Seattle Sounders says they're close to forming their own USL PRO squad for 2015 “We’re somewhere between 95 and 99 percent heading toward a USL PRO team here, certainly to begin with,” Hanauer said following Tuesday’s training session at Starfire Sports Complex. “We’ll remain open to other opportunities. It would require finding a good partner and a good facility situation.” Assuming nothing changes, the Sounders would most likely have the team playing at Starfire Sports Stadium, the same venue where the Sounders play most of their US Open Cup matches on the same grounds as the club’s practice facilities. That would allow the two clubs to remain in close contact. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...re-close-forming-their-own-usl-pro-squad-2015
New York Red Bulls ready to launch USL PRO side in 2015: "We see it as a big, big advantage" If all goes according to plan, the New York Red Bulls will soon follow the footsteps of the LA Galaxy and field a team in USL PRO. Red Bulls sporting director Andy Roxburgh said at the club’s media day on Tuesday that New York are currently well into the process of launching a third-division side, set to begin play next year. Roxburgh told reporters back in December that the Red Bulls had explored the possibility of launching a USL PRO club for 2014, but that they were not able to finalize the plans in time. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...-usl-pro-side-2015-we-see-it-big-big-advantag
FC Dallas B Team FRISCO, Texas – Hunt Sports Group vice president Dan Hunt has spoken in the past of his admiration for FC Barcelona’s venerated youth system, and if recent reports are true, FC Dallas may soon be emulating one aspect of the La Liga giants' player development model with a “B” team playing as a full member of a lower-division league. A recent report from the USL PRO blog RecklessChallenge.net speculates that FC Dallas could be one of at least two MLS clubs fielding a second team starting next season in the U.S. Soccer pyramid’s third tier. FC Dallas officials declined to comment on the report when contacted by MLSsoccer.com, but the 20-odd game season played by USL PRO teams would certainly be in line with FCD’s vision for player development as recently articulated by Hunt. Should FC Dallas be one of those teams, they have multiple local options to stage USL PRO league games with Toyota Stadium, the adjacent Toyota Soccer Center and the recently awarded contract to manage Soccer Park at Elm Fork in Northwest Dallas. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...lub-staying-quiet-pieces-may-be-falling-place
If you would have read the article you would know that they plan to play at the Red Bulls new training facility
Whitecaps FC announces intent to bring USL PRO soccer to New Westminster Signed MoU first step in process to launch new franchise NEW WESTMINSTER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the City of New Westminster have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking their intent to work towards the launch of a United Soccer Leagues (USL) PRO franchise to the community of New Westminster. “We are thrilled to announce our efforts with the City of New Westminster to bring a new professional soccer team to its vibrant sports and family oriented community,” said club president Bob Lenarduzzi. “A USL PRO franchise in our own backyard is an important step in our efforts to support the development of players, especially young Canadians, at every level by bridging the pathway to our Major Soccer League team, as well as the national team.” http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2014/07/wfc-announces-intent-usl-pro-new-west
Hanover approves Red Bull Training Facility expansion with new field for Academy, potential USL Pro side The New York Red Bulls’ expansive training facility is about to earn a larger footprint. According to the Hanover Eagle,the town Planning Board approved expansion of the facility to now include a fourth full sized grass practice field which will include a 700-seat bleacher section, public restrooms, a press box, a scoreboard, field lighting, two ticket booths and a 7,500 squarefoot building which will include, amongst other things, lockerroom space. The expansion is part of the Red Bulls’ initiative to house both an eventual and sought-after USL Pro reserve side as well as their Academy program. Their investment is a reported $2 million. http://www.reddit.com/tb/2a9trt
Montreal Impact may also be getting a team in USL Pro @Olivier_Brett: 2014-07-30 00:38:57 UTC JS: "En 2015 on devrait avoir une équipe USL Pro pour développer nos jeunes joueurs." #IMFC #MeetTheTeam
For people that don't speak French, I (google) translated the tweet to "By 2015 we should have a USL Pro team to develop our young players."
I started a separate thread on the Montreal sort of announcement. If a moderator wants to close it, that is fine by me.
Real Salt Lake willing to pay the price for minor-league stadium Tab estimated at $13 million to build a 5,000-8,000 seat facility at Fairpark. In Real Salt Lake’s bid to build a minor-league soccer stadium at the Utah State Fairpark, the franchise has offered to pay the full price of the project. The stadium, which would hold between 5,000 and 8,000 people, is expected to cost between $12 million and $13 million, said Trey Fitz-Gerald, RSL’s vice president of communications. And it’s a bill the franchise is willing to foot alone, forgoing the possibility of using some public funds. While details have yet to be worked out, the deal would likely give RSL control over the stadium and its scheduling, allowing the franchise to operate a United Soccer League franchise there as a minor-league training tool. http://www.reddit.com/tb/2ccs8x
Well the MLS seems all in with having a USLPro minor league club. The importance being that the minor league clubs playing close to the major league club. A lot of different models to follow. GalaxyII straigh up own the club and play at the alternative track/soccer stadium on the same grounds. Vancouver is securing parnter investers in nearby Westminster as well as partnering with the city to reno a old stadium to a soccer pitch. Vancouver will run the club and appears the city of Westiminster and the loca parnter investors taking care of marketing. Will the new Atlanta club Partner with the Silverbacks with a monor league soccer pitch already in place and have the SBs move to the USLPRO from MLS. Or buy the SBs out and keep the already known brand would be among the options. NYRBs look to be owning their own club as well and expanding their practice facility to house matches for a NYRB2. Philly Union among the ealry clubs have partnered with mionor league cities and franchises in Harrisburg for USLPRO and Reading for PDL with all three working together with coaches and front office people moving between the clubs and coordiantin all of the 3 has a type of board. With both Harrisburg and Reading owners marketing in their areas but the Union able to coordinate moves to be suit the major league club.
those have chosen to affiliate instead of starting one. currently the MLS teams that either have already started their own or have announced they plan to are Los Angeles Galaxy Montreal Impact Portland Timbers (still Considering it) Seattle Sounders Real Salt Lake New York Red Bulls FC Dallas (rumoured that they might affiliate with Tulsa instead)
Whitecaps FC announces intent to bring USL PRO soccer to New Westminster (updated with video) http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2014/07/wfc-announces-intent-usl-pro-new-west
It's still early. LA2 wasn't announced until like February of this year with the season starting in April. Though ideally teams will have it figured out sooner.
Its all about stadiums. RSL for example will probably affiliate next year and then in 2016 start their own USL Pro club.
There may likely be clubs that may not have a USLPRO club in place either their own or to an affiliate partner nearby. Two of the Canadian teams Vancouver and Toronto affiliated with an existing club this season to have one in place. both have looked into and are looking into having their own club or affiliate with an existing club closer and expanding it to a USLPRO level. TFC attempted with the Lynx last year. Vancouver is likely to have their club in New Westminster. Where they will own the club but also have Local investors partnering with the club along with the city where the proposed rebuild of a current old baseball stadium. Vancouver will run the team operations and the city and local investors will do the marketing. Which makes it a bit different to GalaxyII who basically are not marketed at all. They are just part of the clubs operations with games open for free to the public
Real Salt Lake aim to field USL PRO squad in 2015 Real Salt Lake are preparing to enter an affiliate team in USL PRO next year, the latest addition to the growing network of developmental ties between MLS and USL. The plan was discussed by hosts Trey Fitz-Gerald and Brian Dunseth on Tuesday night's edition of the RSL-centric radio program ESPN700 OnFrame, and confirmed to MLSsoccer.com by RSL officials on Wednesday. Should the club's USL PRO entry debut in 2015 as hoped, it would likely play home matches at RSL's Rio Tinto Stadium home while the Fairpark facility – a multi-use venue which would also host a range of other sports and events – is under construction. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/08/13/real-salt-lake-aim-field-usl-pro-squad-2015