Rising FC’s VP leads the charge for a USL All-Star Game

Last night, Major League Baseball played a thrilling, back and forth All-Star Game. In a couple weeks, Major League Soccer will kick off their All-Star match against Italian powerhouse Juventus. Around this time next summer, could we be preparing for an All-Star Game for our beloved USL?

Sam Doerr, the Vice President of Phoenix Rising FC, tweeted a passionate plea for the league to have an All-Star Game next season. As you can see below, his suggestion has received over 200 retweets, 30+ replies, and nearly 500 likes. While everyone was excited about the idea, some were sadly skeptical of the logistics of the match, financially and timing wise. “While it certainly has its hurdles (more so scheduling wise), it is 100% feasible,” Doerr told me. “We need to think big picture and we need to challenge the norms. All-Star games exist at all levels in all sports in this country, the USL should be no different. This about the players and fans. A great showcase for the talent in this league and great excitement and intrigue for the great fans that make this league what it is. Not to mention the exposure for the USL and the host club/city.”

Different sports have different voting or selection processes for their showcase game. Doerr says, “I obviously won’t get to make that decision, but I would propose a system where the media/mangers/players select the team and the fans get to vote in the final two players. This checks all the boxes and will ensure fan involvement while still rewarding players who deserve to be in the game according to their peers and competitors.”

While his initial tweet mentions East vs. West, there is the constant rumblings of the league breaking up into three conferences next season, Eastern, Western, and Central. Doerr doesn’t think that should deter from the creation of the game at all. He suggests two teams with a roster of 20 (40 total players). One player from each club, plus the fan vote. “In terms of how you would allocate players to each team, you can do that numerous ways. Have a captain and do a draft, draw a line on a map, etc.,” he adds.

While the fans would obviously love the idea, how would the players feel about an extra friendly in the middle of a long soccer season? “Trust me, the players want this,” Doerr says. “It’s a chance for them to be a on a big stage, show their talents, and be rewarded for their efforts and hard work. They would also need to benefit from it in terms of a bonus of some sort. No player would turn down a chance to be in a USL All-Star Game.” Some of those players would be playing for USL affiliates of MLS clubs or even first team MLS players that play on loan in the second division. The Rising FC VP doesn’t think there would be major push back from Major League Soccer sides. “Perhaps, but every club will be different. But ultimately, it should be about the player and rewarding that player for their performance in the USL and showcasing their skills in a great USL environment in front of their peers and fans.” He also doesn’t think there needs to be an appearance requirement due to the fluid player movement between MLS and USL. He says, “I think the media, players and managers will vote as they see fit.”

In addition to the match, Doerr suggests the festivities should include a skills competion, potentially a crossbar challenge, speed/dribbling challenge around cones, target shooting, a foot tennis tournament, etc. While this is currently only an idea, Twitter and the internet have a way of pushing ideas to fruition. With the support of a VP of a top club in the league and a passionate USL fan base, maybe USL All-Star Game 2019 isn’t too far fetched.

Carson A Merk

Reporting live from Sin City, I have covered both RGVFC and Las Vegas Lights FC since their inceptions. I also write profiles to highlight players from the NCAA to USL to NWSL and everywhere in between.