Strikers ECNL rumors

MLS NEXT: Irvine Strikers and new Louisiana club will join for 2021-22 season
The Irvine Strikers, one of the oldest youth clubs in Southern California, and Louisiana Total Development Program will join MLS NEXT as members for the 2021-22 season, a source familiar with MLS Next's plans told Soccer America.

A full slate of expansion teams will be announced in May.

The Strikers, based in Orange County, have produced eight U.S. internationals, including Jonathan Bornstein and Benny Feilhaber, who played for the USA at the 2010 World Cup. Matthew Hoppe, who has scored five goals for Schalke 04 in 2021, played at Strikers FC before moving to the Barca Academy in Arizona.

Strikers FC was one of five founding members of the U.S. Soccer's Boys Development Academy from Southern California along with Arsenal, Pateadores, Real So Cal and San Diego Surf that signed up for the Boys ECNL for the 2020-2021 season following the DA's demise a year ago.

LATDP is a new club representing programs in Baton Rouge (Baton Rouge SC), Lafayette (Dynamo Juniors) and New Orleans (Louisiana Fire SC).

Five other new MLS NEXT members -- Hoover-Vestavia Soccer, Lou Fusz Athletic, Texas United, Tormenta FC and Wake Futbol Club -- were previously announced.

For the first season, 94 clubs were founding members, and 16 more added from a second wave of applicants.
 
So now that this is officially official and we dont need to act like we didnt know. Whats next ...

Each striker team in ECNL is either first or a very close second. Except one..

Does that mean that the teams are much better than current ECNL team and need the MLS next or is MLS going to be more of the same because of the filler clubs?

LAG/LAFC will be fun games like they usually are. Just wanting to get a grasp as too what really will MLS next offer , more travel meaning more $$$ out of my pocket..far off exotic location to visit like Portland (I'll bring the tear gas)
Just curious , to me its another league with some pro teams and some local clubs.....?
As parents , were pretty happy with strikers and their club, their big enough to matter in the soccer world, but still small enough to care about the kids .

ECNL results
B13 6-0-1
B14 6-0-1
B15 6-1-0
B16 6-0-1
B17 2-3-2
B18/19 6-1-0
 
NewUser27 said:
So now that this is officially official and we dont need to act like we didnt know. Whats next ...

Each striker team in ECNL is either first or a very close second. Except one..

Does that mean that the teams are much better than current ECNL team and need the MLS next or is MLS going to be more of the same because of the filler clubs?

LAG/LAFC will be fun games like they usually are. Just wanting to get a grasp as too what really will MLS next offer , more travel meaning more $$$ out of my pocket..far off exotic location to visit like Portland (I'll bring the tear gas)
Just curious , to me its another league with some pro teams and some local clubs.....?
As parents , were pretty happy with strikers and their club, their big enough to matter in the soccer world, but still small enough to care about the kids .

ECNL results
B13 6-0-1
B14 6-0-1
B15 6-1-0
B16 6-0-1
B17 2-3-2
B18/19 6-1-0
Click to expand...

Good for the strikers.

Next play is mostly local, couple to 3 trips to AZ to play Barca, RSL, Phoenix rising.

Doubtfull they see the same results as ECNL but at least they should be competitive.

Now the question is will the other shoe drop? Ecnl board knows what's up so they might say they can stay in ECRL next season or something else since they are not all in with first teams if strikers think they can field 2-3 teams per age group.
 
NewUser27 said:
So now that this is officially official and we dont need to act like we didnt know. Whats next ...

Each striker team in ECNL is either first or a very close second. Except one..

Does that mean that the teams are much better than current ECNL team and need the MLS next or is MLS going to be more of the same because of the filler clubs?

LAG/LAFC will be fun games like they usually are. Just wanting to get a grasp as too what really will MLS next offer , more travel meaning more $$$ out of my pocket..far off exotic location to visit like Portland (I'll bring the tear gas)
Just curious , to me its another league with some pro teams and some local clubs.....?
As parents , were pretty happy with strikers and their club, their big enough to matter in the soccer world, but still small enough to care about the kids .

ECNL results
B13 6-0-1
B14 6-0-1
B15 6-1-0
B16 6-0-1
B17 2-3-2
B18/19 6-1-0
Click to expand...
would argue that aside from LAG and LAFC, generally across age groups (i.e. exceptions exist), the level of competition in SW MLS Next is at or below ECNL, except now players have more of an opportunity to be scouted by LAG and LAFC (eg, VV)
 
Kante said:
would argue that aside from LAG and LAFC, generally across age groups (i.e. exceptions exist), the level of competition in SW MLS Next is at or below ECNL, except now players have more of an opportunity to be scouted by LAG and LAFC (eg, VV)
Click to expand...

Hard to say just yet, too few games have been played and if there is a NEXT postseason then you would have some better data.

Same with ECNL this year, hard to make judgements based on 6 local games or whatever. ECNL will have a postseason and after will have some better indicators. Decisions on who's is invited back for clubs that want multiple teams in or 2nds in a age group are often held off until all the results are known. Win and your in, if not up to the jury.

Typical what's been happening is a club can be very competitive in certain leagues that maybe not quite as strong, they move up, players move around, come & go and the results are not neccassily the same.

Pay to play players are offered scholarships deals to leave, coaches more pay, etc and before you know it there former clubs are back to middle of the table or lower. That's one of the reasons why NExt recommends low or no costs options to all players, without that teams have a hard time staying together and inevitably get raided or players what to play for bigger clubs, get into the playoffs, play or afford international Tournaments, etc.
 
lafalafa said:
Nah if you're paying regular club fees or close they are not providing no cost or low cost options. It's not meant to be a typical 3 kids or whatever a club might provide scholarships for like regular club teams.

Every player is either low cost or no cost. That's how it is @ several mls next we know.
Click to expand...
I appreciate your point, and I'm not trying to defend what my club is charging which is not low cost, but relatively speaking less than most of the MLS Next clubs, at least in OC and SD. I'm paying it voluntarily, they didn't put a gun to my head and its way cheaper than my daughter's dance.

I question how realistic it is for the independent clubs (ie non-MLS academies) to provide no cost soccer which on average for a full MLS Next program is going to be around 120 kids give or take. If you assume average fees are about $3,000 for this program thats $360,000 annually. How many sponsors are going to pony up even $50,000 to have their name on a youth soccer teams uniform? The other option is to charge more to the non-MLS teams within the club, but that's a substantial cost to spread. You can make money from tournaments, but that's still a big nut to crack and that takes resources away from the training effort. You could have the kids fundraise, but personally I'd rather just right a check. Our club does all of the above except having the non-MLS teams fund the MLS teams. I can tell you its a big hill to climb, plus it requires expertise to raise money that quite frankly few if any have the time and qualified personnel to do so. Surf is the only independent club that I'm aware of that has that ability, but even they don't fully fund their top teams.
 
watfly said:
I appreciate your point, and I'm not trying to defend what my club is charging which is not low cost, but relatively speaking less than most of the MLS Next clubs, at least in OC and SD. I'm paying it voluntarily, they didn't put a gun to my head and its way cheaper than my daughter's dance.

I question how realistic it is for the independent clubs (ie non-MLS academies) to provide no cost soccer which on average for a full MLS Next program is going to be around 120 kids give or take. If you assume average fees are about $3,000 for this program thats $360,000 annually. How many sponsors are going to pony up even $50,000 to have their name on a youth soccer teams uniform? The other option is to charge more to the non-MLS teams within the club, but that's a substantial cost to spread. You can make money from tournaments, but that's still a big nut to crack and that takes resources away from the training effort. You could have the kids fundraise, but personally I'd rather just right a check. Our club does all of the above except having the non-MLS teams fund the MLS teams. I can tell you its a big hill to climb, plus it requires expertise to raise money that quite frankly few if any have the time and qualified personnel to do so. Surf is the only independent club that I'm aware of that has that ability, but even they don't fully fund their top teams.
Click to expand...
Totally agree. And that estimate doesn't even capture league travel and tournament cost/travel which is another $1,000 - $10,000 depending on the team/club. Waiving fees is one thing, but if the player's family can't afford time off work, hotel stays, tournament fees, and/or airfare that's an issue. That's already a factor with the few kids on "scholarship". No way the non-MLS academies can cover the travel costs as well as the fees.
 
BIGD said:
Totally agree. And that estimate doesn't even capture league travel and tournament cost/travel which is another $1,000 - $10,000 depending on the team/club. Waiving fees is one thing, but if the player's family can't afford time off work, hotel stays, tournament fees, and/or airfare that's an issue. That's already a factor with the few kids on "scholarship". No way the non-MLS academies can cover the travel costs as well as the fees.
Click to expand...
It's a multi billion dollar industry that "we" the consumers are responsible for perpetuating. Pay to play sports is here to stay unless 1) Enough consumers (parents) divest from the system 2) Regulations are created that completely change the youth sports industry

www.usatoday.com

Youth sports needs a reset. Child athletes are pushed to professionalize too early.

COVID-19 forced the multi-billion dollar youth sports industry to put be put on hold. Let's take advantage of this time to look at it with fresh eyes.
www.usatoday.com
 
I see the value of ECNL for the girls looking at development and college play. For the boys side, they have to get closer to the MLS teams or go overseas. That's fine if they want to go to college to play soccer but if they want to go to the highest level, they need to get closer to the professional teams. Consolidate ECNL boys and MLS NExt into one. All others just stick with the SCDSL/CSL Formats. ECNL should only focus on the girls side,
 
Giesbock said:
I think West Coast first team is GA. Second team in ECRL. Not sure on Pats
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On the girls side, West Coast played their 06 and older A teams in GA this year and their younger A teams in ECRL. My understanding is they did so as ECRL wasn't planning on any showcase events and they wanted to get the older girls some exposure in those events. I think ECRL is planning some showcase events next year, so not sure which way they will go next year.

As I think someone mentioned, Pats dual rostered a lot of girls on ECRL and GA this year.
 
watfly said:
I appreciate your point, and I'm not trying to defend what my club is charging which is not low cost, but relatively speaking less than most of the MLS Next clubs, at least in OC and SD. I'm paying it voluntarily, they didn't put a gun to my head and its way cheaper than my daughter's dance.

I question how realistic it is for the independent clubs (ie non-MLS academies) to provide no cost soccer which on average for a full MLS Next program is going to be around 120 kids give or take. If you assume average fees are about $3,000 for this program thats $360,000 annually. How many sponsors are going to pony up even $50,000 to have their name on a youth soccer teams uniform? The other option is to charge more to the non-MLS teams within the club, but that's a substantial cost to spread. You can make money from tournaments, but that's still a big nut to crack and that takes resources away from the training effort. You could have the kids fundraise, but personally I'd rather just right a check. Our club does all of the above except having the non-MLS teams fund the MLS teams. I can tell you its a big hill to climb, plus it requires expertise to raise money that quite frankly few if any have the time and qualified personnel to do so. Surf is the only independent club that I'm aware of that has that ability, but even they don't fully fund their top teams.
Click to expand...
Pats done this recently by expanding and creating all those chapters to pay for DA.
 
There’s a LOT less drama about HS soccer for the boys than girls. Most boys in DA/MLS Next seem pretty comfortable giving up HS Soccer. I only know one kid who received a waiver on my son’s team and he is a lower-end-of-the-bench player so it’s probably a way to get more playing time right now. There are other kids at private/parochial schools and only one other kid even considered it and decided against.
 
Dargle said:
There’s a LOT less drama about HS soccer for the boys than girls. Most boys in DA/MLS Next seem pretty comfortable giving up HS Soccer. I only know one kid who received a waiver on my son’s team and he is a lower-end-of-the-bench player so it’s probably a way to get more playing time right now. There are other kids at private/parochial schools and only one other kid even considered it and decided against.
Click to expand...

Fair point. Even in SoCal there's only a handful of high schools where the quality is meaningful, and even then a school is lucky to get more than one meaningful competitor in the regular season.
 
watfly said:
I appreciate your point, and I'm not trying to defend what my club is charging which is not low cost, but relatively speaking less than most of the MLS Next clubs, at least in OC and SD. I'm paying it voluntarily, they didn't put a gun to my head and its way cheaper than my daughter's dance.

I question how realistic it is for the independent clubs (ie non-MLS academies) to provide no cost soccer which on average for a full MLS Next program is going to be around 120 kids give or take. If you assume average fees are about $3,000 for this program thats $360,000 annually. How many sponsors are going to pony up even $50,000 to have their name on a youth soccer teams uniform? The other option is to charge more to the non-MLS teams within the club, but that's a substantial cost to spread. You can make money from tournaments, but that's still a big nut to crack and that takes resources away from the training effort. You could have the kids fundraise, but personally I'd rather just right a check. Our club does all of the above except having the non-MLS teams fund the MLS teams. I can tell you its a big hill to climb, plus it requires expertise to raise money that quite frankly few if any have the time and qualified personnel to do so. Surf is the only independent club that I'm aware of that has that ability, but even they don't fully fund their top teams.
Click to expand...
I have a new money line for those who aren;t up to speed with the MLS players, "Low Cost Soccer."
 
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