The USL Super League (women) is shifting gears and applying for Division 1 status with 8 initial franchises. Previously they were thought be be seeking initial approval as a Division 2 league, which would have set them up as a defacto minor league to NWSL, but this being America and all, the owners and league have decided to throw caution to the wind and go after the top slot. While NWSL is still rebuilding its rep after a scandal ridden couple of years, they do seem to have competent leadership now and finally have a decent relationship with the players union as well as a grown up CBA. They're also generating actual expansion fees for the first time and have plans to continue growing the league over the next 2-3 years. Personally, I think the time for the USL to shoot this shot was last year, but here we are ... once again facing the prospect of two leagues competing for a talent pool that's only deep enough for one. NASL called and said this was dumb, but carry on.
If this new league can manage to get up and running, I do think it will have a negative impact on US college soccer, which has been a game changing element of the US national team development program. More opportunities for a paycheck will see more young players forgoing the NCAA for pro soccer and pro development programs. I'm not optimistic about the USL's chances here or about the impact this will have on US womens soccer as a whole. My bet is that the new league will simply end up providing a couple of ersatz expansion teams to NWSL when they find this whole enterprise more difficult than it looks.
Worth noting that at least four of the announced franchises are located such as to be direct competition for existing NWSL franchises ... DC, Tampa (Orlando), Charlotte (NC/Cary/Raleigh), Spokane (Seattle) and Lexington KY (Louisville) ... but they haven't announced if the game calendars would overlap. Aligning with the European calendar might give the new league an advantage, and only Charlotte and DC would really struggle with the weather impact of a late summer to spring calendar that could be aligned with traditional international breaks and summer tournaments.
The USL Super League formally announced the eight markets that will take part in the inaugural season set to begin in August 2024.
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