The U2 Thread

So how is all of this USL grifting any better than the old school reserve league setup? Seems like a very expensive way to have someone run logistics...

 

Ive been saying same damn thing and everyone just dismisses. 20 MLS2 teams in the USL is just a reserve league with 10 other teams.

Do the same roster rules apply? Loan only 4 back and forth if you own a MLS2 USL side?

 

I had a girlfriend from Emmaus who was pretty upset I referred to it as "upstate."

 

Not sure who said it was better. It's the same except as the reserve except mls didn't have to pay to run it. But it is a million times better then the affiliate set up. I don't have the roster rules on front of me so I don't remember if there is a min loan number but because the union owns the dang team at least we know those loaned players will play. Also I believe you can make 4 or 5 academy players eligible to play for the whole season which is huge. Also they might not have too much choice cause if Harrisburg Dosnt get their stadium act together our affiliate will be playing in Nashville (maybe) next year which would make training together a tiny bit harder

 

Do you guys remember anything about the reserve league. It was mostly a joke. They played ~ 8-10 games/year compared to 30 for USL Pro teams. Teams regularly could not fill out a roster and had coaches/etc playing. Games were regularly cancelled and not made up. They were often far from competitive matches. The only real positive was that Academy kids could and did play. Of course those kids are now too busy with real Academy games, playoffs, etc.

The USL thing is much better for MLS teams that actually use it. NYRB used their USL team to get payers like Davis and Sanchez ready to contribute for the first team. LA is getting regular competitive time for their youngsters like McBean/Lassiter/Mendiola. The smart teams in MLS are using the USL Pro set-up and it's working much better than the reserve league.

 

nailed it on the head... Thank you!

the old reserve league setup was atrocious, the Union played 20 reserve league games over 2 years and they were sporadic at best, USL has a 28 game season with regular weekly games, consistent squads, and facilities that aren't Chester Park bro.

shrug off the independent teams all you want, but playing in the handful of cities that do care gives a bit of a "real game" experience from time to time and it also has young players dealing with bigger and physical players, there is something at stake in the league and not just a bunch of MLS teams piecing together random academy kids because they have to.... the reserve league never offered any of that, just a bunch of academy kids and bench players while the first team guys are going half-assed trying not to get hurt.

Lets look at what the sounders are doing with their USL Team:

Players Loaned from first team w/ Academy Ties: 3
Players Loaned from first team: w/o Academy Ties: 8
Players signed directly to USL w/ previous first team Ties: 3
Players signed directly to USL w/ Academy Ties: 6


That's 20 players that weren't ready for the first team, but the Sounders were able to retain and place somewhere to give them legit playing time and let them develop... 9 of those players have Sounders youth experience and are getting time... the others I assume are draft picks or other promising pickups that probably couldn't crack the first team.

This is something Union have absolutely no option of doing unless they want to sign a player and loan them to a team they don't have total control of... we have 3 examples... Pfeffer before this year- 4 years of waste, McGlaughlin who rots away with no meaningful time and Hernandez who saw no future for himself and got out... thats not even mentioning all of our highly rated academy kids who clearly saw no place to fit in the Union's plans and explored other options.

 

Everything north of the Turnpike or west of the Susquehanna......AKA Pennsyltucky.....or Deliverance central.

 

Agreed that it is better for MLS. 20 players someone pointed above extra to have control over. No doubt better for MLS.

Is it better for USL? Better for US soccer as a whole? Teams competing for a championship as MLS USL players become better... what if at some point the USL Playoffs are all MLS2 teams?

 

Of course it is better for USL. This gives USL stability. Which is something that the lower leagues have lacked. In Spain and Germany the big clubs reserve sides play in the lower leagues. How is this any different? If the USL playoffs are all MLS2 teams, so what? That's good for MLS, and hopefully good for the Union. MLS backing USL gives the league more credibility as well, and makes it more attractive to new markets and ownership groups.

 

Stability is the number 1 thing I think USL gets out of the partnership... the MLS teams help the increase their footprint and regionalize the league.. this attracts more investors to the league (both MLS and independent). 24 teams this year, and I think they could easily be at 30 next year. (2 new independent teams already announced, probably more to come)

 

Also the Stability thing is huge like you said. Look at the NASL right now, and the fallout from their partnership with Traffic. Eventually down the road, one could see a lot of the current NASL teams moving to USL if USL gains D2 status. Once Minny United and then possibly Indy 11 and San Antonio move to MLS, what will be left? Not to mention the ownership situations with Carolina and Atlanta. USL just looks more attractive to potential new ownership groups.

 

http://www.brotherlygame.com/2015/7...-bradley-twins-commit-to-villanova-university

I think I read 7 other graduates are also committing to colleges. So with academy players graduating and moving on to college teams perhaps it's time to form a PDL team for these kids to play with during the summer months? Or do they all end up at Reading anyway? Still would prefer an actual team based near the first team.

(I'll keep dreaming)

 

So Sak can destroy ALL our soccer? Gotta love the vitriol in the Worst run FO thread yet the excitement of another team run by same FO with some magical hopes and dreams...

 

I'm a big critic of the FO, but this is the right move.

I really do hope this team is Chester based or at least within 30 minute drive of PPL Park... I know that isn't as sexy or exciting but I think it would help.

 

The 1 million+ people in the Rio Grande Valley have a pro soccer team of their own. Welcome to the league, @RGVFC!! pic.twitter.com/fhqIYYqgY6

— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) July 15, 2015

I'm sure the Union will build something like this for their USL team too...

 

A model? Sure, the U have the resources to build a model...

 

http://www.recklesschallenge.net/us...016-set-official-announcements-still-to-come/
So USL is locked in for 2016? Union miss the boat again? just more jerking us around with empty promises?

 

Hey, have you so quickly forgotten that this is what the Union's current timetable looks like?