U23 Residency

Macksam · Oct 18, 2009

I heard Lenarduzzi in an interview say they were planning to keep a USL team for a U-23 residency squad. Where are they planning to play?

sportie1 · Oct 19, 2009

they could play right out of swangard stadium, close to home-- seems to make sense

dewhitecapfan · Oct 19, 2009

Would this have anything to do with why the Whitecaps would be involved with the TOA? I haven't really kept up on whats going on with that group, but I thought it was odd the Whitecaps would be involved at all, with their bid already accepted for 2011.

Johnnie Monster · Oct 19, 2009

My two bits:

The Caps want to build the strongest development pyramid possible. So when the first team is in MLS in 2011, they will continue to operate feeder squads in USL-1 and/or the PDL (which is where the residency squad is now).

The issue right now is the club has its first team - the primary breadwinner for the organization - stuck in a mickey mouse league that is being governed from afar with no accountability to the team owners. Rules are being changed on a whim without input. Teams are being awarded in crappy markets without any consultation. And hte league's marketing is, to put it bluntly, wishy washy crap.

Understandably, the Caps organization wants its primary breadwinner performing under the best circumstances possible, and USL-1 doesn't appear to be the best option in the forseeable future.

However, in 2011 the club's first team will be in MLS. At that point in time, the club's primary breadwinner will be in a league more to its liking, and the conditions under which its feeder teams play (perhaps in USL-1 or the PDL) will mean substantially less to the club's financial bottom line.

I expect the Whitecaps will relocate its USL-1 squad to Kelowna, BC or Edmonton, Alberta once the first team goes up to MLS. Both those markets have hosted Caps exhibitions in recent years. Victoria, BC is another possibility, although I think the USL rights to that market are already tied up.

At any rate, those three markets are far enough from Vancouver that the hype and prestige of the MLS club won't harm the "inferior product" at the box office.

Macksam · Oct 19, 2009

Johnnie Monster said: ↑

My two bits:

The Caps want to build the strongest development pyramid possible. So when the first team is in MLS in 2011, they will continue to operate feeder squads in USL-1 and/or the PDL (which is where the residency squad is now).

The issue right now is the club has its first team - the primary breadwinner for the organization - stuck in a mickey mouse league that is being governed from afar with no accountability to the team owners. Rules are being changed on a whim without input. Teams are being awarded in crappy markets without any consultation. And hte league's marketing is, to put it bluntly, wishy washy crap.

Understandably, the Caps organization wants its primary breadwinner performing under the best circumstances possible, and USL-1 doesn't appear to be the best option in the forseeable future.

However, in 2011 the club's first team will be in MLS. At that point in time, the club's primary breadwinner will be in a league more to its liking, and the conditions under which its feeder teams play (perhaps in USL-1 or the PDL) will mean substantially less to the club's financial bottom line.

I expect the Whitecaps will relocate its USL-1 squad to Kelowna, BC or Edmonton, Alberta once the first team goes up to MLS. Both those markets have hosted Caps exhibitions in recent years. Victoria, BC is another possibility, although I think the USL rights to that market are already tied up.

At any rate, those three markets are far enough from Vancouver that the hype and prestige of the MLS club won't harm the "inferior product" at the box office.
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I think them operating a U-23 squad in the USL would be the best thing to happen. Putting U-23s in a competitive environment like that would be most beneficial in the development of those players.