The better way to look at these "Surf" affiliation/merger announcements is to understand that the "Surf" name has national recognition through the Surf Cup. Also appreciate that the Surf Cup and the Surf Soccer programs are two seperate companies.
San Dieguito Surf Soccer Club, does two kinds of deals with clubs:
Its all a bit confusing, which is why it works. The Surf brand can open doors and makes a club more marketable over Bob's Soccer Club, which is why clubs enter into these license deals.
- "Surf Soccer Club" is owned by San Dieguito Surf Soccer Club (Non-Profit Corp - Jeremy McDonald is the President); and,
- "Surf Cup," is owned by Surf Cup Sports, LLC (A For-Profit / Rob Haskell is the Manager).
San Dieguito Surf Soccer Club, does two kinds of deals with clubs:
- "Merger" - Where the club is consumed/folded into the corporate non-profit known as "San Dieguito Surf Soccer Club." The players at the merged clubs are playing for San Diego Surf under either the OC Surf (and now) the LA Surf region. These players can be "club passed" back and forth between regions as they are all playing for essentially the same Club.
- "Affiliate" License deal where the club remain independently operated from both a DOC and corporate point of view. These clubs are free to rebrand as another club down the road and simply pay a license fee, which is the case with the other 16 Surf National Affiliates (e.g. Murrieta Surf, SGV Surf, Hawaii Surf, etc., etc.) These players cannot be club passed back and forth, as they are playing for a different company/club.
Its all a bit confusing, which is why it works. The Surf brand can open doors and makes a club more marketable over Bob's Soccer Club, which is why clubs enter into these license deals.