In reply to: They lost Kennedy Fuller a couple of weeks ago. posted by Slainte Joe
I see it in HS and club soccer. The higher-level players have quads. There are no chicken legs.
They also 'run with authority.' Hard to explain exactly what that looks like, but you know it when you see it.
is the drastic change in financial incentives.
Can you imagine a kid even 5 years ago giving up a Stanford or Duke degree to play in the NWSL?
Their TV deal is not great. It seems like there are some owners simply spending out of their own pockets. If there isn’t an expectation of ROI, how long do they continue spending like they are?
Years, right?
Also, the San Diego Wave just sold for $120 million. The money is coming.
took over the Youth Elite programs in the city which were always very good. Then parents would move to the city to develop their girls. This happened with Olivia Moultrie a who accepted a UNC scholarship offer in 2017 when she was 12 years old (see link). As she played club ball she started wanting to play pro early and Thorns signed her in 2019 as she moved to Oregon to train and go to high school. After suing NWSL, she now is a key player on the THorns at age 18. Other players are doing the same.