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Marcos: We have run national leagues and competitions for 15 years. While it is not rocket science, there are flexibility issues that invariably come up with running national competitions with which USL is particularly familiar. Additionally, many organizations with fully operating USL teams will be operators of teams in the Super Y-League. We will be the facilitators of the Super Y-League, utilizing our experience and economy of scale to produce the best competition possible. We can do this without asking for exorbitant player fees -- fees that sometimes prevent players from competing. Whereas in many communities, a parent may pay $100 for an eight-year-old to compete in a youth season, the team registration fee of $1,000 is roughly in the same ballpark for prospective Super Y-League teams. There still will be travel costs. However, many teams are already doing this by traveling to games in their region and attending national and international competitions.

Weibe: Since 1999, we have been working on marketing initiatives that will be used to develop player and coaching education programs and reduce costs for teams and players during their travels.  Over the last 4 years we have been gradually been able to reduce the cost and provide more programs, such as the ODP system.  Although, teams expenses may go up in future seasons because there are more games and this requires more travel, the league fees are stable and provide a lot of value for what teams are receiving. The league fees have been moved from $1500.00 to $1250.00 to $1200.00 to $1000.00 for 2004 over the last four years. 

Too many teams are paying exorbitant amounts of money to play a tournament schedule. Why do tournaments cost more than leagues?  It’s hard to argue spending $725.00 for a weekend tournament plus all of the hotel expenses for a 3-4 game weekend tournament, over competing in a 16-22 game league that will cost $1,000 per team plus the teams travel and referee expenses. Teams are already doing the travel. For some teams, playing tournaments is their only source of competition. USL is best at researching and analyzing the soccer market. We strongly believe that through the structure of the Super Y-League we can provide better competition and a more professionalized atmosphere at half the cost of what it takes to play 3-5 major youth tournaments a year. There are a lot of clubs that would like to focus more on player development.  Having a balanced schedule that doesn't overplay players is a major part of that.

Clubs must consider the cost that it takes to compete in tournaments and rationalize expanded regional league play within the SYL, or continue high cost tournaments that promote over play rather than quality play.  Clubs must also figure the cost of players that pay for state ODP programs with what could be saved in their club environment with the SYL ODP system that does not require any money outside of the one regional identification weekend.  That are a lot of factors that clubs need to consider with finances to balance a productive competitive and player development environment.

For some, such as certain youth organizations, to criticize us for being a for-profit business, it is absurd.  Tax status has nothing to do with how we operate.  The SYL is not designed as a business to put money away and save it.  What we bring in we invest right back into the league to create more programs and make the league better. We are a for profit business for many reasons, just as many other businesses are in other professions.   The largest reason, is that we do not have to go through a board to make decisions on every aspect of the league that we change.  We’re able to make changes as we sit fit for the league from what the clubs tell us at any time.  That is one of the beauties of not answering to a board within a  501(C) 3 organization. I am sure that there are some clubs out there that are considering the same approach.