USL Expansion General discussion

Not too sure about having the East bay team in Concord. Apparently he wants to build a stadium next to the Concord Bart station.

I think this team could be a huge success in Oakland but in Concord??

 

Looks like San Diego can be added to the list.
https://www.1904fc.com/1904-fc-ownership-group-issues-official-statement-tuesday/

 

And add El Paso to the league.

 

Nice! With addition of El Paso in Texas, which has RGV, San Antonio and Austin in 2019, next we need Ft Worth Team and Albuquerque. With FC Rising in Phoenix, El Paso is located in a very central location, with Colorado Springs to the North... 5 new teams in 2019, don't forget San Diego will probably start in 2019 and I wouldn't be surprised to see Jacksonville reimerge. USL is getting a larger and larger footprint, and I could see this league split to 4 10 team divisions next year.......

And when would they be adding Chicago and East Bay? Are we talking about a league heading for 48 teams?

 

Chicago in 2020 and East Bay in 2021. Hartford, Baltimore and DC United 2 are coming in the next couple of years most likely also. I think it will end up around 40.

I think Phoenix may end up in MLS. I suspect Sacramento will get there and Cincinnati seems very close from some of the stuff I have read.

USL said they would go 3 conferences in 2019. East, Central and West.

I could see a West, Central, Northeast and Southeast conferences in a couple of years.

Orlando B and Rochester are supposed to go to USL D3 next year from what I have been reading.

 

Impressive news on the expansion front ... including all confirmed franchises for 2019, all Western metro areas over 750k will now have a pro soccer team, except Bakersfield. (If you extend that group to 500k+ then you can add Boise, Spokane, and Stockton/Modesto.)

 

I think the only one missing is Albuquerque.

 

I'm wondering if Swope Park would go USL D3 ?

 

You got to remember some of the current teams may drop to USL3.

 

I wonder what goes into the decision to drop to d3? Is it different for independent, affiliates, and 2 teams?

 

There is very little difference between independent and affiliates. Affiliates are independent teams with the exceptions of hybrids like RGV and Reno. I wouldn't think that would influence decisions very much. Those teams are probably going to try to stay D2 as long as they can. What is the upside for them to drop down to D3 if they are already in D2? MLS2 teams definitely have different priorities.

Geography will probably be a big factor for all teams. Right now it looks like USL D3 is starting with Southeast and Southwest divisions. MLS2 in those areas will be more likely to drop down than teams in other parts of the country.

 

I thought Reno was like RGV but I saw an article come out that said that San Jose and Reno had "renewed affiliation" for 2018, so I'm putting Reno into the affiliate category, unlike RGV.

Otherwise, agree, I think most will stay in D2 until they're pushed down by USL or if there's a geographical fit and they feel the competition level isn't a huge step down. What MLS teams DON'T want is for their MLS2 teams to not play competitive games.

 

Thanks, didn't see the cast. Very cool to see such expansion.

 

We are a hybrid affiliation. SJ runs the team and supplies some of the players. Reno handles the business side and also provides some players.

 

Houston and RGV also use the word "affiliate" and "affiliate agreement" even though the Dynamo hire the coaches and pick all the players. Even the totally owned MLS2 teams use that language. I really wish they would use different words because people hear "affiliate" and think different things. Some that it is the "loan a few players" and others that it is like minor-league baseball that also uses the word affiliate.

https://www.houstondynamo.com/post/2015/07/16/houston-dynamo-reach-affiliate-agreement-start-usl-club-rio-grande-valley-it’s

 

I hope T2 drop to D3 with S2 and we might win a few games. Since Timbers cut funding on T2 we have not been competitive and this is going to be another miserable year.

 

Kinda hope T2 and S2 stay up. I like the idea of San Diego 1904 playing S2, T2 and Galaxy 2

 

Seeing a lot of people talking about clubs going down to D3, not just in here.

As far as Reno goes, I severely doubt SJ wants us in D3. They want us developing almost-MLS-ready players, not just-above-amateur players.

As for True2 clubs, I really don't see too many of them dropping to D3. People cite competitiveness is a big issue even though SPR went to the finals twice in a row, SLC won the West, and RB2 won it in 2016 (and were competitive in 2017.)

Another issue cited is attendance. The league wants better atmosphere but the MLS parent clubs probably don't care as long as they are getting players from the investment. Struggling clubs are looking at fixing attendance as well, with S2 turning hybrid and moving to Tacoma (with T2 rumored to be doing the same with Boise.)

I see maybe two or three MLS2 clubs moving to D3. I base that on nothing, but it seems more reasonable than the wave of "SEND ALL 2 TEAMS TO D3 EVEN IF THEY'RE BETTER THAN MY INDEPENDENT CLUB".

 

El Paso Patriots fly again!

 

The “2” clubs that have been strong in the past have had few real prospects playing for them and played a lot of USL vets.

The “2” clubs that stink are filled with prospects and academy players.

The first scenario is basically a waste of money unless you surround enough talent around high end Tyler Adams types.

The second is difficult because how much can the prospects actual develop getting handled soundly week in and week out.

Really need D2 to polish almost ready MLS players and D3 to develop raw younger talents.

Ideally MLS would have a D3 Academy type team and an D2 affiliate to graduate players too. See A ball and then AAA baseball.

Right now teams like S2 and T2 are A ball clubs playing AAA and that is the problem, but a team like the Monarchs who were AAA quality literally had no prospects and were pointless for developing players.

 

Sending the 2 teams to D3 isn't all about them not being "pro enough" or about them being "just above amateur." It's a financial move that the 1 teams don't want to meet the Professional League Standards that USSF arbitrarily put out. They are expensive to operate.

If you can do the same thing, which you can, from a cheaper perspective in D3 then it makes sense. Remove the dumb PLS and it may look different in the American pro game.

 

MLS 2 teams won't develop players very well at a lower standard of football but I guess MLS owners are more concerned with $$$ than bringing through quality players.

 

I don't see any of the teams added in 2018 or 2019 going down to D3. How many teams will go down? I can't think of too many other than MLS teams.... which would be okay with me.

 

Let's not act like there's a huge disparity between USL (D2) and USL3.