Will the Forward Madison team renovate the soccer stadium in Madison. Interesting old stadium. Look forward to watching a match there.
Yeah I know, but they have an interesting residential area stadium, and quite old. Love their LOGO, got a couple of their T shirts already.
There is a Forward Madison thread on the USL forum. It could use some traffic. There are also a couple of USL D3 focused threads. It is my understanding that after the first of the year the USL forums will be re-organized. https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/forward-madison-fc-superthread.2090355/ https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/d3-division-super-thread.2042491/ https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/usl-d3.2049126/
As of right now, not returning in 2019: Derby City Rovers Colorado Rapids U23 Fresno FC U23 Memphis City FC OKC Energy U23 FC Cleburne North Coast United Next Academy Palm Beach SIMA (Orlando City B returning to USL1) Birmingham Hammers (USL Championship) FC Tucson (USL1) Lansing United (Lansing Ignite in USL1)
New League Two Team http://www.vabeachunited.com/ And they will play in the same stadium as a current NPSL team Virginia Beach City FC.
So Detroit City and Michigan Stars moving to NISA for 2020. AFC Ann Arbor moving to USL2. Hoping Grand Rapids FC moves to USL2 as well and eventually up to USL1. Seems like a well run team.
New USL2 team for 2020: AFC Ann Arbor -- moving from NPSL Asheville City SC -- moving from NPSL Trend or coincidence? Will we see more of this scenario? Hmmmm.
----------------------------------- I kind of wonder also.... I didn't go to the websites to see what divisions they are in with NPSL or what division they could land in USL2, which leads me to my same thought every year. If NPSL & USL2 COULD settle structural /emotional/financial/ philosophical differences and merge, you would have a better regional set up- more team closer to you. Travel is a major expense , so if you could be more of a bus league, rather than a airplane league, its got to help. A 5 team USL-2 (PDL) division & a 5 team NPSL division, makes for a nice 10 team division etc. Wishful thinking on my part
GRFC is in chaos last I heard. Attendance is way down. They canceled their end of year friendlies. Also the owner is leaving and currently looking for a new investor to come in. It’s sad because there was so much momentum in the beginning.
------ Gets worse in Michigan now with the apparent death of Lansing Ignite USL-1 I realize these are the lower divisions, but MLS will have to think long and hard if they go back to considering Detroit.
The NPSL has long been the place for people who are like PDL* owners, only with less ambition. The ambitious ones will probably decamp for a league where you can be reasonably sure your opponent will show up for your next scheduled match. *I think I will always call it the PDL. Sorry.
To be quite honest, NPSL is doing a lot to themselves. The debacles over the last few years make it easy decisions to leave. As a League, there’s no question on who’s better run. That’s not something NPSL people like to hear, but it’s truth.
Its sad because Lansing United was a decent NPSL side. They still run a women's team but shut down the men's team when the Ignite came into town. Hopefully they revive their men's program. Muskegon is joining the NPSL in 2020 so there will still be Kalamazoo and hopefully Grand Rapids. DCFC and the Michigan Stars are in NISA now and Ann Arbor went to the USL 2. So its not all doom and gloom for soccer in Michigan, its just a little spread out over multiple leagues. Not to mention the Bucks are in USL 2 as well as a handful of teams in the UPSL. To be honest I don't think Detroit needs an MLS team. They have four major league teams to support. I'd love to see it but the state of soccer here in Michigan isn't in need of a shot in the arm.
https://www.soctakes.com/2019/10/22/lansing-ignite-vp-jeremy-sampson-interview/ That interview sounds like the former Lansing United Owner (who became President of Ignite) wasn't on board with much of the new owners plans ... keeping the women's side going I could see him get the Lansing United men's side back going in League 2 (It doesn't sound like he has issues with USL just the owner of Ignite). I hope USL allows him into League 2 without much of a fuss.
That was an interesting read. You could definitely feel the tension just by reading it. Thanks for posting that.
A story a year ago this week said the city of Lansing was chipping in about $200,000 a year in a "licensing agreement" that was to run for five years. (Oops.) It also said they paid a $6M franchise fee (holy cow, how do you just told it after that, unless they DIDN'T pay $6M) and their annual budget was $1M with $350k for players. And they were basing their budget on drawing 4k a game (which was never going to happen, and obviously did not). I can see where Lansing lost a lot of money. And I guess I can see where they decided not to lose a lot more. But a franchise should have value and be sell-able. (Few outright franchise sales have happened historically, but until recently, they weren't selling for $6M, either.) Just folding it and walking away after 12 months is either really savvy or premature and I can't decide which.
Things like this are typically not sustainable, unless someone just wants to spend money to spend. https://www.lansingstatejournal.com...nite-soccer-future-usl-league-one/3976808002/
No way did Lansing ownership group spend $6M to get a League 1 team. I believe Birmingham got a Championship franchise for $7M ... which has now gone up to $10M ... but I'm guessing League 1 is in the $750k-$1M range.
I had a conference at the ballpark the same day as their last home game. The set up was less than ideal. I wouldn’t have paid for that, let alone be a repeat customer and I actually like soccer