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Red Bulls make their youth academy free

In what should be seen as a landmark moment in MLS player development, the Red Bulls are set to make their youth academies free to all participants. This decision will make the Red Bulls the first MLS team to do so (A source in Chicago tells me the Fire’s program is free but I haven’t gotten confirmation on that. Chivas USA doesn’t charge for its highest age levels, but does charge for U-15 and below).

The standard structure for MLS youth programs has been similar to traditional youth programs, where players pay fees and costs to be a part of the club as well as travel costs for tournaments, but now the Red Bulls have become the first pro club to waive these fees and pick up all costs for all players.

The Red Bulls move should become the standard for all MLS youth programs and it should also give the Red Bulls youth academy a considerable advantage in recruiting top youth prospects in a New York and New Jersey youth market that boasts some nationally-recognized youth programs.

What do you think of this news? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. hello,my name is aderemi samson i am 14yrs old i am a nigerian and i will like to be one of your youth player please grant me this opportunity because frm my childhood i have always dremt of being a soccer star but my parent cant afford to make my dream that is why i am contacting u people pls let my dream come true. tel:2348083798121 memail:pls if u can send me invitation.

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  2. hello,my name is otoh johnson dayo i am 15yrs old i am a nigerian and i will like to be one of your youth player please grant me this opportunity because frm my childhood i have always dremt of being a soccer star but my parent cant afford to make my dream that is why i am contacting u people pls let my dream come true. tel:2348088089006 pls if u cand send me invitation.

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  3. I am 14 and want to know if there are training for Boys of the Red Bulls and when they are the training or the page that I culd enter for know to this information agradeceria muchisimo. THANKS

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  4. Sounds good, RBNY was doing this for older ages on their academy teams but not the younger ones. They should remember that for kids whose parents both work, transportation is going to be an issue. They need to address that for kids who need it. Before they get dormitories, they need to address all issues of not having dormitories. There are enough private HSs in NJ who would work with them on schooling for their players while living in dormitories.

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  5. The MLS clubs have done a lot of research into what keeps you NCAA compliant and made sure that MLS programs stick to that. It’s a natural concern, but I wouldn’t worry too much.

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  6. the landmark was when Chicago did it a while ago as Warren pointed out. :p

    It’s a good move though. You’re never going to get the best of the best potential players if kid’s families have to fork over $5000 a year to play for a pro team.
    Every team in the league should follow the model of the clubs that have made this kind of move.

    dwbpnm & northzax: if you read the Fire’s manual, it doesn’t interfere with NCAA eligibility. (it’s on the last page of the manual next to the part about their academy being free)
    I’m sure they have discussed this with the NCAA and it’s really no different than the baseball teams and football teams who sponsor youth team uniforms (the Cubs and Bears both do that in the Chicagoland area)
    Anyone who is deemed ineligible could/should sue the living hell out of the NCAA.

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  7. dwb hits my concern on the head. If high school teams in California can ban players who simply went to a cattle call audition, what will the nitpickers at NCAA do with players getting freebies from professionals?

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  8. My only concern is that when teams make the program free they make sure to work with any restrictions the NCAA has on maintaining eligibility. Most of the players in the youth programs will not end up playing in MLS so they should be able to maintain their eligibility for a scholarship.

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  9. Good move. It’s about time.

    For poorer kids, there should actually be some financial/educational support as well.

    First stepts in catching up with the rest of the world…

    JP

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  10. It means what it should mean: the academies are NOT profit centers, they are investments in reasech and development.

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  11. This is the best news because it means talent and not economics determines who plays for the Red Bulls. No longer can parental pocket books decide who plays and who does not. It takes the politics right out of the equation and puts the responsibility squarely on the player to perform.

    PSA is a no fee academy in Ohio. There are high expectations of the players to train and perform. They just don’t take anyone. They take kids that want to perform.

    This is great news and it gives Red Bulls freedom to manage youth development that will benefit them in the long run. It will also benefit us because now they can prospect great talent that may not have the economic means to pay to play.

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  12. well this is a huge step in american soccer…. from what i heard from a guy from the RBNY acadamy he said that they are going to start a dormatory program from ages 9-19 which is great…. I LOVE IT……..

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  13. It was something they had to do. There is some nasty talented youth in NYC, I’ve played with them. One player was 16 from Harlem, and he had the most ball control I had ever seen from anyone in person. I asked them once if they tried to get into the youth academy at NYRB, and they said they made the team, but they weren’t going to pay.

    NY just might be getting smarter these days. NYC is the most untapped place in soccer potential, and it will benefit them and the US to getting these kids.

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  14. now assuming these players will be playing for free at the allegedly-soon-to-be erected training facility in suburban NJ a few times a week, what is the plan to get the NYC/Queens talent there? rb can cover expenses but cant get around the issue of the time it takes for the commute to and from these sessions.

    how about NY based group and a NJ based group?

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  15. Now they can get away from any claims that “so and so only made it cuz their dad is rich” and on with the real business of building a professional development program. The sale of 1 Josy Altidore every 5 years should offset all of their costs. Can they produce 1 every 5 years?

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  16. Not a bad idea, hoever, nominal fees to cover the actual expense, or even a sliding scale of fees based on socio-economic factors would be more fitting–that way the club doesn’t soley incur the cost for those who can easily afford it. I think the action will generate a fair amount of interest, but ultimetly, as someone else pointed out, unless it were “all-inclusive” and free, it doesn’t really set any precedent league-wide.

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  17. This doesn’t put a whole lot of pressure on the rest of MLS until somebody builds a dormitory and adds the potential for residency, a la Friedel’s Academy. Then other clubs will have to start matching them.

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