USL General News thread

They are amateur so more akin to the MLS U-23 teams

 

Fall Out Boy’s Wentz Becomes Investor in Arizona United SC
http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/635792?referrer_id=2333971

 

Some USL games are starting to show up on the ESPN 3 schedule. I'd assume some sort of announcement this week.

 

i was wondering when an announcement would come. when i talked with FO in January they said some matches will be broadcasted on ESPN3 but never seen an announcement about it.

 

http://riverhounds.com/2016/04/20/hounds-vs-orlando-city-b-to-kickoff-usl-broadcasts-on-espn3/

I still haven't seen an announcement from the league

 

ask and you shall receive:

http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/640008?referrer_id=2333971

 

http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/640992?referrer_id=2382812

SBJ: USL to Create New Productions Division
04/25/2016, 1:54pm EDT
USL Productions will include production center, additional content in 2017

 

This is a big deal and a big investment. It is probably a real sign that they are going to be D2.

 

Whoa, totally missed this.

 

agreed, can't wait till some of the teams get stadiums

 

Well this just got dropped. It's more in the MLS Expansion category, but it does impact the USL side of expansion.

Statement from @DetroitCityFC just dropped in my inbox regarding #MLSDetroit. pic.twitter.com/MHCphMazVg

— D.J. Switzer (@wrongsideofpond) April 26, 2016

To recap, Detroit City FC has started talking with the parties interested in MLS to Detroit

 

Pistons owner and Cavs owner are the interested parties.

 

According to the article on MLSsoccer.com the owners said that the new team would "Complement" the minor league teams. That is a nice way of saying theirs will not be associated.

 

Unless they brought them in as their MLS2 team? Did something similar to Houston where another ownership group did tickets/marketing/stadium activities and the MLS team provided the players ... they could start as an affiliate and grow from there. I'm sure the DCFC folks wouldn't mind getting some players paid for if their plan is to move up anyways ... and there would be some joint marketing efforts instead of a "battle". That could be complementary. I'm sure the MLS owners wouldn't mind the DCFC fans to be at least "on board" with the MLS team.

 

Of all the clubs in the US, I can't imagine the current DCFC supporters being amenable to that setup.

 

Some less financed ownership groups (like DCFC) may be smart enough to realize how they can make professional soccer work under their current ownership group ... and this may be it.

 

I think if you gave DCFC a choice between being a professional reserve team to Detroit MLS and staying amateur, they'd stay amateur. Nothing wrong with staying amateur.

 

No, nothing at all. And if that's their choice, I'd have no problem with it. It just sounded like they wanted to move up to be professional. And with an ownership group that's not well financed, you never know what concessions they'd make to get it done. They're smart guys ... not sure if they'll let pride get in the way ... and to be honest, I don't know what (if anything) is being offered/discussed with the ownership group of NBA owners.

 

I think you two are talking about two different things: DCFC ownership and the fan groups. There are obviously a lot of connections but they have differences.

The owners of DCFC might be interested in working with the MLS group. They talk about moving up but also about staying authentic and maintaining the supporter groups as their base. It is hard to see how that would work as a subsidiary of a MLS team. But they they might think they can make it work. They could not be a MLS2 team, though, and I'd be surprised if they want the MLS group to use their name.

A lot, maybe most, of the fans of DCFC will rebel at anything suggesting that their club is a reserve team. I don't see them ever being in favor of any of this.

 

No, but if the new ownership group worked with DCFC and brought them in as club ambassadors or something and the DCFC fans became the base of the MLS supporters, they'd still be DCFC supporters of a non reserve team ... and they'd be the ones that actually went to the DCFC2 games as well potentially. Lot of different ways it could play out, hope it's amicable.

 

It could really be easy for the DCFC ownership group. They "sell" their branding (or share) with the MLS group, the MLS group pays the salaries for the DCFC (USL) players. The DCFC owners operate the game day experience, they sell tickets, they have financial backing to make upgrades to the stadium (over what they'll already do) from MLS owners, they can use all/most incoming profit to be used to fund their adult leagues. DCFC fans become the MLS fans as well as the DCFC fans. It could be very easy if all of them want to work together. Sure there will be some fans that don't like it, but if you're a fan of the club and the owner of that club says this is what's best ... don't you have to understand and keep rooting? Some of those DCFC fans should take pride in the fact that their support of DCFC help make this a great expansion option for MLS and carry the torch similar to OCFC fans and others that have moved up.

I don't know ... maybe that's all pretty glass half full, but I don't see a huge deal (admittedly from afar).

 

Fans in Detroit currently don't seem happy at all with the announcement of MLSDetroit.

http://boysinrouge.com/2016/04/27/my-favorite-thing/

No idea what can happen in 4-6 years as things do change. This will be one to watch for sure.