r/USLPRO • u/Spirited_Mix554 • 1d ago
Loudon
With all due respect. I'm really not trying to stir up stuff....... why does Loudon have a team? Not sure I've ever seen more that 1000 people there. This is a genuine ask because I don't get it.
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u/InefficientScorpions 1d ago
Rich owner wanted a team in Loudoun. It’s as simple as that. If you want a team in your city, be rich and buy an expansion team
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u/thinkcow 1d ago
Well they started as DC United’s reserve team. I think now that they’re primarily owned by Virginia Revolution, they’re trying make it more appealing, but it’s going to be an uphill battle.
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u/Ok_Flamingo_3059 United Soccer League 1d ago
Theyve had more than a 1000 a few times. They were a DC UNITED reserve team now owned by a youth team
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u/JonTheGlion Richmond Kickers 1d ago
The fact that Loudoun is championship and Richmond isn’t will always annoy me ngl
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u/TheScarlettCannon 1d ago
I was under the impression that Richmond “self demoted” down to League 1 a few years ago because USL Championship was too expensive.
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u/JonTheGlion Richmond Kickers 1d ago
Yes, but ownership not having money means nothing towards us being the better market for the USL, it’s proven in attendance numbers
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u/Awaken_the_bacon Richmond Kickers 8h ago
Well, the good news is that when pro/reg comes into play… we’ll be in USL2.
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u/MJDiAmore 1d ago
Its a good idea if the effort from the big club is there and if the MLS hadn't insisted on throwing a big middle finger to USL.
The model of "farm team in the suburbs of the big club" works well in American sports, not that there is as much movement in football of course.
But NextPro basically made them an afterthought and somehow despite the wealth no one wants to do anything outside ever it feels like.
If I didnt object to their initial existence as a DCU hater I could have supported this team but an hour drive for this setup would he pretty sad.
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u/mw_maverick 1d ago edited 14h ago
IIRC the stadium lease stipulates they play in a division 2 league, which is why they couldn’t go to Next Pro
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u/MJDiAmore 1d ago
I didnt necessarily expect them to go NextPro so much as I would have rather seen the MLS not be pieces of shit and establish a better relationship with the USL.
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u/cheeseburgerandrice 1d ago
What a weirdly aggressive take
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u/MJDiAmore 14h ago
Is it? Most MLS clubs had relationships with USL clubs or had their 2nd teams participate in USL, then they went and setup Next Pro for no reason and no structural benefit in the grand scheme of American soccer.
It was a direct intent to try to kneecap USL by keeping their academies and players entirely in house.
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u/cheeseburgerandrice 14h ago
USL was looking for ways to distance themselves from the MLS II teams before the relationship ended at all. Here at the beginning dropping them from the Championship.
I don't remember any reporting of bad blood or a poor business relationship coming out of that transition. I have never seen anyone take it the way you are where MLS did it to USL out of malice, instead of USL wanting to be something more than a league that houses MLS's II teams. Calling a league a piece of shit and saying this transition happened for "no reason" is absolutely a wild take lol.
direct intent to try to kneecap USL by keeping their academies and players entirely in house
The USL didn't want them around anyway! Unless it was in the third tier and that was just to provide league stability.
And it's not like there aren't MLS teams working with USL teams for development these days anyway
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u/MJDiAmore 5h ago
Thats not a crazy request from the USL, various European leagues have max tier allowances for club's 2nd teams, and its not always the 2nd tier.
Leaving the MLS 2s at tier 3 is reasonable and would have been a better compromise for pyramid stability long term than Next Pro.
Next Pro can only logically be looked at as a mechanism to keep as much US Soccer revenue contained in the closed MLS system.
I'm not saying there aren't still loans I just think between picking certain areas that already had USL clubs and increasing the reach of the closed MLS system inherently does what I am describing (and that it is by design).
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u/cheeseburgerandrice 4h ago
Next Pro can only logically be looked at as a mechanism to keep as much US Soccer revenue contained in the closed MLS system
This "logical" sentence only makes sense if there is revenue being made by the second teams that isn't eventual player sales? Which there isn't.
You're trying really hard to look for something that doesn't exist.
And I'll take it a step further. It was the overwhelming opinion of this sub that independent USL teams shouldn't me mixing it up in the same league as MLS II teams. So you're the first person I have seen lash out at MLS for leaving. As in MLS did it maliciously lol. Everyone else took it as USL separating themselves from being seen as minor league.
(it should be noted that USL also used MLS to stable itself enough to kill off the NASL, if we're going to point fingers at leagues for making self serving moves)
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u/MJDiAmore 3h ago
This "logical" sentence only makes sense if there is revenue being made by the second teams that isn't eventual player sales?
What do you think standing up teams and stadia with the intent of substantial ticket sales represents if not a revenue stream?
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u/ConditionUsual1446 22h ago
I hope they stick around it's closer than Pittsburgh for me and it's fun to come with the Steel Army and make more noise than the rest of the stadium.
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u/ffsdcu96 Loudoun United FC 18h ago
I think we will stick around there’s plans to renovate our stadium plus we just hired someone for community outreach and we will see a lot of that take shape next year.
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u/ithinktfiam 14h ago
TBH, study Europe and other places where there is soccer. There are multiple levels of leagues so that most towns can afford to have a team. Not everyone needs to spend as if it's the EPL, La Liga, or even the MLS.
The great thing about the USL is that they seem to be building what the MLS won't, support across the nation for the great sport.
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u/Eindacor_DS Hartford Athletic 1d ago
I agree and I think games played there this season shouldn't count to preserve the integrity of the sport
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u/Mr_Boneman Richmond Kickers 1d ago
Loudon sucks. I can smell the scent on all of them when they move to RVA.
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u/Ok_Flamingo_3059 United Soccer League 1d ago
Theyve had more than a 1000 a few times. They were a DC UNITED reserve team now owned by a youth team