[FM18] Uncle Sam Real Life USA Pyramid - v2.5 RELEASED!

[Uncle_Sam]

USA and Canada Expansion Files

This file seeks to expand the USA and Canada league pyramid in FM18 as close to real life as is reasonably possible given the limitations of the FM Editor and MLS hard-coding and the volatility of both league structures. Since the last update I have made several changes. I have added Nashville SC and FC Cincinnati to MLS, joining Inter Miami FC to get MLS to 26 teams as will be the case in real life. I have also cleaned up a lot of the file, removing most of the UPSL clubs. Amatuer soccer in the USA is simply too volatile at the moment to try and keep up with so instead what I have done is to create some amatuer clubs that have recently qualified for the US Open Cup. I also tidied up the graphics file as well.

The Canadian pyramid has also been given attention as well. Because I did a poor job with the formatting it stopped generating after 2018. I have fixed that error, and starting in 2019 it will now include the CPL Champion. I have also updated the CPL with all of the announced club names, logos, etc.

I intend on updating the file as new information emerges. I have decided not to include proposed leagues such as the USL 3 or the NISA, and will not be revining the NASL at this time. However, I have laid the groundwork to include these competitions in the future as soon as there is actionable confirmation.

I have also decided to remove my attempts at the CONCACAF Champions League, the CONCACAF League, and the CFU Club Championship. I will instead refer you to Claassen's great work. He has accurately created those competitions and they will work with my files as well. When you download his continental competitions, I would highly recommend you also download his central American national club competitions as well, as I believe you at least need those in your editor files folder for the continental competitions to function properly (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama). His files can be downloaded here: 

 

The USA pyramid accounts for MLS expansion while also adding USL, College Soccer, the Academy system, and semi pro soccer. Also added are the various preseason tournaments that the MLS clubs participate in.

 

Major League Soccer

The biggest change to MLS is that I have now added the three incoming expansion franchises. FC Cincinnati, Nashville, and Beckham's Miami franchise are in. The file assumes that FC Cincinnati and Nashville SC will maintain their branding from their USL franchises, however I have created Adidas kits for all of the new clubs. Since the Miami franchise has not unveiled their branding, I have incorporated a concept designed by Diego Guevara which can be found here: http://deroy.dropmark.com/100819/3912961

There were a couple of drawbacks to adding the expansion clubs. The only way to make it work was to have them and LAFC join the league immediately. That means the game will start in the 2017 season with all 26 teams and there will be no expansion draft for the 2018 season. Any attempt to add the new franchises and preserve the expansion process resulted in the 2018 season and beyond not being scheduled. Also, because of hard-coding Inter Miami FC and FC Cincinnati will not be able to sign players from their Academies. I was only able to circumvent this limitation for Nashville SC by replacing the now-defunct Chivas USA. The hard-coding still has Chivas USA affiliated with their Academy so Nashville SC will be able to 

All of the MLS contract and squad rules remain. The All-Star Game is also still played. All player drafts still occur.

 

United Soccer League

All of the current and confirmed expansion teams for a total of 40 are included. This file assumes that the league will maintain its current format after expansion, playing a 34 match schedule with the top 8 from both conferences qualifying for the championship playoffs, just as in real life.

 

NCAA Division I College Soccer

All 206 Division 1 colleges and universities are included. Each conference will send their champion to the NCAA tournament with 24 at-large bids. Players selected for the MLS SuperDraft will be taken from the NCAA.

 

US Soccer Development Academy

This competition has been recreated to give some live matches for the US regens. It functions as close to real life as possible, except for the calendar. In reality in the USA the professional leads play a spring-summer-fall calendar, whereas the USSDA plays on a fall-winter-spring schedule. In FM the editor will only allow the leagues to play on one calendar format. Another limitation of the editor means that the only way to generate the Championship tournament without all the players going on vacation means that you can only see the Championship tournament in one of the Regional Divisions.

 

Premier Development League

The PDL is setup just as in real life. 11 Conferences with a playoff to determine the overall champion.

 

National Premier Soccer League

NPSL is also setup like real life. The issue with both the PDL and NPSL is that some clubs will not populate the squad with players. It does not appear to be an issue with money, as they all had a bank balance.

 

The Canadian pyramid has implemented with the Canadian Premier League, a First Division (League1 Ontario, PLSQ) and the Canadian Soccer League and Pacific Coast Soccer League arranged into a Second Division. Also included is the CSL Second Division. 

 

Canadian Premier League

The league has 10 professional teams, including the club names and brandings that have been announced so far. Also includes the planned clubs with logos and kits (but not all) coming from this concept thread: http://boards.sportslogos.net/topic/111499-canadian-premier-league/. The league format is a single table with each team playing each other four times (36 games).

 

League1 Ontario

17 teams, each playing each other one time for 16 matches. This is the format used in real life. The league will also have a knockout cup. I wanted to make sure that Toronto FC still got newgens into their Academy team (TFC III), so I left them in the USSDA and kept the North Toronto Nitros in L1O , whereas in real life they left the league this season.

 

Premiere Ligue de soccer du Quebec

Included are the real life current and announced future teams for a total of 10. The format is a single table with two matches against each team for a total of 18. There is also a league cup for all 10 teams that follows the most recent format from real life.

 

Canadian Soccer League

The file includes all 9 of the real life teams. The real life format is included with teams playing each with twice for an 18-match schedule and the top four qualifying for the championship playoffs.

 

Pacific Coast Soccer League

The PCSL will play each team twice with the top qualifying for the championship playoffs.

 

Canadian Soccer League Second Division

Real life teams and format is included, two-rounds and a championship playoff.

 

Amway Canadian Championship

The teams and format for the 2017 and 2018 editions are intact. The 2019 edition includes the Canadian Premier League champions.

 

I have included a couple of continental club competitions

 

Campeones Cup

This is the competition pits the MLS Cup (USA/CAN) champion against the Campeon de Campeones (MEX) winner.

 

International Champions Cup

This is a summer friendly competition with champions from all over the world. The file includes the Australian and Asian competitions, but the MLS champion only qualifies for the North American edition.

 

North American SuperLiga

This file will revive the North American SuperLiga. It takes the top three US finishers in MLS, the Canadian Champion, and the top four clubs from Liga MX for what functions as the North American Football Union (Canada, Mexico, and the United States). 

 

Pan-Pacific Championship

This file revives the pre-season knockout competition between the champions of MLS, the J-League, the K-League, and the A-League.

 

Copa Sudamericana

CONMEBOL used to invite teams from CONCACAF into the Copa Sudamericana. This was one of my favorite parts of playing FM about 10 years ago. Now that the CONCACAF Champions League has moved all of its games to the spring, there has been some discussion of CONCACAF once again sending teams to the Copa Sudamericana. This file makes that happen, with the Champions League winners and runners-up testing themselves against some of the top clubs in South America. Winning the Copa Sudamericana would actually send the CONCACAF team to the Recopa Sudamericana to face the champions of the previous Copa Libertadores and even earn the right to PLAY in the Copa Libertadores.

 

Also available are two international competitions.

 

CONCACAF Nations League

This competition is formatted exactly as in real life, with the exception of the qualifying phase. I tried to get it set up but I could not make it work correctly. Instead, the competition goes directly to the group stage with A, B, and C levels drawn according to their international rankings. Promotion and Relegation between the levels is included, as well as the playoff stage to decide the champion.

 

USA January Camp

This is the annual USA national team camp held in January. They will play two matches against nations chosen from a list of countries who have played the USA in past January camps.

 

Copa Nuevo Mundo

This is a bit of a fantasy competition, modelled after the Copa America Centenario which was held in the USA in 2016. There was some discussion of making it a regular competition, and so I created it then and have implemented it into FM18. It takes 8 teams each from CONCACAF and CONMEBOL for a group stage-knockout format.

 

 

DOWNLOADS

USA & Canada Pyramid File: http://www.mediafire.com/file/kvwg3tj7e5iord3/USA_Canada_Expansion_with_CPL_2.5.fmf/file

Campeones Cup: http://www.mediafire.com/file/8y8c05jm6q908q0/Campeones_Cup.fmf/file

International Champions Cup: http://www.mediafire.com/file/2u2efck9tjqk0c0/InternationalChampionsCup17-18.fmf/file

North American SuperLiga: http://www.mediafire.com/file/s3f4j0p4a878lcn/North_American_SuperLiga.fmf/file

Pan-Pacific Championship: http://www.mediafire.com/file/xrdirg15133eyaa/Pan-Pacific_Championship.fmf/file

CONCACAF in Sudamericana: http://www.mediafire.com/file/aty1171bmzxa6xj/CONCACAF_in_Sudamericana_1.3.fmf/file

CONCACAF Nations League & USA January Camp: http://www.mediafire.com/file/rl2cw2c19ad1161/CONCACAF_Nations_League_%26_US_January_Camp.fmf/file

Copa Nuevo Mundo: http://www.mediafire.com/file/it8jcuvqjgjen04/Copa_Nuevo_Mundo.fmf/file

Graphics: Logos and Kits for clubs and competitions: http://www.mediafire.com/file/mh6kmhpugm784ls/USA_Expansion_Graphics.rar/file

-------------------

FUTURE PLANS: I intend on updating the file as new information emerges. I have decided not to include proposed leagues such as the USL 3 or the NISA, and will not be revining the NASL at this time. However, I have laid the groundwork to include these competitions in the future as soon as there is actionable confirmation.

 

DISCLAIMER: I cannot guarantee this file will work with any other custom databases. I imagine that there will be complications with any database that includes other newly created clubs and competitions.

File is open source, you are welcome to modify and redistribute as you wish.

 

SCREENSHOTS:

Edited July 9, 2018 by Uncle_Sam

[sdb4884]

Good stuff man!

[Cheronobyl]

Just sent you my contribution!

[Uncle_Sam]

I'm making progress on the data, but I'm about to be faced with a tough call. The NASL is probably inches away from folding. The champion San Francisco Deltas... folded yesterday. North Carolina FC moved to the USL today. That leaves six teams with two expansion teams to start next season. There is even some evidence that FC Edmonton will also withdraw from the league. Meanwhile The USL now stands at 38 teams (including all future expansion teams). When the NASL folds (which it almost certainly will), will the clubs all fold or move to the USL? This makes this whole project a huge headache.

EDIT: And in another example of how volatile the situation is, San Francisco may not have folded. It does appear likely, as they had the worst attendance despite winning the league.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Uncle_Sam

[Boyle.se]

Build 2 Tier USL

[Boyle.se]

@Uncle Sam

[Cheronobyl]

Ya I would just leave NASL as an independent league with no connection to the MLS maybe or the american leagues. I mean in real life they aren't connected to the MLS. Also if you look at the USSF new ruling they are no longer considered a division two side only the USL is. Although it be sad seeing someone like the Cosmos no longer a team if they do fall apart in real life. @Uncle Sam

Edited November 17, 2017 by Cheronobyl

[Cheronobyl]

They should be able okay with the additions of San Diego 1904 FC and California United in the game at least

[Uncle_Sam]

The NASL has become quite the joke. Detroit City, an NPSL team, outdrew all of the teams except Indy Eleven. Chattanooga FC is another NPSL team and is also from a very small market (relatively), outdrew half the NASL teams.

[Cheronobyl]

You could try to keep the teams that still pull a decent fan base or a relatively sufficient market and put them into USL, USL3, or lower etc. Then just fold that ones that don't get anyone.

[Lolo685]

8 hours ago, Uncle_Sam said:

I'm making progress on the data, but I'm about to be faced with a tough call. The NASL is probably inches away from folding. The champion San Francisco Deltas... folded yesterday. North Carolina FC moved to the USL today. That leaves six teams with two expansion teams to start next season. There is even some evidence that FC Edmonton will also withdraw from the league. Meanwhile The USL now stands at 38 teams (including all future expansion teams). When the NASL folds (which it almost certainly will), will the clubs all fold or move to the USL? This makes this whole project a huge headache.

EDIT: And in another example of how volatile the situation is, San Francisco may not have folded. It does appear likely, as they had the worst attendance despite winning the league.

Rochester in USL is also on the brink..

[willz71172]

if i use your usa 2017 file just want the competitions will they work in fm18

[Uncle_Sam]

11 hours ago, Lolo685 said:

Rochester in USL is also on the brink..

Yea, I read they're on a desperate search for an investor. That would be sad, they're the last non-MLS team to win the Open Cup. I'm not one of those militant pro/rel fanatics, but they would be a sad casualty of the rigid system. I bet they wouldn't have much trouble finding an investor if they had the prospect of promotion.

[Uncle_Sam]

8 minutes ago, willz71172 said:

if i use your usa 2017 file just want the competitions will they work in fm18

No, it will not work.

[niceman14]

Once again, beautiful work to come.

I'm preparing an update according to my preferences for the USA. Less detailed technically than yours.

In D2, I'm going to put USL (with expansions clubs). Maybe, with three conferences.

In D3, I'm going to organize a championship with NASL ans NISA team's. I'm also going to add clubs of NPSL, ASL, UPSL... (Boca Raton, Détroit, Virginia, Hartford, Arizona, New Orelans).

[Uncle_Sam]

10 hours ago, niceman14 said:

Once again, beautiful work to come.

I'm preparing an update according to my preferences for the USA. Less detailed technically than yours.

In D2, I'm going to put USL (with expansions clubs). Maybe, with three conferences.

In D3, I'm going to organize a championship with NASL ans NISA team's. I'm also going to add clubs of NPSL, ASL, UPSL... (Boca Raton, Détroit, Virginia, Hartford, Arizona, New Orelans).

What I'm leaning towards right now is just putting all NASL, USL, and proposed NISA and USL3 teams together and create two divisions: USL and USL3 with pro/rel. All MLS B/2 sides will probably start in USL3.

[shizzo]

nice work! does it include college teams?

[PaMi 7]

On 19/11/2017 at 11:37, niceman14 said:

Once again, beautiful work to come.

I'm preparing an update according to my preferences for the USA. Less detailed technically than yours.

In D2, I'm going to put USL (with expansions clubs). Maybe, with three conferences.

In D3, I'm going to organize a championship with NASL ans NISA team's. I'm also going to add clubs of NPSL, ASL, UPSL... (Boca Raton, Détroit, Virginia, Hartford, Arizona, New Orelans).

 

19 hours ago, Uncle_Sam said:

What I'm leaning towards right now is just putting all NASL, USL, and proposed NISA and USL3 teams together and create two divisions: USL and USL3 with pro/rel. All MLS B/2 sides will probably start in USL3.

According to me, you should put pro/rel also between NASL and NISA becaus one of NISA's missions is introduce pro/rel.

However, how much team will be in MLS?

[Ant Blanchard]

Hope you manage to find a solution to this problem. I agree that the New York Cosmos will be a big loss if they fold

[Cheronobyl]

Do you still plan to release a realistic database first or is it only going to be pro/rel? Thanks cant wait  @Uncle Sam

[niceman14]

Edmonton and San Francisco leave the NASL... It begins to become too complicate to create an update. Personally, I will see an inversion USL (for D2) and ... NISA (D3 with the disappearance of the NASL). Indy Eleven and San Diego would go to USL ... Cosmos would continue in NISA (I think that they bluff when they tell to stop if they go to D3)... 

[Uncle_Sam]

Quick Update: I am still working on this update. I honestly don't have a ton of free time but every opportunity I get I'm working on data. Right now I'm adding the UPSL clubs and thinking about what options I have to recreate that division as close to real life as I can.

And yes, FC Edmonton and the San Francisco Deltas have now folded, so the NASL as of now only has 7 teams. Until we know what the league will look like in 2018, that means I'll probably just add the remaining NASL teams to the USL.

[Lolo685]

6 hours ago, Uncle_Sam said:

Quick Update: I am still working on this update. I honestly don't have a ton of free time but every opportunity I get I'm working on data. Right now I'm adding the UPSL clubs and thinking about what options I have to recreate that division as close to real life as I can.

And yes, FC Edmonton and the San Francisco Deltas have now folded, so the NASL as of now only has 7 teams. Until we know what the league will look like in 2018, that means I'll probably just add the remaining NASL teams to the USL.

Sad! FCE were NASL loyalists.. not a good sign to see them gone. Also pretty much confirms they'll be looking to play CanPL

Edited December 1, 2017 by Lolo685

[Uncle_Sam]

6 minutes ago, Lolo685 said:

Sad! FCE were NASL loyalists.. not a good sign to see them gone. Also pretty much confirms they'll be looking to play CanPL

They may reconstitute and join the CPL, but from what I've read they have ceased operations entirely.

[LCpl]

I gather Liverpool Warriors have ceased to be an NPSL team.

Just a youth development program now.

[RCampbell13]

Any estimation on when the database will be finished? I can't wait to use this database and start a journeymen with Anthony Pulis and my local side Saint Louis FC!

[Lolo685]

On 12/2/2017 at 05:13, Uncle_Sam said:

They may reconstitute and join the CPL, but from what I've read they have ceased operations entirely.

Indeed they have.. They've only left the Academy open

[Kruj]

Thanks in advance for your effort! Really looking forward to this file

Will you do NCAA and USSDA too, as you did last year?

[Sirca]

hi where can I download?

[JAYMEETEE]

Really looking forward to this so I can start my USA save. I will try and help with the ticket prices soon.

[PaMi 7]

18 ore fa, Sirca ha scritto:

hi where can I download?

You can download when this file will be done. This file is in progress, as you can read in first (and in other one) meassage

[Sirca]

7 часов назад, PaMi 7 сказал:

You can download when this file will be done. This file is in progress, as you can read in first (and in other one) meassage

when it is about ready ?

[PaMi 7]

16 ore fa, Sirca ha scritto:

when it is about ready ?

Excuse me but why you don't read the first message of this topic?

If you had red it, you should know that I'm not the author of this file so I can't answer you. The autohr of this file is user Uncle_Sam so you must ask to him.

Cheers

[Sirca]

4 часа назад, PaMi 7 сказал:

Excuse me but why you don't read the first message of this topic?

If you had red it, you should know that I'm not the author of this file so I can't answer you. The autohr of this file is user Uncle_Sam so you must ask to him.

Cheers

and I want to ask you! I like you

[PaMi 7]

2 ore fa, Sirca ha scritto:

and I want to ask you! I like you

But I don't know because Uncle_Sam is the author of this file, he is creating......

[wkdsoul]

Can the 33% transfer take be removed from the MLS/USA? Anyone know?

[soccermot]

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 05:15, wkdsoul said:

Can the 33% transfer take be removed from the MLS/USA? Anyone know?

Try looking, in the Editing Tool,  at the Transfers section and see if it's there.

[wkdsoul]

44 minutes ago, soccermot said:

Try looking, in the Editing Tool,  at the Transfers section and see if it's there.

I thought it might be, had a look cant see anything obv. might be one of the income tax rules. i'll trial and error it.  cheers soccermot

[Uncle_Sam]

OK, so apologies for my absence. Not making excuses, but I've been away for a couple of reasons. FIrst, all of my work on preparing for the FM18 release was undone because the release editor wouldn't load the changes that I made on the beta editor. So that was really frustrating because I had done a lot of work. Then, as I started to redo everything I had a family tragedy to deal with that I won't bother you with but can assure you that it's past. I did sit down to begin again, but then my basketball coach quit on me so I had to try and coach a basketball team which is a sport that while I played I actually know very little about. That ate up A LOT of my time, and to make it worse I completely sucked it no matter how much time I tried to figure it out. And finally, the volatility of the US Soccer system is maddening at the moment. The NASL is down to 6 teams, and it appears very possible that Puerto Rico FC won't be able to field a team this season which will bring it to five. I can't see the league soldiering on if that's the case. There is still pending litigation and I would bet that the teams that are hanging on are waiting to see how that unfolds. SO... I'm really struggling with how to proceed on the structure. 

With that said, I am working on data at the moment. Over the last couple of months, as always happens at this time, new clubs have formed and some clubs have folded. I have decided that I'm probably giving up on the UPSL. I wish the USSF would do something about the lower leagues because right now you have like 6 or 7 leagues down there that are independent of each other. How about you knuckleheads bring them together to create some kind of uniformity so that rather than competing with each other you're creating a structure where the clubs can compete? I'm all about the free market, but I think we've seen with the USL vs. NASL nonsense that it's not good for local soccer to have competing leagues at the same level. It should be the USSF's job to sort out that but I guess our qualifying failure is just kind of evidence that they don't really have their act together.

[Kruj]

Great to see you back, @Uncle_Sam! And great news that the work on the data is continuing. I'm sure you will find the best solution for the NASL/USL thing.

[Uncle_Sam]

I've finished the PDL data, moving on to the NPSL. I've finished a couple of clubs but they've added several.

[Kruj]

Can't wait for the file - I'm the first one who'll download it as soon as it is released!

[t27]

I have been waiting for this and your pro rel database to really get stuck into a save great work as always. On fm 17 I made Miami fc a North American powerhouse on your pro rel database looking foward to doing the same again.

[thenamesmiles]

Can't wait for the full release. I'll be definitely downloading it when it comes.

[CrowBar]

Hey there,

This is looking great. What will you do with the MLS itself? Will you include the future teams of Miami & Nashville? Nashville was confirmed not too long ago aswell (for 2019 or 2020).

[Uncle_Sam]

Ha, here is some more maddening stuff. The NASL will not start until August this year. So some of the NASL clubs are going to be competing in the NPSL in the meantime. Miami FC is fielding an NPSL team for this season only, but it's going to technically be called Miami FC 2. WTF am I supposed to do with that? I had hoped the new USSF President would step in and sort this out but they just hired another guy from the current establishment so I doubt very much will change. In the meantime, I'm about halfway through adding NPSL clubs, when I'm finished with that I'll get to setting up the league rules.

[Uncle_Sam]

2 hours ago, CrowBar said:

Hey there,

This is looking great. What will you do with the MLS itself? Will you include the future teams of Miami & Nashville? Nashville was confirmed not too long ago aswell (for 2019 or 2020).

Miami & Nashville will definitely be added. I'm kind of hoping that the 26th team is announced soon because I hate odd-numbered leagues. What I hope to do is expand the league just as it is in real life, so:

2018 - LAFC

2019 - Nashville FC, Miami, ????

Unfortunately, I couldn't make that work on FM17 because of hard-coding and had to expand it all at once.

[CrowBar]

20 minutes ago, Uncle_Sam said:

Miami & Nashville will definitely be added. I'm kind of hoping that the 26th team is announced soon because I hate odd-numbered leagues. What I hope to do is expand the league just as it is in real life, so:

2018 - LAFC

2019 - Nashville FC, Miami, ????

Unfortunately, I couldn't make that work on FM17 because of hard-coding and had to expand it all at once.

Oh I  most definitely agree. I am editing the MLS as we speak, because I can not stand the odd number at all (23 isn't fair either, in my opinion). Trying to add in Nashville myself, as I haven't seen anyone doing this small thing.

From what I have gathered, it is unlikely that a 26th team will be announced anytime soon.

Perhaps you could gamble on it instead, Sacramento would make the most sense in my opinion. Because LAFC is on the Western Conference, then Nashville should be on the Eastern. Miami should be on Eastern, and Sacramento would be perfect for the Western. Cincinnati would be problematic until we get 28 teams and/or a division system.

Or perhaps I am just wrong. Since the MLS have set 28 teams as their goal in the next years to come, I assume that eventually they will change the system to have divisions similar to what the NHL, NFL etc. have.

 

Edited February 13, 2018 by CrowBar

[Uncle_Sam]

Data has been put in, so now I'm working on the rules. I'm going to start with MLS at 24 teams in 2018 and get that and the lower divisions stable, and then worry about Nashville SC and further expansion. I'm really not aiming for a release until the last patch because the final data update always blows it up anyway, so to avoid having to do two back-to-back releases.

[willz71172]

looking forward too this great work sam