MLS Next

[SoccerMommingIt]

Forgive my naivety about this but, my kid has the opportunity to play MLS Next for next season. All I know is that there will be out of town games during the teams "regular season". As well as MLSNext Fest in Dec/Mar.
Anyone in San Diego specifically have insight on how far we will have to travel? Or any examples if your kids played last year on the travel schedule?

TIA

 

[East County Soccer Dad]

Forgive my naivety about this but, my kid has the opportunity to play MLS Next for next season. All I know is that there will be out of town games during the teams "regular season". As well as MLSNext Fest in Dec/Mar.
Anyone in San Diego specifically have insight on how far we will have to travel? Or any examples if your kids played last year on the travel schedule?

TIA

MLSN AD or HD?
HD will travel Nevada and Arizona and all of so-cal
AD will stick to so-cal if it’s the same as this year

 

[sigmabody]

MLSN AD or HD?
HD will travel Nevada and Arizona and all of so-cal
AD will stick to so-cal if it’s the same as this year

To expand on this, just to give more context/info:

MLSN HD is what the league is calling the high-level academy program now. This will require significant travel and commitment (including out of state), and is considered the highest level of competitive youth soccer atm.

MLSN AD is their newer, "addon", lower-tier, development league (aka MLSN 2). These teams generally play more locally, and are not as strong (on average, maybe slightly below ECNL, and slightly above NPL, as far as I can tell, but it varies quite a bit). This might still have more travel than, say, just SoCal League (unsure).

Keep in mind, though: MLSN AD is not the top-tier league, and if you're being asked to travel a lot for it (and/or pay significantly more money, etc.), then this is somewhat just deceptive marketing based on the league and naming. It sounds like you're being invited to HD (in which case, congrats), but this is a distinction certainly worth knowing as a parent.

 

[Jamisfoes]

To expand on this, just to give more context/info:

MLSN HD is what the league is calling the high-level academy program now. This will require significant travel and commitment (including out of state), and is considered the highest level of competitive youth soccer atm.

MLSN AD is their newer, "addon", lower-tier, development league (aka MLSN 2). These teams generally play more locally, and are not as strong (on average, maybe slightly below ECNL, and slightly above NPL, as far as I can tell, but it varies quite a bit). This might still have more travel than, say, just SoCal League (unsure).

Keep in mind, though: MLSN AD is not the top-tier league, and if you're being asked to travel a lot for it (and/or pay significantly more money, etc.), then this is somewhat just deceptive marketing based on the league and naming. It sounds like you're being invited to HD (in which case, congrats), but this is a distinction certainly worth knowing as a parent.

MLS next HD is actually lower level than ECNL. Why? Because the kids on those teams are 5 month younger than kids on ECNL teams.

 

[CAZZZ]

To expand on this, just to give more context/info:

MLSN HD is what the league is calling the high-level academy program now. This will require significant travel and commitment (including out of state), and is considered the highest level of competitive youth soccer atm.

MLSN AD is their newer, "addon", lower-tier, development league (aka MLSN 2). These teams generally play more locally, and are not as strong (on average, maybe slightly below ECNL, and slightly above NPL, as far as I can tell, but it varies quite a bit). This might still have more travel than, say, just SoCal League (unsure).

Keep in mind, though: MLSN AD is not the top-tier league, and if you're being asked to travel a lot for it (and/or pay significantly more money, etc.), then this is somewhat just deceptive marketing based on the league and naming. It sounds like you're being invited to HD (in which case, congrats), but this is a distinction certainly worth knowing as a parent.

Unfortunately, as MLSN and ECNL start to target lower-tier teams with MLSN2, EA, EA2, RL, and RL2, there are fewer teams that can play in SoCal in 11x11. So if you want to play some decent teams (not top-level), you have to join those leagues and travel.

 

[sigmabody]

MLS next HD is actually lower level than ECNL. Why? Because the kids on those teams are 5 month younger than kids on ECNL teams.

Probably debatable, but not worth getting into here (and I don't have a strong opinion; I was just going on average rankings before the age transition).

Take home is just MLSN HD is/was generally considered the highest level of competitive youth soccer, MLSN AD is not that, and probably a tier or two below that.

 

[sigmabody]

Unfortunately, as MLSN and ECNL start to target lower-tier teams with MLSN2, EA, EA2, RL, and RL2, there are fewer teams that can play in SoCal in 11x11. So if you want to play some decent teams (not top-level), you have to join those leagues and travel.

I don't agree with this take; I think it's certainly possible to find good teams to play relatively locally. You'll just be playing them more in tournaments and scrimmages than in league play (due to the various leagues). But at least as far as I have seen, through NPL the competition level is fairly strong in SoCal League locally, and when you're playing tournaments (and showcases, etc.), you can always find reasonably good and reasonably local strong competition in southern California, and still not need to travel much.

 

[CAZZZ]

Probably debatable, but not worth getting into here (and I don't have a strong opinion; I was just going on average rankings before the age transition).

Take home is just MLSN HD is/was generally considered the highest level of competitive youth soccer, MLSN AD is not that, and probably a tier or two below that.

I think for Sophomores and older, the average ECNL team is stronger than MLSN, as some good players want to play HS Varsity soccer.

 

[Jamisfoes]

Probably debatable, but not worth getting into here (and I don't have a strong opinion; I was just going on average rankings before the age transition).

Take home is just MLSN HD is/was generally considered the highest level of competitive youth soccer, MLSN AD is not that, and probably a tier or two below that.

If you throw out the mls next academy outliers, mls next HD pay to play and ECNL pay to play are not much different.

 

[KiloOne]

Forgive my naivety about this but, my kid has the opportunity to play MLS Next for next season. All I know is that there will be out of town games during the teams "regular season". As well as MLSNext Fest in Dec/Mar.
Anyone in San Diego specifically have insight on how far we will have to travel? Or any examples if your kids played last year on the travel schedule?

TIA

For MLS Next Homegrown Division, you'll travel to Phoenix twice for matches (4 teams in AZ) and you'll go to Vegas once (2 teams). Plus you'll likely go as far as Santa Barbara/Ventura and everywhere in between for league/Flex matches. MLS Next Fest is in December and has been in Phoenix or Indio the past few years. MLS Next Flex is April/May and be anywhere (TX and Maryland most recently). Playoffs are in June and are in Salt Lake this year and were in Nashville last year. Needless to say, there will be travel, especially if the team qualifies for Flex and/or playoffs.