Steve Gans Dissects the DA vs. ECNL Turf War

watfly said:
Then please educate me as to why the affiliates aren't Surf Lite versions of the original. What are the Surf affiliates getting besides a name? What are the substantive things they do to make SD Surf successful that they are now implementing on the affiliate level? I'm not saying that they're bad programs. They have some good teams but typically don't come close to competing on the same level as the original. How has West Coast improved by being branded OC Surf?

I'm open to the idea that I could be wrong, but I haven't seen any tangible benefit to the clubs that have been rebranded to Surf?
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I seem to recall some far-away clubs that have signed on to the Surf program (or at least licensed the logo). Colorado? Utah? Hawaii would at least make smoe surf-sense -- is there also a Surf Hawaii Soccer Club?
 
It's amusing check out the lineup at the Norco deal this weekend...beach vs beach, slammers vs slammers, surf vs surf, pats vs pats, etc
watfly said:
Then please educate me as to why the affiliates aren't Surf Lite versions of the original. What are the Surf affiliates getting besides a name? What are the substantive things they do to make SD Surf successful that they are now implementing on the affiliate level? I'm not saying that they're bad programs. They have some good teams but typically don't come close to competing on the same level as the original. How has West Coast improved by being branded OC Surf?

I'm open to the idea that I could be wrong, but I haven't seen any tangible benefit to the clubs that have been rebranded to Surf?
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They may get cooler uniforms
 
espola said:
They were founded as San Dieguito Surf, named for the San Dieguito River that runs by and is, therefore, the creator of the Polo Grounds. For years they were considered to be the "north county girls club". Then their tournament got to be successful and the separate San Diego Surf Cup non-profit corporation took the SD City name when they split out the assets years ago. Somebody should write a book.
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You are kidding? Spare no one.
 
watfly said:
So what your saying is the Kool-Aid is bluer at San Diego Surf than at Los Angeles Surf?

The claim that SD Surf may provide more misses the point and is just a rationalization. Parents,whether in SD or LA, Murrieta, OC, are being sold the successful Surf brand and everything that comes with it. Parent's outside of SD aren't being told they are getting Surf Lite and instead they are being sold the full meal deal but only getting the fries. It's this kind of deception that pisses people off. Fortunately, most of us are informed enough to realize that a Surf affiliate bears no resemblance, other than the logo on the jersey, to the original San Diego Surf. (Actually San Dieguito Surf)
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The Kool-Aid trope always comes up when someone lacks anything rational to say and can therefore only resort to rhetoric. There is literally not a single person at SD Surf telling parents at LA Surf that their daughter will be on a GDA team if they play for LA Surf, that their kids will have the same college exposure that they'd get playing on SD Surf's GDA team, or that their teammates and coaches will be just as good as what you get at SD Surf. Shoot, I don't even think SD Surf is making parents at LA Surf pay the same fees. It is completely ridiculous to think that SD Surf will enter into a relationship with another club as an affiliate (regardless of the nature of the affiliation) and, presto, the affiliate is now exactly the same as SD Surf. If that was your expectation, you're the one "drinking Kool-Aid".

If you think SD Surf deceived any parent about what they were getting at LA Surf, please identify the exact person at SD Surf who made the deceptive statement, and exactly what they said, to whom and when. The reality is you don't know jack, you just see everything through some bitter conspiracy theory lens. Plus, you're angry because you don't want to pay $67 for a hoodie that no one is even asking you to buy.
 
End of the Line said:
If you think SD Surf deceived any parent about what they were getting at LA Surf, please identify the exact person at SD Surf who made the deceptive statement, and exactly what they said, to whom and when. The reality is you don't know jack, you just see everything through some bitter conspiracy theory lens. Plus, you're angry because you don't want to pay $67 for a hoodie that no one is even asking you to buy.
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Perhaps no one was deceived other than the parents who deceived themselves thinking that by putting on a surf uniform it would somehow equate a scholarship. Come on people.
 
End of the Line said:
The Kool-Aid trope always comes up when someone lacks anything rational to say and can therefore only resort to rhetoric. There is literally not a single person at SD Surf telling parents at LA Surf that their daughter will be on a GDA team if they play for LA Surf, that their kids will have the same college exposure that they'd get playing on SD Surf's GDA team, or that their teammates and coaches will be just as good as what you get at SD Surf. Shoot, I don't even think SD Surf is making parents at LA Surf pay the same fees. It is completely ridiculous to think that SD Surf will enter into a relationship with another club as an affiliate (regardless of the nature of the affiliation) and, presto, the affiliate is now exactly the same as SD Surf. If that was your expectation, you're the one "drinking Kool-Aid".

If you think SD Surf deceived any parent about what they were getting at LA Surf, please identify the exact person at SD Surf who made the deceptive statement, and exactly what they said, to whom and when. The reality is you don't know jack, you just see everything through some bitter conspiracy theory lens. Plus, you're angry because you don't want to pay $67 for a hoodie that no one is even asking you to buy.
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So what, then, was the attraction?
 
End of the Line said:
The Kool-Aid trope always comes up when someone lacks anything rational to say and can therefore only resort to rhetoric. There is literally not a single person at SD Surf telling parents at LA Surf that their daughter will be on a GDA team if they play for LA Surf, that their kids will have the same college exposure that they'd get playing on SD Surf's GDA team, or that their teammates and coaches will be just as good as what you get at SD Surf. Shoot, I don't even think SD Surf is making parents at LA Surf pay the same fees. It is completely ridiculous to think that SD Surf will enter into a relationship with another club as an affiliate (regardless of the nature of the affiliation) and, presto, the affiliate is now exactly the same as SD Surf. If that was your expectation, you're the one "drinking Kool-Aid".

If you think SD Surf deceived any parent about what they were getting at LA Surf, please identify the exact person at SD Surf who made the deceptive statement, and exactly what they said, to whom and when. The reality is you don't know jack, you just see everything through some bitter conspiracy theory lens. Plus, you're angry because you don't want to pay $67 for a hoodie that no one is even asking you to buy.
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I'm angry about a hoody? Huh, my apologies. I think your reading way more into this than anyone is suggesting. First off I really have no beef with Surf, it should be proud of its success. I'm impressed every year when it has the local news story of where its senior women players are going to college.

My question is what material, tangible benefits does being a Surf affiliate provide, particularly with well established clubs? On its affiliates page Surf lists 6 "benefits" most of which are misleading, an exaggeration or demonstrably false. To mention a couple...Surf claims you get free registration software which is technically true but that software is free to any club regardless of affiliation. It claims that it provides "Great Gear at Great Prices". Well I admit I do like the Surf uniforms but they're typically more expensive than similar quality gear at other clubs. The biggest benefit is "Brand Recognition" but that rings hollow when the product is not the same as the original. Interestingly, OC Surf still calls its tournament West Coast. To me the affiliate programs appears to be more form over substance.
 
From what I’ve seen- surf does seem to be the one mega club that does try to do a littl bit with their affiliates. I think at man city cup they entered a boys 06 team that was made up of players from about 6 of their affiliates.

And I think slammers this year is having their cda and south affiliates get involved with ecnl2.
 
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