# ECNL split into two (again)?



## Footy30 (Jul 30, 2022)

I'm just curious if anyone knows it they're going to continue with the two divisions in SW for the upcoming ECNL season? (mojave/sonoroan)


----------



## #girldad (Jul 30, 2022)

Footy30 said:


> I'm just curious if anyone knows it they're going to continue with the two divisions in SW for the upcoming ECNL season? (mojave/sonoroan)


Why would they? Too many teams to put in one division..


----------



## LouSag (Jul 31, 2022)

Footy30 said:


> I'm just curious if anyone knows it they're going to continue with the two divisions in SW for the upcoming ECNL season? (mojave/sonoroan)


Well, the ECNL Heat director set it up so Vegas has a better chance at the ECNL playoffs, so that’s the roadblock to changes anytime soon.


----------



## Carlsbad7 (Aug 1, 2022)

Footy30 said:


> I'm just curious if anyone knows it they're going to continue with the two divisions in SW for the upcoming ECNL season? (mojave/sonoroan)


I bet soon SW ECNL splits out the top SW ECNL clubs and the bottom SW ECNL clubs into their own leagues + with 2-3 cross league games per season that don't affect league standings. The top clubs don't care about travel distance + the bottom clubs want an opportunity to show wins.

This would be a good way to ease new clubs into SW ECNL + is similar to MLS Next league structure where the Next Teams associated with MLS clubs dominate but for the most part they play each other. However, every once in a while non MLS Next teams get to play them.

This is how you grow a league + brand without having 2-3 teams dominate every season.

You'll get a bunch of blowouts at showcases but there will be more attendees because lower level teams aren't eliminated before the showcase occurs. 

Also this type of config allows for inter league relegation.


----------



## #girldad (Aug 1, 2022)

LouSag said:


> Well, the ECNL Heat director set it up so Vegas has a better chance at the ECNL playoffs, so that’s the roadblock to changes anytime soon.


Many parents feel going to Vegas from SoCAL for 1 game is a waste of time and money. Especially, when the other team isn't competitive.


----------



## espola (Aug 1, 2022)

Carlsbad7 said:


> I bet soon SW ECNL splits out the top SW ECNL clubs and the bottom SW ECNL clubs into their own leagues + with 2-3 cross league games per season that don't affect league standings. The top clubs don't care about travel distance + the bottom clubs want an opportunity to show wins.
> 
> This would be a good way to ease new clubs into SW ECNL + is similar to MLS Next league structure where the Next Teams associated with MLS clubs dominate but for the most part they play each other. However, every once in a while non MLS Next teams get to play them.
> 
> ...


Relegation is a nasty word.  Relegation is what killed off Presidio and CSL (and therefore had a strong negative effect on Cal South).


----------



## Carlsbad7 (Aug 1, 2022)

espola said:


> Relegation is a nasty word.  Relegation is what killed off Presidio and CSL (and therefore had a strong negative effect on Cal South).


If it's all within SW ECNL it's not a big issue. Especially is you have 2-3 cross league games.


----------



## Sike (Aug 1, 2022)

Carlsbad7 said:


> I bet soon SW ECNL splits out the top SW ECNL clubs and the bottom SW ECNL clubs into their own leagues + with 2-3 cross league games per season that don't affect league standings. The top clubs don't care about travel distance + the bottom clubs want an opportunity to show wins.
> 
> This would be a good way to ease new clubs into SW ECNL + is similar to MLS Next league structure where the Next Teams associated with MLS clubs dominate but for the most part they play each other. However, every once in a while non MLS Next teams get to play them.
> 
> ...


I like the concept. However, 3 teams from each division currently have the opportunity to make playoffs. I don't see the top clubs agreeing to this re-alignment unless you are going to also change the allocation of who makes the playoffs (5 in the top division and 1 in the bottom??).


----------



## Carlsbad7 (Aug 1, 2022)

Sike said:


> I like the concept. However, 3 teams from each division currently have the opportunity to make playoffs. I don't see the top clubs agreeing to this re-alignment unless you are going to also change the allocation of who makes the playoffs (5 in the top division and 1 in the bottom??).


Why? if you split it out 3 and 3. The top 3 teams will run the show + look super amazing for scouts. Which is the ultimate goal of a showcase.


----------



## Code (Aug 1, 2022)

Carlsbad7 said:


> I bet soon SW ECNL splits out the top SW ECNL clubs and the bottom SW ECNL clubs into their own leagues + with 2-3 cross league games per season that don't affect league standings. The top clubs don't care about travel distance + the bottom clubs want an opportunity to show wins.
> 
> This would be a good way to ease new clubs into SW ECNL + is similar to MLS Next league structure where the Next Teams associated with MLS clubs dominate but for the most part they play each other. However, every once in a while non MLS Next teams get to play them.
> 
> ...



What is odd to me is that the structure of the EC National League and EC Regional League are identical.  Both leagues are playing teams in their Region (Conference); no one is really playing in a true National League.  Seems redundant, and the top two or three teams in most of the ECNL Conferences are consistantly dominating.  If the ECNL took the top three teams from each Conference and made a true league play between them, that would be a National League in which blowouts and mismatches would be minimal.  Move all the other clubs top teams into the ECRL, have promotion and relegation between the ECNL and ECRL; if a club is promoted into ECNL they have their second team move up into ECRL.  Promote the Finalists from ECRL Playoffs into ECNL, relegate the two bottom teams from ECNL League play.    There is already significant overlap of the bottom ECNL teams with the top ECRL teams, so this would potentially align the compitition across the entire ECNL/ECRL..


----------



## Sike (Aug 1, 2022)

Carlsbad7 said:


> Why? if you split it out 3 and 3. The top 3 teams will run the show + look super amazing for scouts. Which is the ultimate goal of a showcase.


The playoffs are not a showcase and the top clubs all want to say they are in champions league playoffs fighting for a national championship. You think Blues, Surf, Slammers, Legends, Beach would agree to reduce their teams' chances of making playoffs?  C'mon.


----------



## Carlsbad7 (Aug 1, 2022)

Sike said:


> The playoffs are not a showcase and the top clubs all want to say they are in champions league playoffs fighting for a national championship. You think Blues, Surf, Slammers, Legends, Beach would agree to reduce their teams' chances of making playoffs?  C'mon.


I get what you're saying. Give them a 2nd ECNL team to make everyone happy. ;-)


----------



## #girldad (Aug 1, 2022)

Carlsbad7 said:


> I get what you're saying. Give them a 2nd ECNL team to make everyone happy. ;-)


I'm sure the Slammers/Koge can field a 3rd ECNL team. lol


----------



## futboldad1 (Aug 1, 2022)

Carlsbad7 said:


> *I bet soon* SW ECNL splits out the top SW ECNL clubs and the bottom SW ECNL clubs into their own leagues + with 2-3 cross league games per season that don't affect league standings. The top clubs don't care about travel distance + the bottom clubs want an opportunity to show wins.
> 
> This would be a good way to ease new clubs into SW ECNL + is similar to MLS Next league structure where the Next Teams associated with MLS clubs dominate but for the most part they play each other. However, every once in a while non MLS Next teams get to play them.
> 
> ...


I'd take this bet....and not sure mls next can be touted as a success when people were saying the same thing about DA the first year......I am not saying it won't be but look how that turned out.....girls ecnl is booming and it is pretty great matchups every weekend......


----------



## rainbow_unicorn (Aug 2, 2022)

The only realignment that makes sense is to move Royals into Sonoran division to maximize local play for the three AZ clubs.  And then make LA area based Mojave clubs travel away to Sonoran teams during cross divisional play to make up the travel disparity.


----------



## #girldad (Aug 2, 2022)

rainbow_unicorn said:


> The only realignment that makes sense is to move Royals into Sonoran division to maximize local play for the three AZ clubs.  And then make LA area based Mojave clubs travel away to Sonoran teams during cross divisional play to make up the travel disparity.


How about the competitive disparity between the Utah/Arizona teams vs the rest of the league? In the U16 division, the goal differential was -38, -55, and -83.....


----------



## tjinaz (Aug 4, 2022)

#girldad said:


> How about the competitive disparity between the Utah/Arizona teams vs the rest of the league? In the U16 division, the goal differential was -38, -55, and -83.....


but somehow there are Socal teams even lower and still in the league.  Sharks are dead last in most ages. Royals have positive GD across nearly all age groups.


----------



## dad4 (Aug 4, 2022)

ECNL will not redo things to make it work out for socal.

Making it work for socal is easy.  Great Park has more top level teams than most states.  If you need a challenge, you can always walk to the next field over and talk to the coach.

The hard part is making it work for Minnesota.


----------



## #girldad (Aug 4, 2022)

tjinaz said:


> Royals have positive GD across nearly all age groups.


I was referring the 06 group...Royals are -38 GD.


----------



## Footy30 (Aug 4, 2022)

I didn't mind how it was before the split... playing each team twice. But I guess this way is fine too. Weird Slammers isn't with the other OC/SD teams only Koge is. Pats were added this year so it was almost an even number, except Strikers are out. Unless I missed something? 

Excited for league to start... was it me or is summer just zooming by?


----------

