NPSL Chairman Joe Barone Provides League Update
soccernation.com/npsl-chairman-joe-barone-pro...
soccernation.comPosted Nov 15, 2016, 6:27 AM UTC
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soccernation.comCan someone explain to me why US Soccer cant organize a proper structure of leagues for example 1.MLS, 2.NASL, 3.USL, 4.NPSL, 5.Official sanctioned regional leagues (this might be one and the same as NPSL). Doesn't need to be pro rel, just officially sanctioned leagues by US Soccer/CONCACAF/Fifa/whatever. Any other upstart league can try but wouldn't be official and under the US Soccer umbrella
It just seems like a mess right now. and gives a clear path if teams do want to progress
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Because US Soccer doesn't care.
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This. All US Soccer cares about is the national team.
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That's more or less what they already do with their divisional standards, isn't it?
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Pretty much, we have standards for what is D1, D2, and D3 but not below
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i meant more in terms of just 1 league for each division - unless its regional - so you don't have multiple competing leagues, with varying standards all saying they're div 4, poaching teams or whatever is going on. Where everyone knows their place and in the current system would apply or get invited into a higher division
but i guess, maybe my comment should be about US Soccer extending and formalizing the leagues below div 3?
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I wonder if USSF hasn't been letting the leagues shake out a little bit before imposing that kind of organization. The NASL in particular hasn't shown that it can create a stable second division, and that's why I think they're considering giving the USL a shot at it.
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They've been "letting it shake out a little bit" for decades.
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“There is a deliberate destabilization of the infrastructure we are trying to build here,” continued Barone. “It’s organized, structured chaos that is being foisted upon American soccer, with a specific outcome in mind, and we feel like that is dangerous. It is not healthy for the growth of the game at large."
It sure would be nice if we had a national governing body.
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Do you think the NASL would be satisfied with a secure and permanent spot as D2? I think some of the problems arise from the USSF giving leagues too much leeway, and not requiring (or even imposing) more structure and organization.
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Do you think the NASL would be satisfied with a secure and permanent spot as D2?
Aye, they've already said they would have no problem being the second division if they were an actual second division. But without promotion and relegation being on the table, that's not currently a possibility.
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If you're going to insist that promotion and relegation are required for "an actual second division", then the actual answer is no, they wouldn't be satisfied with it. And that's why the USSF is exploring other options to create a stable D2.
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I'm not "insisting", it's the damned truth. There's absolutely no reason non-MLS pro clubs should have to settle for the limbo they're in now, and without promotion and relegation placing numerical designations on otherwise independent leagues is utterly farcical. Is the NASL an inferior and unstable league? You bet. But without a "first" division to promote to, their clubs are not an actual "second" division, and should continue to fight for the same opportunities as everyone else.
I didn't want to get on my soapbox, but for you to dismiss the validity of the situation out of hand is ridiculous, as is the insistence that the USSF has anything else in mind other than doing whatever MLS owners want. They are not "exploring other options to create a stable D2." They are trying to create Triple A Soccer.
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This kinda reminds me of the early day of the nfl with various competing leagues but the nfl was always on top. I don't know if a new league would arise to challenge the Mls if the NASL fails considering there's a national/world governing body for soccer which the MLS is subject to. It could end up one day like hockey with independent low level leagues below the minors
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I think the USL knows that if it wants to be D2 it's going to need a D3 for smaller teams and reserve teams to go to. It's smart to start recruiting the larger, better run, more capable D4 teams now with the incentive of moving into a professional D3 when it's ready. The NPSL can complain about this but it's getting out competed in a free market. It's the same thing that's happening to the NASL. I find it really interesting that the people that complain the most that the USSF isn't doing anything are the people that are arguing the most for a free market because the free market isn't being very kind to them at the moment. It seems to me like the MLS/USL/PDL is trying to build a pyramid but it's the NASL/NPSL/ASL/UPSL that are creating chaos at this point.
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These two quotes really stuck out IMO
I imagine it's difficult to run a league like the NPSL. You have the threat of clubs being poached by leagues such as the PDL/USL, which offer the incentive of growth and professionalism. All the while battling for control over small markets with other 4th-div leagues like the ASL/PLA/UPL. Chaos is describing it lightly.
I'm curious to read more about these terminated clubs, especially North County Batallion & Tobacco Road. As far as I know, those two had incredibly successful inagural seasons. I wonder if they plan on hopping to a different league?
Can't say I agree that PDL offers any incentive of growth over NPSL. There's not exactly a long history of PDL clubs stepping up, and none that didn't already have the resources on board to do it.
With several MLS clubs officially having dev clubs in PDL they adverse to players as the "path to pro" and continuously taut their MLS potential.
For players, I agree. Clubs, I'm not seeing it.
I agree with that. the NPSL is definitely gives potential teams a lot more autonomy it seems, as well as the possibilty to be Semi-Pro as opposed to the College/Developmental nature of the PDL.
I really only lumped it in with the USL mainly because they're technically the USL's amateur division.