John, you assume that The Don actually has enough power to demand anything of the MLS owners. I suspect that he asks for a lot and gets only a fraction of what he wants. Closer coordination between MLS and NASL and USLPro can only be a good thing. Even if the loaned out players only get to play in front of "crowds" of 2K to 3K, that's still way better than playing just a handful of reserve games in front of 50 to 300 people. Is there a chance that this might help with attendance? Might a lower division team get more media coverage when announcing a loan player? Ah, that's wishful thinking on my part. Money and advertising dollars will drive better attendance (and rabid supporters groups recruiting new people). So if all lower division teams are losing money, how and why do they stay in business? Someone with cash loves the game? They think they'll be able to sell the team for a profit? I'm still hopeful that NASL and USLPro both thrive. - Mark
They don't all, obviously. The failure rate from 1996-2010 was 79%. No team currently in the NASL has been playing continuously longer than six years (and that one is owned by an outfit with a bit of money). (Atlanta has been "in business" since 1999 in what is basically its current iteration, but they took two years off.) In USL Pro, Charleston, Richmond and Charlotte have all been in business for 20 years. They're very likely not bleeding money. Rochester has been in business since 1996, but their current ownership has found the going less successful than the original ownership (probably because of some of the things the original ownership did). Some are losing what their ownership terms "acceptable losses." But, yeah, for the most part, teams are losing money. And the ones that stay in business long-term are the exception rather than the rule. For a lot of reasons we don't have time to go into right now.
Thanks, and yeah, we don't have time to get into all of this just this minute, nor is this the appropriate thread for this. However, is it possible that a new cooperation agreement of some sort between MLS and NASL and MLS and USLPro could funnel some money to the lower division teams? I'm thinking in sort of minor league baseball terms, which might not be appropriate, but wouldn't the MLS clubs be on the hook for some or all of the loaned player's salary? Thus, a lower division team might enjoy a reduced payroll, which would help with the bottom line. Under the right circumstances (Houston or Dallas loaning players to San Antonio) there might be some traveling fans? Increased media attention? We don't have enough details on this proposed "deal" yet to know if any of this might be the case. I'm just in a hopeful mood. (And I could wish that there was a minor league team closer to me, but hey, I've got MLS in my metro area, so no complaints.) - Mark
You really don't read threads all the way through, do you? A player that's so not-MLS-ready as to be loaned to the lower divisions is unlikely to generate a lot of increased media attention and even less likely to be able to get traveling fans to go a longer distance to see him play than they normally would.
Oy. College, perhaps. Do you know anything about American soccer? Some players are ready to play in MLS right now. Others get to the level where they can contribute to an MLS team after being in an MLS environment, training and being (basically) an apprentice. Others aren't deemed worthy of an MLS job or take a secure job with a lower-level team, and display talent and/or growth to the point where they are then deemed worthy of being signed to an MLS contract. Some players fall through the cracks, get jobs either in other countries or with lower-level teams and have people working on their behalf to get them seen by MLS coaches. But someone who cannot crack an MLS team's starting 11 or regular rotation could be seen as "not MLS ready," yet displaying potential that could be brought out if they played regularly in a professional environment. If the MLS team in question can't give the player those minutes, they may loan him to a lower-level team (usually one with whom the coaches have some connection or relationship) and then they see where he is in his development after playing a certain period of time with a lower-level team.
If you believe that a 3 month college season is a adequate avenue to produce players for the United States to win a world cup, well good luck with that route. Apprentice? Are you speaking from experience? If yes, please tell me where you did a soccer apprenticeship. If not, educate yourself a little. It start's at 16 years old or in some cases even younger. Boot cleaning, shower cleaning, bath cleaning, training gear cleaning, stadium cleaning and quite a few other chores. Oh, apprentices also clean the toilet bowls.Apprentice work starts at 6am and continues until the evening hours on a daily basis for a minimum of 2 years. The pay off for the player is that he truly understands all of the details of the inter workings of a professional soccer club. Obviously ken, he has to be a very good soccer player. The work that a apprentice puts in, also shows the players character and commitment to the game. If the player is not willing to do all the medial work that is required, he is simply released. That is what a soccer apprenticeship is all about Ken. It has worked for many countries. The Vancouver WhiteCaps are doing a good job with young professionals, from what I can see. I live in California and frequently go and watch the "academy" teams of the two local MLS clubs. The first thing that these young players need to learn, is that the players at 14, 15, and 16 years old need to know that the shoes that they play soccer with, need to be shined on a daily basis. American soccer players not Canadian as the Vancouver club, need to implement true apprenticeship programs. So when you write upon apprenticeships, in soccer, know what your writing about.
Well, when one writes on apprenticeships in soccer in America, at least know what Beckham and Keane went through to get to the top of the craft. If one can not understand this in soccer, oh well.... If you feel that American Professional soccer doesn't need proper youth professional apprentice programs well, good luck with the college game.
That's funny. I don't recall you asking about preparing players for the United States to win a World Cup. I remember you asking about how players would get "MLS-ready." You do know what MLS is, right? It's a league. And, oddly enough, players come into - and play and contribute to - MLS having only American college experience. The word "apprentice" has meanings outside the Euro meaning of the scut work "character and commitment building" you describe above. Hint: Donald Trump does not have a TV show that creates soccer players. Whatever you say, chief. Shoeshines, we'll get right on that. Shoeshines are why England wins the World Cup every four years. Got it. Someone who lives in California should know about American exceptionalism when it comes to soccer. But, please, go on for another several hundred words about how backward-ass we are while you enjoy living here instead of there.
Kinda helped that Beckham and Keane had a bit of talent, too, no? And that they weren't going to go into other, more lucrative sports instead of football. Ah, what's the use. ********ing Euros think they know everything.
You are the person who suggested apprenticeships in the MLS . Your answer, Donald Trump. Failing grade Ken. "F". A soccer player not shining his shoes? You answered with, England not winning the World Cup every four years. Failing grade "F". I was born in New York and raised in California, a third generation "Euro- American" . Are you questioning my patriotism to the United States? " American exceptionalism when it comes to soccer" Failing grade "F". Ken, you can do much better.
None of this has anything to do with "NASL News 2012." So perhaps cdskou should just stop since he derailed the thread.
Maybe WSW is the type of poster you must read when you are high for you to understand the genious of his post.
24 posts that have some meaning, not sure where its going, but you continue this in a separate thread here. Please try to use reason.
i want to thank nasl and the usl for providing free on demand match replays worldwide via nasl.com and usllive.com mls could really learn a lot about making their league available to a greater viewing public for example us citizens living or working overseas. well done nasl and usl.