One way or another I think we'll see soccer in Ottawa at the USL1 level in the next two or three years. I recognize the obstacles but I very much hope it succeeds. With TFC, Vancouver, and Montreal all now in or going to MLS, the future of growth in professional soccer in Canada lies in cities like Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Ottawa, and Quebec. These are cities that are large enough to support a team but (barring miracle scenarios) too small for MLS to consider. If these cities can start and support viable USL1 level teams then soccer will grow and prosper in Canada. In fact, if we had three MLS teams and six USL1 teams I'd suggest the player development would be such that, after a decade or so, our national team would regularly qualify for the World Cup. On the other hand, if USL1 soccer fails in places like Ottawa then Canadian professional soccer will be confined to the three big cities, our player development will not improve tremendously, and the national team will see only minor benefits.
I think NASL has said that Edmonton and Atlanta will replace Vancouver and Montreal in the league next year. Although I am sure someone (NASL or USL) wants Ottawa in there at some point.
Agreed, although I think you may be a little optimistic as to our regular world cup qualification. However, the CSA have set very aggressive goals to be achieved by 2013: 25 million+ dollars annual budget for the CSA World Cup qualification achieved by the Senior Men’s National Team A medal achieved by the Senior Women’s National Team at the World Cup or Olympics Secured a World Cup winning the bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 A million+ players registered with the Canadian Soccer Association The more professional soccer clubs in Canada, the more likely we are to achieve those goals.
Are Ottawa fans interested in moving this subforum to the USL or NASL forums yet? Or are many of you still holding out for MLS still?
Move them to USL or NASL forum. This dream is dead! Canada's big three markets are covered, plus Ottawa will take another 10 yrs to build a SSS.
The dream is not dead! And if it takes another 10 years to get the SSS, so be it. Some things are worth waiting for.
Not when there are plenty of U.S. markets MLS covets they're not. Canada is very fortunate that the three cities that matter - Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal - were welcomed into the league. With plans for the new stadium at Landsdowne going up for the probable CFL team to play at, soccer fans in the nation's capital would do best to set their sights on USL-1/NASL.
The only reason for keeping Ottawa here is that BS needs the Canadian version of the Milwaukee Candidate Cities thread.
Nope. The full name is "1. Fußballclub Union Berlin e. V" or short form: "1. FC Union Berlin" Size doesn't really matter in MLS. Salt Lake has a team and is of comparable population to Ottawa. Portland also isn't huge. Money talks: First come first get. But hey as long as Ottawa isn't in MLS why don't you route for Toronto or Vancouver or Montreal. You're canadian they're canadian. So don't shy away from routing for one of these teams.
forgotten something. I know there are natural rivalries in every country. So in Canada. Not only soccer, but sport or everything in general. And it's hard to route for another cities sports team but -and i'm maybe horribly mistaken- isn't it in the end always a USA vs CAN-thing? When we have Champions-League in Europe the inner-country rivalries lie idle as long as champions-league is on it's way. Its always Germany vs Italy, England vs Spain, France vs Germany, Spain vs Italy, Turkey vs Greece and so on. I personally routed for Bayern despite i can't stand them in the Bundesliga. Isn't it so in North America?
It works both ways here. There is certainly a Canada/US rivalry, but sometimes the city rivalry can be stronger. In hockey, the Ottawa/Toronto rivalry is stronger than the Canada/US and I don't think many Ottawa Senators fans would ever cheer for the Toronto Maple Leafs just because they were playing a US team. Personally I was cheering for Toronto FC last week because they are my nearest team and I like what they are doing for soccer in Canada, but I can't count myself as one of their true supporters because I am hoping for an Ottawa/Toronto rivalry in soccer in the future.
I aggree here in Northern Ireland alot of Rangers fans still route for Celtic when they play English clubs.
