Red Bulls make their youth academy free

[Trevallion]

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2008/01/red-bulls-makin.html

From Ives:

In what should be seen as a landmark moment in MLS player development, the Red Bulls are set to make their youth academies free to all participants. This decision will make the Red Bulls the first MLS team to do so.

[trip76]

excellent news, and hopefully just the first of many.

[peridigm]

That's the way it should be.

[Horror Show]

I second that. This is excellent news, and I hope that they are able to reap the success of it early so that other teams are forced to follow suit.

[Onionsack]

More detailed info from Red Bull:

Red Bull New York, in conjunction with the Red Bull Academy, announced today that going forward its Academy programs will be free of charge for all participants who are selected into the program.

“Red Bull New York continues to commit its resources to the sport of soccer in the United States,” said RBNY Sporting Director Jeff Agoos. “Red Bull is firmly committed to player development and helping support youth soccer organizations within the local community. This will be a significant investment that is in line with our vision of creating a world-class player development system here in the Greater New York area. For our Academy players, this is the first step towards the goal of playing professionally for the New York Red Bulls.”

“By making the programs free of charge to all participants who are selected, Red Bull has eliminated the most significant barrier for talented soccer players to participate in a world-class program,” said RBNY Academy Director Bob Montgomery. “Top soccer talent will only have to be selected to the program by our world-class coaching staff. Beyond that, all of the participation costs will be handled by Red Bull. We believe by eliminating the cost barrier, top players will be able to develop within our program with a goal of someday playing on the First Team for the New York Red Bulls.”

The Red Bulls Academy and its grassroots programs presently operate out of the Red Bull New York corporate offices in Secaucus. Upon completion of the Red Bulls Training Facility in Hanover Township, New Jersey, the program will relocate to the world-class facility scheduled to have six soccer fields and a 45,000 square foot complex.

Tryouts for the 2009 cycle of teams will be held in the Spring of 2008 for the five Academy teams (U20, U18, U16, U15, U14).

[trip76]

does anyone have an idea how many free slots total we are talking about here?

[ATLGunner]

RBNY should be the definitive franchise within five years. They have an extra DP, a player who at worst will command a large transfer fee, a new stadium coming and a youth system in a talent rich area which should lead to, by far, the best youth pipeline.

[Onionsack]

does anyone have an idea how many free slots total we are talking about here?

5 Academy teams. Probably 18-23 players per team is average.

So your looking at around 100-120 kids i would say maybe more any given year.

[metroflip73]

Do any kids that play for any MLS academy team retain their college eligibility?

[bunge]

Chicago has been doing this for a while.

Color me confused.

[Stan Collins]

Do any kids that play for any MLS academy team retain their college eligibility? Yes, AFAIK it was a requirement of the program that MLS youth academies must be NCAA-compliant. Which means you can make them free, but you can't pick up any expenses not directly required for the playing of soccer (uniforms and equipment yes, room and board no, except during tournament travel).

But then I'm a little confused with Friedel's academy, which is room and board free, but is an affiliate of the Crew program, meaning they could call kids up from it.

[Onionsack]

Chicago has been doing this for a while.

Color me confused.

Please elaborate. What have they been doing for a while? Chicago is entering their first year as an MLS academy, previously they have just had loose affiliation with the local PDL side and some youth training programs like every other MLS side.

When the largest and longest running MLS academy program decides to make it a free program for the selections, its big news period.

Color me confused by your statement.

[TOTC]

I get it! Make the academy free and get kids hooked on your product!

http://uclick.fdgrid.com/cache/1179_180x180_dabd8d2ce74e782c65a973ef76fd540b.gif

[drew_VT_6]

5 Academy teams. Probably 18-23 players per team is average.

So your looking at around 100-120 kids i would say maybe more any given year.

Someone told me recently $10k sponsorships/year and the Academy that they run could be free. If we assume a higher cost due to coaching salaries and more tournaments for RBNY youth perhaps $15k per team would be a safe estimate for costs?

[Clint Eastwood]

I believe Brad Friedel's academy in Ohio is free. Could be wrong.

[Scotch41]

Chicago Fire Academy program is free to all 44 players. This includes, uniforms, travel and meals

[bunge]

Please elaborate. What have they been doing for a while? Chicago is entering their first year as an MLS academy, previously they have just had loose affiliation with the local PDL side and some youth training programs like every other MLS side.

When the largest and longest running MLS academy program decides to make it a free program for the selections, its big news period.

Color me confused by your statement.

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20070713&content_id=105229&vkey=pr_chf&fext=.jsp&team=t100

07/13/2007 12:47PM
Chicago Fire launch Chicago Fire Soccer Academy

BRIDGEVIEW, IL -- Chicago Fire Soccer announced yesterday the formation of the Chicago Fire Soccer Academy, an elite player development initiative designed to identify and develop the best young talent within the Chicagoland area. The program will be fully funded by the Chicago Fire, with no financial responsibility falling on Academy players. The Academy will be limited to 44 players and will field two Academy teams, under-16 and under-18 men, that have been accepted to participate primarily in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

Does that help clarify for you? I mean, I'm glad New York is changing its tune, but it's certainly not the first in MLS.

[NebraskaAddick]

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20070713&content_id=105229&vkey=pr_chf&fext=.jsp&team=t100



Does that help clarify for you? I mean, I'm glad New York is changing its tune, but it's certainly not the first in MLS.

Okay, so they're not the first, but Red Bull's is the most extensive.

[Onionsack]

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20070713&content_id=105229&vkey=pr_chf&fext=.jsp&team=t100



Does that help clarify for you? I mean, I'm glad New York is changing its tune, but it's certainly not the first in MLS.

Well first second third, it doesn't really matter. I heard last year CHicago, when they actually got their system off the ground were going to make it free (and competeing against Magic and Sockers they sort of have too IMO) but i thought the new academy wasn't as of yet on-line and that 2008 was going to be their first year.. hense my confusion when you said they had been "doing it" for a while.

[Tmagic77]

Now they just have to start the academies like 4 years younger.