Twellman: U.S. Soccer Needs To Address ‘Pay-To-Play’ System | ESPN FC

Taylor Twellman explains how U.S. Soccer needs to address its pay-to-play system and use its $100 million surplus to improve youth development in the United States.

Get more ESPN on YouTube:

ESPN on Social Media:

Visit ESPN on YouTube to get up-to-the-minute sports news coverage, scores, highlights and commentary for NFL, MLB, NBA, College Football, NCAA Basketball, soccer and more.

[fernandobrasil]

pay-for-play
I've never seen this system in my life. Paying to play football is ridiculous! Here in Brazil, football is free, belongs to everyone. Regardless of race, skin color, whether rich or poor, etc. Children are encouraged to play sports and especially football. There are football fields, parks and even on the local beach to practice. there are also scouts who work for the clubs and capture new talents in the most varied places of the country. If the child or young person shows that he has potential, he is referred to a professional club for professional training. paying to play is absurd. The investment gains on future athletes are then collected with titles, victories and consequently money and sponsors. The return and success of this investment is guaranteed. Just see the history of Brazil in this sport. The number one sport in Brazil is women's and men's volleyball. Football is a religion. It is part of our cultural life. We are not the best example of professionalism, but we are not amateurs either. We are 5 times world champions among other titles. We must fight corruption, the evil of all evil! Football is a new opportunity to change life for the better. Football is life, it's love, it's emotion, it's passion! I really want to see the success of United States football in the world. Come and be part of the football culture that is very rich! It's my simple opinion and perception!

[ecbennyj]

I love my country but sometimes I wish I was born in a true football/soccer nation like Spain, Argentina, or Italy. It’s so hard to follow USMNT after realizing that they may never eliminate pay to play. This only means we’ll never witness a true talented pool of gifted players with passion. Man, these guys at the top controlling everything have no fucking clue what they’re doing!!!! #endpaytoplay

[awos]

these comments are proving quite interesting now with the US failing to get to the world cup. the pay to play system has got to be scrutinized if the US is really to fully tap into its talent pool and take the sport to the next level. there's something really strange, if not wrong, when one has to spend thousands of dollars to play a sport that all over the world is popular precisely because it is affordable. i can't imagine what it would take to play cricket at this rate!!! it's really heartbreaking and unbelievable for soccer to be so unaccessible to kids in the US. it shouldn't.

[edwincitomeza]

Pay to play is literally in my opinion what hurts the US development system the great players don’t have a fair shot at it and if this never changes then the US won’t ever even get close to win a World Cup and the MLS won’t ever be relevant if u r talented u should be playing at the highest level cause guess what later on I will make the team so much money and it would be paid of SO THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE FOR THE BEST

[alivenumber]

7 years later. They didn’t fix pay-to-play. See you in another 7.

[ChangingCrisis]

I don’t get you yanks. Football (which is it’s proper name) is the easiest sport to play. All you need is a ball. It’s the most accessible sport. Many of the top footballers in the world came from a very poor background. Why are yanks so obsessed with making money off everything?

[CyberXShinobi]

Here after USMNT failed to make it out of the Copa America 2024 group stage. We point the finger at Greg, but we really need to be pointing the finger at USSF for not getting away from pay-to-pay and implementing training compensation and solidarity payments like Twellman is mentioning.

[CriticalPedagogy]

It is in places like LA. It's inner city in many areas.

[gnawershreth]

It is a bizarre system you've got over there in the States, how on earth did people get convinced that it was a good idea? And what exactly is it that costs so much anyway?

I used to coach teenagers (just amateur level stuff) here in Denmark (expensive and well off country in general) and the total cost per player was around ~$60-70 US for a season. That meant training twice a week and a match during the weekend.

The players had their own football boots and training clothes, the match kits were sponsored by a local company that got to have their logo/name on the jerseys, the parents took turns driving to away games and washing the match kits.

I didn't get a salary as coach at all, they gave us like a symbolic payment once per year (like $200 US or something) and we could get our transport costs covered (I never took advantage of that though). I did it because I enjoyed it, it was basically just volunteering for me.
The club also offered to pay for any coaching badges (official qualification type stuff) we might want. I mean, I'm not sure if they would have paid for a UEFA Pro License. lol as that would be sort of overkill for a small amateur club but at least the lower badges were covered if I wanted them.


Unless we're talking about obvious talents, academy teams etc. it's not like you need MLS coaching qualifications or whatever to teach kids to kick a ball, pass a ball, teach them about the offside rules etc. after all. Anyone who played football themselves and was even just decent at it can teach children that stuff.
I mean, look at some of the less well off countries, the kids just learn to play from the other kids they play with on the street, the beach, the park or whatever. You don't need some highly qualified coach to teach the basics, to run a team of not-really-that-talented youngsters etc. at all.
Any kid or teenager with any kind of obvious talent will obviously move to a better/bigger club and that club may then have paid staff etc. but simply running an amateur team who basically just play to have fun with their friends could be run by a couple of motivated parents if required.


I just don't understand what you're even paying for with that pay to play model? Is the coach simply making a killing coaching random 10 year olds etc? Or does the money go somewhere else?

[allengreene]

Here after USA got Shutout 4-0 against Morocco😂😂😂😂😂

[ZAID.SALEEM]

It's not a problem if the parents want to help their child grow up healthy and enjoy the game, but we need to use that money for kids with real talent as well if we really care and want to develop the game, also help the coaches by signing with more people from other countries to learn young coaches in the United States

[cooltu]

It cost 12000yr and 3000 month inner city kids are more talented but don't have money my mom could n aff9rd oit

[ers]

it's not going to chnage it's all aboutt he money and greed here...

[TurtleFootMining]

We need more REGULATION!!!! Parents have zero voice on this but watch I can guarantee you that will change.

[MrBongobongbongo]

He is right and there is no sign of changing it in sight, now that be have the "training bra" generation of players. I'd argue its getting even worse.

[tomzeto]

Lol Liverpool FC clubs in the USA cost even more than private clubs way to set an example Liverpool

[thomasstenson]

Let's be honest Americans wont admit this if they get rid of pay to play and follow how the rest if the world do it

SOCCER will become the number 1 sport in that country and there is nothing they can do SOCCER rescues how many poor families every year it's the greatest game in the world because it's so simple to pick up it's a sexy sport on top of it its played in every country professionally there is more money it so as I said it will dwarf NBA NFL once they start following the world model

[cedo]

soccer is a great game but i would never play it tho

[JohnSmith-xqcv]

It we cared as much as basketball and the blacks played we would never lose

[nanagyambibi]

So basically find a way for more black and latinos to be interested in playing? Got it.