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It's the start of the Fall 2019/Spring 2020 season. Use this thread for your posts regarding this soccer league

Hey! Just be glad your kid doesn't play for Crossfire Premier in Seattle. With the new tiered 18/19 system, the team's nearest away league game is 800 miles away. This despite winning its division in the age group the last two seasons over MLS teams.

Oh.... wait a minute, was Crossfire Premier involved in some "disagreements" with USSF about $ owed the club per FIFA rules for training compensation and transfer fees for former Crossfire player Deandre Yedlin? Why yes, they were involved in some "disagreements."

Hmmm wonder why the two-time reigning division champion is in the lower tier.... Way to go USSF!

Yeah, the new Red/Blue split at DA U18/19 really puts all of the local non-MLS clubs down to second tier status. Why give up HS soccer for that?

My son is younger. What's the new split? MLS / non-MLS ? Is it coming to younger ages?

Info here:

https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...ment-academy-shakeup-us-soccer-move.html

Of course where is there currently no info? On the DA website!

For this season it's only U18/19 - 36 teams (including all 22 MLS teams) in top Red division; and 44 teams in Blue second tier. Teams will only play the other division teams at showcases, the new DA cup, and playoffs (for those who make it).

Good bet this will be introduced in at least some of the lower age groups in the next few years.

Once again, US Soccer makes soccer decisions in the boardroom based on political concerns rather than on the field. As someone mentioned above, Crossfire which has been best academy club in NW at U18/19 last 2 years got demoted down to Blue Tier. Just pathetic how the crony US Soccer/SUM/MLS cartel operates.

From Soccer America article: The criteria U.S. Soccer used to divide the clubs was: "performance history, player production, market and the ability to provide meaningful games."


Inter Miami CF is in the top tier. Miami's new MLS academy team has never played a game! What "history," "production" do they have?!

Yes, it's expected they will poach the best from the area clubs (Weston, Kendall, etc.), but still they should have to earn it--a concept not familiar to USSF/SUM/MLS who prefer to reward buying (rather than playing) your way to the top.

By all accounts Miami did poach a lot of Weston players, but I agree it's utter BS to put a new club in the top tier until the prove themselves. Demoting Crossfire is also absurd.

How about Virginia Development Academy — which is located in Washington DC area— having to play against teams in Florida and vice versa. Whose idea was that?

All the non MLS team should leave the academy
and form their own league.

From an Inter Miami DA coach on Twitter:

"Good news: Will get to see Atlanta, Columbus, Orlando City, and Toronto FC U-19 academies play in FL vs Inter Miami for DA.

Bad news: Unless any of these clubs have made a MASSIVE error their top 17-19 year olds should already be on MLS HGP contracts or USL affiliate contracts."

This gets to the larger issue of the DA at that age and the current state of the overall development picture in the US.

At an MLS DA the U18/19 should be chock full of 16 year olds some 17 and even some 15s—kids playing up for experience and development with an eye toward signing them (ideally selling most of them one day, but there's no transfer market here). In truth if you're 18 or 19 at a purportedly professional team's academy and the team isn't planning to sign you, you're just there trying out for an NCAA roster spot and then maybe someday playing in USL league 2.

At some point DA will break up. Either MLS still leaves and does their own thing, or if the new two tier system is adopted for all age groups then more non MLS clubs will leave. Either way the MLS clubs get what they want. And really it's just highlighting the obvious - unless you're on an MLS team you should at least carefully evaluate if doing DA is worth the time, money and giving up HS.

Even on MLS teams the majority are still there to land a good college spot. They know they're not going pro.

That's what was said in the post.

That is not, however, how it should be for a "professional" academy.

No it shouldn't but is. That's partly why MLS clubs want out of DA so they can develop pros. However soccer is still not a highly desired career path in the US. I could see MLS clubs winnow down to just one or two teams (oldest ages) and charging for younger players until the cream starts to rise to the top

Give up college for an MLS contract ? $60,000 a year for 3 years. Little to no playing time and when your 3 years are up get cut. NYC’s Danny Bedoya gave up college to sign a $50,000 a year contract with the Red Bulll’s. After 3 years and no playing time he was cut. His only option was the NY Rough Riders for no pay. Some how he got lucky and signed with NYC for a one year deal worth $70,000. He was loaned out to a 3rd division team in Conn. where he will never return. His future is possibly a youth soccer coach chasing around little kids and listening to moron parents. Was it worth it ?

Or he could always just go to college and not play soccer but get a degree like normal humans do all the time and at least be able to say he played pro soccer for a few years and made some money but it didn't work out? You do realize not everybody who doesn't become Messi ir Ronaldo has the same miserable life as you.

Instagram Redbulls preacademy kid should be U12 now. That should be an exciting experience for everybody. LOL.

+1. I always wonder why people demean pursuing a goal and not having it lead to fame and fortune. How many people can say they were a professional athlete at any level? Not many, and the life experience will put you far ahead of your peers in maturity and perspective (and be a great story to tell when interviewing for jobs).

Not the poster and in most cases I do support people pursuing their dreams and living life with no regrets. That said, there's a reality check that needs to take place with anyone considering an attempt at professional soccer. Players like Pulisic or others who are sought by international clubs? Totally different scenario. If all you can get is an MLS rookie spot? The landscape is littered with players MLS clubs have "developed" and spit out while bringing in foreign players. Those older near-retires or academy rejects are many times better players than US ones. And while good college deals for men generally are rare, a player who is good enough to get a homegrown contract likely can write his own college ticket. Sure you can always go back to college - if you can afford it. This isn't the NBA or NFL where players can get absurd contracts and sponsorship deals to be financially set for several lifetimes. Also, the NBA and NFL use college sports as their farm teams. Soccer players are told to go pro asap and skip college for good reason, but it with more risks.

It’s too bad we need money to live. I would love to pursue my dream of laying on a beach all day getting drunk

Maybe it is worth it. To him. Ever consider that?

I just guess we can disagree on this one. *Anyone* going to college has the question of "can I afford it"? I mean making an MLS team as a reserve is a guaranteed minimum of $56,250, which is *greater* than the average college graduate starting salary of $50,930 (1). And given the season isn't 12 months of the year, I'm sure an MLS player can make an additional $10k+ running camps or doing other appearances. But let's also face it, the average MLS guaranteed compensation is $417,130. And knowing that number is skewed by the top earners, the average of every player *excluding* anyone making >$1mm is $256,377. The median guaranteed comp of all players $175,300. (all MLS stats based on (2)). So while no one is getting NBA rich, as a player you can probably figure out whether or not you can make it to that next rung and earn a decent living (better than 95% of Americans (3)) or whether you'll be stuck at the bottom of the heap. Either way, you've done well, and your skills (discipline, time management, focus, team orientation, etc) will be easily transportable into any field. (Let's also reality check that it's only a relatively recent phenomenon that professional athletes, of any sport, can even think of retiring with no need to worry about their finances, so a post-professional career is well worn path for the bulk of pros who've ever lived).



(1) https://www.kornferry.com/press/hig...graduates-flat-korn-ferry-analysis-shows
(2) https://mlsplayers.org/resources/salary-guide
(3) https://dqydj.com/united-states-household-income-brackets-percentiles/

The kid is 10 years old by the way . 145 k followers, way to go.

Crossfire is probably getting punished for their lawsuit against US Soccer and MLS for the Yedlin solidarity and training compensation payments that they blocked.