USL Adding Division 3: What does that mean?

It would pretty much have to be regional to be successful, wouldn't you think? And that's just one component. You would think that if teams who wanted to be Division 3 would have already cast their lot with USL previous to this year.

I agree that there is room for such a league in the US, but I'm not sure the economic reality matches up with the desire at this point.

 

I think if you do four regions it could work well - Northeast, South, Midwest and West.

PDL teams that have expressed an interest in going pro are the low hanging fruit here:

- Albuquerque Sol
- FC Tucson
- Fresno Fuego
- San Francisco City FC
- Long Island Rough Riders

Then you could say NPSL teams that have expressed an interest in going pro would be the next most likely, though some of these are aiming toward NASL:

- Detroit City FC
- Grand Rapids FC
- FC Buffalo
- Albion SC Pros (San Diego)
- FC Arizona

Open league clubs have expressed an interest in going pro:

- Lansdowne Bhoys (Yonkers NY)
- Harpos FC (Boulder CO)

Then sprinkle in some MLS2 teams. Could even be more MLS-affiliated teams as a team like Portland might drop T2 down to D3 and do the Reno/RGV or Bethlehem model in Boise in D2

 

Swope Park Rangers should be Div 3 and get a div 2 team in Wichita.

 

I think Fresno is going to be in USL(1/2?) looks not so bueno for the Fuego though.

 

Yea it depends on how that all shakes out. But they are one of the PDL teams who have expressed a pro interest so I added them

 

http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/soccer/article142021954.html

Looks like Fresno will have a USL Pro team in 2018.

 

I have been to both SFCFC and SF Delta matches in the last year...the Deltas (obviously) had a much better turnout than SFCFC, but it wasn't *that* amazing, and there were about 2X as many Fuego fans as SFCFC fans at the match I went to. The question is, could SF support two pro soccer teams playing in the same stadium?

 

Des Moines Menace twitter states they are going to have a big announcement some point this week---They have some decently deep pocketed owner in the Krause family that owns kum and go gas stations and several other investments. Could be an early announcement for USL 3? I know several years ago they stated that they were looking into the possibility of one of the pro leagues. Has been a great PDL franchise over the years with several upset wins in the open cup.

 

Well it looks like just a bid, a strong bid, but just a bid. Would have to imagine the announcment coming soon if we are playing in 2018.

 

Less than a year out, would need to announce it soon I would think.