Greenville Lions PDL will hold initial tryouts this weekend, January 11-12, from 2:00-5:00pm both days, at Wenwood Soccer Complex in Greenville. Tryouts are open this weekend and tryout fee is $50 which includes all weekends of tryouts(also in Feb and April) and Lion shirts.

Directions to Wenwood Soccer Complex:
From Interstate 85, take Mauldin Rd Exit 46-C and turn southeast. Continue on Mauldin Rd for approximately 2 miles to Ridge Rd (across from Greenville Braves Stadium). Turn left on Ridge Rd. and Wenwood Complex will be 1/2 mile on right. Look for Lions sign.

$50 DOLLARS

If that actually works it'll be the Lions single largest revenue producing event...

Yea I think its pretty outragous to charge for PDL tryouts. It's a league that doesn't pay, so why do we have to pay. I guess if they want you bad enough they will just sign you without a tryout.

Not the first time it's happen. Richmond Kickers PDL team charged players to play, probably happens else where to cover field rentel, etc. though personally I think the team should cover that...

There admittedly are a wide range of PDL's out there. I could maybe see where one might organize like a Challenge/Select Club with the players chipping in to cover expenses. But like I have told some others a $50 tryout fee is the highest i've ever heard of, and it just suprised me.

But it was my understanding that most PDL's covered the majority of expenses through sponsorships, ticket sales, and merchandising. The tryout fee for a PDL player is to protect their standing with the NCAA for equipment given. But most clubs just use pennies or t-shirts. If i'm paying $50 i'd expect a regulation jersey to tryout in.

Nothing wrong with charging. They have a right to try to cover expenses. Anyone wanting to play will pay that, the team is giving back much more to them in the long run. It is not like they are getting rich off it. The fee will keep the amount of people way down, but the quality people will still show up. What else are they going to do, go to Bradenton and pay $25,000 to play? Or drive a few hundred miles to try out for free?

Can you tell me more about Bradenton and $25,000.

Why are people shocked they would charge $50? I'm not. I've seen them for what they are for a LONG time...

I gotta pay $50 to try out to help the team? How obscene is that? So what is the breakdown for the "lucky" players who make the team?

Jersey $150.00
Starters on gameday $70.00
Subs that play $50.00
Subs that dont play $35.00
Practice $15.00

I guess the flipside is if they charge the players to play, they might pay fans to attend... which is about they only way theyre getting butts in the seats... sad...

FE

PS How smart is it to advertise tryouts on this board? there's like 2 people on here from the upstate area... so, what, JohnInCleveland is gonna quit his job and drive down from Ohio to try out? No brains... I mean, none at all...

To be on Bradenton you have to go to the Academy, which basically replaces High School as I understand it. So you are not paying 25k to be on the team but you are paying 25k to go to the school that the players are picked from. So it is not something you can walk up and try out for.

I've heard also there are other teams that you have to pay to play on. Windy City Bluez (W-League) is one (from what I was told).

As for FE's comments from this and another thread, someone needs to defend the Lions AND IF you go try out, bring cash, I don't think they would take a personal check from you.

FunnyEllen, I rarely feel the need to do much in the way of "moderating" here, but I'd really prefer if you'd keep your personal flame campaign against the Lions (legitimate or not) to their team board.