Canada Ripe for major league expansion and MLS.

Discussion in 'MLS: Expansion' started by TFCMANU, Aug 24, 2012.

  1. TFCMANU

    TFCMANU Member

    Apr 19, 2007
    Parkdale/Newmarket
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    I find this interesting, Your thoughts please:

    The report’s authors are also bullish on pro soccer, suggesting Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa will all be able to support Major League Soccer teams by 2035, in addition to the existing teams in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.


    http://metronews.ca/sports/345987/ca...rts-expansion/
     
  2. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And how many of those markets are larger than the smallest current MLS market (Salt Lake City or Columbus)?

    My understanding is that there is a wide gulf of size between the three main metro areas of Canada (Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver) and everyone else. This isn't hockey. And all the current U.S. markets are growing too, in large part. By the time the other Canadian markets are "ready", if ever, they would be dominated in the same way expansion franchises in the other main sports historically tend to be.

    By the time those markets are "ready", it would probably be time for Canada to have its own top-tier pro league.
     
  3. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sandon Mibut and SeaFan77 repped this.
  4. Sport Billy

    Sport Billy Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 25, 2006
    If those three cities can support teams, they can take Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto and create their own league.
     
  5. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
  6. The 92nd Fish

    The 92nd Fish Member

    Jan 16, 2007
    London, England
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Those cities aren't going to get teams and neither are they going to form their own league. The furthest Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto would ever do is possibly place reserve teams in a Canadian league, MLS is far too lucrative for them to abandon for a Canadian league.
     
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  7. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    All of these points are true.

    Earlier this year I had an off the record conversation with someone in MLS about the possibility of a future "MLS Canada" if more markets become viable and second teams get placed in Toronto and Montreal. I was basically told "no chance".

    The three teams in MLS aren't going anywhere any time in the foreseeable future. And the other markets in Canada aren't nearly big enough - compared to the list of available markets in the U.S. without MLS teams to be in the conversation.
     
  8. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    True, They would only need 8-10 teams to form their own Pro-League

    so if they put 2 teams in Toronto.

    1 Toronto, ON 5,132,794 - 2 teams
    2 Montreal, QC 3,407,963
    3 Vancouver, BC 2,135,201
    4 Calgary, AB 1,095,404
    5 Edmonton, AB 960,015
    6 Ottawa, ON 933,596
    7 Quebec City, QC 696,946

    This would make a 8 team league NASL style (4X games) = 28 game regular season plus playoffs


    8 Winnipeg, MB 671,551
    9 Hamilton, ON 670,580

    This would make a 10 team league play 3X each other = 27 + Playoffs.

    Both are right, they won't leave MLS.

    But remember CSA gives the teams a waiver, they technically could remove that waiver and the teams would not be allowed to play in MLS (NOT GOING TO HAPPEN).

    Also if Canada had enough teams to form their own league, what excuse could they give FIFA to not form a league? (FIFA Would not care if they had one I bet, maybe only if they bid for a World cup).



    Having said all that, I think Canada best hope is for a few NASL teams in Calgary and maybe Ottawa city.
     
  9. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Bingo. You're far more likely to see a Canadian division in NASL or USL Pro.

    The only way I see a fourth Canadian team in MLS is if/when MLS has over 30 teams and that second Canadian team would be in the Toronto/Hamilton metroplex.

    And I don't see MLS at more than 20 teams for a while and more than 24 for a longer while.
     
  10. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As far as I know there is a ban from the CSA for teams below D2 in the USA.

    But that is more easily changed IMO than a total ban.
     
  11. The 92nd Fish

    The 92nd Fish Member

    Jan 16, 2007
    London, England
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Historical reasons, that's how the Welsh teams get away with playing in the English league even though a Welsh league has been operation since the 90s. They'll just say they joined MLS when there was no decent Canadian league and FIFA will waive them to continue, just like Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, Newport and Merthyr. Either that or they'd just bribe them them...this is Blatter's FIFA after all.

    I totally agree about NASL/USL though. Winnipeg, Ottawa (already have a place in NASL), Calgary and Quebec City could all support teams there if they wanted, in addition to the already existing Edmonton. Of course Winnipeg's potential has been dented a little by getting the Jets back and if Quebec City ever gets an NHL team again, that'll make that market less likely. Although I still don't understand why the Impact don't just put an NASL team in Quebec City and use it for developing their youngsters, it'd be better than the MLS Reserve Division and as I remember Montreal considered it in the build up to entering MLS.
     
  12. Green and BLue

    Green and BLue Member+

    Seattle Sounders FC
    Nov 3, 2003
    Republic of Cascadia
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Canada Ripe? Don't they make ginger ale?
     
  13. vevo5

    vevo5 Member

    Nov 23, 2011
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It would happen if this Canadian League has enough money to tempt the owners of Montreal, VAncouver and Toronto to move.

    How about $100 million payment each and $300 million total?

    So, it would be like this.

    Bill Gates create the Canadian League. Pay $300 million to Tor, Van, Montreal to move league. The Canadian soccer league is born.

    It's like asking NFL teams to move out of the NFL and into the CFL. They would do it if they are paid $3 billion each.
     
  14. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    This is getting silly
     
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  15. atcdelay

    atcdelay Member

    Jul 15, 2011
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Canada should form its own league and play a FIFA sanctioned fall-spring schedule so it can be one up against MLS reference European transfers.
     
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  16. CShine

    CShine Member

    Dec 13, 2009
    Huntsville, AL
    Club:
    Rocket City United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Considering that the study looks at a time window out to 2035, it's fair to assume that the prospect of a much bigger MLS is what they intended to evaluate from the start. There's no way they could presume that Canada would get three more sides in a league of 24 or fewer. It looks, to my eyes, like they're endorsing a larger framework as viable for both Canada and the US.
     
  17. thomas19064

    thomas19064 Member+

    Apr 29, 2008
    Delco
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, perhaps this is some fantasy scenario where MLS is in the realm of two 20 team leagues... an east and a west.... If we're talking a volume of 40 some teams it seems plausible, sure.

    (although 2035 seems early for a scenario like that to occur)
     
  18. SYoshonis

    SYoshonis Member+

    Jun 8, 2000
    Lafayette, Louisiana
    Club:
    Michigan Bucks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You do realize that FIFA doesn't tell any country when to play its league games, right....? That there is no "FIFA sanction" regarding schedules, and they have absolutely no interest whatsoever in them other than keeping international dates open....? You do know these things, don't you?
     
  19. RedRover

    RedRover BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 15, 2007
    o_O

    [​IMG]
     
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  20. SeaFan77

    SeaFan77 Member

    Oct 7, 2011
    Federal Way, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Mexico city, or another large Mexican region is much more enticing to me personally
     
  21. The 92nd Fish

    The 92nd Fish Member

    Jan 16, 2007
    London, England
    Nat'l Team:
    England
  22. SeaFan77

    SeaFan77 Member

    Oct 7, 2011
    Federal Way, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  23. The 92nd Fish

    The 92nd Fish Member

    Jan 16, 2007
    London, England
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    The point is Mexico City has it's team (in fact it has another two fairly successful teams as well). Why on earth would it ever want an MLS franchise and why would one have any chance of succeeding there?
     
  24. atcdelay

    atcdelay Member

    Jul 15, 2011
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Seriously, why are you taking me seriously?
     
  25. atcdelay

    atcdelay Member

    Jul 15, 2011
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    It is more stupid of you to take me so seriously. Can you not see what quote I originally replied to in this thread?
     

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