Home Forums Long Island & Eastern New York Soccer Message Boards BOTN Main Message Board USL Academy League?

Has anyone heard the rumors about a USL Academy opening on Long Island?
https://youtu.be/pWBbYEcvvnk

Yes, I have. I had a conversation with two people at the USA over a year ago and during that conversation they shared with me that they planned to do a youth league on Long Island for the fall 2020 season. So I’m wondering if what you’re referencing is what they told me they plan to do?

With DA dropping out the game there is some money on the table for USL franchises to go after, but its a long shot. Keep in mind USL has 3 tiers so I am talking about the first tier. Third tier clubs that have teams include Cedar Stars and Manhattan SC, but they just play to make some extra money and pitch it to the young kids in the club. These clubs are not launching a full USL youth academy.

In the tri-state NY market the problem is Red Bull and (soon) NYCFC will have their second teams playing in USL and they have their own youth academies so USL will have to compete with the MLS youth academies. This concept may work in a market that does not overlap with MLS, but I don't see it working in tri-state NY. It will be tough to recruit a kid in a USL academy vs. NYCFC or Red Bull academy which has a pro player pathway. It all comes down to money and fields (which is really what separates most of the top clubs from the rest of the pack in youth soccer).

Will the USL academy be fully funded and free for the player or pay to play ? If its free they can compete. If not, I don't see players paying a premium to be on a USL academy

You also have to sort through field issues. To get the USL youth academy you need a USL pro player team stadium / infrastructure to secure a franchise and that is usually a big deal breaker in this region. If you look at the current USL teams, beyond Philly Union and Red Bull second teams (and soon NYCFC as they are converting their old U18/19 DA team into a USL team in early 2021) this is why you see no franchise anywhere close to our region.

David Villa announced he is part of a group (Queensboro FC) launching a USL franchise in Queens and playing at York College starting 2022

LIJSL Academy will be part of Super Y, which I believe is affiliated with USL.

LISC has been selected for particpation for p[lay in the USL Academy for Boys. They talked about it in their parent zoom meetings over the summer. Their rough rider team is in USL2

Will players be motivated to join as USL2 youth academy ? I don't think so. Will it be fully funded / free like the MLS youth academy or pay to play ?

There is not a USL2 Youth Academy. There is one USL Academy. LISC via LI Rough Riders affiliation would be playing in the same league as a Queensboro FC Youth Team.

From the USL Academy Webpage

All USL Academy League programs will be required to have a certain amount of the player’s participation expenses (i.e. coaching, facilities, uniforms, travel, etc.) at least partially subsidized. As clubs assess to what extent they are able to do this, the following must be taken into consideration:

- Participation Fee Limit

- Affiliate Collaboration

- Player Scholarships

- Partners Considerations

- Free-Play Model

There are three levels of play in USL, USL Championship, USL2 and USL3. LI Rough Riders play in USL3.

Quick internet search says the people above were right and the Rough Riders are in usl 2...but, you know, facts tend to be unnecessary these days.

It must be, right? It does make a lot of sense since their geographic reach and sheer number of teams is larger than the MLS. Who knows, maybe it could lead to a USL2 pro team based on Long Island.

Posted today this is all about economics. MLS is not going to fund big dollars into USL franchise so they will just add another age group to their academy at U23 and run it like they run the youth program. They avoid major fees and expenses associated with USL "standards".


The Athletic’s Jeff Rueter has reported that Major League Soccer (MLS) is planning to launch a new U-23 league which could begin play in 2021. Meanwhile, another report from Phill Grooms at the Beautiful Game Network has broken the news that at least three MLS clubs – Portland Timbers, Philadelphia Union and Orlando City SC – are already in the process of pulling their second teams out of the USL Championship or USL League One. The two reports appear to be setting the stage for a potential exodus out of the USL for many other MLS clubs who currently use it for their second-team platforms.

How is USL?