But I can tell you that I talk to parents of ECNL soccer players and they all say that soccer is the worst in terms of $ extortion from the parents / gatekeeping out the masses of potential players.
It’s frustrating because the cost I am complaining about probably does benefit my kids because it thins the player pool for them - makes them more competitive. If you let more kids have access to the upper levels of the sport they might get pushed out / down. But it’s still not right.
USL has been mumbling things about an internal pro/rel. But MLS with their non-competitive practices is really hindering the sport. Not to say that USL’s region exclusivity is helping much.
Well the Ascent are starting their spring season next week. There’s a woman on the team that played for the Niners for a couple years before transferring to UNCCH. That team is 4/8 in the standing right now and is currently the only pro women’s sport in the city until the Upshot thing comes to fruition.
Then the Independence and CLTFC start back up in March I believe. The Jacks are perennial playoff contenders and CLTFC have steadily improved each year. And our hometown favorite in Bronico is still on FC, too. Plus USL League One goalie of the year Austin Pack plays for the Jacks and he played as a Niner for his college career too.
It’s a good city to root for soccer in, in general. Especially considering our Men’s side just won the AAC tourney two years in a row.
EDIT: Pack moved to Torments for this year. The Jacks haven’t updated their roster yet
Yeah that’s why I talk about MLS’ non-competitive practices. Even mostly exiting the US Open Cup should expel them from D1 status, but it doesn’t. I guess you could thank the USSF, but it’s really just a puppet organization for MLS.
But an internal pro/rel in USL could work pretty well. Right now, there’s no real incentive to rooting for a USL1 team. Beyond the championship, there’s nothing else that happens, especially knowing no matter what your team does, they’ll always be D3. A couple years ago, NCFC beat the Independence in the USL1 championship, but prior to the game, NCFC paid to move up to USLC. It was sort of a poetic promotion of sorts, and it made the game really exciting to watch.
Fuck these programs. I’m so sick of the arrogant bullshit. They are leaving out so many perennial top 25 soccer programs because of that bullshit “power” conference crap.
Since most of these schools can’t/wont offer large NIL’s in sports such as soccer, this is the good ole work around to lure kids away from G5 to the P5 schools. Some of these conferences could give 2 $hit$ about soccer, but if this is another way to stick it to non P5’s, they will now make it important. They are doing exactly what they are hoping; that the rest of us just say F’it. The differences is that individuals like me will just tune out of college sports all together. I WILL NOT watch a team that I have no connection to.
No surprise that the ACC and Big Ten are pushing this since they own the vast majority of College Cup championships over the past 4+ decades. Saint Louis still has the most with 10 but last NC came in 1973. Indiana next with 8 and UVA with 7.
Yep, some of the 32 are head scratchers, especially San Diego State. Agree that Saint Louis has quite a history but last College Cup final four came in 1997 and even further back for a championship game appearance in 1974.
