Ottawa Group Applies for USL-1 Franchise

While I understand what you are saying, I disagree. As an example, I've been to all sorts of CFL at Skydome. CFL fans are a pretty decent bunch for cheering; they are fans of the game because it's not like there are a bunch of corporate suits out there trying to impress people. Skydome with 19 000 fans is dead no matter how hard the fans try. Skydome with 40 000+ of those same fans is a great venue.

True. I'd rather have a team to watch in Ottawa than not even if the games are played in front of 5000 people in a 30 000 seat stadium. And 5000 would be enough to support a team. It would be a lot more enjoyable, however, to watch a game with 5000 people in a 5000 or even 6000 or 7000 seat venue. Especially for the casual fan who comes to one game just to check things out. I think you'd have a much better chance to attract and keep non-die hards in a smaller venue.

The most important thing, of course, would be just to get a team.

Will be Ottawa the 14th team in USL 1 in 2010 season ?

I disagree completely. Why should Ottawa have to prove itself a viable MLS city by drawing more than twice the league average in a completely unsuitable stadium, when other USL-1 teams that have made the leap to MLS have not done this?

The cost to lease Lawnsdowne would be an issue, and the smaller the club support the more difficulty to be viable...hopefully they find a more suitable facility.

Not likely. The new stadium is facing months of public consultation, and if approved, is not due to be completed until 2013.

But the failure of Alberta's USL teams weren't a sign that they weren't MLS markets?

Interestingly enough the former A league team known as the Aviators had a bad business plan and a bad arrangement with the Eskies and Commonwealth. They started out too large and their revenues fell far short...in the end they could not recover..they did not have deep enough pockets for their expenditures..but the Oilers owner Katz does and he did mention the idea of a MLS franchise when he took over the Oilers...Telus filed would be ideal as would Foote field and even a revamped Clarke Stadium...but I am sure they would easily equal the average attendance of MLS teams with a team in the City of Champions...I would like to see them start out in USL 1 if another western city entered the league and then after much success move to MLS. Edmonotn is used to being in big leagues, not in many minor leagues, so this mentality could be a barrier..success breeds high expectations..course Toronto can never say that.

Exactly...poor business plans will derail teams and leagues....Edmonton is a major sports city that is used to winning major championships, it will support minor sports as well but the pulse of the city is the NHL and could easily be the MLS.

Then why doesn't it work both ways? Why would it be a failure if Ottawa doesn't bring in 5,000 but it's not if Edmonton does?

Ottawa has little to no reputation as a city of winning franchises in professional sports...the expectation may be of a high standard but the results have not been..case in point the pathetic support for roughriders and renegades, the state of lawnsdowne park and the Sens ongoing comedy fiasco...5000 in Ottawa would be a big crowd, in Edmonton it would not...Ottawa also draws on the 300,000 from Gatineau as well to boost their numbers..so this illustrates even more how they expect less from the city itself and its fans...the 67's mean squat in pro sports and besides the idiost on parliament hill, not much going on there to brag about or be proud of...so 5000, that would be good..viable, I doubt it...but good..man that is close to what the renegades/roughies used to avergae over the last ten years....ouch!