LA Force, Georgia FC Pro, Savannah Clovers are the only teams from last season that have shown any intent to be back, though I believe only LA has a real owner instead of being propped up by the league.
Add in CV Fuego, NoCo Hailstorm, and Roc City Boom, and I figure you've got the full set of six. Which still, I think, only leaves one real (for PLS) ownership group.
Other current NISA teams omitted because they either seem dead or clearly wanted out. Three additions are speculations: two that left/got ejected from League 1 who were defiant about still playing pro, and one random NISA Nation team that switched from using the NN website template to using the pro website template, and has no announced summer plans.
I imagine the last two come from trying to bribe Juncaj into staying and promising not to eject the Bobcats from the postseason this time if they would please just play one more season before being allowed to leave freely.
I though CV Fuego had been announced in the League for Clubs California division which makes it incredibly unlikely they will play in NISA.
Northern Colorado's owners appeared to have run out of money - by all accounts USL had to fund them for part of last season and I understand the owners have a trail of debts from failing to complete the Sports Complex where the Hailstorm played. Unless they've managed to find new backing or NISA is funding them I can't see them taking the field again.
I imagine the festering trail of wreckage this past season has left means the Bobcats are not gonna return to NISA until ANY circumstances. And what's this about CV Fuego and Noco Hailstorm switching to NISA?? It's more likely that the first two will be resurrected in the USL League 1, after a gap year of mending wounds and restoring balance sheets & reputations??
Both have stated intentions of playing in 2025 - NISA is their one option to do that!
Is it likely? Honestly I don't feel like a Hailstorm return (at least at Future Legends, in any near future) is remotely likely. Even the Rain making it to WPSL Pro feels like a stretch, and D3 WoSo is a very low bar on the PLS standards. Their WPSL (amateur) season is probably fine.
CV Fuego is more likely imo, but still a stretch since while announcing U23 for LfC they said "we also anticipate affiliating with a new professional team based in the Central Valley". Unless that new affiliate is going to NISA.
One has learned to take any assertions from NISA with a giant grain of salt. USSF PLS specifies that any Division 3 club must have an owner with at least $10 million in liquid assets (verifiable with financial records, etc.) and post a bond of at least $350K to cover three years of expenses. Having the league "own" and effectively subsidize and run multiple clubs within the league and post no bonds --as we've seen with NISA in its most recent season-- makes a mockery of the PLS. Which six clubs (and six wealthy owners) can NISA command now --especially now that the Bobcats have left?
I'd like to think that taking down the Bobcats' on the cusp of a title was their undoing. The concept was always good, but the execution seems poor.
LA Force, Georgia FC Pro, Savannah Clovers are the only teams from last season that have shown any intent to be back, though I believe only LA has a real owner instead of being propped up by the league.
Add in CV Fuego, NoCo Hailstorm, and Roc City Boom, and I figure you've got the full set of six. Which still, I think, only leaves one real (for PLS) ownership group.
Other current NISA teams omitted because they either seem dead or clearly wanted out. Three additions are speculations: two that left/got ejected from League 1 who were defiant about still playing pro, and one random NISA Nation team that switched from using the NN website template to using the pro website template, and has no announced summer plans.
I imagine the last two come from trying to bribe Juncaj into staying and promising not to eject the Bobcats from the postseason this time if they would please just play one more season before being allowed to leave freely.
I though CV Fuego had been announced in the League for Clubs California division which makes it incredibly unlikely they will play in NISA.
Northern Colorado's owners appeared to have run out of money - by all accounts USL had to fund them for part of last season and I understand the owners have a trail of debts from failing to complete the Sports Complex where the Hailstorm played. Unless they've managed to find new backing or NISA is funding them I can't see them taking the field again.
I imagine the festering trail of wreckage this past season has left means the Bobcats are not gonna return to NISA until ANY circumstances. And what's this about CV Fuego and Noco Hailstorm switching to NISA?? It's more likely that the first two will be resurrected in the USL League 1, after a gap year of mending wounds and restoring balance sheets & reputations??
Both have stated intentions of playing in 2025 - NISA is their one option to do that!
Is it likely? Honestly I don't feel like a Hailstorm return (at least at Future Legends, in any near future) is remotely likely. Even the Rain making it to WPSL Pro feels like a stretch, and D3 WoSo is a very low bar on the PLS standards. Their WPSL (amateur) season is probably fine.
CV Fuego is more likely imo, but still a stretch since while announcing U23 for LfC they said "we also anticipate affiliating with a new professional team based in the Central Valley". Unless that new affiliate is going to NISA.
What is "D3 WoSo" ?
The PLS for a D3 women's soccer league (i.e. the planned WPSL Pro)
One has learned to take any assertions from NISA with a giant grain of salt. USSF PLS specifies that any Division 3 club must have an owner with at least $10 million in liquid assets (verifiable with financial records, etc.) and post a bond of at least $350K to cover three years of expenses. Having the league "own" and effectively subsidize and run multiple clubs within the league and post no bonds --as we've seen with NISA in its most recent season-- makes a mockery of the PLS. Which six clubs (and six wealthy owners) can NISA command now --especially now that the Bobcats have left?