Expansion Targets: Imagining the NISA Map (emphasis on IMAGINING)

Hey there – fellow Knight John back for another speculative NISA piece. Keep in mind that it’s all in good fun.  Hope you enjoy.

If you are as staunch a follower of NISA expansion as Dan and I – the Knights Who Say NISA – then you may have noticed that all of the new teams coming on board seem to be located on the eastern half of the country. What about locations west of the Mississippi? Sure, there are four clubs huddled – sorry, clustered – in California, but nothing between them and Detroit City. Well, except the big NISA logo that they insist on planting smack dab in the middle of the map of the United States on the league’s website. (Hmmm…maybe that’s the problem…)

Well, Dan and I decided that something needed to be done. We agreed to sit down and put together some ideas of markets where NISA should consider when looking to add clubs. And when Dan got up to take a potty break, I went to work. (How that chair got lodged in between the floor and the door handle I’ll never know.)

Now if we’re playing by NISA’s ‘rules’ we have to cluster clubs together, not just throw teams hither and yon. Heartily accepting the challenge, here’s where I think the league should go when going west:

Market #1: Chicago

Wait just a minute – why would you want to have new third division clubs in a market where the Chicago Fire have done such a great job in capturing the region’s soccer fans?

Yeah, exactly. 

As the Fire have smoldered away, Chicago is beyond ready for more professional clubs. Some would argue that the city could use one professional soccer club right now, but that would be too cruel. Sort of. Anyway, since NISA is now home of the New York Cosmos, I think it would be nice to bring back another soccer team name from the past. No, not the Sting. Further back. While Fall River Marksmen and Bethlehem Steel were creating history nearly a century ago, Chicago Sparta ABA was becoming a powerhouse in the Midwest with a stadium of their own. Won championships. Hosted international exhibitions. And as far as I can tell, the moniker is not currently being used. So why not draw on some real soccer history in the region and bring back Chicago Sparta?

For our instant rival to Sparta, we’re going to take a musical journey. In the late 1960s a group of seven musical lads from Chicago sought out their fame and fortune. By 1977, the band Chicago had become a hit-making machine. The album released that year would feature a map of the city on the cover. And so, with apologies to the club currently playing in Indiana, I give you the name of that album and your new club: Chicago XI. Imagine a supporters group named after guitarist Terry Kath. A horn section playing along with the chanting fans. Baby, what a big surprise that would be.  

Market #2: Denver

Oh - surely you’re not going to go up against the mighty Rapids now, too.

Oh surely we are.

If there is an MLS club that has needed a good ol’ relegatin’, it’s the Colorado Rapids. The question is: if you could drop the Rapids into the USL, would the investor-operator even notice? But I digress. Another club name that needs to be brought back is the Colorado Foxes. For you young people out there, there was a hip and happening soccer league back in the 1990s called the APSL, the American Professional Soccer League. And the Foxes were league winners for two years. A fella by the name of Marcelo Balboa played on the club. Eventually the league called itself the A-League, merged with the USISL (the USL as we know them now), and the Foxes would fade away. Bring back the Foxes, and maybe even partner up with Leicester City. Foxy!   

And for the Foxes’ clusterbuddy, let’s have a bit of fun and get the munchies along the way. I can’t think of a better club name that embraces the region (and is pun-riffic) than Four & Twenty Blackbirds. Oh c’mon, just picture a crest that has a blackbird with a doobie resting in its beak? How would you not want this? Listen, I understand that there could be issues with having a club name that, well, more than hints at drug use, but if you don’t think the day that kit is released it isn’t flying off the shelves…

Market #3: Montana

OK, now you’re just being silly.

Sure, there may be bigger markets to plant a flag. OK – there may be MANY other markets that are bigger. But sometimes you have to zig when others say zag. Maybe the lack of professional soccer clubs in this region could spark an interest. Did anyone expect New Mexico United to draw over 10,000 a game in its inaugural season last year? 

So let’s go clustering in Big Sky Country. I’m going to eschew Billings, Great Falls, Missoula and Bozeman for now. No disrespect to these fine communities, but I think I’ve got the perfect pairing. Say hello to your newest soccer rivalry: Real Butte and Helena Handbasket FC.

OK – perhaps I am being a little silly.

Welp, I think Dan is about to break through the door, so I should end it here. We’ll be watching and waiting for the next clubs to join the NISA fraternity with curiosity.

Fort Wayne FC Prepares for First NPSL Season

If you’re new to the Indiana Soccer Scene, the Hoosier State has seen quite a bit of transition in the fall and winter of 2019. And as 2020 officially kicks off the next decade, growth at the lower tiers of the US Soccer “pyramid” has been relatively rampant. With three (3) leagues represented for new teams (announced as of January 5th), there are plenty of clubs / teams throwing their hat into the ring. One of the newcomers is Fort Wayne FC, set to kick off their inaugural season in the NPSL later this year. In an effort to build a competitive roster from scratch, Fort Wayne FC hosted its first ever open tryouts on January 2nd, 2020 at the Plex in Fort Wayne. 

The tryouts were structured into two unique two-hour blocks for players aspiring to compete at an NPSL-level of play. With additional tryouts scheduled later in the winter and spring, as well as a new coaching staff that is still coming together in the off-season targeting their player pools and networks, Fort Wayne’s first event saw just over 100 players make an attempt to impress the staff. 

Fort Wayne FC joins South Bend Lions, Indy Saints FC and FC Pride as new men’s side entries into the competitive landscape in 2020 out of the Hoosier State. Below is a run down of the tryouts for club from the eye of a former non-league club guy…

Around 55 players attended the 2:00 pm tryout session. Fort Wayne FC had “staff” members coordinating warm up and small-sided game sessions. It appears as though the club has done a tremendous job in developing relationships with the local youth clubs to get coaching staff volunteers to support their efforts. Nine goalkeepers were being put through their paces in the middle of the Plex’s pitch, while simultaneously four small-sided 4v4 to 5v5 matches were played. 

Once warmed up and loose, the players moved into 9v9 side-by-side matches. Away from the pitch, in talking with Fort Wayne FC’s President (and Co-Owner) Erik Magner, there were several media engagements to perform throughout the day. In addition to interviews, Magner helped facilitate media coverage of the tryout itself. With a viewing platform above the field, along with field access, there were plenty of decent camera views to grab footage. A quick note about the Plex – great facility for this type of event, and training for a club at this level. Fort Wayne FC managed credentials and had several volunteer staff (and all front office) members ensuring the event was closed to the public. Through connections I’ve made with the club first with Old Bhoys Soccer Club, and now through Hoosier Soccer Corner, I was able to coordinate with the club to grab a credential and watch both sessions. Inside the Plex, the club has branded extremely well, and was prepared for the visibility this tryout offered. Look for more high-profile coverage and news in the coming month(s) from this side. 

Back to the pitch…

As the 9v9 sessions wound down, there were only 2-3 players that showed sufficient potential in my opinion to be truly considered for an NPSL-quality side. These players that warranted further evaluation stuck around for the 4:00 pm session. The overall quality of the early 9v9 session was not of the highest quality, but the coaching staff were able to identify players that may help round out a roster or possibly look at a reserve-type of squad approach. With more Hoosier-state clubs, and entrants int eh OVPL, MWPL, etc., there may be opportunities for a deeper roster to stay match-fit should the reserves be needed down the stretch for NPSL. Additionally, the club hasn’t confirmed their cup competition intent yet – but look for that to potentially include Amateur Cup or Open Cup ambitions. 

As the 4:00 session kicked off, there were far fewer goalkeepers (five?) and a total number of around 50. As mentioned above, a handful of players remained from the 2:00 session to compete. The quality of play in the second group was noticeably higher overall; however, still noticed some deficient play and inability to connect that won’t be tolerated at the NPSL level. This session started right into 9v9s, and eventually morphed into a full-sided 11v11 matchup, rotating players in considerably throughout the timeslot. The second group was more tightly coordinated; and the flow between sessions or groups of players was much smoother than the first session. Several players showed nerves throughout the session. After the 11v11, the coaching staff pulled the trialists together for a summary and breakdown of the day – much like after the 2:00pm session. Following film review and coaching meetings, Fort Wayne FC has decisions to make as well as a second round of tryouts in February to continue to unearth players to help field a competitive side this season. 

Ultimately, these tryouts provide an ideal opportunity for the club to evaluate any talent they may want to invite back and build dialogue with over time. Roster size and overall goal / vision of competitions continues to evolve; the club has ambitious management. NPSL league play is the first priority here; but also building depth and consistency with a high level of training. 

From an event point of view, Fort Wayne FC represented themselves well to the players – it felt more big time than Old Bhoys SC events I’ve run…

That said, there are plenty of opportunities for the club to improve upon. There is plenty of time ahead of the first friendly, which is still TBD. Should make for an exciting soccer season in the Fort. If you’re a fan of this level of soccer, get involved with the Three Rivers Regiment – the local supporter group. Should be a good time at FWFC home matches!

- Andy Hayes

"A Leap in the Dark"

Last week, NPSL announced a new season, split between the spring and fall. This season won’t replace the existing summer league, but would be an addition and all clubs that planned to participate in the new season would be required to also participate in the traditional NPSL summer league. The logic behind this expansion, according to NPSL Chairman Kenny Farrell, is that “a longer season will provide more opportunities for our players, while teams will benefit from a year-round presence in their market.” Other reporters have done a great job reporting on this new season and, if you aren’t up on the details, I’d refer you to this Midfield Press’ article.

Rather than repeat the league talking points that you can read in every other article about this move, I’m going to instead try to take the mile-up point of view on what this move actually means. Some basic questions came to mind as soon as I heard the announcement and I’d like to discuss those rather than repeat the carefully-crafted talking points that the league is distributing. I don’t think the league is lying or candy-coating things, I think they are painting this in the best possible light, like EVERY organization would. So let’s jump in with both feet.

Appearances May Be Deceiving

Oh, what could have been.

We all know how the Founders Cup fell apart. It seemed half-baked and reactionary from the start and things began crumbling before the ink had dried on the announcement. There was the issue of minimum standards and what clubs could actually afford to be involved. Then, clubs began dropping out before a schedule was even constructed. Then, the issue of insurance (or the lack thereof) reared its head and finished the thing off. It was a black eye for the league and felt the entire thing felt rushed.

What I didn’t know was that the NPSL held off on announcing this new Spring/Fall league BECAUSE of the Founders Cup, in an effort to give the fledgling pro league a chance to shine on its own. In fact, Farrell feels this delay directly led to the departure of certain big name, former NPSL clubs. “We held off on releasing this league because we were trying to get the Founders Cup off the ground. That may or may not have hurt us a bit because some of the teams had decided they needed to play year round and moved to NISA. Had the league been in place, announced in June like we wanted to, we may not have lost those teams. If we had this organized last year, there would have been no need to go to NISA. But then again, maybe they truly want professional players. It’s up to them on what they want.”

That statement is shocking to me because it REALLY emphasizes how unready the Founders Cup was. This Spring/Fall league may feel rushed and reactionary, but it may be nothing more than on pace with the general movement in grassroots soccer. Rather than a reaction to NISA’s rollout or UPSL’s dual season approach, the NPSL may have been on pace with these other leagues but behind closed doors. However, only now did it come into the public’s awareness. If so, good on them for running that tight of a ship.

But what is 100% clear, Founders Cup was a trainwreck from day one. And it was a damn shame. I can only hope that, no matter what this league ends up being, it has been well-thought out and planned.

Seemingly Obvious Concerns

I do worry about the dilution of what a “NPSL championship” means. It might be my biggest complaint against the UPSL model and it applies to this new NPSL model as well. No matter what the league says, one of these championships will grow to dwarf the other, especially considering one season is longer and requires an opt-in that will only be feasible for the larger and better-funded clubs. When I spoke with Farrell, his first response was that “we just don’t know yet” if one championship would top the other, but that “when they are playing the games, it won’t matter to anyone [meaning the players].” And while he called the traditional summer season the “golden child,” he emphasized that this whole move was part of a process and that “to get to where we want to go, we have to be somewhat flexible and creative. We’re taking a leap in the dark.”

And the requirement that clubs participate in the summer season will certainly hurt some of these clubs’ chances in the longer season. Will we see clubs alternate rosters during the summer season to save their better players for the fall stretch run? Mitigating injuries and managing rosters will creep into managers’ minds because it’s an obvious factor they need to consider. I can see scenarios where a club could be leading the spring/fall season standings and then drop down during the summer season.

And while we’re on the question of rosters, we need to discuss the elephant in the room: college players. NCAA soccer season runs August to November. The NPSL has leaned heavily on college talent traditionally, because how else do you fill the rosters of over 100 grassroots clubs without young people willing to play for the benefits of development. So without this talent to fill rosters, what will that fall portion of the longer season look like when all those student-athletes return to their programs to prepare for their collegiate seasons. One side effect is that clubs will be incentivized to build balanced rosters, but amatuer or ex-pro talent willing to play for free is hard to come by. Considering the growth of the USL system and NISA, that pool of available talent is even shallower.

There isn’t an announced deadline for the spring/fall league, nor is there a branded name for this extended league. Both of these facts are a little troubling, particularly if Farrell is accurate about the planning timeline. The NPSL Chairman mentioned that the league was in the works for close to 5 years. And no one decided what to call the thing? Why not iron out the branding before the announcement so it all rolls out as a complete package? There may be a master plan in place, but, at this point, the logic isn’t obvious to me.

One common complaint against the current iteration of the NPSL is there are too many exemptions for clubs who can’t fulfill league minimum standards. According to the NPSL’s press release, standards will be raised for the spring/fall season. Some of those standards affected specifically highlighted include “stadia, staffing, budget, and referees.” To quote Farrell, “we’re not going to have teams just pushing bleachers up to the fields.” That will be welcome news to many owners who have complained both publicly and privately about clubs not achieving the standards. This requirement alone, if enforced as written, will eliminate many of the current NPSL sides. Long-term it will serve to bring everyone up to a certain level, but many teams may sense that their welcome is wearing thin. Will we see rifts grow between clubs who can afford the longer season and those that can only participate in the summer league?

A Fan First

When we started Protagonist, we decided early on to emphasize the positives in every story. And another, longer league is a good thing, without a doubt. I could have tried to write a glowing article about the exciting aspects of a new, longer NPSL season. But at this point in the site’s development, I am also confident we can speak the truth, even to a partner like the NPSL. There is, of course, a chance my fears are unfounded and everything turns out fine. And regardless of your perspective on me or my work, I promise you, that is my wish. But even Farrell has his own reservations about the unknown aspects of this move by the league. “We’ll see where it goes. We don’t know where this will be in two years. It may fail, I doubt that it will fail, I think it could be one of the most popular leagues in the country.” I hope so, too.

- Dan Vaughn