NW PDL: Any new teams?

[tritown]

With PDL doing so well recently in the NW, I am hoping that more teams will climb on board. It seems like there would be some great markets in places like Tri-Cities, or Bend, OR, or Boise, ID. Does anybody know of any rumors or news of new startups? It would be nice to see some minor league rivalries like we see in WHL, such as the fierce Spokane Chiefs-Tri City Americans rivalry, for example. Just curious.

[Yoshou]

With PDL doing so well recently in the NW, I am hoping that more teams will climb on board. It seems like there would be some great markets in places like Tri-Cities, or Bend, OR, or Boise, ID. Does anybody know of any rumors or news of new startups? It would be nice to see some minor league rivalries like we see in WHL, such as the fierce Spokane Chiefs-Tri City Americans rivalry, for example. Just curious.

Rumor has it that some of the WA PDL teams are looking to move into USL-2 if they find enough teams to make a Western Conference. Some guy in Victoria bought the Whitecaps USL franchise rights so that might be an option to add to the mix. The guy sounds like he wants to stay USL-1, but if the Timbers actually get into MLS, I don't see how any West Coast team could stay above PDL right now.

That's just a long version of saying, if some of the WA PDL teams go to USL-2, then I can see more PDL teams. Until then, I'm not sure there is that much demand considering how little following most PDL teams get.

[Mateofelipe]

As of next month, I will be able to contribute a whopping 5% of a PDL franchise fee. Plus passion. Plus a varied skill set that includes management, teaching, law, and public relations, with a domestic partner who is great with websites and can write and perform ad jingles, among other talents.

Any partners/employers?

All seriousness aside, I am distressed that the Spokane Spiders used to play a short bike ride from where I now live, and, now that I have returned to Spokane, are now the Post Falls, Idaho Dog Track FC (PDIDTFC, for short). They are the successors to the Spokane Shadow, run by the very competent Brett Brothers organization, but Bobby Brett decided to get into a pissing contest with the City of Spokane, that culminated in Brett having a chest-bumping, shouting altercation with the former mayor. Brett later pulled out of PDL, but seems to want back in. USL wants him to go play in the traffic. I don't blame them. Meanwhile, we have the Spiders, run out of the back of someone's minivan.

They are in the wrong place, have a crappy website, express all sorts of ambition, and don't have a damn clue what the hell they are doing, have a really stupid name and an atrocious logo, but God bless 'em. This is an AYSO soccer dad outfit, but it is the only game not-quite-in-town.

Trap 'em Spiders!

[Yoshou]

I miss the Shadow. They were actually fairly decent for an almost rec league team.;)

[Mateofelipe]

I miss the Shadow. They were actually fairly decent for an almost rec league team.;)

Brian Ching, Craig Waibel, Zach Scott, et al.

Spokane Shadow - Sounders stepping stone to MLS.

[Yoshou]

Or in Ching and Scott's case, a team located in the same city where they were going to college where they can play soccer during the summer and keep themselves in shape for the college soccer season.

[Mateofelipe]

Or in Ching and Scott's case, a team located in the same city where they were going to college where they can play soccer during the summer and keep themselves in shape for the college soccer season.

Gozaga Bulldogs, Sounders' stepping stone to MLS.

[Ismitje]

I attended a couple of Shadow games every season, but haven't seen the Spiders once. Poor marketing even for a PDL team, plus poor coverage, plus an out-of-the-way location makes it a yuck trip for me. Spokane is AFL2 crazy right now, to go with hockey and baseball, with soccer not meriting much of anything right now.

I'm not sure Yakima is on strong footing - they barely survived into this season - and Spokane isn't terribly strong either. Essentially, rough PDL times on this side of the state.

[Yoshou]

Didn't the Shadow play at SFCC for awhile? I seem to remember watching their games there, not at Joe Albi.

[Mateofelipe]

Didn't the Shadow play at SFCC for awhile? I seem to remember watching their games there, not at Joe Albi.

I have no recollection of the Shadow at SFCC, but the Spiders did play there.