USL Expansion General discussion

Discussion in 'USL Expansion' started by mikehurst21, Jan 4, 2016.

  1. m_vandersee

    m_vandersee Member

    Aug 2, 2013
    Illinois
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Job posted for a COO of a 2019 USL Expansion Club in Iowa. Mentions coordinating affiliation with an MLS club (I would guess Minn Utd)


    I also posted in the D3 thread since it didn't specify level, but mods feel free to delete one if you'd rather not have duplicate posts
     
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  2. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Albuquerque is officially in the USL.

    https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/924766?referrer_id=2333971

    Hmm. "Fifth new club"? Who are the other four? Austin, El Paso, Hartford, Memphis, Birmingham. Is one of those not official?
     
  3. Expansion Franchise

    Chattanooga FC
    United States
    Apr 7, 2018
    "New Mexico joins teams in other thriving soccer markets in Texas, Alabama and Tennessee that will become part of the USL for its 2019 season."

    No mention of Connecticut there...
     
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  4. 2in10

    2in10 Member+

    LA Galaxy, Internazionale
    United States
    Jun 19, 2016
    Sparks, NV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  5. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The USL's official website has hyped Hartford's stadium progress and even gone so far as to mention their "anticipated 2019 debut" but they have not announced the club just yet.
     
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  6. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    2in10 repped this.
  7. 2in10

    2in10 Member+

    LA Galaxy, Internazionale
    United States
    Jun 19, 2016
    Sparks, NV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  8. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No local investor (20% has to be locally owned) and the investors they do have weren’t being forthcoming with financials and/or wouldn’t pay the $5 mil expansion fee.
     
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  9. ThePonchat

    ThePonchat Member+

    #ProRelForUSA
    United States
    Jan 10, 2013
    I've Been Everywhere Man
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    One could do some seeking to find out that many USL owners haven't really paid the asked expansion fee. Many haven't paid the league dues through the years.
     
  10. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    True, but I doubt the league will put up with those shenanigans in the future as it no longer appears they have to.
     
  11. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's not that surprising to me that an expansion bid led by a group of random Euro soccer players who don't really know what they are doing didn't work out.

    That any ownership group in the last 2-3 years would pursue NASL over USL raises a few red flags just by itself.
     
  12. 2in10

    2in10 Member+

    LA Galaxy, Internazionale
    United States
    Jun 19, 2016
    Sparks, NV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks, that should do it every time. Too bad for the San Diego faithful.
     
  13. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I’m. it that worried. The league still seemed bullish on San Diego. And there’s at least one other group that was exploring D2 in the Albion/ASC San Diego guys... And they’re almost entirely local.
     
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  14. 2in10

    2in10 Member+

    LA Galaxy, Internazionale
    United States
    Jun 19, 2016
    Sparks, NV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hopefully they can get it together and bring a team to SD.
     
  15. ThePonchat

    ThePonchat Member+

    #ProRelForUSA
    United States
    Jan 10, 2013
    I've Been Everywhere Man
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The league will do whatever it takes to get the markets it wants to get with the ownership groups it wants in the league. No different than how MLS is/has operated. Exceptions will always be made with the franchise model.
     
  16. EPJr

    EPJr Member+

    Los Angeles FC
    United States
    Mar 21, 2009
    Richmond VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    it is now

    so is it too early to complain about the lack of info on the promised realignment is 2019?
     
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  17. Expansion Franchise

    Chattanooga FC
    United States
    Apr 7, 2018
    Yes, until we know how many teams choose to self relegate to D3 it's kind of pointless.
     
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  18. 2in10

    2in10 Member+

    LA Galaxy, Internazionale
    United States
    Jun 19, 2016
    Sparks, NV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Also we do not know if other teams are coming in. Baltimore and DC2 are possibilities. We did not know what the alignment for this year was until January so why should it be any different this year.
    As much as we would like to know the alignment we will need to wait until the teams finish their moves.
     
  19. Blando13

    Blando13 Member+

    Dec 4, 2013
    Lee's Summit, MO
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm personally hoping that USL caps D2 at 36 teams (2 18 team conferences playing a home/home in conference for 34 games). When D2 level expansions squads want into D2 instead of D3, they buy out existing MLS2 squads of thier D2 franchise slot (and MLS2 teams buy back in at the D3 level).

    I think with the official expansion announced to date, TC2 moving down, FCC moving to MLS and Ottawa's expected move to CPL, USL D2 is at 36 teams for 2019. Anymore expansion ideally buys out existing MLS2 squads.

    I know they've talked about a 3 conference set up, but I think that's a mistake and 2 conference is "regional" enough for D2. D3 should then go to a 2x2 setup with 2 division within 2 conferences.
     
  20. 2in10

    2in10 Member+

    LA Galaxy, Internazionale
    United States
    Jun 19, 2016
    Sparks, NV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think they were looking at 6 conferences in D3 to keep travel costs to a minimum. I think that is also the reason behind 3 conferences in D2.

    I do like the 18 team conferences so we have home and home scheduling instead of the uneven scheduling we have now.

    Interesting idea on buying the 2 squads out of their D2 positions.
     
  21. Blando13

    Blando13 Member+

    Dec 4, 2013
    Lee's Summit, MO
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I get the "travel costs" issue, but I don't see a HUGE advantage to going from 3 to 2 cost wise, especially if you play any games out of conference. You can't get to a small enough footprint to become a "bus" league vs air travel, so until you do that, you're just messing around.

    The reason I think the "Expansion Clubs buying out MLS2 squads" is likely on the table is it gives MLS teams an encentive to get out. I can't remember where I saw/heard, but I remember recently Jake Edwards saying they had a "cap" in mind on how big D2 would get and it was 40 or less (he didn't specifically come up with a number). And with markets like Detroit, Baltimore, Cleveland, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Oakland, Omaha, Chicago, San Diego, Riverside ... I think you can reasonably get to 36 fully independent markets from where you're at now. These markets should be able to be big enough to sustain a 2 conference alignment. This allows D4 to get to 4 conferences and you get closer to "bus league" if you go West, Central, North East and South East which would help the economics there.
     
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  22. aetraxx7

    aetraxx7 Member+

    Jun 25, 2005
    Des Moines, IA
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If 32 is the eventual cap for MLS (which seems likely given the BIG FOUR), then 36-40 works well for D2. Keeping it in multiples of four allows for easier regional breakdowns. Even numbers of conferences and divisions are much easier to work into a playoff structure than odd numbers.
    Ultimately, it will be amazing if and when we reach a full and stable league structure. To some degree it will resemble baseball and hockey, but I kind of hope that D3 becomes the "minors" and D2 is its own mid-market thing.
    MLS - 32 Major markets
    USL - 40 Mid-market independents
    US3 - 40 Smaller market independents & Reserves

    "Amateur" Not true divisions, but how they more or less fit into the current hierarchy.
    D4 PDL & NPSL High Level National Leagues
    D5 UPSL Low Level National Leagues
    D6 USASA organized regional leagues
     
  23. canammj

    canammj Member+

    Aug 25, 2004
    CHINO, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ==================
    That is not a bad pyramid, if we want to call it that. I still await the big July announcements regarding USL3
     
  24. waltlantz

    waltlantz Member

    Jul 6, 2010
    It is an open question to me what MLSs endgame is regarding expansion.

    Cincy, Nashville, SacTown and PHX have to be the limit on how far the poaching can go, otherwise I just dont see USL gaining much relevance nationwide.
     
  25. 2in10

    2in10 Member+

    LA Galaxy, Internazionale
    United States
    Jun 19, 2016
    Sparks, NV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Their current plans are to add 2 more teams. So, right now, 2 teams at the most. Detroit is looking to get a team son maybe only one more from USL. We will have to wait and see.

    There may be more teams interested in USL and we have not heard of them.
     

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