Dos Equis
GOLD
Corona is going to change more than just travel. All this time away from crazy soccer life has to remind parents how life should be...ECNL offers families more choice, more time, more freedom and similar college exposure. It also gives clubs more freedom to run their soccer operations as they see fit. Clubs jumping the DA ship are giving their families what they want. The two teams offer is just the cherry on top. Look for one of the "smaller" SoCal DA clubs to jump first.
There will be changes in priorities and behavior due to this pandemic and its social and economic impacts. Costs for families are going to have to come down in the near term if club soccer is to continue to thrive. There has been (and will be) too much loss in wages, jobs, savings and wealth (not to mention lives) to expect the same level of support for $4-6k/year/player youth clubs and leagues.
The future of youth soccer will not be best served by two competing, high-cost national "elite" girls leagues. Perhaps new leadership at US Soccer will come to this realization. The level of regional competition and reduced travel that would result from some form of merger and a two bracket system (as needed in the larger regions, perhaps including mid-season bracket adjustments for competitive purposes) would be far superior to what we have now.