ECNL. The C stands for Cartel

[NorCalUSN]

When i first came back to the states after being stationed overseas, I was an outsider looking in on ECNL/DA soon to be GA debate.
I read the articles, spoke to coaches who were for and against from ECNL and GA.

The unfortunate reality now is ECNL is the only player in the game and they have monopoly like powers to determine your future. Basically they are a Cartel.
Cartel:
an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition.

The showcases/cups are all money grabs for the ECNL with the benefit for Girl soccer players only coming to those at the top of the pyramid.

Look at prices for parking at the last Surf cup. They didn't go up because of the county charging more, or taxes unless you can call Uncle Vito ECNL "wanting a taste" hence parking goes up $5. Do you think Surf will have paved lots the next cup, doubtful. But I'm sure the coffers at ECNL HQ are overflowing. .

Play and stay hotels.
Give me a break, there are kickbacks on top of kickbacks for the ECNL, I won't be surprised if a year or two from now they get a taste of parking somehow at Reach fields if they can figure a way. not sure about ECNL on the other side of the Rockies but I can't believe it is any different.

ECNL has a monopolistic market share and that transfers to higher costs for clubs at showcases etc. But what is your return on investment?If you were at PHX this year for their fall showcase unless your daughter got seen on Friday or Saturday, those College coaches were gone.

If you were a California team they stuck you with late games for no reason because there was like one maybe two schools present and they were not D1. I watched them they were trying to watch two games at the same time. I don't question their ability to judge talent just how are they going to really evaluate your son or daughter with such a lack of attention.

I wish Congress or some pissed off attorney general who forked over thousands of dollars for their daughter would put ECNL in their crosshairs they need to be seriously investigated.

Another definition:

Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the persons set up a coercive, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a "racket") to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit.[1] Narrowly, it means coercive or fraudulent business practices; broadly, it can mean any criminal organization with ongoing profit, as defined in the 1970 U.S. RICO Act, which aimed to curtail the power of the Mafia and other organized crime.[2]

Originally and often still specifically, racketeering may refer to an organized criminal act in which the perpetrators offer a service that will not be put into effect, offer a service to solve a nonexistent problem, or offer a service that solves a problem that would not exist without the racket. However, racketeers may also sometimes offer an ostensibly effectual service outside of the law to solve an actual existing problem. ... In many cases, the potential problem may be caused by the same party that offers to solve it, but that fact may be concealed, with the intent to engender continual patronage. The protection racket is thus often a method of extortion, at least in practice.

 

[Carlsbad7]

When i first came back to the states after being stationed overseas, I was an outsider looking in on ECNL/DA soon to be GA debate.
I read the articles, spoke to coaches who were for and against from ECNL and GA.

The unfortunate reality now is ECNL is the only player in the game and they have monopoly like powers to determine your future. Basically they are a Cartel.
Cartel:
an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition.

The showcases/cups are all money grabs for the ECNL with the benefit for Girl soccer players only coming to those at the top of the pyramid.

Look at prices for parking at the last Surf cup. They didn't go up because of the county charging more, or taxes unless you can call Uncle Vito ECNL "wanting a taste" hence parking goes up $5. Do you think Surf will have paved lots the next cup, doubtful. But I'm sure the coffers at ECNL HQ are overflowing. .

Play and stay hotels.
Give me a break, there are kickbacks on top of kickbacks for the ECNL, I won't be surprised if a year or two from now they get a taste of parking somehow at Reach fields if they can figure a way. not sure about ECNL on the other side of the Rockies but I can't believe it is any different.

ECNL has a monopolistic market share and that transfers to higher costs for clubs at showcases etc. But what is your return on investment?If you were at PHX this year for their fall showcase unless your daughter got seen on Friday or Saturday, those College coaches were gone.

If you were a California team they stuck you with late games for no reason because there was like one maybe two schools present and they were not D1. I watched them they were trying to watch two games at the same time. I don't question their ability to judge talent just how are they going to really evaluate your son or daughter with such a lack of attention.

I wish Congress or some pissed off attorney general who forked over thousands of dollars for their daughter would put ECNL in their crosshairs they need to be seriously investigated.

Another definition:

Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the persons set up a coercive, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a "racket") to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit.[1] Narrowly, it means coercive or fraudulent business practices; broadly, it can mean any criminal organization with ongoing profit, as defined in the 1970 U.S. RICO Act, which aimed to curtail the power of the Mafia and other organized crime.[2]

Originally and often still specifically, racketeering may refer to an organized criminal act in which the perpetrators offer a service that will not be put into effect, offer a service to solve a nonexistent problem, or offer a service that solves a problem that would not exist without the racket. However, racketeers may also sometimes offer an ostensibly effectual service outside of the law to solve an actual existing problem. ... In many cases, the potential problem may be caused by the same party that offers to solve it, but that fact may be concealed, with the intent to engender continual patronage. The protection racket is thus often a method of extortion, at least in practice.

I think you're reaching on this one.

ECNL (girls) is a closed youth soccer league that happens to have many of the top clubs in the nation playing for them.

If you look at the boys side where ECNL is 2nd tier to MLS Next it's obvious that for now girls ECNL just happens to have several very good youth clubs involved. Will it stay this way? History says no but who knows youth soccer pecking order changes week over week.

If you're on the outside looking in I agree that Girls ECNL can be annoying. But with things like the rankings app and GA there's viable alternatives.

 

[Grace T.]

When i first came back to the states after being stationed overseas, I was an outsider looking in on ECNL/DA soon to be GA debate.
I read the articles, spoke to coaches who were for and against from ECNL and GA.

The unfortunate reality now is ECNL is the only player in the game and they have monopoly like powers to determine your future. Basically they are a Cartel.
Cartel:
an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition.

The showcases/cups are all money grabs for the ECNL with the benefit for Girl soccer players only coming to those at the top of the pyramid.

Look at prices for parking at the last Surf cup. They didn't go up because of the county charging more, or taxes unless you can call Uncle Vito ECNL "wanting a taste" hence parking goes up $5. Do you think Surf will have paved lots the next cup, doubtful. But I'm sure the coffers at ECNL HQ are overflowing. .

Play and stay hotels.
Give me a break, there are kickbacks on top of kickbacks for the ECNL, I won't be surprised if a year or two from now they get a taste of parking somehow at Reach fields if they can figure a way. not sure about ECNL on the other side of the Rockies but I can't believe it is any different.

ECNL has a monopolistic market share and that transfers to higher costs for clubs at showcases etc. But what is your return on investment?If you were at PHX this year for their fall showcase unless your daughter got seen on Friday or Saturday, those College coaches were gone.

If you were a California team they stuck you with late games for no reason because there was like one maybe two schools present and they were not D1. I watched them they were trying to watch two games at the same time. I don't question their ability to judge talent just how are they going to really evaluate your son or daughter with such a lack of attention.

I wish Congress or some pissed off attorney general who forked over thousands of dollars for their daughter would put ECNL in their crosshairs they need to be seriously investigated.

Another definition:

Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the persons set up a coercive, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a "racket") to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit.[1] Narrowly, it means coercive or fraudulent business practices; broadly, it can mean any criminal organization with ongoing profit, as defined in the 1970 U.S. RICO Act, which aimed to curtail the power of the Mafia and other organized crime.[2]

Originally and often still specifically, racketeering may refer to an organized criminal act in which the perpetrators offer a service that will not be put into effect, offer a service to solve a nonexistent problem, or offer a service that solves a problem that would not exist without the racket. However, racketeers may also sometimes offer an ostensibly effectual service outside of the law to solve an actual existing problem. ... In many cases, the potential problem may be caused by the same party that offers to solve it, but that fact may be concealed, with the intent to engender continual patronage. The protection racket is thus often a method of extortion, at least in practice.

You are reaching on the racketeering issue. Real stretch to make those elements. They aren’t required to play soccer after all

however, I’ve said for a while now there is some potential competition law issues for all the top closed letter leagues. There is as you note a negative impact to consumers and it’s a factual matter that several clubs have been locked out (ayso United is the most obvious). Unlike other cases proving agreement isn’t hard because the league formation agreements are the required element. I also agree one of these days some ag whose kid is bounced off a team is going to release the kraken.

they’ll argue it has to do with performance but given there’s no prorel and at least for mls next given what they did in Texas or here in SoCal with the bulls/lasc, that will be an….interesting….argument.

 

[Footy30]

You are reaching on the racketeering issue. Real stretch to make those elements. They aren’t required to play soccer after all

however, I’ve said for a while now there is some potential competition law issues for all the top closed letter leagues. There is as you note a negative impact to consumers and it’s a factual matter that several clubs have been locked out (ayso United is the most obvious). Unlike other cases proving agreement isn’t hard because the league formation agreements are the required element. I also agree one of these days some ag whose kid is bounced off a team is going to release the kraken.

they’ll argue it has to do with performance but given there’s no prorel and at least for mls next given what they did in Texas or here in SoCal with the bulls/lasc, that will be an….interesting….argument.

they’ll argue it has to do with performance but given there’s no prorel

Does anyone really know how they decide what clubs stay in the ECNL? On the girls side it seems there are several clubs who have a lot of poor performing teams yet they continue to stay in ECNL... and also have 21 or more on the roster but that's another topic. I am not one to bash clubs, teams or players but I often wonder how some of these clubs have stayed in the ECNL for so long. Maybe it's because the boys side of the club is stronger but when I look at a few SoCal ECNL teams on both girls and boys side that is not the case. I don't have experience on girls side with anything other than ECNL so I can't really compare RL or GA or NPL or whatever else is out there.. 64? Just curious how some of these clubs stay in... if anyone knows please chime in. And yes, at the end of the day, it's all about the money for the majority of these clubs. we already know that.

 

[Carlsbad7]

they’ll argue it has to do with performance but given there’s no prorel

Does anyone really know how they decide what clubs stay in the ECNL? On the girls side it seems there are several clubs who have a lot of poor performing teams yet they continue to stay in ECNL... and also have 21 or more on the roster but that's another topic. I am not one to bash clubs, teams or players but I often wonder how some of these clubs have stayed in the ECNL for so long. Maybe it's because the boys side of the club is stronger but when I look at a few SoCal ECNL teams on both girls and boys side that is not the case. I don't have experience on girls side with anything other than ECNL so I can't really compare RL or GA or NPL or whatever else is out there.. 64? Just curious how some of these clubs stay in... if anyone knows please chime in. And yes, at the end of the day, it's all about the money for the majority of these clubs. we already know that.

My experience has been that national closed leagues rarely drop clubs. Also when they get to be national league size they tend to become very selective on who is let in.

You have to keep in mind that most of the owners of youth clubs have known, known about, played for/against/with each other for a long time. As with any sport there's huge egos involved because that's just how competitive people are.

ECNL is just the most recent big league to get many of the top women's teams under a single umbrella. Believe it or not but before ECNL there was a league called Coast which if you were a player in the 90s or 00s would be the league you wanted to play in. Coast also had promotion and relegation! Something parents are dreaming about in ECNL.

Unfortunately with the rise and failure of DA there were a lot of bridges burned. When DA blew up many girls clubs went back to ECNL because it was the most stable highest level of play available at the time. Boys clubs had alignment with MLS academies + created MLS Next. MLSN quickly became the top tier of soccer for boys. All the girls clubs that didn't want to go to ECNL when DA blew up created GA. As you can see there's all kinds of ways for clubs to be upset with other clubs. If anything running a league would be like hearding pompous entitled cats.

Parents get tunnel vision + they think soccer will get their kid into college for free. The reality is that for boys because of all the Euro wash out pro players it's extremely hard to get positions on D1 teams. For girls all the competition is from the US but there's a lot of it. The net effect is that there's a surplus of players looking for a limited number of spots on teams. Because of this you're not getting huge scholorships. Partial scholarships are common but those are given often to offset overpriced school costs and to give players/parents something to brag about.

ECNL is not a Cartel. On the girls side some of the top teams can be annoying because they're so good. The only "ECNL" thing that annoys me are the parents that say ECNL or nothing else. Look at the soccer rankings app it clearly shows that there's a broad spectrum of winners and lossers involved in ECNL.

 

[crush]

they’ll argue it has to do with performance but given there’s no prorel

Does anyone really know how they decide what clubs stay in the ECNL? On the girls side it seems there are several clubs who have a lot of poor performing teams yet they continue to stay in ECNL... and also have 21 or more on the roster but that's another topic. I am not one to bash clubs, teams or players but I often wonder how some of these clubs have stayed in the ECNL for so long. Maybe it's because the boys side of the club is stronger but when I look at a few SoCal ECNL teams on both girls and boys side that is not the case. I don't have experience on girls side with anything other than ECNL so I can't really compare RL or GA or NPL or whatever else is out there.. 64? Just curious how some of these clubs stay in... if anyone knows please chime in. And yes, at the end of the day, it's all about the money for the majority of these clubs. we already know that.

The reason GDA was created was because ECNL had a monopoly in the Mecca of SoCal and Beach & Legends were getting their top players poached when they turned 12. It's 100% a closed system and you better play their game of politics. The men have control of the girls, FACT! ECNL benefits the one's making the money. The girls do all the work. They sacrifice their lives, their time and their bodies to get into college and that's all they get. Dad and mom fork out over $12K a year and travel all over the country chasing a dream.....

 

[Slobodan]

When i first came back to the states after being stationed overseas, I was an outsider looking in on ECNL/DA soon to be GA debate.
I read the articles, spoke to coaches who were for and against from ECNL and GA.

The unfortunate reality now is ECNL is the only player in the game and they have monopoly like powers to determine your future. Basically they are a Cartel.
Cartel:
an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition.

The showcases/cups are all money grabs for the ECNL with the benefit for Girl soccer players only coming to those at the top of the pyramid.

Look at prices for parking at the last Surf cup. They didn't go up because of the county charging more, or taxes unless you can call Uncle Vito ECNL "wanting a taste" hence parking goes up $5. Do you think Surf will have paved lots the next cup, doubtful. But I'm sure the coffers at ECNL HQ are overflowing. .

Play and stay hotels.
Give me a break, there are kickbacks on top of kickbacks for the ECNL, I won't be surprised if a year or two from now they get a taste of parking somehow at Reach fields if they can figure a way. not sure about ECNL on the other side of the Rockies but I can't believe it is any different.

ECNL has a monopolistic market share and that transfers to higher costs for clubs at showcases etc. But what is your return on investment?If you were at PHX this year for their fall showcase unless your daughter got seen on Friday or Saturday, those College coaches were gone.

If you were a California team they stuck you with late games for no reason because there was like one maybe two schools present and they were not D1. I watched them they were trying to watch two games at the same time. I don't question their ability to judge talent just how are they going to really evaluate your son or daughter with such a lack of attention.

I wish Congress or some pissed off attorney general who forked over thousands of dollars for their daughter would put ECNL in their crosshairs they need to be seriously investigated.

Another definition:

Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the persons set up a coercive, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a "racket") to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit.[1] Narrowly, it means coercive or fraudulent business practices; broadly, it can mean any criminal organization with ongoing profit, as defined in the 1970 U.S. RICO Act, which aimed to curtail the power of the Mafia and other organized crime.[2]

Originally and often still specifically, racketeering may refer to an organized criminal act in which the perpetrators offer a service that will not be put into effect, offer a service to solve a nonexistent problem, or offer a service that solves a problem that would not exist without the racket. However, racketeers may also sometimes offer an ostensibly effectual service outside of the law to solve an actual existing problem. ... In many cases, the potential problem may be caused by the same party that offers to solve it, but that fact may be concealed, with the intent to engender continual patronage. The protection racket is thus often a method of extortion, at least in practice.

The reality is everyone here knows it. As consumers, we make a choice. Same way we choose to pay $50 to park at a Dodgers game and $125 for an average seat. We always have the ability to stop it but we don't. Furthermore, year after year after year we don't stop it.

The best part of ECNL? Spending $15k per year for soccer in hopes of landing a $5k per year scholarship.

 

[Grace T.]

The reality is everyone here knows it. As consumers, we make a choice. Same way we choose to pay $50 to park at a Dodgers game and $125 for an average seat. We always have the ability to stop it but we don't. Furthermore, year after year after year we don't stop it.

The best part of ECNL? Spending $15k per year for soccer in hopes of landing a $5k per year scholarship.

From a competition law point of view, if it has a material impact on consumers, it doesn't matter. The economic argument from a competition law standpoint would be that by limiting the pool and not having strict objective criteria for who goes in and who goes out (not saying they do, just that this is what would be alleged), they are limiting the opportunities to consumers (such as the ECNL desert in the downtown triangle from the Downtown LA story recently) and/or raising prices. As in the old oil cases, sure consumers had a choice whether to drive and how much to do it...the Standard Oil monopoly though still raised prices to the detriment of consumers even though they had a choice.

 

[socalkdg]

The reality is everyone here knows it. As consumers, we make a choice. Same way we choose to pay $50 to park at a Dodgers game and $125 for an average seat. We always have the ability to stop it but we don't. Furthermore, year after year after year we don't stop it.

The best part of ECNL? Spending $15k per year for soccer in hopes of landing a $5k per year scholarship.

Is ECNL really 15K per year? I hear people tell me it is 4-6K, some mention 8K, but 15K?

If your kid goes D1, most are getting at least tuition, which comes in at 10-30K per year. D2 and NAIA, possibly less.

My daughter played Premier/NPL. We had 2 players go D1, 1 go D2, 1 NAIA. No idea on other players scholarships. I think 3 more girls could have played D2 or NAIA level, but two chose other sports, one chose to stop playing. So maybe 7 from a team of 14 could have played college, while only paying 2K per year, but a very small portion at D1 level.

ECNL teams have 8-9 that go D1, another 6-7 D2 or NAIA. 90% of team. I think if your kid can start on an ECNL team, have them play there during their Sophomore - Senior years.

 

[Carlsbad7]

Is ECNL really 15K per year? I hear people tell me it is 4-6K, some mention 8K, but 15K?

If your kid goes D1, most are getting at least tuition, which comes in at 10-30K per year. D2 and NAIA, possibly less.

My daughter played Premier/NPL. We had 2 players go D1, 1 go D2, 1 NAIA. No idea on other players scholarships. I think 3 more girls could have played D2 or NAIA level, but two chose other sports, one chose to stop playing. So maybe 7 from a team of 14 could have played college, while only paying 2K per year, but a very small portion at D1 level.

ECNL teams have 8-9 that go D1, another 6-7 D2 or NAIA. 90% of team. I think if your kid can start on an ECNL team, have them play there during their Sophomore - Senior years.

It all depends on how much you want to pay + if you pay. Some of the fees can get washed through the team but in the end someone needs to pay.

- 2k-3k for club fees
- 1k for tournaments
- 2k-4k on travel + hotels
- 1k-1.5k on privates or maybe futsal strength training etc
- 500 kits and cleats

6.5k low end and 10 on the high end.

 

[crush]

Is ECNL really 15K per year? I hear people tell me it is 4-6K, some mention 8K, but 15K?

If your kid goes D1, most are getting at least tuition, which comes in at 10-30K per year. D2 and NAIA, possibly less.

My daughter played Premier/NPL. We had 2 players go D1, 1 go D2, 1 NAIA. No idea on other players scholarships. I think 3 more girls could have played D2 or NAIA level, but two chose other sports, one chose to stop playing. So maybe 7 from a team of 14 could have played college, while only paying 2K per year, but a very small portion at D1 level.

ECNL teams have 8-9 that go D1, another 6-7 D2 or NAIA. 90% of team. I think if your kid can start on an ECNL team, have them play there during their Sophomore - Senior years.

Each ECNL/GDA club charges different fees to be on the team. For example, I had one club pay for everything. Another club offered free everything as well. I always warn parents now to be very careful with "free soccer." Most clubs charge about $3500+ to be on the team. Then some coaches offer privates, paid with cash. This ensures the player plays all the time and starts. This cost about extra $3600 for the year. This is before all the Travel Cost, food and such that mom & dad or both have to fork out. The middle class is truly priced out unless you want to put it all on the CC. Let's not forget mandatory volunteering at big tournaments and work snack shop and buy some golf balls. I know one family that went first class, so they spent $20,000 a year.

 

[crush]

our 2022/2023 ecnl season costs. 20k+ when you include playoffs and finals in Virginia

There is a price to be paid to make a Natty run, that's for sure Luis. What parent wouldn't want to go see their baby girl play for a Natty? It's crazy how much all this cost.

 

[Slobodan]

From a competition law point of view, if it has a material impact on consumers, it doesn't matter. The economic argument from a competition law standpoint would be that by limiting the pool and not having strict objective criteria for who goes in and who goes out (not saying they do, just that this is what would be alleged), they are limiting the opportunities to consumers (such as the ECNL desert in the downtown triangle from the Downtown LA story recently) and/or raising prices. As in the old oil cases, sure consumers had a choice whether to drive and how much to do it...the Standard Oil monopoly though still raised prices to the detriment of consumers even though they had a choice.

It all depends on how much you want to pay + if you pay. Some of the fees can get washed through the team but in the end someone needs to pay.

- 2k-3k for club fees
- 1k for tournaments
- 2k-4k on travel + hotels
- 1k-1.5k on privates or maybe futsal strength training etc
- 500 kits and cleats

6.5k low end and 10 on the high end.

ECNL is at least $3k+ for just dues alone, right? Or are you prorating that for the 10 day offseason we all enjoy?

 

[RandomSoccerFan]

I'm not sure ECNL is materially more expensive than club soccer - but it isn't cheap. There are people paying ~ $5K/year for their 12 year-old to play on the 5th best team for their age in club - 8 or 9 levels below ECNL. Any travel or any other fees is going to be separate, though that $5K includes league/state cup/2 tournaments/uniform. I can very easily see someone paying $20K+ for ECNL if the kid is traveling to every out-of-state tournament and playoffs with some of the family, and isn't trying to do it on the cheap. It is also possible to travel much more cheaply, stay with room-mates, have chaperones instead of whole family going, drive if it's under a certain # of hours, etc.

None of this touches on the fact that the best players are likely paying the least, which is going to occur in pretty much every competitive sport.

 

[crush]

ECNL is at least $3k+ for just dues alone, right? Or are you prorating that for the 10 day offseason we all enjoy?

In Socal, ECNL is north of $3000+++, unless you play at Surf or one of other top clubs that offer full and half rides to their top players. $3000 for a great coach for 10 months is a good deal, MOO! It's the "extras" and all the travel requirements that add up to more that the actual dues for coach. The showcases are a big money grab, time grabber and frankly mental abuse on the 5 Fwry coming back from Del Mar. I think we all agree (minus a few) this chase can be super expensive, so when you're stuck on the 5 all you can truly ask yourself is, "is this really worth it? My kid sat on the bench, oh that was fun as we all shake are freaking heads." My wife sleeps the whole way back and so did my kid. Look fellas and Grace, I have been there, and I know the feeling of this money pit. I've been on both sides. One side where my dd was offered the world as long as goals came and other times where I had to pay for extra privates and be 100% about college or sit on the bench. The competition is not ganas, it's more for the individual to showcase their talents then to showcase a winning team. That was one of my many sour grapes years ago. U13 & under was when soccer was fun and pure. The competition changes after U14 and it get worse and worse each year after. Like Rainbow said, hardly any of these girls will be Pro and small small % are making D1P5.

 

[crush]

It is also possible to travel much more cheaply, stay with room-mates, have chaperones instead of whole family going, drive if it's under a certain # of hours, etc.

Not so fast in the ECNL. I love the idea. However, I tested this firsthand 5 years ago and got busted by the TM of big club. ECNL and the top clubs force you to Stay & Pay at the hotel each TM picks from a list of hotel providers. I did AirBnB for $50 instead of the expensive Hotel. I did have to pay a Per Diem for coach and his suite in Scottsdale. If you follow these rules, then your DD can Play in the ECNL Showcase.

 

[RandomSoccerFan]

But you don't need a single room. 4 girls can stay in one room, for example. Stay and play unfortunately isn't unique to ECNL, or soccer for that matter. Tournaments of all sports have caught on and have various restrictions for out-of-town teams. The enforcement of stay and play ranges from almost none to almost complete, and everything in between. Nobody wants to be the parent that got the team kicked out of the tournament, which isn't an idle threat. In this case the team manager or even your own club isn't necessary the bad guy - it's whoever is putting on the tournament and agreeing to the restrictions with the travel company. For ECNL Showcase - maybe the bad guy is ECNL themselves, but it really is always pointed at the tournament/showcase management.

 

[NorCalDad]

You are reaching on the racketeering issue. Real stretch to make those elements. They aren’t required to play soccer after all

however, I’ve said for a while now there is some potential competition law issues for all the top closed letter leagues. There is as you note a negative impact to consumers and it’s a factual matter that several clubs have been locked out (ayso United is the most obvious). Unlike other cases proving agreement isn’t hard because the league formation agreements are the required element. I also agree one of these days some ag whose kid is bounced off a team is going to release the kraken.

they’ll argue it has to do with performance but given there’s no prorel and at least for mls next given what they did in Texas or here in SoCal with the bulls/lasc, that will be an….interesting….argument.

The boys side in Northern California has pro/rel for ECNL. NorCal manages this. I suspect this will become a more widely accepted model going forward.

 

[NorCalDad]

I think you're reaching on this one.

ECNL (girls) is a closed youth soccer league that happens to have many of the top clubs in the nation playing for them.

If you look at the boys side where ECNL is 2nd tier to MLS Next it's obvious that for now girls ECNL just happens to have several very good youth clubs involved. Will it stay this way? History says no but who knows youth soccer pecking order changes week over week.

If you're on the outside looking in I agree that Girls ECNL can be annoying. But with things like the rankings app and GA there's viable alternatives.

Not sure ECNL is 2nd tier to MLS Next....there's a lot of cannon fodder (to quote @Grace T.) in MLS Next that would be mid-table in ECNL.

 

[NorCalDad]

they’ll argue it has to do with performance but given there’s no prorel

Does anyone really know how they decide what clubs stay in the ECNL? On the girls side it seems there are several clubs who have a lot of poor performing teams yet they continue to stay in ECNL... and also have 21 or more on the roster but that's another topic. I am not one to bash clubs, teams or players but I often wonder how some of these clubs have stayed in the ECNL for so long. Maybe it's because the boys side of the club is stronger but when I look at a few SoCal ECNL teams on both girls and boys side that is not the case. I don't have experience on girls side with anything other than ECNL so I can't really compare RL or GA or NPL or whatever else is out there.. 64? Just curious how some of these clubs stay in... if anyone knows please chime in. And yes, at the end of the day, it's all about the money for the majority of these clubs. we already know that.

I'm guessing it's a multitude of reasons:

- No pro/rel model on the girls side yet -- I'd be willing to bet, at least in NorCal, the girls side will follow the boys model.
- Not a lot of clubs that meet the requirements of ECNL (U13-U19, competitive 1st and 2nd teams).
- No clear process of kicking a club out at the moment (this is just a guess)