on both sides of the alley, when it comes to the big clubs.

[Unregistered]

Exactly! Which was the suggestion made at the top. Premier teams to somewhere else, select teams ("white" or "red" teams at FC, "samba" or "mundial" teams at Westside, along with all of rec) remains in OYSA. OYSA focuses on the management and supervision and support of community non-profits where the kids are playing for fun, and families aren't spending megabucks on personal training, travel, etc. The high end of the market gets the crucible of less-regulated competition, and includes both the for-profit entities like SCA and ADF, as well as the legacy nonprofit clubs who have the ability to play in this market.

Premier soccer--where parents and kids have stars in their eyes--is a vastly different market than select and rec; I would go as far to argue that most "classic" clubs have more in common with a rec club than they do with an outfit like ADF.

re: ADF, most other clubs have geography, coaches that pass background checks, fields to train and play games on-- nearly all non profit clubs don't have a side hustle of 'privates' for their membership as a requirement. Other things like incredible turnover and lack of an ethical or moral compass. For each their own they say.

[Unregistered]

You are a master of avoiding the question. What would creating a new premier division outside of OYSA do? Do you think those teams are going to leave the ECNL and DA to come join the new premier division? The answer is no. Those teams are gone, so with those teams gone, How would it benefit those teams who are left to start a new league?

Joining US Club (ecnl) is not leaving per say, it's just the other association along with USYS that embraces all kids to come and play. USYS and US Club are sister programs.

DA is neither (USYS or US Club) and is the top tier offered for youth in the states run by US Soccer. All we have in Oregon for this is Timbers/Thorns DA.

[Unregistered]

Its a non starter. There is no benefit for any club outside of SCA. For every other club, the cost will be about the same. Plus they would then split their competition in half. In OYSA at the higher levels its already hard to get consistent competition, so splitting that just lowers both leagues top end. It would also mean no state cup for those teams that left.

Can you honestly give me 1 true benefit for teams outside of SCA to do this? Besides "they get to run their own league". Give me something tangible that you could tell a parent. For example in Washington one of the Biggest reasons RCL was created, is because the DOC's wanted some major things changed, like the ability to use player passes within the club for players to guest play. 15 years ago, you had to be rostered to play on a team, there was no movement. So creating the RCL allowed them to sell the parents on player movement within the club. Thats an example of something tangible. Is there anything besides letting for profit clubs into this new "league" that would be gained?

The major benefit is financial. US Club is a more cost affective to enter for teams than US Soccer. Money talks !

[Unregistered]

I saw a bit of SCA over the summer and they didn't appear to be an elite club with only elite teams. I saw some D1...maybe D2. TTL is the right place for those teams. If SCA isn't eligible to get into OYSA then that's too bad.

So SCA isn't elite, the top, the best teams. The other top teams/clubs, would never leave the TTL to play SCA because that's not a step up in competition for them. TTL teams 'generally' get the competition they are looking for.

The next issue is their really isn't an "elite" of the best players. It's more like the best of who is interested, willing to commit to the time and has the money to pay for it. And for the ones that are in that category (usually interest and commitment), TTL is where they want to be.

[Unregistered]

Funniest Thread Ever

First,

We have all been down this road, twice.

Remember the OPL ran by the OPC. It was financially attractive and a nightmare. The clubs had to administer the league. US Club doesn't have a real good playoff system like USYS and clubs missed that too.

Then some clubs went back to OYSA and some stayed OPL. Not enough teams in either group to make the state leagues worth it. The OPL clubs with no real benefit of US Club came back to OYSA.

The little DA, complete failure through US Soccer. All NW teams have left. Oregon teams back to OYSA, Seattle teams are doing US Club ECNL much different than Puget Sound Premier League and NPL.

What works best in Oregon is a one association system. The state needs all the teams to make it work.

[Unregistered]

The major benefit is financial. US Club is a more cost affective to enter for teams than US Soccer. Money talks !

How is it cheaper, as indicated earlier in this thread they are basically the same cost per player. It would come down to how much the new league would charge for their league, which there is no guarantee that would be cheaper.

[Unregistered]

Besides SCA, are clubs/teams unhappy with TTL? If so, why?

[Unregistered]

Can someone post a definition of what is "little DA" ? Boys? Girls? What program?