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A LETTER TO DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY CLUBS
APRIL 15 2020
FEDERATION NEWS

It is with profound disappointment that we have made the determination to end the operation of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, effective immediately.

This was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but the extraordinary and unanticipated circumstances around the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in a financial situation that does not allow for the continuation of the Development Academy program into the future. We know that suddenly discontinuing a program that has been with U.S. Soccer for many years is shocking, but these unprecedented times required acting now.

We are proud of the tremendous amount of hard work and dedication that everyone involved has contributed to the Development Academy clubs throughout the years for the benefit of thousands of young players. A sincere thanks goes to all of you at the grassroots level where the most important work is done. We are grateful.

We know you will have a lot of questions about what this means for the future of your club, and we recognize those concerns. While we do not have all the answers on what the future will look like across the youth soccer landscape, as the governing body of the sport in the United States we are committed to doing as much as we can to assist during these extremely challenging times.

In the immediate future, we will continue to engage all stakeholders across the youth soccer landscape. At the same time, we will also look to increase our efforts on coaching education as well as being engaged and active in the identification and scouting of youth players across the country for all our National Teams.

In the absence of the Development Academy, we can all still take the lessons we have learned over the years and continue the implementation of high-quality player development environments across the country. Thanks to your hard work and collaboration, the Development Academy set the bar for elite player development. Finally, we have every confidence that all of our membership will work together to implement the Academy philosophy and standards that are important to provide players the best environments to reach their full potentials.

In spite of this difficult financial decision, we are committed to working together and look forward to a bright future.

Please stay healthy and safe,

Will Wilson
U.S. Soccer Secretary General and CEO

Earnie Stewart
U.S. Soccer Sporting Director

Cindy Parlow Cone
U.S. Soccer President

Fn losers,

"Set the bar for player development"??? What a bunch of a-holes. That men's team has really developed.

USSF is going to be losing a tremendous amount of money over the next 6 months between Covid and the USWNT lawsuit. This won't be the first program cut by them.

They blamed Covid, as if they hadnt been considering this fr the past year. The convenience of the pandemic just made it easier to say screw it, call MLS and hand them the keys because we are outta here. We'll eliminate both Boys and Girls programs and allow MLS to star tthe boys league and if some girls get lost in the shuffle, so be it.

The truth is no one cares about the girls and why should some of us (unless you have a daughter who plays) . The Women's National team should get paid more then the mens, and that is where it should end. If you think the MLS sucks as a league and can not truly make money like other leagues. What is the truth about women's sports ? Not many want to pay mens market value to watch women play the same sport ( other then the women's national team, and that MIGHT be because our men suck so bad) If we had a Men's team that won international tournaments all the time who knows. Bottom line is equal rights and title IX is going to screw mens soccer for a long time to come in this country. We will suck for another 10-15 years or longer as we continue to go backwards, this time with the MLS in charge. I hope I am wrong.

The girls game has no audience. I dont understand why so much ink is spilled over girls soccer. It is just companies stealing $$ from dad's who longed for a boy. The WNT should NOT get more $$ from USSC. If they are in such demad their club teams should pay them bc they will obviously attract huge crowds. Ooooppss, we know there couldnt be anything further from accurate as this. Alternatively, sponsors should pay them. So yeah, the pretty ones (Alex Morgan/Mia Hamms) and the controversial ones (Rapinhoe) can make some coin, but its really not because of soccer....

Googling some quick facts takes 2 seconds.....

From CNBC in June of 2019

"U.S. women’s soccer games have generated more revenue than U.S. men’s games over the past three years.

That’s according to audited financial statements from the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) obtained by The Wall Street Journal. In 2016, women’s games generated $1.9 million more in revenue than men’s games. From 2016 to 2018, women’s games generated approximately $50.8 million in revenue, compared with $49.9 million for men’s games."

The lawsuit is complex and there is plenty you can read about it. It will be settled in or out of court according to the law. But the women's team generates plenty of revenue for US Soccer. It is the men that failed to qualify for the World cup and gave up millions in revenue because of it.

Otherwise - The MLS may be a successful league financially and the NWSL may ultimately not be. It will be what it will be and that is business.

Revenue is meaningless. What was the profit?

The men gave up at MOST 7 million in revenue for missing the WC. The women took a deal for their pay structure and now want to go back and sue for $66 million. And the reality is they only out earned the men in ONE year over the past 3. This idea that theyre raking in dollars is insane.

That's what we are discussing. The women's game is irrelevant...no audience. There is no better barometer than the actual professional leagues, not national teams.

Love it all. DA wasted 10 years. Now onto better things.

There is a very large audience for he USWNT. The numbers that buy tickets to events, buy merch, and the TV ratings numbers can all be found with little effort. The numbers are what they are and they are big. Just because you label it fake news does not make it fake news.

One major point you are missing is MLS money being produced by attendance is the result of adding aging international superstars past their prime, take them out the MLS mix and the attendance would drop significantly. Make the league all US players and watch the attendance and quality of play drop like a rock. The DA has done little to improve the game on the men's side, the quality of play for women continues to improve. You are correct when you say the Womens pro league lacks attendance but that mainly because US parents of girl players would rather go see there kid play then attend a pro game. I'll take seeing my daughter play anytime over seeing a professional game, nothing against the players but i prefer to see my kid play.

Im amazed that people who post know so little about what they are spewing about:

"One major point you are missing is MLS money being produced by attendance is the result of adding aging international superstars past their prime, take them out the MLS mix and the attendance would drop significantly."

First, why does it matter how they generate their cash flow? How is that relevant to the discussion? The point is to generate revenue. Second, youre just wrong. Atlanta led the league last year in attendance...what aging intl superstar did they have?

"Make the league all US players and watch the attendance and quality of play drop like a rock."

Why would they do that? What is a US player? Bring Marta to the NWSL and ratings wont move. Why, bc the ladies game is unwatchable.

"The DA has done little to improve the game on the men's side, the quality of play for women continues to improve."

You have no clue what you are talking about. The womens game is AWFUL soccer. It is truly punt and run. As in the definition of it. The USWNT just happens to be so much more athletic than any other international side that punt and run works well. Why? Because the rest of world thinks womens soccer is as important as professional log rolling. The world craves MENS football. The US prioritizes, American football, hoops, baseball and many other sports over soccer, so the best talent goes in other directions.

"You are correct when you say the Womens pro league lacks attendance but that mainly because US parents of girl players would rather go see there kid play then attend a pro game. I'll take seeing my daughter play anytime over seeing a professional game, nothing against the players but i prefer to see my kid play."

The logic behind that is lacking. Does the kids gender matter in what games the parents want to see? Of course not....Here is what you are really missing: the womens game is AWFUL soccer. The skill level is terrible. It is slow as molasses, lacks creativity, and it a painful watch. THATS why viewership and attendance is non-existent.

Im going to respond to myself bc I just thought of the perfect analogy for the UWWNT and Womens soccer...the Miami/Florida Marlins. They packed the joint when they won both of their World Series, but as soon as they werent winning, nobody bothered watching. Everyone loves a winner, regardless of the sport. But when they are no longer dominant...nobody cares. That's the womens game in a nutshell.

I think the appeal of the womens game is the pace is slow enough for folks that know nothing about the game to understand it.

Add that to the winning (as women don't participate or play pretty much anywhere else) and you have pure Americana.

Lets have a picnic and cheer the pony tails once every four years and feel great about ourselves.

The womens national team want more bucks, but they have no market value outside of a USA jersey.

That's a bit cruel, n'est pas?

The women's jerseys are more popular then the men's. When that changes, get back to us. In the mean time, Nike is very very very very happy with the USWNT

Unless you have Nike stock, nobody cares. Just like nobody cares about women's sports. So if you follow the BOTN theory, you are delusional to think your son will make it pro or get a college scholarship, which then makes you hyper delusional to think your daughter will make the USWNT ! Go back to cheer and let mens soccer try to compete on the world stage.