ECNL Playoffs

Desert Hound said:
My only complaint about the playoffs (and it doesn't affect me) is that everyone flies out to FL for a week to play, then you have to fly again someplace to play 2 more games. Why not finish it up in one place vs creating more expenses by requiring another round of flights, etc?

Would like to see a MVLA vs LAFC final.


MVLA vs Solar as kicker said should be pretty good.
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100% agree. It's a complete fleecing of families that have to make the trip. Yes, good accomplishment making it to final 4, but having to pay for 2 $1000+ dollar flights to these locations within 3 weeks of each other is stupid and wrong.
 
Dubs said:
100% agree. It's a complete fleecing of families that have to make the trip. Yes, good accomplishment making it to final 4, but having to pay for 2 $1000+ dollar flights to these locations within 3 weeks of each other is stupid and wrong.
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I think players/families were in Florida for at least a week. And over the 4th of July holiday. That is not a cheap trip by any stretch. Then to have your "reward" for doing well to fly back to Virginia a few weeks later.
I guess you can forget about planning that summer vacation.
 
timbuck said:
I think players/families were in Florida for at least a week. And over the 4th of July holiday. That is not a cheap trip by any stretch. Then to have your "reward" for doing well to fly back to Virginia a few weeks later.
I guess you can forget about planning that summer vacation.
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By now the league has you hook, line, and sinker. It's a pain for sure and demonstrates the exclusivity of these leagues. Constantly writing those checks, hoping somewhere down the line their is a return on your "investment".

Would it be possible to not have a post season? Save parents some $$. Maybe have some cross conference play throughout the year that eliminates this crazy post season schedule?

The kids will have fun though as will the college coaches.
 
GTS said:
If that's the case then yes It may make that difference; but it also all depends on how that keeper is performing. That's one reason why teams have 2 keepers. Of course with the exemption of the Blues u17; very risky IMO not having back up in case of jury.
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Every club has an entire ECRL team they can draw from. Obviously the Blues back up keeper players on the ECRL team, where she gets loads of playing time.
 
Dubs said:
100% agree. It's a complete fleecing of families that have to make the trip. Yes, good accomplishment making it to final 4, but having to pay for 2 $1000+ dollar flights to these locations within 3 weeks of each other is stupid and wrong.
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If you don’t fly all over, you always play the same teams, because you play whichever playoff team is closest to you.

OK by me. But other people might object to Blues meeting Surf in the quarterfinals 15 times in 5 years. It lacks a certain variety.
 
timbuck said:
I think players/families were in Florida for at least a week. And over the 4th of July holiday. That is not a cheap trip by any stretch. Then to have your "reward" for doing well to fly back to Virginia a few weeks later.
I guess you can forget about planning that summer vacation.
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Exactly. You can forget your summer vacation planning and say hello to cutting two fat checks for unecessary travel. It does indeed point to the exclusivity of the league. There has to be a better way, but as long as families agree to pay, it will continue.
 
dad4 said:
If you don’t fly all over, you always play the same teams, because you play whichever playoff team is closest to you.

OK by me. But other people might object to Blues meeting Surf in the quarterfinals 15 times in 5 years. It lacks a certain variety.
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Not to open this can of worms again- But that's the problem with a closed league system. How many teams do Blues, Surf and Slammers drive past on the way to the airport that might give them a decent game? How many bench players at B, S, S are there because they want to be on an ECNL team but would be better served getting playing time at a club that plays local?
 
Dubs said:
Exactly. You can forget your summer vacation planning and say hello to cutting two fat checks for unecessary travel. It does indeed point to the exclusivity of the league. There has to be a better way, but as long as families agree to pay, it will continue.
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True….but how is this different than the GA Nationals, the advanced rounds of National Cup and/or the USYSL Championships?

This isn’t restricted to ECNL.
 
Kicker4Life said:
True….but how is this different than the GA Nationals, the advanced rounds of National Cup and/or the USYSL Championships?

This isn’t restricted to ECNL.
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Kinda my point. If all teams were grouped in the same structure, we'd have less "National" events that require so much travel.
Its like pro boxing- So many federations and "World Champs" across multiple federations.
 
timbuck said:
Kinda my point. If all teams were grouped in the same structure, we'd have less "National" events that require so much travel.
Its like pro boxing- So many federations and "World Champs" across multiple federations.
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You mean there would be less teams “needing” to travel because there would only be one “National Championship” versus 1 for GA, 1 for ECNL, etc….
 
timbuck said:
Kinda my point. If all teams were grouped in the same structure, we'd have less "National" events that require so much travel.
Its like pro boxing- So many federations and "World Champs" across multiple federations.
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If you're going to have a national championship, there is going to be travel. If you break it down into conference championships, feeding into regional championships feeding into national championships, you might limit travel for weaker teams, and increase travel for nationally competitive ones. There will always be someone that won't like it.
The other approach is to just stop at regional championships. High school stops at states because they run out of time, and nobody would pay for much more than that. That's not a "national" league.
It just depends on what you want, there are formats out there to give you whatever level of travel you desire. ECNL tailors its product for its own purpose, as do all leagues.
 
supercell said:
If you're going to have a national championship, there is going to be travel. If you break it down into conference championships, feeding into regional championships feeding into national championships, you might limit travel for weaker teams, and increase travel for nationally competitive ones. There will always be someone that won't like it.
The other approach is to just stop at regional championships. High school stops at states because they run out of time, and nobody would pay for much more than that. That's not a "national" league.
It just depends on what you want, there are formats out there to give you whatever level of travel you desire. ECNL tailors its product for its own purpose, as do all leagues.
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We are part ECNL but I'm not sure you can call it a "national" league if you exclude most teams and most players can't afford it. "Exclusive Wealthy League" might be more appropriate.

A National League is one which allows most people to be part of and fees should be used to pay for winners to travel to regionals and national championships.

I'd like to see colleges stop scouting at these expensive events and more on regional showcases or tourneys where most kids can afford it. If the NCAA unites to make this a priority, sports will be cheaper and we will have REAL National Championships.
 
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