Do not think we are looking at an ECNL or ODP thing. They cannot really be compared, structure is too different.
IMHO the question is about if ECNL will weaken ODP (it will) or if some top level players will choose R3 and ODP over ECNL (they will due to cost and other reasons some of which I say below).
I think a fair look at ECNL requires the possibility that on the path they are headed girls will be doing only ECNL in the near future. No ODP, no HS if it conflicts with ECNL and with year round games and training how can it not. I know as of right now they are saying they do not want to interfere with HS but at some point something will have to give! My guess the guys getting $5000 of your money and "getting" your player college exposure for the scholarship or offers to play in college will have your ear. Look at it this way we know now that kids skip HS tournaments for high level club events imagine when they are told you need to just not play HS soccer to focus on our club season.
If your daughter was on a team trying to get exposure to college coaches and you had a really good player or two hurt before a big game against another top ECNL team (you know one where you know many college coaches will be at) how are you/team/coach going to feel. Soccer is very much a chemistry sport, a team with less skill/talent can beat a slightly better team if they have better team chemistry, you just lost your chemistry and now your player will not shine her best because the "right" teammate is not out there with her that day.
Another way of looking at it would be the coaches, how many of the ECNL coaches are also HS coaches? I believe in the Charlotte ECNL program all the coaches only coach at the club level or higher (college), anyone know if CESA is same? These coaches and clubs first interest is themselves (which means their members and staff not bashing anyone here) and so HS soccer is not a concern for them they are trying to improve players, which we can find on this board over and over again HS soccer does not do, actually hurts them in the opinion of some. So if you accept those premises then you can see that HS soccer will soon be coming off the radar of the elite players because the system is moving that way.
I think there is a good chance we will eventually have a two tier system of ECNL or R3/Premier/ODP/HS players for a time frame then if ECNL becomes the obvious place to get college offers we will see it grow down to younger ages because that is where you need to start developing skills to become a ECNL player.
