With COVID19 Spiking, UWS Cancels Cup

July 9th was supposed to bring the UWS to the forefront of the grassroots soccer landscape, but the pandemic decided otherwise. With cases spiking in Texas (and many other parts of the country), the league has decided to cancel the UWS National Cup.

The Medical Director for the UWS, Dr. Martha Pyron, expressed the league’s concerns in a press release. “Due to the increase in cases in our area and the fact that teams would be flying in, I felt that the risk had increased to a point where we could not ensure the safety of all participants.” Danny Woodfill, owner and GM of FC Austin Elite, offered his own thoughts. “When we first started planning, things looked very promising, but since announcing the cup things haven’t been as rosy. Taking into account Gov. Abbott’s recent announcement and our medical advice from Dr. Martha Pyron, now is not the time to have teams flying in from around the country to Austin. We’ll look at what we can do within our local area and what competition would be appropriate, but this national tournament doesn’t make sense at this time.”

With the Challenge Cup cancelled, there are some friendlies still scheduled in the month of July. If things continue to spiral, those may be in jeopardy as well.

- Dan Vaughn

UWS Prepares for Center Stage

While my opinions about soccer in the pandemic wouldn’t shock anyone that frequents this website, I can’t pretend I’m not a tiny bit excited for the UWS to be center stage. The league announced late last week that a National Cup would be help in Round Rock, Texas, July 9-17. As of the time of this article, the confirmed total of 7 teams will be participating, with 3 clubs from outside the state joining 4 Texas clubs. The 7 clubs are: Bat Country FC, CTX Hornets, Dallas International, FC Austin Elite, Lancaster Inferno, Santa Clarita Blue Heat, and Worcester Smiles.

I approached Danny Woodfill, GM of FC Austin Elite, about his plans for the Cup his team will be hosting. First off, why Austin? “Round Rock and Williamson County were much more lightly affected by the COVID Pandemic and as we considered playing this Summer, we thought we’d be able to and there probably teams across the country in lightly affected areas that might want to play. We have the facilities and more favorable conditions, so I thought we had to do something.”

The players will be dormed at Concordia University Texas which has a newer campus that is currently closed to outsiders, just the kind of environment needed to sequester and protect the health of the players involved. And the chance of sickness is a real thing, but Woodfill highlighted the UWS’ focus on the safety of every player. “You can never fully insure the safety of players, soccer is a game of risks; however, we have worked very hard to minimize risk. We’ve worked with our medical director, Dr. Pyron and her Medicine in Motion staff to make sure that we put in strong standards and we reduce risks. We will sequester travelling teams in dorms so they minimize their exposure to regular travellers. Additionally the city of Round Rock is fully committed to helping maximize safety and minimize risk, so we feel we can do this safely.”

The league’s press statement outlined the details of the competition: “a 9-day tournament format of three games, semifinals, and final.  The tournament will be held without fans, and games will be live-streamed.” Woodfill mentioned that his goal is for the live-stream to be HD. “It’s expensive, but we want as many people to watch as possible.” The league is currently looking for sponsors to cover the cost of streaming.

Registration for the tournament is open for all teams (UWS or otherwise) until Friday. Until that deadline is reached, the UWS can’t finalize lineups, format or matches. So we’re expecting next week to bring more details on the tournament.

- Dan Vaughn

Soccer in the Age of COVID - an Editorial

Last week, UWS announced the 2020 National Cup, a small format (currently 7 clubs) tournament to be held in Round Rock, TX (story to come later this week). Several weeks ago, UPSL announced that the 2020 Spring season would kick off in a limited number of states across the country. There will be no national playoffs, but locally, there will be matches. And while many in the soccer community are celebrating this return to soccer, I’m left wondering if this is the right decision.

The pandemic has really derailed life across the world. For months now, people have been forced to adjust their lives in hopes of flattening the curve. Facial protections, social distancing, and limited travel have all become a part of the equation which governs our daily lives. With schools and daycares now closed, kids are kept home to stay safe. Unemployment has surged nationally, while many have lost jobs, and others have had hours severely slashed. In most circumstances, those that are continuing to work have to take their lives into their own hands, particularly if they are older or immunocompromised. And ALL sports were cancelled for a time.

But life finds a way.

People are beginning to go out, some with care, while others seem to throw caution to the wind. Stores are packed in parts of the country, while restaurants seem to have customers on every corner. Beaches are crowded with people. Protests for reopening seem to have had some effect as more and more states are trying to take the economy back online.

In soccer, the Bundesliga was back first, then the Premier League is coming back online in a week or so, and soon NWSL and MLS will follow suit in this country. NISA is in talks for a summer tournament, while USL seems to be headed towards playing a limited schedule with some audience (not sure just yet). And while it seems like these leagues have some protocols in place, the further down the chain you go, the less money is available to implement rigid testing and sequestering.

I understand that every person’s reaction to the pandemic and their level of care is based on a host of factors - personal risk, family risk, economic status, geographic location, political affiliation, scientific background, information level - all of those things play a role in how you’ve decided to deal with the pandemic. And while I think I am right, I live in a pluralistic society, we’re in this together and I’m not the king. So, we have to come to a consensus locally, state-wide, and as a nation. We have to decide how we will function.

For me, I am a 41-year-old, type 2 diabetic. I feel a high level of risk due to my own health, but that’s pretty specific to me. My city has seen our numbers rise and our curve has never “flattened” but continued to rise. I am forced to work because I have bills to pay and my company has remained open, and that makes me worry a lot. I see so many people who refuse to wear masks, regardless of the science behind it. Not wearing a mask has become some sort of badge to prove loyalty to political persuasion. The political machinations have also fostered a rising wave of anti-science and anti-media sentiment, which amplifies people’s second guessing. It’s frustrating and makes me feel unsafe. For me, no amount of soccer is worth the risk of death - to me or anyone else. And I am the editor of this tiny section of the internet called Protagonist Soccer.

So, with all that being said, UPSL and UWS are readying to kick off. How should we handle our coverage? My staff is divided. One argued no. One argued yes, but with disclaimers. One has remained silent on the matter so far. But in the end, this is my call.

And that’s why I’m writing this article. Because the baby has to be split some way and this article is that split. We’ll continue to cover soccer, but we will do it with great fear about the health ramifications for those involved. We’ll cover it remotely (as we do most of the time anyway), but we’ll generate articles and reports on the leagues that are playing. I believe in the game and want to see it flourish, so we’ll cover it. This site occupies a particular niche that few else fill - we cover these levels of soccer (to the best of our ability). If we don’t write the articles, who else will?

So, we will.

- Dan Vaughn

A COVID19 Report Card: Grading the Leagues' Response to the Pandemic

With the UWS finally cancelling their season, we’ve finally reached the conclusion of leagues we cover. With that in mind, I’m going to recap how and when each club decided how to handle their season in the time of pandemic and I’ll give them a rating A-F. I used to be a middle school teacher, so I should be able to handle this.

How it Happened: The spring season kicked off, sparking a ton of excitement, with newcomers Detroit City FC, Chattanooga FC, and Michigan Stars bringing a surge of talent to the league. Two weeks into the season, the pandemic was finally ramping up to the point it couldn’t be ignored. On March 12th, the league office announced it would be putting the spring season on hold for 30 days to allow the situation to unfold. After a month and a half, the league officially pulled the plug on April 27th.

The Aftermath: When the league announced the spring cancellation, they immediately announced plans for a summer challenge cup that would involve multiple amateur clubs along with NISA sides. As of now, that is still in the works. NISA also set up an eLeague and began play. The league has also made an announcement about the format and schedule of the fall season, giving fans a lot to look forward to. NISA finances are less clear than many leagues, so how they handled the obvious losses, it’s hard to tell from the outside. We do know some clubs are definitely continuing to honor player contracts and there are some that have not.

Got it almost perfect - regular communication, few leaks, future plans in place to hold fan attention. Only miss, player salaries.

How it Happened: Rumblings of the cancelled season began leaking very soon after talks began. I received multiple contacts from within the league that this was coming, but had to hold until we had concrete information. Unlike the UPSL, which has a fall season to regroup in, the NPSL, mostly due to the collegiate players, has to play in the early summer. On March 25th, Michael Lewis of Front Row Soccer put out a story claiming the league was cancelling the 2020 season. Soon after, we received confirmation from sources in the league and ran the story as well. The plan had been for the league to announce the cancellation the next day. Leaks happen.

An internal email revealed the league was relying on the decision from USASA, which recommended cancelling any group through April 30th. The league decided it was best to cancel the season.

The Aftermath: While the decision to cancel the season was probably the right one, the league was prepared an eLeague rollout soon after. That helped take a tiny bit of the heat off the league in the social media sector, but there were some issues that emerged, regardless.

In a move that at least one other league would mirror, the NPSL decided to keep the entirety of the league fee, while only supplying a partial credit for 2021. The fee of $5,500 was reduced to a $2,000 credit. I can tell you, clubs are NOT happy about this move. Maybe it’s a reality is grassroots soccer, but it felt really unfair to clubs operating on a shoestring budget.

And aside from that decision, everything the league did leaked before it was officially announced. This is good from a media perspective, but not good if you’re a league trying to crisis manage.

Not Good, Bob - kept their league fees, leaked like a sieve, pissed off their fans and clubs.

WPSL

How it Happened: On March 20th, the WPSL announced they would be postponing the start of the league by a month, moving the season kickoff from May 9th to May 29th. The press release contained a word of caution from Sean Jones, “If the situation doesn’t seem to be improving by the end of April and our top medical experts are recommending avoiding outdoor activities, then the WPSL will comply and not compete in 2020. We have informed our teams that we will provide them 30 days advanced notice if the cancelation does take place.” That would prove to be the case, so on April 30th, the league announced the cancellation of the season.

The Aftermath: Contained in the press release cancelling the season was a precursor announcement of a potential, one-off, fall season. This would be challenging, with the large amount of college players that participate in the league, but it certainly kept up hopes that amatuer women’s soccer would be seen in 2020. However, much like the NPSL, the league decided to keep the now cancelled 2020 season fees, $3,500 per club, but offering only $1,000 credit for 2021 (or the potential fall league). Unlike the NPSL, Sean Jones got ahead of this story and gave the logic and reasoning behind the decision, which staunched the bleeding a bit.

Better, but not perfect - kept in front of the story, prepped a fan pleaser, did damage control. All in all, a mixed bag.

How it Happened: The UWS was great at keeping their clubs updated on the situation. Kudos on that. The league ran the clock out on this one, hoping to find a way to fit in a season. On March 12th, the league continued to plan on a season. On the 20th, the announced that the schedule would be adjusted. On April 4th, the league announced they still intended to play a 2020 season. However, on June 9th, the season was called and the league announced the regular 2020 season wasn’t going to happen. They just announced (June 12th) the UWS National Cup. As of today, seven teams are participating and the tournament will be hosted in Texas by FC Austin Elite.

The Aftermath: The big benefit of waiting until the last possible moment to cancel the season was that the UWS had learned from the missteps made by the other national amateur leagues. Every league that had given severely limited credit had been raked over the coals on social media. UWS, in a move their own press release called “bucking the trend,” the league announced they would be giving their clubs “approximately 80% credit towards next season’s fees.” And don’t think that last line of the press release isn’t an invite to other amatuer woso clubs “United Women’s Soccer looks forward to returning even stronger in 2021 with a full season of high level competition.”

I have two major complaints. One is that the league could have shown more leadership in cancelling the season earlier. Felt like it dragged out about two weeks longer than it should have. The other complaint is the inherent risks that come with playing soccer without the payroll to establish strong safety protocols with rigorous testing.

Close, very close - good communication, learned from other leagues’ mistakes, took care of clubs. Should have called it earlier.

How it Happened: The UPSL has, at times, struggled in moving with agility in public relations. I say this as a guy who emails the league looking for information on the regular. They are polite, but I’m almost always told, “we’re working on that.”

The league announced they would postpone the season on March 25th, using similar logic to the NPSL. The date the UPSL gave was May 2nd, which many scoffed at for being way too early for resuming play. Then an announcement came out on May 15th that league play would resume, in limited scope, on June 20th. Some states won’t allow play at this point, so those clubs won’t be participating. However, league powerhouse states like Florida and Texas, with governors set on reopening the economy, would be up and running. The league did stipulate that “The intention is to run a 10-game regular season ending the weekend of August 22-23 followed by two weekends of play-off competition, the second of those being Regional Finals on the weekend of September 5-7. Once participating divisions and teams are known, the play-off structure and season schedule will be released. This will occur no later than Thursday, June 11.”

The Aftermath: And this is the big gamble that I’ve discussed on at least 4 podcasts at this point. What happens if there’s a team infection scenario? Or if a player potentially dies from this? Or a fan gets sick from attending a match? Unlike the big professional leagues, the UPSL can’t have the same level of safety protocols. It’s a gamble, but will it pay off. That remains to be seen.

We just don’t know yet. Good communication, but with play about to resume, we shall see if the gamble pays off.

Another Perspective on the Situation Facing the WPSL

This weekend we ran an article with one WPSL owner who was extremely disappointed in the WPSL’s approach to the cancelled 2020 season. In an effort to protect this person’s identity, the interview was posted anonymously, though we vigorously vetted the person to ensure accuracy. The league contacted us with a list of owners who they believed offered a counter to this viewpoint. In the interest of fairness, we reached out to one, John Saeger, who owns South Star FC (which operates in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area). We sent him the exact questions we use when interviewing our previous owner, though in John’s case, he didn’t want anonymity.

We aren’t picking a side in this fight, because that’s not our goal or job. However, allowing multiple voices at the table and encouraging those that whistle blow is a priority for Protagonist Soccer. So here’s a second voice of someone directly affected by the WPSL’s decisions, who sees things differently.

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So how long have you been involved with women's soccer? 

I’ve been involved in youth soccer in North Texas for roughly 20 years, had my own club (all girls) and then merged with D’Feeters (all girls). Last year was my first year with a WPSL Team. This year, I planned on fielding (2) teams as FC Dallas decided not to participate. North Texas is a hotbed for soccer, especially on the girls/women’s side. There are plenty of players who just want the opportunity to play.

How has your club been doing financially, before the pandemic?

We were doing fine. Sponsorships were heading in the right direction. We’re a 501(c)3 so 100% of our funds are applied to the players, coaching staff and playing/practice expenses. The Board (myself included) are all volunteer.

How do you get funding? What's a good year look like for your club? 

100% of our budget is from sponsorship. Our budget for just the single team was in the $75,000 range, with (2), we were looking at $100,000.

With the pandemic happening, what has your club been doing?

Not much right now. With the season cancelled, we will be having training sessions, starting soon. We’ll have camps throughout the summer for the players to participate in and also help run on the youth side.

What was your view/experience with the WPSL prior to this season?

I had 1 season (last year) that we played under my belt. I had an amazing time. We have such a great group of players and coaches. We play our home games at TCU and Coach Bell, Coach Higginbotham and all of the TCU staff are fantastic and supportive. I’m probably more disappointed than the players and coaches that we can’t play. And working with the league was great too. They are great people to work with.

Do you agree the season should be cancelled?

I don’t think they had a choice. Yes.

How did you expect the league to deal with the league fees?

Being familiar with the youth side, there are expenses which you can’t get out of. I wasn’t surprised at all when they announced what they were going to do.

When the league revealed their budget constraints, did the fact that the league funds the buyout loan (which they used to purchase the league) bother you at all?

I look at my League Fee as an investment into the league. There are things I can use (branding) that add to my brand. The WPSL is working to raise the standards for the women’s game. I get it that there are some teams are upset but I’m personally looking at the big picture and I knew the risks going in.

How could the league have done better?

I think the league handled things as well as they could of. They waited until the last possible moment to make the decision. This pandemic hurts everyone, no one is immune. It sucks!

What's the outlook for your club this year?

Our coaches are in touch with our players year around. Helping them with their fitness and getting them ready for their college season. If they don’t play this fall, there’s a possibility that the WPSL may have a “1 time” fall league and we’ll be right there.

Will you continue to play in the WPSL?

Absolutely!

An Interview with a WPSL Club Owner

When the news broke earlier this week that multiple leagues planned to keep the league fees and only offer partial credit for 2021, there was a massive uproar. For many clubs, this felt unfair. We were contacted by many owners/operators who felt ripped off and unsure how to manage their finances without income due to no matches and pulled sponsorships. One such owner from the WPSL offered to be interviewed anonymously, this is their story, but it could be the story of any one of the hundreds of clubs across the United States in dire straights.

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So how long have you been involved with women's soccer?

I coached a team for one season, but then they folded because of financial reasons and I started my own team the next year. We've played in the league over 5 years.

How has your club been doing financially, before the pandemic?

We are a non-profit that also partners with other non-profits helping to provide access and programming to underserved communities. Any "extra' money we have after our WPSL expenses go towards this end.

How do you get funding? What's a good year look like for your club?

We struggle a bit because we aren't funded by a big youth club. We solicit sponsors and also offer a few programs that help fund our WPSL team. Every single sponsor we had for 2020 pulled out before March.

With the pandemic happening, what has your club been doing?

Nothing soccer related so to speak. We have had a stay at home order since mid-March. We keep in touch over Zoom as a lot of our players are spread out.

What was your view/experience with the WPSL prior to the this season?

The new ownership has done a good job of keeping things "professional"...making sure teams maintain minimum standards, fining teams that don't, making sure teams pay fees, etc...

The league under Jerry Zanelli had a lot problems and there was no consistency in many areas including teams owing money.

Do you agree the season should be cancelled?

Absolutely

How did you expect the league to deal with the league fees?

I expected them to roll 100% of our 2020 fees paid to go towards 2021. And I expected them to cut their expenses in order to do it. If nothing else, this pandemic has proven that we are ALL capable of working from home. The $40k spent on the AGM is a frivolous expense. That meeting could be done over Zoom. It could be done at the United Soccer Coaches Convention. Also, they spend $30k on social media which last time I checked was FREE! Even if they're paying someone to write articles, that could be done by a few interns or way cheaper than that! The only person worth a salary at the WPSL is Beth Patterson the administrative assistant. She's amazing. In every other position, I know people would volunteer their time or take a break in league fees. There's a lot of great owners and coaches that care about the future of the women's game, but not at the expense of padding someone's pocket or paying off someone's loan!

When the league revealed their budget constraints, did the fact that the league funds the buyout loan (which they used to purchase the league) bother you at all?

That's what bothered me the most. Esp the fact that they listed that as a line item expense in their justification for keeping $2500 from each team. That's like buying a lake house vacation home and asking people to pay for vacation stays they didn't receive just because you have a mortgage. 

How could the league have done better?

I think we all saw this coming and I personally wish they would have made a decision to cancel earlier. They didn't do a good job of reaching out to individual teams. They reached out one time during all of this. I would have liked weekly communication. I would have liked to speak with other owners about their issues (sponsors pulling out, facility rental problems, player problems (getting internationals into the country) etc).

What's the outlook for your club this year?

We will just ride out this season of uncertainty and hopefully be back playing next year, not necessarily in the WPSL. 

Will you continue to play in the WPSL?

We are currently looking for other alternatives...alternative leagues that actually care about their clubs.

NPSL Keeps 2020 Club Fees Despite Cancelling Season

In a developing story, broken by Apyramid_blog on twitter, the NPSL has decided to keep the club fees for 2020, regardless of the fact that the league has cancelled the season. In an internal email, sent from a journalistic source, the league explained it’s rational.

“The NPSL believes the best thing for soccer in the United States is to ensure that we have a strong platform for teams like yours, and thus we optimize for keeping the league healthy, operational, and moving forward. Therefore, we were focused on finding a healthy balance between keeping the league healthy and sustained for years to come, while also providing relief for our teams. As we considered the sustainability of the league, heavily factored was the NPSL brand and where the league is positioned in the U.S. market. We are a year-round business, providing a platform for teams to build a business in their communities that has year-round relevance and a vision for the future. We have a small but high-level staff supporting that model and we are known for the level of professionalism and quality with which the league is operated and managed.”

Because of this, the league decided to keep the entirety of the $5,500 fees that were assessed to each club on entry to the 2020 season. What the league did offer to clubs was a credit - “Teams will receive a $2000 credit effective immediately.The league will review other ways to give more relief in the future. This is a credit refund as opposed to a cash refund. Credits will be applied to balances and benefits teams that see their future in the NPSL.”

Many clubs are not happy about this news and one NPSL club owner speculated that “30-40% of the league could be lost” with a “bunch of the clubs going to the UPSL.”

Things are challenging and appear to be getting worse.

A Letter from The Editor Regarding COVID-19

Hey Everyone,

I’m sure most of you are freaked the fuck out with what’s happening across our country. It’s hard to even be online at times, with the amount of bad news that’s hammered into my head every day. Things are going to get a lot darker before they get better. And though some of us will die, most of us (in fact, a large majority) will live. So we need to keep our heads up and keep moving.

We’re a soccer website, so maybe we aren’t the most important part of your online experience, but you are reading this, so we matter at least a little. Last week, when all the dominos began tipping and each league shuttered for the month, I considered shutting the site down. It’s hard to want to write about a sport, when life/death struggles are happening all around us. But maybe that’s why we need to press on. Because it sucks to be online right now, it sucks to have to work (if you have to, trust me, I feel your pain), it sucks to be cooped up at home, life just sucks right now. And maybe an article about your favorite sport or club gives you a tiny bit of light on a cloudy day.

I will warn you, production will slow, but all the writers are dealing with the same crap you are. Some of us are working, but consumed with stress and concern about contracting this virus. Some of us will get sick or deal with a family member getting sick. We’re just like you and when something bad happens, we’ll step away to deal with it. But we’ll work together to try and produce the best soccer content we can during this shitty shitty period of our lives.

I hope at the end of all this, we’re all still standing. And, if we aren’t, we’ll write a great eulogy for whoever we’ve lost. We love so much of the grassroots soccer world - the fans, the players, the clubs, the trolls, the zealots, the anti-MLS people, the pro-MLS people, the Eurosnobs, every single one of you, but, most of all, we love the game. And the game will kick off again soon enough. We just have to ride this out. Stay safe, we aren’t going anywhere.

Dan Vaughn

Editor

Protagonist Soccer

NISA Postpones League Play for 30 Days

In a statement just released from the league:

The National Independent Soccer Association is committed the health and safety of the fans of the League as well as the players, staff members and communities. In light of the issues created by the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019), the League Office and its Board of Governors are suspending the season for the next 30 days effective immediately.

NISA will use this time to monitor this situation in consultation with medical experts and in consideration of the guidelines being put forth by local governments, public health officials and the CDC to determine next steps for moving forward with safe protocol.

We are committed to to being as transparent as possible as this rapidly evolving situation develops and more information becomes available. At the appropriate time, we will provide updates and plans for the continuation of the 2020 Spring Season. We wish everyone health and wellness.

This is a developing story.

COVID-19 Impacts Bugeaters FC

In a statement put out by club chairman Jonathan Collura, Bugeaters FC have decided to cancel club tryouts and are considering cancelling their entire 2020 season.

“In light of the expanding COVID-19 pandemic and escalating situation, we have made the decision to cancel tryouts.  Refunds are being issued to all who signed up. Further, we are evaluating if a season is even possible in 2020 given the timing and potential financial impact on the community.  We are in the key months of preparation and believe this time is needed by all of those involved to focus on safety. We think that this plan is common sense and want all involved to stay safe. Thank you to all of you who support Bugeaters FC.”

This is in line with what is happening all over the sport as multiple leagues, MLS and USL, have decided to delay matches for at least a month and the NBA has cancelled their entire season. What impact the pandemic will have on grassroots soccer and the US Open Cup is unmeasurable so far, but the economic devastation will be severe. Now is a good time to buy a kit or a scarf from your favorite club. Stay safe, everyone.

- Dan Vaughn

For more on the coronavirus pandemic, check out this article from yesterday.

The Risk of Soccer in the Age of COVID-19

Sports and Sickness

News broke today that the NCAA plans to hold its men’s and women’s tournaments without fans present due to the risk of COVID-19 transmission. The virus, commonly referred to as the Coronavirus, is considered too much of a threat for the NCAA to allow fans to attend the games. NCAA President Mark Emmert’s statement was very specific about the NCAA Board of Governors’ concerns. “I have made the decision to conduct our upcoming championship events, including the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with only essential staff and limited family attendance. While I understand how disappointing this is for all fans of our sports, my decision is based on the current understanding of how COVID-19 is progressing in the United States. This decision is in the best interest of public health, including that of coaches, administrators, fans and, most importantly, our student-athletes.”

The announcement from the NCAA came in tandem with an announcement from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine banning spectators from games, specifically the NCAA Men’s tournament kickoff game to be played in Dayton. “The order will be that there cannot be spectators there. There certainly will be people — there will be TV people, there can be radio people there, there can be sports writers, certainly can be the media there. But we’re not going to have the large crowd.” In another statement DeWine was blunt about his perspective - “Ohioans have to understand what the facts are, that any gathering of people in close proximity to each other is dangerous.” DeWine’s announcement is one in a series of large-scale bans being implemented by local municipalities in the face of the rapidly spreading pandemic. Schools across the country have either cancelled classes or moved classes online, in an effort to slow the progress of the disease.

Soccer Reacts

The soccer world in other countries is ramping up their efforts to curtail the spread of COVID-19, particularly in Italy, where matches have been played in front of empty seats. La Liga officials made the aggressive decision to suspend the league for the rest of the month, in hopes of the situation coming under control by early April. In the United States, Seattle Sounders, in a state heavily affected by the outbreak, just announced the postponement of their next home game, due to a request from the governor. The USL affiliate of the Sounders, Tacoma Defiance, will play their next match behind closed doors.

So where does that leave the subject of our coverage, the grassroots soccer leagues across the country? We’ve reached out to several of the leagues we cover and only the UPSL has responded officially. A spokesperson for the league gave this statement: “The UPSL is staying flexible but following USASA guidance on this. That said, games are currently scheduled to be played this weekend.” We left a message at the USASA National Office for Duncan Riddle, executive director, but haven’t heard back at the time of publication (should he respond, this article will be updated).

The NPSL, for their part, sent out a memo to their clubs which included a statement from Cindy Spera, NPSL Managing Director, “With the increase of reported CoVid-19 (“coronavirus”) around the country, our main priority is the safety and health of our players, coaches, and staff.  Our 2020 NPSL season has started matches on the West coast, and nationally, our teams are preparing for US Open Cup and holding tryouts and pre-season training sessions.  We would like to recommend that our teams adopt best practices in order to minimize the chance of exposure.” Included with this memo was a list of potential approaches clubs could take to limit risk. While there was a general section on general approaches, there was also a section for soccer specific approaches which included:

• Anyone (player, staff member, coach, etc.) who is feverish should not participate and stay at home.

• Avoid handshakes - use fist bumps or elbow touches with players, coaches, staff, and referees.

• Avoid all spitting - including on the ground as players may come in contact. Coaches should remind players not to spit. 

• Ensure that athletic trainers are prompt to give them extra time to address any concerns. 

• Ensure that trainers have adequate supplies - especially gloves and antibacterial supplies such as sanitizer, alcohol pads, and soap products. 

• Have extra balls on hand.  If a ball goes into the stands, disinfect the ball before putting it back in play.  The home team is advised to wipe down balls with alcohol or disinfectant at half time.

• Suspend autograph signings as it is a risk to pass items back and forth.

• Display attached sign / infographic in your training facility on game day in locker rooms, bathrooms, and food areas.

The sign mentioned in the final item is a sign that MLS created for their clubs. The NPSL received permission to include and post the sign for their players and staff.

MLS-created content.

The Difficult, but Right Path

It seems clear that banning large gatherings of people makes sense, especially when we think of the potential contact each attendee could have in their everyday lives. While most adults and children are relatively safe in the event of infection, there is still a statistical chance of serious illness or death. And for older adults (70+) or those with compromised immune systems, the threat is much more serious and often fatal. No person should ignore the risk to those of our community that could not survive this disease, regardless of their own health. Everyone has a grandmother, grandfather, or some other family member or friend who could run the risk of death, should they become infected with COVID-19.

So should leagues cancel matches or play the matches without a viewing audience? It seems obvious they should do something aggressive, particularly when members of the crowd could run the risk of infecting each other. Obviously in some regional or local leagues, crowds aren’t really a concern, but even the players may run the risk of infection. The virus is still contagious even before symptoms begin to manifest, so a player may not feel sick on matchday even though they could be infecting those around. Luckily, most of the NPSL and UPSL aren’t playing league matches yet, leaving the league the chance to wait and see. However, in those leagues most of California is already up and rolling and NISA is already in Week 3 of action this weekend, with important home openers scheduled in Chattanooga and Detroit in the next couple of weeks, where large crowds should be expected. With streaming via Youtube or Mycujoo easily accessible for their fans to watch the matches, why run the risk of spreading the disease?

Dealing with a public health threat requires concern, intelligence, scientific facts, and a willingness to sacrifice. It seems clear that now is the time to take drastic steps, but rather or not teams and leagues will take those steps remains to be seen. Fans will certainly be opposed to any action that restricts their access to their clubs, but doing what’s best for the weakest in our society is the most important decision any league or organization could make. Either postpone the games or restrict access and stream the matches, it’s the right thing to do at this important moment.

- Dan Vaughn

When we hear back from any official, we’ll update this article.