WHY ECNL OVER MLS NEXT FOR SPORTING NEBRASKA FC

With recent announcements about MLS NEXT expanding its second-tier platform (Academy Division) to additional clubs in our region, some of our families have asked whether Sporting Nebraska considered that opportunity as well. While this decision most directly affects our ECNL teams, we felt it was important to share this information with all of our boys families across the club, as it relates to the overall direction of our boys program.

MLS NEXT did approach Sporting Nebraska about joining the league for a second time, after previously inviting us last year to become a founding member. After thoughtful discussion, we chose to remain in ECNL.

For our club, the most important factor is providing our players with the highest level and best competitive environment week in and week out, during the time of year that works best for our players, and with a travel schedule that is fair and reasonable for our families. We also want to ensure that the events we attend provide real value in terms of college exposure and quality opposition. After evaluating both options, we believe the competition within our ECNL conference is currently stronger and more balanced than the MLS NEXT alternative available to clubs in our region.

ECNL currently offers both our first and second teams a strong and balanced conference with a very high level of competition, with consistent and meaningful games within a manageable travel footprint. This structure allows our players to regularly compete against strong opponents while keeping travel reasonable. ECNL has also done an excellent job working with clubs in regions like ours to ensure fair scheduling and postseason opportunities despite the challenges created by our high school season.

At this time, the MLS NEXT structure available to clubs in our region would require significantly more travel and would not provide the same level of consistent conference competition affecting postseason standings that our teams currently experience.

Our priority is ensuring our players are in an environment where they can develop, compete at a high level, and enjoy the game over the course of the season. We respect the different paths clubs may choose. For Sporting Nebraska, we believe ECNL continues to provide the best competitive platform for our players and families, and we remain excited about the opportunities it provides.

Thank you for your continued support of our players and program!

Karl Ostrand

Sporting Nebraska FC

Boys Director of Coaching/Director of Operations