There was a Heck is Plausible with a hog roast that seemed like it had a large crowd. IIRC, the line to get in to the parking lot for that game was backed up to the church, if not beyond. There were times the east lot had quite a few cars. Now it seems we can't even fill half of the south paved lot. There was definite potential those first two years that was lost. It had shades of Crew games circa 2002-2005 with V-Army and the beginnings of HSH in 136/137 with the tailgates and in the Capybrava.
How are you gauging the vibrancy of the MLSNP scenes in non-MLS cities? There are currently only three truly independent MLSNP franchises. I know some MLS clubs have NP franchises that play8 in other markets. Still, the large majority of teams don’t share their attendance. Ironically, I think St Louis 2 has the highest reported attendance number in league history. Anyway, I still assume this whole thing relates to independent teams. Only three now, but a cluster of potential ones joining next year (though now all of them seem to have stadiums). Just my opinion, of course, but my only interest in NP is player development for the first team.
Granted, this thread is from two years ago, but Carolina Core and the Chattahooligans (Chattanooga) seem to be respectable. As said, part of that is definitely the lack of MLS team in those cities, although the distance between Carolina Core (High Point, NC) and Charlotte FC is basically the distance from Mansfield to Columbus. Similarly, part of the reason MiLB teams can get 10k or more is due to the lack of MLB teams. Going deep into Columbus sports history, we had the Columbus Stars soccer and hockey teams in the early 2000s. The soccer team lasted one year and the hockey team folded during their first season. Point being that minor/developmental teams have to be damn good in order to gain any traction in the same city as top-tier teams. (FC Columbus 95, anyone?) There's also a few photos of the Capybrava back then. The Capybara chants from yesterday's game seemed to be loud enough so that the people chanting seemed to be more than the people who actually show up. Cleveland @ Columbus next year? I've got eyes on that game.
Has there been any movement on where that Cleveland team would play? They claim they’ll have a 10,000 seat stadium done in a year, but construction hasn’t begun and the stadium renderings are rudimentary.
Insert the easy joke of MLS should try to commercialize MLS first before messing with NP. Anyway... here is how to make money from NP: 1) actually develop players and prioritize that over winning 2) promote quality players to the first team and actually give them minutes 3) sell said players for profit That's it. Sure, you might make a couple bucks here and there selling a few hot dogs to the 250 people that show up, but you'll make MILLIONS developing and selling players. Make I'm out of touch with the kids these days, but I think they'd rather be in MLS cities than NP equivalent USL cities. 1) for lifestyle and 2) it makes access to the first team coaches, players, training, facilities, so much easier. Commercialize NP? Why and for who? Just develop players jfc that's the point.
Note the MLB setup, though. Usually, they use the MiLB teams to protect their territory. For example--Cleveland in Columbus, Akron, and Lake County. The Phillies do the Lehigh Valley and Reading and the Joisey Shore. The Reds have Dayton. The Yankees do Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. Etc. The Jackets got smart by getting on board with the Monsters. You are close enough to the parent team to get regular attention, but it expands your market. These teams are developing players but they are also taking care of and developing their larger market. One can do both.
It is very hard to integrate the academy, second team, and first team if each team is training and playing in different locations. Nashville has a bit of trouble with this. Also, say Crew 2 move to Akron or Youngstown, I can see a parent throwing a bit of a fit and taking their kid to a different academy. Believe this is why the G League moved back to wanting the second teams closer to their NBA affiliates. https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021...ing-from-canton-to-cleveland-this-season.html Although they are switching that again with the Lakers 2 moving to Coachella.
Note that, the press release, unless I missed something, said nothing about improving the quality of the product on the pitch. Evidently, enhanced matchday experience + new branding = profit. Or something like that.
That's correct. I think it makes more sense to see MLS-operated MSLNP teams as a bridge between individual club academies and the first team, with traffic flowing in both directions to a certain extent.
You want some integration between the 3. You'll probably have your best academy prospects training with the first team at times and playing with the second team. Having it all on one campus allows you to evaluate and test players against different levels of competition. MiLB's system works for player development because its been so well established that there is a science to it. It will take a lot of money for MLS to replicate it, and other than international academies that do more brand servicing than actual development, this is not really a concept seen in soccer. For more about European youth development here is a Scuffed interview with the head of the Gladbach's "International" Academy https://open.spotify.com/episode/1YhLg9EY7ZJnptiUHhaRry?si=DuHXxtChRhWiRIpdI5GyCA
https://www.mlsnextpro.com/competitions/mls-next-pro/2026/matches/clbvsmia-05-03-2026/ Crew 2 vs Inter Miami II started at 6. There was a Miami goal in the 9th minute. Capy goal in the 44th! #64 O'Neal Taylor (I think I got that right) with the assist to Zach Zengue for the easy tap-in. Kevin Gbamblé in at halftime. Chase Adams enters in the 52nd. Brent Adu-Gyamfi in the 52nd minute. Chase Adams in the 66th to make it 3-1. Kevin Gbamblé with the assist. Zach Zengue off for Gio De Libera. 7 minutes of stoppage and the Capys get a yellow in the 97th. And that's it! A 3-1 Capybara win! Next Up: Sunday 5/10 at FCC 2 at 6pm. Next Home Game: Sunday 5/24 at 8pm.
Found this on FB--a Karlsruhe SC player visiting the Karlsruhe Zoo with his family.... Yes, those are Capys....
https://www.mlsnextpro.com/competitions/mls-next-pro/2026/matches/phivsclb-05-17-2026/ Crew 2 @ Philadelphia today at 3pm via the above link.
I try my best. These 6pm road games aren't the easiest with dinner and all. Everyone is always welcome to join in, of course. During the pregame, the announcer said "preppy-rare-ing" instead of preparing. It might be a painful listen today. A Crew goal in the 25th with his seventh of the season...any guesses? Hint: His initials are ZZ. Philly goal in the 30th.
At halftime, the announcer just said "El Traffi-chico." Oy vey. 61st min: triple sub. Chase Adams off for Jamnil Danjaji, Nico Rincon off Tarun Karumanchi and Rui Aoki off for Zach Lloyd. It's still a 1-1 score. And now we're off to penalties! Philly puts their first low and right for an easy goal. Brent Adu-Gyamfi puts it low and left for an easy goal. Andrew Craig puts it low and center but Luke Pruter dove to his right. Easy goal. Kevin Gbamblé got stuffed on his shot to the middle. Beginning of the third round: 2-1. Luke Pruter with the save! Tarun Karumanchi goes low to the keeper's right and gets the ball in. 2-2 start of the fourth round. Gladstone with Philly appears to go to the keeper's left, but does a fake and the ball goes in to Luke Pruter's right. Cherenos(?) goes up to the keeper's right for a Capy goal!. 3-3 after four. Philly scores. It's all on Zach Zengue to score...and he does! Andrew Rigg(?) guessed properly, but Zach's power on the kick was too good. In the 6th, Philly got denied. Jamnil Danjaji steps up with no pressure and that might be one of the weakest kicks I've seen for the easy save. Philly scored. Quinton Elliot must score...and he does so we go to the 8th. Philly scored...and so did the Capys. We're off to the 9th...and, of course, Philly scored. Tristan Brown's time is now...and he easily answers the call. ROUND 10 and we're even at seven kicks each. Jordan Griffin of the USYNT got stuffed and it went off the post and crossbar. Zach Lloyd walks up...AND SCORES! Crew (2) wins in Chester! Luke Pruter with three saves in the shootout gets him the MOTM. The Capys return to SMG Field on Sunday 5/24 at 8pm against TFC II. (Let's see if it's actually played. I believe the last time a doubleheader was attempted, the weather threw a wrench in the plans.)
Game day bump. Everyone should already know. No school tomorrow and most people don't have to work. Beat the traffic and stay late. What else are you doing?
And we're underway! Dwayne DeRosario's kid is the TFC II goalkeeper. TFC II goal in the 6th minute. Capy goal in the 52nd. #46 Chase Adams! The assist goes to Tristan Brown. 2-1 to TFC II.