YNT-eligible NASL/USL players -- 2016/17 offseason thread

Man! Can that guy speak lawyerese or what?

That interview left me with two impressions -

1. NASL is definitely NOT out of the woods.
2. At least now they are aware that the things they do need to lead to sustainability and that includes working collaboratively with other leagues.

NASL reminds me of a patient emerging from a coma - where it takes them a while to realize just how bad their condition was. I don't know how long it will take NASL to realize just how full of it they really were, but at least you can see a more heightened sense of self awareness than before.

At least they are trying to be a responsible league now.

 

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BREAKING: @SanAntonioFC signs hometown product @11dvega #OurClub pic.twitter.com/jA7v4lnLRt

— San Antonio FC (@SanAntonioFC) January 27, 2017

 

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened to Vega has FC Dallas has the USL club.

Obviously, Vega was willing to sign a pro deal with a USL club. The fact that it was his hometown club makes it a lot easier. He can live at home and have a normal environment, which is positive from a 18 year old. I doubt it will become a trend because most players would rather go the college route than sign for ~$40K.

There have been a couple under-the-radar players do it last year. San Antonio signed local player Deigo Garcia. T2 signed Augustine Williams out of California. He was originally from Sierra Leon. It gives players another option. Some might not qualify academically. Some might just want to go pro via any alternative.

 

Hopefully we'll hear more about the Vega situation. I don't have any insight to offer. What's true is that the statement did say..........

"We would like to thank FC Dallas for their help in this process, allowing Devin to join us at SAFC"

So it doesn't appear that this was an acrimonious process. This was perhaps FCD, SAFC, and the player getting together and figuring out his best path forward as a professional. This is what we should want.

 

Confirmed that #FCD retains no rights to Devin Vega in his signing with SAFC. club wasn't interested in signing him so allowed him to go

— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) January 27, 2017

 

Lamar Batista, a 6'5" 1998 defender from UC Santa Barbara, is listed as a T2 player on Portland's preseason roster and played the final 30 minutes at center back of the Timbers' friendly against the Red Bulls last night. Forum eligible T2 midfielder Blake Bodily and forward Augustine Williams also made 30 minute appearances.

 

That is something I find interesting

 

http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/indianapolis-mls-expansion-application-indy-eleven-nasl-013017

Indy 11 join the list of MLS applicants expanding it to 12. Those are in addition to the two already accepted. Here is a breakdown of the applicants and 2 accepted clubs -

NASL cities or clubs applying or accepted -

Indy 11
Raleigh (which will kill the North Carolina FC franchise out of Cary)
David Beckham's Miami (which would kill the, at best, fledgling Miami FC franchise)

USL cities or clubs applying or accepted -

Tampa Bay (just dropped out of NASL and already applying for MLS)
Cincinnati
Sacramento
St. Louis
Nashville (an expansion franchise already applying for MLS before they kick a ball)
Raleigh (their application to MLS part of an all out war with the NASL club that recently relocated to Cary)
Charlotte
San Antonio
Phoenix
LAFC - obviously will not impact Galaxy II as the MLS-based USL entries don't seem to care about attendance but are instead using the league as a developmental tool.

Non-NASL or USL cities applying -

Detroit
San Diego


So here are my observations - this makes life for the NASL incredibly difficult and appears to be business as usual or even positive for the USL. Not only is the healthiest team in the NASL attempting to jump to MLS, but all of the potential candidates for the NASL in USL are looking to bypass them and jump straight to MLS without dealing with them. Sacramento, Cincinnati, et all can just say that they are already playing division II soccer in USL and ignore NASL. If USL are allowed to continue the path that they are on, they can just continue to welcome clubs into the league, regardless of their standard, and easily replace any teams that leave for MLS. Yet they can showcase them as examples to ambitious clubs that USL is the pathway to take toward MLS. The NASL, still attempting, if not always succeeding, to maintain division II standards, have a much, much more difficult time replacing clubs they lose, but also attracting clubs that are legitimate division II candidates.

I love USL and what they have done, but they should not be allowed to continue as a provisional division II. Harrisburg City Islanders, Orange County FC, many MLS B teams, and many other franchises are not attempts at division II and they never will be. If we don't support the legitimate attempts at division II leagues (in this case, NASL) we will never grow a division II level. It is already ridiculously difficult to do while USL and MLS are both in expansion mode. NASL have made more than their fair share of mistakes in the past but, with their parting ways with both Peterson and Traffic, they appear to be acting in good faith now. I believe that it is worth supporting them by forcing USL to take on the division III status that they both deserve and do very, very well. It won't happen until the end of the season, if it happens, but I think that it is the right thing to do.

 

http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/gallery/mls-expansion-28-teams-cities-teams-013117

Analysis of each of the 12 MLS expansion bids.

One thing is for sure, how this plays out will dramatically impact the opportunities for young players in the minor leagues. Minor league life is unstable enough as it is. This expansion of both MLS and USL has pushed everything out of control. I believe that we will have a very healthy minor league system when all is said and done, but right now the whole thing is pure chaos.

Teams sense that, as MLS edges toward 30 teams, the window to get in may be closing - particularly in the absence of promotion/relegation. Once the window to get into MLS closes, look for a rise in the number of legitimate division II franchises. Once that league hits the 30 team mark, and I don't think you can call USL a legitimate division II, look for promotion/relegation to become a very different discussion.

 

Current @LAGalaxyAcademy players heavily represented in @LAGalaxyII preseason. #verticalintegration pic.twitter.com/iPBTWvEbzw

— LA Galaxy Academy (@LAGalaxyAcademy) February 1, 2017

 

Did you look at the link I included? Here is the link again.

https://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?page_id=5449

I took the US Soccer expectations, and used them to describe a league that follows those expectations. Lets look at some of the specifics for a division II -

1. Teams in Eastern, Central and Pacific time zones by year 6.
2. Stadiums of a minimum of 5000.
3. 75% of teams located in population centers of 750,000
4. Must have a full time, year round staff


A third division must have as a minimum -

1. Must have a minimum of 8 teams
2. Stadiums of a minimum of 1000.

Obviously there are other requirements, but these are the main differences along with a division II franchise has to show proof of about three times the financial viability of a division III franchise.

So -

1. Division IIIs can play regionally
2. Some of the division III stadiums will be very small.
3. Division III clubs can have primarily part time employees
4. Division III clubs don't really have to be located in major or even medium markets.
5. Division III clubs don't need to operate on much money.


When you look at USL and NASL, I see one league making a lot of bad choices trying to be division II and one that has thrived under division III status. USL will have to shed some loyal clubs and absorb the NASL if they want to become a division II. There simply aren't enough division II type clubs for two thriving leagues at that level right now. Another question - are USL willing to shed some of the MLS II teams that don't measure up to division II status?

Let's look at specifics. So, Harrisburg's new home fields will be minor league baseball stadiums with capacities of 6187 and 6000. Can this tiny franchise stay financially viable in these two larger homes when their average home attendance last year was 1,622? They barely make it back into the league every year. I have my doubts. Orange County FC play in a stadium of 2500. Will they decide to increase their stadium size? Time will tell. If you look at NYRB II, they play in Columbia Soccer Stadium with a capacity of 3500. The league champion plays in 3500 seat stadium and averaged 592 per game. Why do they want to go division II again?

It will be interesting to see if NASL can maintain discipline for an entire season. I have my doubts about them as well.

This page breaks down the USL in 2016 -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_USL_season


This page breaks down the NASL in 2016 -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_North_American_Soccer_League_season

Neither league is impressive as a division II, but USL is impressive if it is a division III. And yet, USL had 13 out of 29 teams averaging under 2000 fans per game. NASL had 1 of 12 teams average under 2000 fans per game. Like I said before though, I have my doubts about both leagues.

 

If you don't rep this, you don't have a soul.

 

U19 ynt pool GK Matias Reynares signs with NCFC
http://www.northcarolinafc.com/news...ina-fc-signs-young-goalkeeper-matias-reynares

 

No idea who the other academy players were as there was no lineups posted

5 academy players played 45 minutes in the first @LAGalaxyII preseason game against Cal St. Fullerton. Jonathon Estrada scored the 2nd goal.

— LA Galaxy Academy (@LAGalaxyAcademy) February 11, 2017

 

This would make for a nice network of clubs for young player prospects in the mid Atlantic region. We have plenty of PDL/NPSL clubs already(although the Baltimore club folded). This would provide more players in the region with the opportunity to take the next step. For the young players' sake, I hope that it happens. Baltimore is an important part of region for youth soccer. Those players need someplace to go to that they can connect with naturally.

 

I will not be content till Dallas adds a USL team for all that kick-ass academy talent.

That said, it appears in 2018 we're adding Bal'mer, Nashville, DCU2 and potentially Long Island (and hopefully more) as a partner for NYCFC, all of which is good for USL and playing opportunities for young players in the US.