USL PRO Expands to Colorado Springs Franchise, owned by Ragain Sports, to kick off in 2015 Thursday, December 5, 2013 uslsoccer.com This part was news to me: The death of the MLS Reserve League, apparently. Looks like they are folding 2 teams next year: VSI Tampa Bay FC Antigua Barracuda FC which will be replaced by two expansion teams in 2014: Oklahoma City Energy FC Sacramento Republic FC keeping the league at 13 teams. In 2015, they lose Orlando to MLS, and add Colorado Springs, so eight MLS teams (21-13) will need to either field reserve teams in USL-Pro, or share affiliates.
Cross-post: Columbus Crew announce affiliation with USL PRO's Dayton Dutch Lions December 19, 2013 MLSsoccer staff MLSsoccer.com This brings it up to six: New England Revolution -> Rochester Rhinos Sporting Kansas City -> Orlando City Philadelphia Union -> Harrisburg City Islanders DC United -> Richmond Kickers 2014 Houston Dynamo -> Pittsburgh Riverhounds Columbus Crew -> Dayton Dutch Lions
Tulsa to field USL PRO franchise in 2015 as league continues its expansion campaign December 18, 2013 Dan Itel MLSsoccer.com
Jimmy Nielsen announced as OKC Energy FC head coach as Sporting KC split USL PRO affiliation December 20, 2013 MLSsoccer staff MLSsoccer.com SKC splitting affiliation with Orlando and OKC (two players each this year), as Orlando jumps from USL to MLS in 2015.
Toronto FC announce USL PRO partnership with Wilmington Hammerheads January 22, 2014 MLSsoccer staff MLSsoccer.com Seventh team with an affiliate, leaving 12 teams in the Reserve League this year.
A similar article was posted in another thread, but it's applicable here as well. LA Galaxy announce they will form their own USL PRO franchise named LA Galaxy II January 29, 2014 MLSsoccer staff MLSsoccer.com MLS Affiliates with USL-PRO 2013 New England Revolution -> Rochester Rhinos Sporting Kansas City -> Orlando City Philadelphia Union -> Harrisburg City Islanders DC United -> Richmond Kickers 2014 Houston Dynamo -> Pittsburgh Riverhounds Columbus Crew -> Dayton Dutch Lions Toronto FC -> Wilmington Hammerheads San Jose Earthquakes -> Sacramento Repulic FC (shared) Portland Timbers -> Sacramento Repulic FC (shared) Los Angeles Galaxy -> Los Angeles Galaxy II 2015 Sporting KC -> Oklahoma City Energy (was Orlando City)
I know, but SKC doesn't become their full affiliate until 2015, when Orlando City moves to MLS. They are splitting (2 players each) this year, but I was trying to simplify it.
Three expansion teams (Sacramento, OKC, and Gals II), two folded teams (Tampa Bay and Antigua), leaves 14 teams in USL-Pro this year. The schedule was released yesterday, with each team playing the other 13 home and away, plus two games against MLS Reserve clubs, for a total of 28 matches. Here is the Rochester Rhinos schedule, as they open in Orlando on April 5th. Their two MLS Reserves matches are against CHI and FCD.
The USLPro schedule isn't that balanced this year. It's not home-and-away plus two MLS reserves. For instance, Rochester plays the following (see details below) teams: 3x -Orlando, Dayton, Wilmington, Pittsburgh, Charleston 2x - Charlotte, Richmond, Harrisburg 1x - All other USLPro teams + FCD Reserves and Fire Reserves So it's a quasi-regionalized unbalanced schedule. I know that some of the western teams play each other 4 times April 2014 USLPROSatApr 57:30 PM ETRochesteratOrlandoESPN Wide World of Sports USLPROFriApr 117:00 PM ETRochesteratDaytonTBD USLPROMonApr 2112:00 PM ETRochesteratFire ReservesToyota Park USLPROSunApr 274:05 PM ETCharlestonatRochesterSahlen's Stadium May 2014 USLPROFriMay 27:00 PM ETRochesteratRichmondCity Stadium USLPROSatMay 37:30 PM ETRochesteratWilmingtonLegion Stadium USLPROSatMay 107:05 PM ETOrlandoatRochesterSahlen's Stadium USLPROSatMay 177:00 PM ETRochesteratPittsburghHighmark Stadium USLPROFriMay 237:35 PM ETSacramentoatRochesterSahlen's Stadium USLPROFriMay 307:35 PM ETRichmondatRochesterSahlen's Stadium June 2014 USLPROSunJun 17:00 PM ETRochesteratDaytonTBD USLPROSatJun 77:05 PM ETPittsburghatRochesterSahlen's Stadium USLPROWedJun 1110:30 PM ETRochesteratLA Galaxy IIStubHub Center USLPROSatJun 1410:10 PM ETRochesteratPhoenixPeoria Sports Complex USLPROFriJun 207:35 PM ETDaytonatRochesterSahlen's Stadium USLPROSunJun 228:00 PM ETRochesteratOKCPribil Stadium USLPROSatJun 287:05 PM ETCharlotteatRochesterSahlen's Stadium July 2014 USLPROFriJul 47:00 PM ETRochesteratPittsburghHighmark Stadium USLPROFriJul 117:35 PM ETFCD ReservesatRochesterSahlen's Stadium USLPROSatJul 197:05 PM ETWilmingtonatRochesterSahlen's Stadium USLPROSunJul 274:05 PM ETOrlandoatRochesterSahlen's Stadium August 2014 USLPROFriAug 17:35 PM ETCharlestonatRochesterSahlen's Stadium USLPROSatAug 97:05 PM ETLos AngelesatRochesterSahlen's Stadium USLPROFriAug 157:30 PM ETRochesteratCharlestonBlackbaud Stadium USLPROSatAug 167:00 PM ETRochesteratCharlotteQueens Sports Complex USLPROSatAug 237:05 PM ETHarrisburgatRochesterSahlen's Stadium USLPROSatAug 307:00 PM ETRochesteratHarrisburgSkyline Sports Complex September 2014 USLPROSunSep 74:05 PM ETWilmingtonatRochesterSahlen's Stadium
I coded it for you. Code: April 2014 USLPRO Sat Apr 5 7:30 PM ET Rochester at Orlando ESPN Wide World of Sports USLPRO Fri Apr 11 7:00 PM ET Rochester at Dayton TBD USLPRO Mon Apr 21 12:00 PM ET Rochester at Fire Reserves Toyota Park USLPRO Sun Apr 27 4:05 PM ET Charleston at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium May 2014 USLPRO Fri May 2 7:00 PM ET Rochester at Richmond City Stadium USLPRO Sat May 3 7:30 PM ET Rochester at Wilmington Legion Stadium USLPRO Sat May 10 7:05 PM ET Orlando at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium USLPRO Sat May 17 7:00 PM ET Rochester at Pittsburgh Highmark Stadium USLPRO Fri May 23 7:35 PM ET Sacramento at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium USLPRO Fri May 30 7:35 PM ET Richmond at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium June 2014 USLPRO Sun Jun 1 7:00 PM ET Rochester at Dayton TBD USLPRO Sat Jun 7 7:05 PM ET Pittsburgh at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium USLPRO Wed Jun 11 10:30 PM ET Rochester at LA Galaxy II StubHub Center USLPRO Sat Jun 14 10:10 PM ET Rochester at Phoenix Peoria Sports Complex USLPRO Fri Jun 20 7:35 PM ET Dayton at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium USLPRO Sun Jun 22 8:00 PM ET Rochester at OKC Pribil Stadium USLPRO Sat Jun 28 7:05 PM ET Charlotte at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium July 2014 USLPRO Fri Jul 4 7:00 PM ET Rochester at Pittsburgh Highmark Stadium USLPRO Fri Jul 11 7:35 PM ET FCD Reserves at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium USLPRO Sat Jul 19 7:05 PM ET Wilmington at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium USLPRO Sun Jul 27 4:05 PM ET Orlando at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium August 2014 USLPRO Fri Aug 1 7:35 PM ET Charleston at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium USLPRO Sat Aug 9 7:05 PM ET Los Angeles at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium USLPRO Fri Aug 15 7:30 PM ET Rochester at Charleston Blackbaud Stadium USLPRO Sat Aug 16 7:00 PM ET Rochester at Charlotte Queens Sports Complex USLPRO Sat Aug 23 7:05 PM ET Harrisburg at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium USLPRO Sat Aug 30 7:00 PM ET Rochester at Harrisburg Skyline Sports Complex September 2014 USLPRO Sun Sep 7 4:05 PM ET Wilmington at Rochester Sahlen's Stadium
The math would work out. But I think they'll be happy to move toward conferences and more regionalized scheduling to keep costs down. Makes a lot of sense for a D3 team in such a large country.
I missed this one last month: Vancouver Whitecaps FC and USL PRO club Charleston Battery enter affiliate partnership 'Caps set to loan minimum four MLS players to club affiliate January 23, 2014 whitecapsfc.com This leaves 8 clubs in the Reserve League.
NYRB to follow suit (keeping up with the SuperClubs?): New York Red Bulls ready to launch USL PRO side in 2015: "We see it as a big, big advantage" March 5, 2014 Franco Panizo MLSsoccer.com
Let's be honest ... if you have your own club the players you send down actually have a chance to play because you control what's happening. This is a great idea.
Yeah, it's just a matter of time and money before the whole league is doing this. I know in Germany it costs about 2 to 3 million euros to operate a full reserve team, and I'd expect it to be ever so slightly more here in the states. That's still a decent sized chunk of money for the small market MLS teams. Eventually, I think we'll get there with all teams, but it will take a few years.
Let me guess who one of the last teams will be? The same as the Academy program? And yes, I know the Revs did the Academy well.
Thanks for the cost perspective based on what happens in Germany. That makes me wonder if MLS HQ should mandate that each team pays up a set amount, say $3M, to cover their own USL PRO team similar to the way they all pay in to the salary cap kitty. I would think that this would serve the league well in the long run and would better ensure that each team has some kind of reserve set up. Perhaps a mandate like this might have helped the prior reserve leagues succeed? If the league can pay big money for stars it seems like they would want to get involved on the development end as well. Maybe this is a case where the big money/market teams could help the small money/market teams by contributing more for the long term benefit of the league? This is an aspect of the league where I definitely can see the need for MLS HQ training wheels.
Partnering with another club and running your own club are two different beasts. As stated prior in this tread, running your own club is expensive.
And that will be great when it's a reality. Bench players and those returning from injuries will be able to develop some game fitness. Supporters would have the opportunity to see and follow the younger prospects. Brother teams will help generate interest in the MLS club and vice-versa. It'll be a big step.
Agreed. It would be cool for the Revs to have a USL-Pro club in Providence, Hartford, or Portsmouth to help spread the Revs brand throughout New England.
There's also this city called Boston I've been hearing about. Maybe it would be cool to have a Revs operated pro club there to help spread the brand.
By the time we have a USL-PRO team to call our own we'll be playing in our new SSS on Boston Common. Duh. In all seriousness, if the Revs actually have a goal of moving the team to Boston or an urban suburb of Boston in the near future it doesn't make sense to have a USL-PRO team in the city.