Straight from the USL:

2010 W-League alignment unveiled

From 37 teams in 2009 to 29 in 2010. The W-League keeps shrinking.

5 in the Atlantic division & 7 in the North-East ?

I would have thought the Washington Freedom could have been in the Atlantic to make an even 6 in each. As it stands the only local game for the Majestics is down in Hampton Roads.

Overall the picture is bad if 8 teams have dropped out of the league, given the strength of the US national woman's team, it cannot be good to see so many drop out.

When WUSA errrr WPS or whatever goes belly up again in a couple years more teams will come back. not surprised about the Destiny folding they were pretty much gone after last season

They were pretty much gone before last season in many ways. During the season too but I will give the gals credit; they never gave up

I guess the only good owners are the ones who make plans for a few years ahead, and don't have to ditch teams due to lack of funds like the Richmond lot did with the PDL, and now it seems with the girls too.

Makes me appreciate Mo's & Tim's efforts in keeping both teams going for over a decade now.

you guess wrong

Of course, Richmond have how many teams now ?

Being a good owner has nothing to do with the number of teams owned. It's what they do with the team(s) they have that counts. The better questions might be "how many stars do the Royals have on their jerseys"? How many times have they been recognized as organization of the year?

I also find it sad that by your defintion some friends of yours that have treated you very well, have been deemed bad owners

How you choose to interperate my words about owners is up to you. The only club I directly referred to was RIchmond, although my other target would have been the debacle currently going on at Fratton Park, where owners have sought quick success rather than look at the future.

The point I was making if you care to either read or have someone explain to you is that given the fact that an established club like Richmond have had to drop not one but two teams in the recent past due to various reasons, it is to there eternal credit that Mo & Tim have managed to keep both of our local teams going.

And for the record, NOVA FC (the combined club name) is recognized by those in the know as if not the best club in North America, certainly amongst them.

To a real fan, having to sew a star or two onto your shirt for winning a local league is not the only measure of success.

PS How many teams do the Richmond club run now ? 1, 2 or 3 ?

You obviously failed to see that question in my statement, too much Xmas cheer ?

Your exact words were "I guess the only good owners are the ones who make plans for a few years ahead, and don't have to ditch teams due to lack of funds"
Yes, you used Richmond as an example but the truth of the matter is there are a lot of organizations that fit that definition. Actually the truth is, in these economic times, no matter how well they have planned ahead, owners are faced with dropping teams or folding all together.
(You also have no idea whether Richmond dropped the Future and Destiny due to lack of funds or not.)
So in your quest to put down Richmond due to your hatred towards me, you have also condemed many, many others, including those you know and supposedly care about



The point you fail to see is that one has nothing to do with the other. Two different organizations, two different business plans.

You obviously failed to see that I did address the question.
"Being a good owner has nothing to do with the number of teams owned. It's what they do with the team(s) they have that counts."

Quality > Quantity

My oh my, we have a large opinion of ourselves don't we...

To be quite frank you don't even mention a passing whim in my thoughts, I have important things to deal with. But I notice you still refer to me in your avatar, guess that explains who really has the issue with the other.

The only comparison I was making was with the failure of the Richmond organization to provide teams, and praising the efforts of our local owners. But if you seek to make it all about you...lol

If you are judging ownership success in terms of "organization of the year" and/or championships ("stars on the jerseys"), I think you need to compare that to individual organzation goals as well.

In the case of Northern Virginia, I think you need to consider that the club charter is based a little heavier on development, thereby implying the club is probably more focused on the youth sides of things (as is Richmond) and retains the senior teams to complete the club and provide additional opportunities for those players that have grown through the club.

That said, Northern Virginia is highly successful in terms of earning both "Organization of the Year" and "Stars on their Jerseys" in the USL Super Y-League.

Plus, if everyone else folds, they will have to eventually give Organization of the Year to the PDL Royals.

Just talked to Mo, he suggested we start by sewing stars on our jerseys for evey Virginia PDL club we outlast. So, for 2010, we have:

RIP Richmond
RIP Williamsburg
RIP Fredericksburg

It all lies in your definition of success.

Xmas greetings to you & your family as well as Mo & his family.

NVMajestics, thank you for a very intelligent response that recognizes the success of both the Kickers and NoVa organizations. Since Doc kept inferring that Richmond only had one team left as opposed to two for NoVa it was obvious he wasn't counting the youth part of the organizations. So that was what I was referring to. I admit I don't pay much attention to the women's side but I think even you would have to admit that the Royals have never had that much success on the field in the PDL and above. Which actually kind of makes your longevity even more of an accomplishmnet....major kudos and I mean that sincerely. I also hope and feel that you (unlike others on here) are intelligent enough to know that Richmond choosing to concentrate on the Pro team AND to develope their youth through means other than the Future & Destiny does NOT mean we have bad owners. The fact that both organizations still exist in this rough economy shows otherwise - that we both have very good owners that are continuing to find ways to make sure we all still have soccer to watch.
Let's hope you all are the next team to leave the PDL - as you move up to D2 (lol, assuming that D2 will continue to exist itself)

Actually, that I still refer to you in my signature shows that I don't have issues with you at all. As a matter of fact I keep hoping that we can at some point re-establish our friendship but your continued unwarranted bitternes shows that we still aren't anywhere near that point unfortunatly.

What bitterness ? I don't even refer to you. You really are reading things that are not even there.

The Majestics made the play-offs in recent years, as for the Royals their success or otherwise is judged in that they are the only club in Virginia who have not lost teams from one league or another in the last few years.

Compared to other clubs in the PDL whom we have played

Va Beach, Freds, Richmond, Williamsburg, Reading Rage, Delaware Dynasty. All gone and sadly missed.

Yet the Royals go marching on, a real sign of success.

No doubt that the Royals are successful at some things, not so very successful in other areas. Never really was any debate about that. What was being debated was your ignorant statement "I guess the only good owners are the ones who make plans for a few years ahead, and don't have to ditch teams due to lack of funds" - the ingorance being in your definition of a good owner and, in the case of Richmond, why they chose to fold teams. So I'm ending my part in this the way I began. You guess wrong.

Doc, FFF, Mikey, Yanki, and all the rest, wishing you all a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.

It is your passion that keeps grassroots soccer alive and your dialogue on these boards is more beneficial to teams, organizations, and clubs then I think you realize. I know for a fact I'm not the only owner who reads these, but I am one of the very few dumb enough to respond.

Have a safe Holiday season!

Shame that the Freds through lack of support from their local communtiy have ceased to exist. It really was a great rivallry whilst it lasted for both the PDL & W-League.

Does this leave the Royals & Fish as the only two PDL or W-League teams in Va now ?

Yep, the first 2 clubs are now the last 2 clubs. The Piranhas and NoVa are all that is left.

Have the Freds completely gone defunct? I'm seeing that they played a PASL indoor game against Richmond United a few weeks ago.

Gunners are defunct :::sadness:::

The indoor team is the Generals. Completely different organization (though the first year they were aligned/affiliated with each other).

Kinda ruins the Va PDL league eh Jeff.

Only 10 games in the W-League season ? Just get going and it is all over.....

The official announcement of the schedule, and playoffs:
http://wleague.uslsoccer.com/home/395921.html

My thoughts:
Ugly unbalanced schedule. 10 or 12 matches depending on the division. Is it so hard to schedule 12 matches in two months? The Piranhas and Charlotte start off the season again on May 14. Santa Clarita doesn't start its season until June 5, 3 weeks later! It looks like ALL the clubs play at least once on back-to-back nights. There is limited inter-divisional play too. HR and NoVa each play one match against the Washington Freedom Futures. The Majestics play the Piranhas 3 times in the season, not a home and away. A real cluster**** of a schedule.

BTW, how can you decide a regular season champion if some clubs play 10 matches and others play 12?

I'm all for limited if non-existant interleague play, but as you say each team should play the others in their division home and away at least once.

Bizzare !