According to the latest news from the USL, it now appears that Edmonton and Ottawa will probably be the next Canadian cities to join the USL by 2010, including Baltimore and Detroit. The details look very unsubstantiated right now. http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/380020.html
Edmonton had a team (the Aviators) a few years ago but failed completely. They did not even last the whole season
Actually, if you read the press release it says Of those four cities listed, Edmonton doesn't yet have a USL team of any kind. Baltimore and Detroit have been working toward it. Kartik checked in with Detroit's Duggan, and they're more likely to be in 2011. Of the four teams listed, I think it's likely that we'll see no more than one of them in 2010.
You should know by now that WSW doesn't really think in such real world terms as having a place to actually play.
Of the 4 new teams, I can see only Crystal Palace Baltimore moving up in 2010. Ottawa, Edmonton and Detroit are probably more realistic for 2011 (or later). As to the Edmonton Avaitors failure, I would point out that they drew 2,500 on average a game. That is better than a few current USL1 teams. That ownership group just screwed up by expecting 10,000 a game and playing at the Commonwealth stadium (~60,000). Where did Edmonton FC play after the Avaitors jumped ship?
From what I hear in Ottawa this coming season 2010 is early. There really is lots of support for them, and I hope they get a franchise. Think they need a home field and that is a ways off.
They played at Clarke for one game as they got bumped by the Esks and International Rugby. As for Foote, they played their games on the natural field which only seats 1,000 (With a track and long jump pits between the stands and field.)
Despite the Edmonton Aviators failure, Edmonton could be a great USL1 city with the right ownership. The biggest obstacle would be the venue since, as far as I can tell from way over here, there isn't much available in the right size. Commonwealth is ridiculously large and, at 2500, Clarke Field is too small. The Ottawa USL1 bid is by the people bringing a CFL team to the city as part of a major new redevelopment that includes a new ~25 000 seat stadium. I think that stadium is too big for USL1, too, but the ownership group will certainly want to play there. No way it will be ready for the 2010 soccer season, though. Hamilton is also interested in a USL1 team. Bob Young, the owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, wants one for his new CFL stadium. That new stadium is part of the 2015 Pan Am Games, however, so don't expect to see a team before at least 2014. (And, as with Ottawa, the stadium is too big but that's where the owner wants to play.) Regardless, the long term potential is there for Canada to have a solid representation in MLS and in the second tier league (whatever it ends up being called after this whole USL/TOA mess gets sorted out).
Edmonton Drillers to replace Vancouver in NASL for 2011: http://www.canada.com/sports/Edmonton lined soccer franchise/2289284/story.html
Just a wild guess here, but I doubt there is anything for the USL Edmonton team to join anyways. The other story here is that apparently this Edmonton team will be a feeder/farm team for the Whitecaps when they move to MLS. Future job for Teitur Thordarson?
News from Ottawa... http://communities.canada.com/ottaw...ants-to-put-pro-soccer-in-ottawa-stadium.aspx
Total speculation here, and I can't get the reporter to email me back and elaborate. Whats weirder, when I email all my USL news guys (like real reporters that work for real newspapers) they all seem to think Vancouver and this new Edmonton have some kind of connection as well. We'll see.
