Changes ahead for PDL Northwest Division in 2011

The Portland Timbers U23's ran the table last year to become the first-ever Premier Development League side to go undefeated (20-0-0) and win the national title. Soon after it seemed clear to me that we'd see a different Northwest Division in 2011. Now we are beginning to get signs of just how different the long-running league's presence will be in the Northwest this coming season.

Goodbye, Eastern Washington

No one has stepped up to make it official, but the Yakima Reds are dead and the Spokane Spiders are on life support pending a possible move over to the NPSL. Both sides will not be in the PDL in 2011. The North Sound Seawolves website has already posted the 2011 PDL NW table (see graphic at left). No Spokane. No Yakima.

Yakima soccer fans, former players and local reporters are so far unwilling / unable to call the Reds officially dead. People involved with the club in recent seasons aren't talking. Former players say they have heard the team is not coming back in 2011.

This is a big blow to higher level soccer in Eastern Washington. The Reds operated for 16 straight seasons in Yakima. The Spiders are now the second failed PDL club after the Spokane Shadow folded in early 2006.

Hello, Everett

Alex Silva has taken his Yakima Reds to Everett and renamed them the North Sound Seawolves. I have asked Silva about the prognosis of the Reds, but he hasn't returned my email.

The Puget Sound area thus gains another soccer franchise. This time the North is served. The Seawolves will play out of Goddard Stadium.

Goodbye Interbay, Hello Redmond

I have been told by Washington Crossfire that they are in the final stages of constructing a 2011 schedule in which all of their home matches will be played at Redmond High School. The PDL lasted only one year at Interbay in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood. Now Crossfire will try to draw crowds nearer their home base of thousands of players and families.

Redmond High School's stadium features a field turf pitch.

Goodbye University Place, Hello Stadium District?

Tacoma Tide FC have been ultra-quiet this offseason. Notice that the last update on their club website came back in late July. So, it has been up to snoopy little me to pry information out of various sources close to the club.

The official silence is likely because the Tide have several big announcements that have yet to become finalized. Perhaps one could be about 2011 sponsorship for the club.

A second announcement could be about a move out of University Place after playing at Curtis High School's Viking Stadium since 2006. A source close to the club told me that the Tide are looking for a location more central to Tacoma proper. Later a different source said the current plan is for Tacoma to play their 2011 PDL season at scenic and historic Stadium Bowl in Tacoma's Stadium District.

The huge concrete venue on a cliff overlooking Commencement Bay is active over the summer, especially on Saturday nights, with local semi-pro football. Perhaps the Tide will claim Friday nights and Sunday afternoons so as to not conflict with Sounders FC matches.

U23's, Residency now third in line

Major League Soccer will be doing a very low fly-over of the Northwest in 2011, rattling windows and uspetting housepets along the way as Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps join Seattle Sounders FC in the top circuit. This means, since MLS is bringing back its reserve league in 2011, that the PDL Timbers U23's and Whitecaps Residency will now be third string on the list of teams their clubs run.

It's anyone's guess as to how this will play out. Will this help these clubs? Take players away to the reserves?

Seattle Sounders FC Reserves Friendlies?

In Puget Sound it seems likely that the new Seattle Sounders FC Reserves will make road trips to local PDL clubs for friendlies. Hopefully it happens as this seems a great way to get the reserves more matches while at the same time allowing Tacoma, Washington, North Sound and Kitsap to host home matches against the "Sounders."

Since Vancouver and Portland will also have reserve teams perhaps the Puget Sound PDL sides will see some of them come around for friendlies, too.

Unbalanced Schedule

2010 saw a perfectly balanced PDL NW schedule with one home and one away match against each club. In 2011, with the division down to eight clubs but still needing to fill out a 16-match list, we'll see some clubs play others three times.

How will the clubs decide the foes? Will Tacoma play rivals Kitsap more than twice? Likely. Will there be a stampede from clubs to avoid playing the powerhouse Timbers U23's more than twice? Probably.

In the end the new balance will likely involve stadium availability, travel costs, and regional rivals.

Cooperation breeds success

It is very nice to see the PDL sides cooperate in bringing an international club over for summer friendlies. Cheers to Victoria, Tacoma, North Sound and Kitsap for coming together and getting Port Vale to visit the region this summer.