Some very interesting preliminary news coming out of the USL on a proposal to integrate the MLS Reserve league with USL Pro. http://nasn.tv/2012/mls-working-with-usl-pro-on-reserve-league-integration/ The proposal: If agreed to by both leagues, some of this would start in 2013 and have full implementation by 2014. USL Pro is currently the 3rd division of U.S. soccer and will have 13 teams this year playing a 24 game schedule. There are no current teams in Texas so the Dynamo Reserves would likely become a USL Pro team if this proposal passes.
Current USL Pro teams and possible partners: Antigua Barracuda - None Charleston Battery - None Charlotte Eagles - None Dayton Dutch Lions - Columbus? Harrisburg City Islanders - Philadelphia? Los Angeles Blues - Galaxy or Chivas USA Orlando City - None Pittsburgh Riverhounds - None Phoenix FC - None Richmond Kickers - DC United? Rochester Rhinos - Toronto? VSI Tampa Bay FC - None Wilmington Hammerheads - None Not really very much overlap although it depends on what they mean by "nearby".
I called this a while back on Twitter! I own! By the way, I would love it if the Dynamo Reserves also get a chance at the USOC! I'll get to catch more Dynamo games?! HELL YEAH! *I'm going to boast about this for ages, especially since I'm RARELY right.*
Excellent. There are obviously a lot of details to work out, but the concept is very badly needed. The few reserve league games aren't enough to bridge the gap between academies/college and most MLS first teams. Great move in the right direction.
These two pairings already are in existence and the past few seasons loans down and late season picks up have been pretty standard. I know Philly and Harrisburg also play a annual friendly as well. I just moved and Harrisburg is actually closer to me than DC and if this sort of deal came to fruition I'd be getting Islander season tickets in a heartbeat.
They are in the PDL. Same league as Seacoast United, a team in my town. In fact, the only PDL game I have ever seen was a 2-1 Western Mass win over Seacoast.
Congratulations to Houston Reserves winning the East: http://www.mlssoccer.com/2013-reserve-league-standings
And Toronto finished at the bottom of the conference (& entire league) with +3 GD! Certainly something very very special, never before seen in soccer history of the U.S. (& perhaps the word)?
On this note, New England almost achieved this unique feat in 2002 Regular Season too, finishing with a GD of ZERO (which could well have been negative, had they not won their final 5 games in succession): http://www.mlssoccer.com/standings/2002 The same can also be said of Columbus 2002 as well, who finished 2nd in the East (level on points with N.E.) with a GD of just +1.