It seems this summer will be a fallow period for the beautiful game in brew city. While I wasn't the biggest fan of Milwaukee Wave United's exhibition schedule, it atleast provided a couple interesting matches. It's ashame they can't make a go of it in USL-1. However I am curious what the skill level of the National Premier Soccer League is. Milwaukee Bavarians U-23's play in it and they seem to have a bit of a national footprint with divisions in the midwest and southwest. Are these matches worth going to, could I atleast expect PDL quality football? I've only followed Bavarians during the Milwaukee Derby matches of last summer and when Wave United trounced them in the US Open Cup a couple years back. I wonder if Bavarians have a chance at qualifying for US Open Cup, I believe NPSL gets only 1 or 2 slots. If anyone has some insight on the level play and type of crowds Bavarians get, please let me know.
The NPSL would like to be a PDL-caliber league. I have never seen the PDL, so I can't compare the two. My Web site covers the Princeton-56ers in Madison, and I saw quite a few of their games last summer, which was the league's first season. The majority of the rosters for the Bavarians and PSC56 are current Division I players, so the talent level is pretty good. Mainly players from UW, UWM and former local prep standouts who went away for school. The other teams in the division tend to mix in some older players -- the Bavarians were the only U-23 team last year. Bavarians were second behind Detroit Arsenal last year; Arsenal, which went on to beat the West Division champion to win the NPSL title, has a few former pro players along with some good Division I players. I'm not sure what the Bavarians charge for their games, but PSC56 tickets are $4 ($8, then they have a $4 off coupon on their Web site). I heard the Bavarians' crowds were small, but I didn't get to any of their games last year. For comparison, PSC56 averaged about 400 fans per game and they told me they were probably the top drawing team in the division. The Bavarians won't be in the U.S. Open Cup. State qualifying was last fall, and the Bavarians entered one of their men's teams (guessing it was majors, not sure). Anyway, they lost to the Kickers, who lost to Croatian Eagles in the state final. Croatian Eagles play Saturday against Carpathia Kickers from Michigan in a Region II qualifier, with the winner getting into the Cup. We have lots of info on PSC56 (lineups, etc.) along with NPSL results and standings on our Web site, Madison Soccer Central.
The Kickers play at Uihlein and the Croatian Eagles at Croatian Park right? It would be nice to see the Eagles get in. I miss US Open Cup football in Milwaukee. The Rampage, Wave United, and Bavarians all had some memorable mid level runs in the tourney. Do you think there would be any home fixtures in Milwaukee?
The Croatian Eagles' game Saturday is at home, 2 p.m. kickoff. They have a pretty good roster, too. Shameless self-promotion: Story I wrote about the Croatian Eagles for USOpenCup.com
Unfortunately the Croatian Eagles fell 4-1 to the Menace this thursday in Iowa, so there will be no USOC in Milwaukee this summer. I did notice that the Chicago Lightning of the USASA are staging their home match against the Dallas Mustang Legends (also USASA) at Carthage College in Kenosha. I won't go there for two USASA teams, if it had been a high PDL side maybe, and a USL-2 side then definetly I would have made the trek.