Well...how long will it be until we start hearing of more expansion teams for 2015? I wonder if we'll have as many new teams since there'll be a new NPSL Commish. I wonder who it'll be and what they'll want to do.
as he should be, despite having more travel than the NPSL northwest they have better crowds, well some of the EPL aren't soo good but the average is still higher from what i have seen. It would be a lot of travel for Gorge FC.
yeah, just received a phone call from a league PR guy, press release I guess will follow very shortly about the impending departure...expect much much slower growth. My guess is that there might even be a decease in the total teams from this season to next.
I think the rapid expansion was reckless. Look at some of the teams that were brought in this year and probably won't be around in 2015: BCS Clash (-100 goal differential), Samba/Gorge FC (among the league's lowest attendance), Puerto Rico (had a press conference and didn't come in), the list goes on and on. His policies were out of touch. He also showed a lack of caring with my brother who played with PCFC. Fetke screwed him with rent and he didn't even want to hear about it.
ThePonchat must be ahead of the game because the news just broke on social media with Minnesota Kicks and Region 3 Soccer. What is your worst Hitchcock memory?
Anyone know how Nashville FC ended up doing attendance-wise? So much buzz before the season about them, but I think I heard less and less as the season went on. BTW, #CFCLove!!! Our supporters have 1 bus to New Jersey filled up and working on another one! It will interesting to see how many NYRB fans even care to stick around for their U-23 squad. Between the busses and individual travelers, it would be nice to see 100-200 Chattahooligans make it up to RBA. Wish I could go, but I have to referee Saturday. I'll definitely be watching on TV Saturday night, though!
To be fair, I'm not sure Hitchcock deserves all the blame there. Pensacola were originally the Gulf Coast Texans and were announced as an expansion team 2 weeks after Hitchcock took the reigns as Commissioner. Maybe he is to blame, but surely more of the ownership and community can shoulder the blame too?
@Owen Thornhill Yes our local fiber optic provider, EPB (another thing that has been done AMAZINGLY right and embraced in Chattanooga!) is broadcasting the game on one of their HD channels. From what I understand the broadcast is being underwritten by 2 of Chattanooga FC's biggest sponsors - Volkswagon Chattanooga Operations and Memorial Health Care Systems. Proof
"Mutual" parting of ways. Another article here: http://boxscorenews.com/npsl-commish-michael-hitchcock-part-company-p95716-68.htm.
Oh, okay. Eventually you start to get a reputation for getting shown the door a lot. Fort Worth didn't average 3,000 a game like he said they would, did they?
The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) has terminated the contract with Playbook Management International LLC (PMI) and league commissioner Michael Hitchcock, effective August 4, 2014. According to a source familiar with the NPSL Board of Directors decision, PMI was given 30-days notice in late June. Whole article : http://minnesotakicks.wordpress.com/2014/07/30/npsl-terminates-pmi-hitchcock/
Well, obviously that didn't go as planned, if they're out after just over a year. Do we think it was "a failure to achieve objectives" or "we can't afford this anymore?" This next move will be key, though. If they're going to be more than a few professionally-run clubs and a bunch of San Diego Flashes, how they choose to move forward with whoever is to run the show will be telling.
Their last few matches were in the 1200-1300 range, after a first match around at a bit over 1800. Average attendance was dragged down by one rainy mess and by one match that had to be played down in Murfreesboro because of a schedule conflict at Vanderbilt. Still, from what I'm hearing they ended up with an average attendance solidly over 1000 per match, slightly above their target of 1000 for the first season, and about half of what Chattanooga got in year one. I would expect that there will be a report to the membership sometime in the fall that provides specifics and details the finances. When that happens, I'll provide some detailed numbers. They're doing a lot right, especially considering the challenge of running a club without an owner-investor. Any "buzz" perception is entirely outside of Nashville-- they're doing fine locally. I imagine if outsiders who were attracted to a supporter-funded club want to hop off the bandwagon, the plan is to replace them with members who are essentially paying for season tickets. Living in Buffalo, I can't get to the weekly meetings, but I'm content knowing that my money is paying to support a team in my hometown (and the streamed matches are the key to confirming that).
But...if you ask Michael about PMI, they are only a "contracted" organization. So, they may operate on a 1 year contract, 2 year contract, etc. Maybe their contract was only 1 year.
And that may be the case. But there's not a whole lot you can do in a situation like this in a year. Except, obviously, bring in a bunch of expansion teams.
C'mon @MNkicks can't you read between the lines in my posts. There were obvious quotation marks ("...") and a whistler...
Del Rey City SC Joins the UPSL DRCSC to be part of the league’s Western Conference Marina Del Rey, CA - August 11, 2014- Del Rey City SC announced today that it has joined the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) for the 2014/2015 season. “We couldn't be happier about joining the United Premier Soccer League and are looking forward to playing our first game as this is a winter league schedule which fits our calendar perfectly,” Del Rey City SC owner Brian Perez stated. “Our club thinks it's a great fit. The league is competitive, plays in the NPSL offseason, and gives us the opportunity to play some quality Los Angeles area clubs for the first time. Quite frankly, I have been impressed with the cooperative, positive nature of the people managing the league." The UPSL is in its fourth year as a regional soccer league based in Southern California. "We are excited to have Del Rey City SC to become a member of the Western Conference of the UPSL,” UPSL Commissioner Yan K. Skwara stated. “DRCSC is a growing club with high aspirations. We look forward to working with its ownership group and supporting Del Rey’s efforts in our league." The UPSL season runs from September through March as a winter league with a UPSL League Cup competition every April. Joining the UPSL allows Del Rey City to further develop the club’s structure, which includes amateur teams from various levels and leagues. DRCSC successfully completed the 2014 NPSL season in the league’s Southwest Conference. DEL REY CITY SC Headquartered in Marina del Rey, California, Del Rey City Soccer Club (DRCSC) is professionally operated with teams competing nationally in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), regionally in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), and locally in several adult leagues on Los Angeles' Westside and South Bay. The club retains nearly 200 active players. Named for the three neighborhoods of Playa del Rey, Del Rey, and Marina del Rey, DRCSC is working to popularize the sport of soccer on Los Angeles’ Westside, build a strong and well-organized soccer community on their local area, and bring notoriety to Marina del Rey throughout the U.S. soccer community. DRCSC emphasizes their values of teamwork, professionalism, enjoyment of the game, and good sportsmanship. The club holds its members to a high standard and awareness of on-field behavior, fair play, tolerance, self-control, and amiability towards all other teams and players. UNITED PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE (UPSL) The United Premier Soccer League was formed in 2011. The USPL currently operates 20 teams, all in the Southwest, with a projected 30+ teams in 2015/16. With the addition of more teams in the Southwest Region, the United Premier Soccer League is now one of Southern California’s fastest growing men’s amateur leagues. Each UPSL team is individually owned and operated, and is responsible for maintaining UPSL minimum standards. PRESS CONTACT: Del Rey City SC Direct: 805-415-9089 info@delreycity.com www.delreycity.com www.facebook.com/delreycitysc www.twitter.com/delreycitysc