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Post by Soccerhouse on Nov 15, 2019 12:44:40 GMT -5
Sports Illustrated: Sources say the USL is seriously exploring starting a Division 1 women’s pro soccer league as early as 2021 that would compete directly against the NWSL
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Post by atlfutboldad on Nov 15, 2019 12:51:02 GMT -5
This would be good. AFL/NFL that you can expect will eventually merge. Frankly the growth of the NWSL is too slow. It wouldn't take that much to quickly spawn a pro-am league, establish stadium contracts, determine min/max salaries/salary caps, draft players, etc. In ATL we could probably support a team at Silverbacks and a team at KSU (maybe even one down at MOBA).
Just don't expect big contracts and stuff. Getting paid to play the game in front of people that would like to watch higher-level women's games.
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Post by Soccerhouse on Nov 15, 2019 13:18:00 GMT -5
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Post by atlfutboldad on Nov 15, 2019 13:59:07 GMT -5
Don't get why it would concern them? It will not pull top players. Unlikely they will put teams (initially) in the same markets as NWSL. Just like the XFL and UFL didn't affect the NFL's product, USL wants a capitalist piece of the women's soccer pie. If nothing else it would be a feeder league to NWSL for a lot of those former college players who didn't get a look by the pros (just like the USL is for MLS).
Shouldn't they be embracing this as it gives more women the opportunity to play professional soccer?
So this will be something above and beyond the WPSL I take it. Seems like this would be a good thing.
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Post by oraclesfriend on Nov 15, 2019 18:14:54 GMT -5
Don't get why it would concern them? It will not pull top players. Unlikely they will put teams (initially) in the same markets as NWSL. Just like the XFL and UFL didn't affect the NFL's product, USL wants a capitalist piece of the women's soccer pie. If nothing else it would be a feeder league to NWSL for a lot of those former college players who didn't get a look by the pros (just like the USL is for MLS). Shouldn't they be embracing this as it gives more women the opportunity to play professional soccer? So this will be something above and beyond the WPSL I take it. Seems like this would be a good thing. It is doubtful that the USL would pay enough to keep the players as a feeder system to NWSL when NWSL cannot keep recent college grads in long enough to make a decent go of it. There are plenty of kids that were drafted that "retire" after 1, 2 or 3 years in NWSL because they can't make enough money and are not making headway on that. Secondly, look to GDA and ECNL has an example of how NOT to start a league that competes against an existing league for women/girls. There just isn't a big enough player pool to keep it high level enough to employ all of these female soccer players. In the end they will fight over the same players, have some good teams mixed in with bad teams and players that shouldn't be out there playing pro soccer. It might be successful in the long run or it could kill women 's pro soccer in America by diluting the product too much. If USL clubs are interested then work together with the NWSL to add teams to its league. |
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Post by atlfutboldad on Nov 15, 2019 21:26:50 GMT -5
No way they will pay anywhere close to what NWSL is paying (and I know that isnt a lot in many instances), so I disagree they will be competing for the same players. Sometimes semi-pro and lower pro level pro players have normal jobs and play their sport on the side (shout out to many many Olympic athletes). We have soccer coaches all over the state working 20 hours a week above their regular jobs for a meager extra $1-2K a month.
A lot of the club budgets would simply be used for travel expenses. Most travel would need to be regional and make sense also.
As for DA/ECNL, IMO half of the problem there is distance related. There are plenty of talented players who are not in either system around the city and further (and other cities see the same problems). Theres also political issues at the clubs, as well as the majority of talent migrating to a single particular club.
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Post by oraclesfriend on Nov 16, 2019 6:58:11 GMT -5
No way they will pay anywhere close to what NWSL is paying (and I know that isnt a lot in many instances), so I disagree they will be competing for the same players. Sometimes semi-pro and lower pro level pro players have normal jobs and play their sport on the side (shout out to many many Olympic athletes). We have soccer coaches all over the state working 20 hours a week above their regular jobs for a meager extra $1-2K a month. A lot of the club budgets would simply be used for travel expenses. Most travel would need to be regional and make sense also. As for DA/ECNL, IMO half of the problem there is distance related. There are plenty of talented players who are not in either system around the city and further (and other cities see the same problems). Theres also political issues at the clubs, as well as the majority of talent migrating to a single particular club. Money isn't the sole reason people choose a job. There would be some competition between NWSL and USL for the people that would be on the low end of the draft, lower end of the talent pool. You are correct that many would have other jobs and that is part of the reason they would compete for those players...location, location, location. Some of those players would sign with clubs near home to keep expenses down or near a job they have. USL should not develop their own league until NWSL is stronger in numbers and pay. They need 16 teams and to pay a minimum of 35-40k before this country can support a second tier women's league IMO. As for your ECNL/DA comments I agree with what you say locally, but still maintain that the talent pool depth nationally is an issue. There are many talented players outside of ECNL/DA but there are also players inside ECNL/DA that are not quite talented enough to have strong teams. Hence some very lopsided scores and not just against powerhouses like Tophat and Concorde. |
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Post by atlfutboldad on Nov 16, 2019 10:47:29 GMT -5
IMO NTH is a bad example. Of course theres no one who can compete with them in the southeast, they're an allstar team even in DA. There's no reason any other club SHOULD be able to compete with them.
IMO NTH SHOULD beat everyone in this city just as the Brazilian national team should beat any pro club in Brazil. That doesn't mean that the pro clubs shouldn't be playing. Additionally, you have DA preventing anyone outside DA from testing the DA teams' mettle, the blame is on DA there.
Also all of our ECNL/DA are within a 15-mile radius of Roswell. That sucks for Georgia players far outside the northern arc of Atlanta.
You see lopsided scores in La Liga and EPL also, it's hard to compete against built allstar teams.
But USL salaries would likely be under 20K, probably less than that. It would be a pro-am league that will play at high school and small college stadiums. If the NWSL cant offer better incentive than that, it's their fault if they lose a player. Perhaps USL will put pressure on NWSL to simply BE BETTER.
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Post by oraclesfriend on Nov 16, 2019 12:30:18 GMT -5
IMO NTH is a bad example. Of course theres no one who can compete with them in the southeast, they're an allstar team even in DA. There's no reason any other club SHOULD be able to compete with them. IMO NTH SHOULD beat everyone in this city just as the Brazilian national team should beat any pro club in Brazil. That doesn't mean that the pro clubs shouldn't be playing. Additionally, you have DA preventing anyone outside DA from testing the DA teams' mettle, the blame is on DA there. Also all of our ECNL/DA are within a 15-mile radius of Roswell. That sucks for Georgia players far outside the northern arc of Atlanta. You see lopsided scores in La Liga and EPL also, it's hard to compete against built allstar teams. But USL salaries would likely be under 20K, probably less than that. It would be a pro-am league that will play at high school and small college stadiums. If the NWSL cant offer better incentive than that, it's their fault if they lose a player. Perhaps USL will put pressure on NWSL to simply BE BETTER. I did not use Tophat as an example. From your comment I assumed that you were referring to them. I said NOT JUST against Tophat and Concorde. I am not convinced that women 's soccer is ready for a pro-am league and if they are how about using the best of the WPSL teams rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. Many of the WPSL teams are already attached to clubs like Wake FC, Alabama FC, Chattanooga FC and the Red Wolves. I think the NWSL is improving right now. They are expanding and increasing the pay. They are coming up with ways to pay other international stars (outside of US, Mexico and Canada) better to try to attract them. The USL would just undermine their progress. It is too fragile. |
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Post by atv on Nov 16, 2019 15:11:54 GMT -5
I passionately believe in a ”free market” economic system. So if the USL wants to start a D1 league, more power to them. The market will determine if it can support two top women’s leagues, if it fails, or just maybe even “they provide a better product” and become the dominant league. Same for the men, if USL, NISA, or whoever can develop a better product then so be it.
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