Yes. I was thinking maybe West Coast and Pats could have 2 out of three battle for that final spot? I would like to see WC and Pats. I also added Del Sol to Desert Division. We could then go 10 and ten. I switch what it would look like. That way no one feels left out. Trust me, I know what it's like to be kicked out of a league and it's not a fun feeling. I know that feeling all too well.
ECNL expansion 2021-2022
- Thread starter Surf Zombie
- Start date
azsnowrider
SILVER ELITE
I think the word you are looking for is potential, Does the ECNL SW even play any games? All I see are cancellations. I don't see the GA canceling anything they played all year, and will in Texas from what it sounds like....... PS: the GA better not cancel now that I said that but round rock is a distance away.
Reality is the real competition is between maybe 6 clubs, then the rest.
azsnowrider
SILVER ELITE
I loved Cedric, got to hang out with him one day. He was super cool, and I loved his game. Back then Basketball was fun to watch. I always felt he never got the credit he deserved and I watched him play A LOT! You know, the Suns thing.
He was super cool and not full of ego like others. He talked with me and treated me like a baller that i was. At first chance of seeing me, you would not be scared of me. However, I would slap your knee or foul you hard or take the charge to show all that I mean business that day. Dont judge by the cover of the book is all I can say with me.
1st, 2nd and 3rd Teams. Where they put these teams may determine their future. For example, if Pats puts its first team in GA, it will likely never gain entry into ECNL.
azsnowrider
SILVER ELITE
What's your take on how many teams is to many? Sitting at 17 now in the SW which could be 18 soon, maybe. Adding those 3 mentioned at some point puts it at 20/21 in the SW, how diluted is SoCal with what could be 17/18 ECNL teams? My 2 cents is ECNL needs to bump a few underperforming clubs to make it truly the best, or relegate them to regional league.
^ 100%
whatithink
GOLD
You really think so? Phoenix metro area has a population of 1.7M or so. Socal has a population of 22M+. 17-18 teams would be too many for a catchment area of 24M people ... I don't really buy that at a macro level. There may be some over saturation, but people will travel 1+ hours to be on the right team which makes catchment areas very large.
girlsrule7
BRONZE
ECNL let in a lot of clubs that they never would have considered before once DA came along. Some of those teams have struggled and will continue to struggle as strong teams come back into ECNL. The strong teams aren't going to want to have a schedule filled with weak teams and if ECNL doesn't fix the situation, in several years history will repeat itself and the strong teams will look to play only each other. I believe this was the basis of the formation of the ECNL back many yers ago. They'll either need to create tiers or remove teams.
Surf Zombie
GOLD
Has ECNL ever kicked out a club as underperforming?
Desert Hound
DA
To clarify the Phoenix metro area is just shy of 5 million people. Phoenix by itself is a bit less than 1.7 million.
YES. It kicked out a club from Las Vegas a handful of years ago.
azsnowrider
SILVER ELITE
What's your definition of Phoenix Metro? Mine has 4.8 Million not 1.7 according to the states statistics for Phx Metro. My point isn't population based it's how many teams are to many, at what point is it not elite anymore? If everyone gets in the cool kids club is it cool anymore? If the bottom dwellers are getting creamed every game do they belong?
Surf Zombie
GOLD
Because of on field performance, or not being able to field teams?
Desert Hound
DA
I have never heard the actual reason they were kicked out.
That is speaking from experience as well bro. I say let them in and WC. Cut the rosters all down to 18. No more 25. Kids need to play and not be shipped around. Take 20 and then the rest can go SDSL or CSL local leagues. Those would be good teams. Not everyone wants to travel all over the country these days. Local sound so good.
I say add Vegas Abion and SD Abion as one big team. They pull from each club to make them more competitive. I'm down with that. Add West Coast & Pats and were all good. Anyone else who feels cheated needs to get their club in the next surf cup and win some games. JH kicked ass a as a private club in Glendora and started to beat teams. Problem I see is these teams would then poach the goats because of ecnl. No more I say. Open to all. 20 is good. Bottom teams get dropped and two new teams join next year.
azsnowrider
SILVER ELITE
It was Las Vegas Premier right? They were terrible, back when AZ and Nevada were in the ECNL Mtn Conference.
whatithink
GOLD
OK the total should be 26M people - are you saying that a region with a population that size can't support 17-18 teams per age group in its top league? Elite, btw, is a label, not a given for any team or player. A team getting creamed means that team doesn't belong, not that there isn't 17-18 teams that do. That's a structural issue with an org that organizes itself on a club basis, not a team basis, i.e. the best of the best teams vs the best connected clubs.
ECNL has a travel problem again if they bump the bottom 3-4 clubs from each conference. Cutting clubs also helps GA, which is probably not ECNL's goal.
A better way to create parity is to create a new structure at the top, maybe including the best 20 teams in each age group.