United Soccer League D-1

Discussion in 'United Soccer Leagues' started by EPJr, Feb 13, 2025.

  1. EPJr

    EPJr Member+

    Los Angeles FC
    United States
    Mar 21, 2009
    Richmond VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]

    We are excited to announce the USL is launching a Division One men’s professional league! This new league will bring top-tier soccer to more communities, elevate the game and create more opportunities for players, clubs and fans. Read more http://bit.ly/4hBS17Q

    [​IMG]
     
    Chesco United repped this.
  2. EPJr

    EPJr Member+

    Los Angeles FC
    United States
    Mar 21, 2009
    Richmond VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]
    USL to launch a first division with PRO/REL. They will be a competing alternative to MLS. MLS better wake the hell up. USL brining in a proper system is EXACTLY the type of pressure MLS needs to make actual changes. Not slow changes to maximize billionaire profits.
     
  3. EPJr

    EPJr Member+

    Los Angeles FC
    United States
    Mar 21, 2009
    Richmond VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Chesco United repped this.
  4. EPJr

    EPJr Member+

    Los Angeles FC
    United States
    Mar 21, 2009
    Richmond VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  5. TheJoeGreene

    TheJoeGreene Member+

    Aug 19, 2012
    The Lubbock Texas
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    That's a ridiculous map. New Mexico, Colorado Springs, Tampa Bay, Lexington, Las Vegas, and Pittsburgh cannot get to the 15k stadium requirement by 2027 in their current situations and a few others are extremely long shots.
     
    Chesco United repped this.
  6. EPJr

    EPJr Member+

    Los Angeles FC
    United States
    Mar 21, 2009
    Richmond VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I know but let them try...
     
    Chesco United repped this.
  7. Chesco United

    Chesco United Member+

    DC United
    Jun 24, 2001
    Chester County, PA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    The NASL II never met the Division 2 standards, and constantly needed waivers.
     
  8. TheJoeGreene

    TheJoeGreene Member+

    Aug 19, 2012
    The Lubbock Texas
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    And lasted 7 years with only 2 teams playing every season. 4 announced teams literally never played at all. The USSF was also probably much more desperate to help aid the development of 2nd and 3rd tier pro soccer 10-15 years ago. The stability of MLS, NWSL, and USL might work against trying to get waivers for a bunch of teams. The USL Super League got one waiver for this inaugural season, for Ft. Lauderdale to play in a smaller stadium, but I believe the additional stands are approved and already being built.
     
    kenntomasch and Chesco United repped this.
  9. EPJr

    EPJr Member+

    Los Angeles FC
    United States
    Mar 21, 2009
    Richmond VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Interview (12 minutes) with USL president Paul McDonough (and former Inter Miami sporting director. It’s pretty insightful:

    1) Calendar change not being considered at all
    2) Pro/rel discussions naturally led to first division formation. Nothing has been solidified/approved on pro/rel, but this would be the first big step towards that.
    3) He evaded the franchise/expansion fee question. No parachute payment because they don’t have a big TV deal.
    4) I felt the “American player” part was most interesting. McDonough said USL will not be competing with MLS for expensive foreign brand-name players like Messi, Griezmann, De Bruyne. Reading between the lines, he’s basically saying there’s an opportunity to lure American players from MLS to USL as they are underpaid. It wouldn’t be the top American MLS players like Diego Luna or Jordan Morris… but decent players like Justen Glad or Bennie Kikanovic who are good but not getting paid top dollar.

    It will be interesting what MLS is thinking about. The cash transfer rule is already helping. There have been some discussion about a pro/rel setup for Next Pro. But USL has escalated the conversation and it’s clear they will be targeting underpaid American MLS players to increase quality.

     
    TheJoeGreene repped this.
  10. TheJoeGreene

    TheJoeGreene Member+

    Aug 19, 2012
    The Lubbock Texas
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    The American player part really is interesting. We've already seen some interesting signings by USL teams in recent years and maybe that starts picking up if this first division league really does happen? Just last Friday Brent Kallman signed with Omaha in League One after 8 years in MLS. Obviously he's an older guy at the end of his career, but snagging those starters/rotation players that are underpaid relative to their role could really increase the level of play.
     
  11. EPJr

    EPJr Member+

    Los Angeles FC
    United States
    Mar 21, 2009
    Richmond VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  12. EPJr

    EPJr Member+

    Los Angeles FC
    United States
    Mar 21, 2009
    Richmond VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #12 EPJr, Feb 21, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2025
    USL Division One: which clubs could be in, and can it succeed?
    On the USL's bold plan to compete with MLS at the D1 level
    [​IMG]
    John Morrissey

    Feb 13, 2025

    In the report, seven teams were posited by The Athletic as potential founding members of a D1 USL competition. Those include Louisville City, Indy Eleven, the Sacramento Republic, Phoenix Rising, New Mexico United, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, and the Las Vegas Lights.

    It’s a strong base to build upon, but what would it take to start a rules-compliant Division One league? The US Soccer Federation lays out a few requirements in its Pro League Standards:

    1. 12 member clubs at launch; 14 by the third year of operation

    2. 75% of clubs located in a metro area with a population exceeding 1,000,000

    3. The capacity of each club’s stadium must exceed 15,000

    4. Actively operating in at least three time zones
    The first two pre-conditions won’t trouble the USL, but the stadium requirements – and even the population requirements, league composition notwithstanding – are thornier.

    [​IMG]

    https://www.usltactics.com/p/usl-division-one-mls-pro-rel
     
  13. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #13 Paul Berry, Feb 22, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2025
    I don't think D1 is over ambitious.

    Compare to EFL League Two. What can you do with average attendances of 6,000?

    Average payroll (players) $4 million
    Average attendance 6,000
    Average ticket price (gameday) $28
    Average season ticket price $350
    8 out of 24 League Two clubs have capacity over 15,000.

    A US club would probably need to set aside $1 million extra a year for travel expenses.

    USL Championship (guesstimates)

    Average payroll $1 million ($40k per player)
    Average attendance 6,100
    Average ticket price (gameday) $30 (guess)
    Average season ticket price $250 (guess)
     
  14. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    #14 falvo, Feb 22, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2025
    Excuse me for asking and I'm sure it has been discussed and explained but I haven't had time to sift through the threads…

    I am curious to know when the USL goes to D1, if newer, deep pocketed investors are going to come in and either invest in the existing franchises or will they buy the teams outright from the current owners?

    If so, are there any names being floated yet?
     
  15. Doogh

    Doogh Member+

    Oct 5, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm cackling at the suggestion that Miami FC (1,075 attended their home matches in 2024) would be considered Division 1 just because. Money flushed down the drain. :ROFLMAO:
     
    Chesco United repped this.
  16. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's 1,075 tickets distributed, the actual number in the stadium is probably far lower. But if Riccardo Silva is willing to run them at a loss so be it.

    There are several teams in the Portuguese Primeira with attendances around 2,000.
     
    TheJoeGreene repped this.
  17. Doogh

    Doogh Member+

    Oct 5, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Portugal's population: 10.6 million
    Miami metro population: 6.1 million

    (Not to mention that their next door competitor averages triple or quadruple amount of people)

    I'm sure if USL wants that lucrative media deal and other sponsors to join in, well good luck.
     
  18. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I missed any announcement about wanting a lucrative media deal.

    They're appear to be looking for a tier that operates slightly above USL-C.

    Screenshot_20250222_211446_Chrome.jpg
     
    TheJoeGreene repped this.
  19. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    After looking at the 1st and 4th posts here plus this video:

    Why does every D1 map include Colorado Springs? The metro area is well under 1 million and the Switchbacks stadium is 8k so half of 15k?



    Btw here is the USL map they are using:
    [​IMG]
     
    TheJoeGreene repped this.
  20. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #20 Paul Berry, Feb 28, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2025
    The Colorado Springs media market is even smaller at about 400k.

    The standards do say that 75% of the league's teams must be based in markets with one million population but you don't want to start off at the minimum if you're going to introduce pro-rel.

    From https://www.usltactics.com/p/usl-division-one-mls-pro-rel

    Screenshot_20250228_111326_Chrome.jpg
     
  21. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    msilverstein47 repped this.
  22. TheJoeGreene

    TheJoeGreene Member+

    Aug 19, 2012
    The Lubbock Texas
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    More importantly, there's nothing about the stadium in Colorado Springs having been built with expansion in mind. Others, like San Antonio and Pittsburgh, were built with the possibility of being expanded over 15k.
     
    xbhaskarx repped this.
  23. EPJr

    EPJr Member+

    Los Angeles FC
    United States
    Mar 21, 2009
    Richmond VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  24. AZUL GALAXY

    AZUL GALAXY Member

    Aug 28, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    CDSC Cruz Azul
    No announcements yet of the first division one team?
     
    falvo repped this.
  25. TheJoeGreene

    TheJoeGreene Member+

    Aug 19, 2012
    The Lubbock Texas
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Where is that graphic from? There's literally nothing new from any USL source.
     

Share This Page