I think USL2 needs to be realistic and admit they have some weak teams (mainly attendance wise) and maybe some fo those belong in USL3. That would create some room in USL2 for other large, stronger groups that want to come on board. And I guess you could also look in PDL (maybe?) for some owners that want to step up to USL3 - In the end, i would like to see MLS, USL2 & USL3 all roughly about the same size with the number of teams. Each of these levels have certain levels of budgets and stadium requirements, so then continue to do everything possible to keep all the teams stable and growing. PDL & NPSL will always be in flux year to year and I don't see that changing. This is all I can really hope for at this time. I don't see pro/rel any time soon and I really don't want to see any more NASL or NISA type situations. Let work with what we have. In my dream, an Baseball style system is still our best fit. Lets keep the teams stable and work on letting players move on and upward instead.
D3 is going to have to be a lot bigger than USL2 for it to make sense budget wise. Teams are going to need to be able to travel by bus: I don't think you can realistically expect a D3 team in south Florida to travel to Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Michigan multiple times a year. I think you'd probably need something more like 4 divisions.
I'm not sure what exactly is applicable about the CPL: we already have 2 leagues that span the entire nation at the top two places of the pyramid.
I think the main issue was that the NASL imploded above them, so the whole premise of building an open pyramid, linking USASA to D2 started to lose momentum before it left the ground. USL3 has the distinct advantage of USL being an established and stable league and that it's all under one umbrella. The fact that USL also controls the PDL beneath it means that it's got a good pipeline of clubs to financially self-promote/relegate between divisions. With NISA, you had three (or more) completely independent leagues trying to coordinate to introduce a completely revolutionary model to U.S. sporting culture. The calculus on the risk there is not really comparable to USLD3. It's a little disingenuous to say whether or not 7 clubs were actually committed or not (and I mean this in either direction) when there were a lot of pieces that needed to fall into place first before there was even anything tangible to commit to. And, simply put, those pieces didn't.
I think you would need at least 4 geographic conferences for USL III to workand at the moment I can only think of 23 including MLS 2 teams, USL and NISA expansion teams. The only well supported team left in PDL is Des Moines. You'd have to make peace with NPSL or relegate USL teams expand further.
I could see all three things. There's a bit of a first mover advantage here. If the USL3 can make a go of it, it will seem so much easier for the NPSL teams to switch in the same way the NASL teams went to the USL.
You may be over thinking how much "support" is needed here: Statesboro plays in a stadium with a capacity of 500, but clearly they think the crowds will come to their 4000 seat stadium when it's finished and they're paying salaries. Given that PDL attendances aren't really available anywhere, it's kind of hard to know if there are any outliers, but it seems like 500 is a "big" PDL crowd.
There are 173 cities with populations above 150,000 the proposed minimum sized target for USL D3. Take out the USL non MLS2 teams and MLS cities that still leaves about 125 potential cities. No doubt there will be MLS teams creating "2" teams in D3 as is being considered by Dallas with possibly some other "2" squads dropping down as well as lower tier teams moving up. I think they may be targeting more conferences than you are thinking but until more teams join we will not know. I suspect we are looking at several years of growth as there has been with USL before we know how it will be.
The problem is that you have to count your chickens to roost before a stitch in the bush saves nine. You'd have to start off by hugely subsidizing one or two geographic conferences or start the league in one region and expand from there. Maybe the Midwest would be a place to start with cities like Milwaukee, Cleveland, Wichita, St Louis, Toledo, Fort Wayne, Dayton, Springfield MO, Topeka, Akron, Des Moines etc.
I thought they would do geographic conferences first, not whatever cities were ready to go. I am hoping these are owners who can afford to play all over the country until enough teams are found to form geographic conferences. Maybe they can get enough in the Midwest and Southeast to form conferences. There are already 2 teams in the Southeast. BTW I think you can forget St. Louis as they are USL and have been for a few years now.
--------- Combined there are 172 PDL & NPSL teams. You would think there could be enough teams there that could make the jump to USL3. But Is USL3 kind of going after any "new" markets beyond what we know? I would think between a few USL2 teams dropping to USL3 and some coming up from PDL and maybe(?) NPSL, combine with brand new markets, I can see USL3 getting to 32 teams some day. Which gets me to my fantasy of MLS, ULS2 & USL3 all being 32 teams. And if you consider USL3 to be paid/pro, that is a pretty good footprint across the country for soccer. Fantasy # 2 would be PDL & NPLS to bury their differences, combine forces into a new D4-truly regional league in nature. But then this is where that age old argument comes up. Pro/Rel or baseball style affiliation set up. Or is there a 3rd option out there?
It appears USL D3 is about to pick up stream. https://www.usld3.com/news_article/show/922157?referrer_id=3067503
My question is don’t you have to have teams in order to lose them?Finally 3. Spoke to Club 9 director @Carr11 re: @NISALeague . Carr told me that the league is "definitely going forward". Said no additional teams left NISA when Wilt left.— Nipun Chopra, PhD (@NipunChopra7) June 5, 2018
On San Diego http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...soccer-1904-usl-expansion-20180607-story.html When did that happen?
Chris Kivlehan @kivlehan 1h1 hour ago Retweeted Chris De Benedetti Oakland Roots SC looking to join @NPSLSoccer and @WPSL in 2019 and @NISALeague in Fall 2019 per this article @OakProSoccer https://oaklandrootssc.com
Meanwhile, NISA spokesperson tells me they still plan on launching in 2019 as well. Lots of buzz that Eric Wynalda will takeover Wilt's role. NISA spokesperson tells me those rumors are premature, tho conversations with Wynalda continue.— Nipun Chopra, PhD (@NipunChopra7) July 5, 2018 Lots to unpack in that, but that's pure and unadulterated #prorel4usa catnip right there.
That’s a bold move with no teams. Expect NISA application in the next week I’m told FYI— Kartik Krishnaiyer 🇺🇦🌻⚽️ (@kkfla737) August 9, 2018
Step 1: Send in a shitty, no-hope application Step 2: Wait for the USSF to reject it for not meeting the standards Step 3: Complain about the USSF-MLS-USL-SUM conspiracy Step 4: ?
To reiterate what @kkfla737 initially reported on Twitter:I spoke to 3 sources associated w/ @NISALeague , and all of them confirm that the league will apply for D3 sanctioning this week.Identity of teams is embargoed until later, but will be a geographically diffuse league.— Nipun Chopra, PhD (@NipunChopra7) August 13, 2018