I don't know that it will be any easier this first year or not, but there are dynamics which could make it so.
I only saw 1 club from Texas, and there normally are several players from Texas in the pool. At quick count there were only about 13 or 14 clubs from Region III that have an academy program. Many of those clubs don't "normally" produce Region Pool players. So there are still a large number of players that have the potential to be in the ODP program, across the Region.
It may get to the point where it is easier to make the pool, but I don't think it will be this year, and I don't see that changing until more clubs come in, that aren't currently in the academy program.
Another way to look at it, if it doesn't have a big impact to SC, why would it have a big impact to the entire Region?
