A great question. Many Phoenix supporters seem to think the ASBP should just be a development league for them while we ASBP fans think the national league should be recognized in its own right. That's why we're trying so hard to talk up the ASBP. It has to be seen as an end in itself, not just an appendage for someone else or it's devalued, as you rightly point out reg22.
I actually agree.
But at the same time I put it to you that the A league is even spoken about in the same way - "how many players from the A league have gone on to successfully make it in Europe?" Was a question posed in another thread on this very forum.
Just about every domestic league is a development league to some extent. So I think you're being a bit unfair with your comments here.
by that logic, every league in the world is a development league for la liga / premier league / bundesliga
i shouldn't have to spell this out, i used the term 'development league' to mean league full of kids being handed a place to aid their future development
as opposed to a 'competition' where teams compete for a coveted prize, the very best players play and the standard is superior.
my personal preference is for a real competition, with the appropriate squad restrictions in terms of nationality and age applied that gives us something good to watch, a prize that is worth a toss and ironically probably better young players produced due to the superior quality of the league