Clubs that didnt join MLS Next
- Thread starter wheezyoso
- Start date
MLS invited all former DA teams to join its new league, but a group of former DA clubs joined ECNL before MLS was fully formed as a successor to DA. Some of those, like Real SoCal, had girls DA and going all in with boys ECNL too, even though it’s relatively new itself and not as well respected on the boys side as the girls side, may have been necessary to seal the deal for their girls to get in. More generally, though, the DA clubs that went Boys ECNL tended to have a strong technical director who was tired of playing second fiddle to the MLS Academies in DA and their fear was likely that this would be worse in MLS Next. The cost is that some of the best players gravitated to the clubs that went MLS Next, even if those clubs weren’t as strong when they were in DA. In all the clubs with both MLS Next and Boys ECNL, it appears that they have placed the top team in MLS Next, but in the former DA clubs with just Boys ECNL, many of those teams are still quite strong.
Our smaller club was in DA and went with MLS before it became NEXT and also joined the EA league which by the way so did LAFC. Not big enough to get into EcXx so that was never a considering.
Some clubs like GS & Strikers went with ECxx partly because they felt like they were royally burned by the DA system and wanted no part of a re- packaged or reformulation of the league. Clubs spent $millions$ on DA with little return. ECxx more attractive to paying customers with the showcases, play to get in college thing that use to be more attractive before all heck broke loose.
Some clubs like GS & Strikers went with ECxx partly because they felt like they were royally burned by the DA system and wanted no part of a re- packaged or reformulation of the league. Clubs spent $millions$ on DA with little return. ECxx more attractive to paying customers with the showcases, play to get in college thing that use to be more attractive before all heck broke loose.
forksnbolts
SILVER
How many years before all the reshuffle finally settles? And we can see the "superiority" of one league over another?
I dunno if that happens any time soon besides parent opinions or antidotes like: if you look at the meager results so far the middle of road former DA teams are all of sudden near the top of the heap in ECxx for the olders without having to deal with the MLS powerhouses. Granted few game like maybe 4 or less but if that trend continues you could really say dilution is a factor.
I'm aware of some AZ clubs that are both MLS Next and Boys ECNL, are there any SoCal teams that did this?
Pure speculation, but I think it would be at least a couple years. As of now, both leagues have great teams and not so great teams. ECNL will never have the MLS Academy teams, so if I were to bet I would say that MLS Next may become the "superior" league on the boys side. However, it wouldn't surprise me if the ECNL becomes the top for girls. Equally possible that both leagues end up being "the same, but different", or a 3rd "super league" is formed.
I've been mildly surprised by the MLS's commitment so far to MLS Next. Of course, a game hasn't been played in California, so I'm withholding final judgment for a while.
In SoCal, LA Surf has both MLS Next and Boys ECNL teams. In Arizona, RSL-AZ and Phoenix Rising have both. There are many more nationwide. Boston Bolts, Michigan Wolves, Vardar, Solar SC, Real Colorado, and FC Delco are a few of the more prominent clubs I know about. Most interestingly, Atlanta United and FC Dallas also are entered in both, but their top teams are obviously in MLS Next. They are reportedly using ECNL to allow some of their players to play up in higher age groups and to get more games and/or have larger age group pools with developmental players. For example, the roster on Atlanta United's BU15 team (2024 grads) in Boys ECNL includes quite a few players who are playing 1-2 years up.
Up here in NorCal Deanza is the only club I know that is doing mls and ecnl. Quakes and Deanza are the strongest teams up here and they are both doing mls. I’ve heard deanza’s 2nd teams will do ecnl. Up here it seems like ecnl is a bit more competitive 1-10 but mls has 3-4 real strong teams then a big drop after that and will see a lot of 10-1 games. That was the problem with DA the last few years. After being DA the last few years I’m looking forward to tournaments, more games and more fun with ecnl.
I think after a couple years one league will emerge as top league. I think mls could be top league if they had about a 3rd of the teams they currently have and just traveled way more for games. Hard to say you are elite when you have so many average teams. Also with promotion/relegation in ecnl the ecnl 10 teams will stay strong.
I think after a couple years one league will emerge as top league. I think mls could be top league if they had about a 3rd of the teams they currently have and just traveled way more for games. Hard to say you are elite when you have so many average teams. Also with promotion/relegation in ecnl the ecnl 10 teams will stay strong.
Does the MLS provide a pro path for girls or just boys? ECNL is all about college. If pro $$$ are out there for the girls because their supposed to act like the little pros all the time, then I say this MLS league might win out.
I agree with this. I think it was a matter of not wanting to be beholden once again to a system that was designed to support MLS academies first. A number of former DA programs, several very competitive, made the decision to move to ECNL in SoCal - Strikers, Pats, Surf, RSC, FCGS, & Arsenal.
Turns out it was a good move, at least in the short-medium term. A number of SoCal ECNL teams travelled to get in league games, which I think led to coaches and parents being more open to the idea of getting other games like friendlies, local "protest" scrimmages, and tournaments out of state. I know some MLS-Next club teams have made an effort to find non-league games, just not sure how much of that is going on.
Side note - Many of the boys in MLS academies are particularly screwed until this is all over. They haven't played since Feb/Mar and doubt they will until they get the state's blessing. LA County getting to Orange Tier is months away. The kids not pulled up to train and play at the pro level will have gone well over a year without real competition. This is of particular concern for the older players who are likely college-bound. The one's they like are getting what they need in full training (and some playing) with the pros. Most are getting distanced training and zero playing time while their peers throughout much of the country have been back at it for months.
I think mls platform can be a great thing once it separates itself as being the top level and a true pathway for $$/real contracts. Our local Sac Republic is a good program and has good teams but tough to say they are elite(even though they are probably the strongest teams in sac area) . I have heard going toward mls they are going to start scouting kids and working with clubs on recruiting top talent but in the past they have just been more like a good club team essentially making the best team they could out of whoever showed up to tryouts. Once they take the next step I think they will get most the top kids from greater sac area and the valley as there is a lot of undiscovered talent out there. I’m not sure if the other mls academies are like this or not? We were at a boys DA showcase last year in Orange County and watching LAFC and their level it seems like they probably recruit as they were pretty darn good!