Hundreds in other sports leagues complained about the CASL monopoly. CASL scheduled its own games first, leaving what was left for everybody else.
The city kicked around changes and approved a new policy Tuesday. CASL, a nonprofit serving 10,000 children, still has priority over for-profit and adult leagues, but is now seventh in line for dibs on a field.
"We'll be able to assign space to a multitude of user groups as opposed to one," said Randy Ray, parks superintendent.
CASL is not crying foul. The league acknowledges it was time for a new strategy. However, the league does have some questions.
"If we put goals on a practice field and we were only allocated one practice a week and someone else got allocated four times a week who is not bringing in goals," said Charlie Slagle, of the Capitol Area Soccer League. "Let's face it, you can't move a heavy goal. That would be a concern."
It is a policy that will need practice before all the kinks are worked out. Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker said it is a first step in a bigger game-plan.
"I think we do need to get going on getting other fields," he said.
Because the spring soccer season is about to begin, the new policy will start in the fall. The city council will monitor the new rules and talk about how they are working in six months.
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