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.

For whatever it's worth, in my area (Charleston), even tryouts for youth classic teams, starting at U-11, are paying affairs.

Actually, I've reached my limit as well. I have been truly patient, as have many who have tried to talk openly with FE and get [them] to be part of a solution instead of just continually spurting trash talk. To no avail.

FE, you're in a 30-day lockdown. I have removed your ability to post ! You can read to your hearts content, but we are freeing ourselves from your tripe for the next 30 days !

At the end of that time, I will restore your posting priviliges, unannounced.

If you persist as you have in the past after this period of time, I will permanently ban you from the boards.

Dan

p.s.
FE, please don't make me ban you. In 3 years of running this board I have only had to ban two, TWO other people. Don't make yourself part of such a small group. Use this 30 days to cool off and find a way to positively support this game.

Most clubs have that fee for expenses for fields etc. and also to ween out 'non serious' soccer players.

I know if you make the Menace here in Des Moines you are taken care of very well off the field and also an intense professional training environment. Not sure what the Menace charge, but I'd pay it to play before 6,000 fans and come within inches of defeating Rochester. . .

I'm used to Challenge and Select fees...I've seen $150-450 per season. But until now I hadn't realized that most of the cost associated with a PDL weren't covered entirely by sponsorships and ticket sales, etc. I always had heard that was one of the benefits, no player salaries, for an organization in the PDL...even cutter had said so.

But this thread has been one of the more educational. I had sort of thought of sending my child to IMG or Bradenton (IMG on the Federation's coin)...does Bradenton give out scholarships

On FE...no team has slipped out of the PSL with such anger over the incident.

The sponsorships, gate receipts, concessions, every other dollar collected does not come close to paying the expenses of the PDL teams, well for the most part anyway. I would say that it is not unreasonable for a PDL team to lose $50,000 per year and call themselves successful. With travel costs. field rentals, league dues, fee's and the such, let alone player expenses like uniforms, housing (where applicable) and other expenses. The Memphis Express put up 3 out of town players this year, I would estimate at a cost of $2000 per month total (furnished apartment, utilities, and the such). So that is $8k to $10k just for those players. The field costs $2000 per game to rent. Road trips by bus cost a few grand, even with the opposing team paying the hotels and a group meal. Speaking of which, besides paying $2000 for the home games field rental, you pay for the visiting teams hotel and a meal, You pay for some of the referee expenses I believe, pay security, etc. So even a home game is a losing matter. During the playoffs when you host, you pay the league 1/3 of the gate receipts I believe. During US open field trips you will pay a fortune, $10,000 or more per game if you have to fly with few days notice. The expense adds up and the income does not add up as fast.

I've been a voluteer for the Chicago Eagle Select and here's what I know about what they do. I think they also charge a fee for try out. I don't think it was $50. It was to cover the cost of the facility. They didn't charge the players to play. However, if at the end of the season, the players had the option to purchase their game and practice equipment at a redused rate. Last season they had a pre season tour/training in Brazil. The players had to pay for this, but the team gave them ideas on how to raise the money.

I don't think that it's unreasonable to charge for tryouts or even to have the players play. It's not like these teams are making money by having PDL teams. Even A-League teams charge for tryouts.

You know I hate to bring this up...as it isn't really the proper thread...but regarding the Open Cup, it seems that they could run it out with rounds 4 weeks apart. Thus allowing clubs a chance to set up travel arrangements. Or 5 weeks.

Could PDL clubs qualify (play 3 or 4 games) by the first weekend in May. I think that would be a little tight.

But maybe have Open Cup rounds played on May 7, June 11, July 16, August 20, September 24, and the final on or about October 29th.

Well, considering that most PDL teams don't start play until the first weekend in May, I don't think so. And a lot of teams don't have their first game untill the second weekend. Most of the players are in college and wouldn't be available till after thier semester is over.