CBC is reporting Toronto is approved....

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

....pending a few last minor details:-

http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2005/11/12/Sports/mls_toronto051112.html

which I suspect are related to the process for obtaining federal and provincial financing for the stadium involving a formal announcement north of the border.

[Captain Canuck]

Sportsnet is also reporting this on their sports ticker (though they don't bother mentioning that anything is pending re: the stadium - I recall that the stadium funds were pending MLSE being awarded a franchise, so I imagine its just a matter of signing off the cash now).

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Worth remembering the Neil Davidson's snippet for CP about how MLS were not anticipating a formal announcement this weekend:-

http://www.canada.com/sports/soccer/story.html?id=19f6f40e-c57e-431e-b8c1-be821ff02c08&page=2

Larry Tanenbaum, Richard Peddie and Bob Hunter will represent Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. at this weekend's MLS Cup in Frisco, Texas. But the league does not expect to make a final announcement during the championship on Toronto's expansion bid.

so what happened was exactly what was forecast ahead of time in the Canadian media. Here's the latest CP story:-

http://www.canada.com/sports/soccer/story.html?id=4af5ba00-5ab5-4291-b46b-bea76b8f9115

It would include three additional senior international spots for U.S.-born players, for a total of seven senior international spots, and two additional youth international spots, for a total of five in line with the youth international totals for the 2005 expansion teams, Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake.

I'm slightly suprised by this US born stuff. Wasn't aware that sort of quota would fly within Canadian immigration law.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

More from the ussoccerplayers.com website:-

http://www.ussoccerplayers.com/latest_soccer_news/498846.html

and from MLS:-

http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_events_news.jsp?ymd=20051112&content_id=48155&vkey=mlscup2005&fext=.jsp

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Ben Knight makes a strong case for why the franchise can succeed on sportsnet.ca:-

http://www.sportsnet.ca/nfl/columnist.jsp?content=20051111_152617_5592

This is why it's so important to revive the Blizzard nickname. Yeah, yeah, I know - it's a completely different team. It's not even the same century. What's so important?

Soccer fans are tribal by nature, and there is a tribe of Toronto Blizzard fans. Yeah, the numbers shrink as the empty years roll by, but they're still out there, and they've had a lot of kids since the team they'll always love went down for the last time. The Blizzard name brings a continuity that I guarantee will fill some seats.

TSN, the other major cable sports channal have also had a positive commentary on their website:-

http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/keep_ups.asp

[Captain Canuck]

so what happened was exactly what was forecast ahead of time in the Canadian media.

Indeed. There was an announcement this weekend after all, just not a "final" one.


I'm slightly suprised by this US born stuff. Wasn't aware that sort of quota would fly within Canadian immigration law.


I suspect it does because there is (presumably) no mandatory requirement for the Toronto team to field internationals at all if they don't want to.

[fireman451]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=349068&cc=5901

"MLS looks to expand into Toronto
Associated Press


FRISCO, Texas -- The MLS is closer to expanding into Canada.

The league's board of governors approved an expansion application from Toronto-based Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment on Saturday, the eve of the league's 10th championship.

Officials also considered a proposal to allow a new Canadian team to include three U.S.-born senior international players.

With the league close to securing its 13th club, it set the expansion fee for No. 14 at $15 million - until Dec. 31, 2005. The MLS said the price will increase significantly after that date."
>
>
So if approved, the Toronto team would have 3 US Senior Internationals and the regular 5 SI's too?

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

More from the Globe and Mail:-

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051114/MLSSOCCER14/TPSports/?query=soccer

"I was a little surprised when I read headlines saying we were approved when the deal is really not fully completed yet," Peddie said. "There is still some more paper work to be done and contracts to be negotiated, but it appears to be pretty smooth sailing on the franchise front."

Garber and MLS officials are expected to travel to Toronto this week to complete an agreement.

.......

Peddie said that getting all the parties to confirm their financial commitments is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome before stadium plans can be completed.

sounds a bit ominous given that would probably be either the federal or provincial government but Peddie appears to be confident enough to state:-

"We are going to be in some very good company once we join the league," he said.

so the delay may be normal and related to processing all the associated paperwork. Only believe when shovels hit the dirt and you can see it taking shape on a webcam is always the best policy on this sort of stuff. :)

[TopDogg]

So if approved, the Toronto team would have 3 US Senior Internationals and the regular 5 SI's too?
The way I understand it, Toronto will be able to field four SIs plus three additional American SIs if they chose to.

[AndrewW]

Peddie said that getting all the parties to confirm their financial commitments is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome before stadium plans can be completed.

sounds a bit ominous given that would probably be either the federal or provincial government but Peddie appears to be confident enough to state:-

"We are going to be in some very good company once we join the league," he said.

so the delay may be normal and related to processing all the associated paperwork. Only believe when shovels hit the dirt and you can see it taking shape on a webcam is always the best policy on this sort of stuff. :)
I'm with you on the cautious approach. Once the words pending, obstacles and overcome are not longer part of the dialogue, I'll be satisfied.

BTW, any thoughts that it may be referencing the teetering federal government. As far as I'm concerned, the first stop for MLSE and the city officials once they get home is to head right to Joe Volpe's office and get his signature on the documents ASAP.

[socamonarch]

"Four architectural firms are competing to design the stadium. The Canadian Soccer Association has said construction contracts will be awarded in mid-December and building will start in January."

This is the best news that I am getting out of this report. That confirms that the image that we seen was just something to show the city council at the time of the vote. Also has anyone noticed that the seating numbers have bumped from 20k to 22k? This is the third report that has made that change..

"Peddie also noted that he was impressed with Pizza Hut Park, which hosted yesterday's MLS Cup game, won 1-0 in overtime by the Los Angeles Galaxy over the Revolution. The 20,000-seat stadium opened on Aug. 6 as a home for Hunt's FC Dallas team.

"We liked a great deal about the building and there were some things we want to take back to Toronto and incorporate in our design," Peddie said.

"It is a very comfortable place where fans could mingle and all of the site lines are excellent. I think in the end our stadium at Exhibition Place will be very special once it is completed."
Music to my ears.. I would like to know which firms are in the race to design the stadium.. Perhaps a few emails with pictures and highlights of other quality Stadia from different parts of the world could serve as inspiration and maybe influence some of the potential designs..

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

That's been my big fear over the last couple of weeks. Can the bureacrats sign off on all the documents and release funds for the project if a federal election campaign is underway? Maybe they can if the funding commitment has already been approved at the ministerial level way back when the WYC 2007 bid proposal was made but I was dreading that Paul Martin was going to say to hell with this nonsense and go to the Governor General yesterday to set up a pre-Christmas election or that Tuesday's alleged opposition day (there's a Bloc fillibuster underway that may stall that) was going to be a no confidence motion and that some signature would be unobtainable once the election writ was in place sinking the entire project. With the deal in place between the three opposition parties it looks right now like Joe Volpe should still be the minister for Ontario infrastructure projects until almost the end of the month now. If Don Garber and MLS officials are talking about flying in this week to finalize the franchise deal sounds like everything's OK but it is too early for people to be assuming this is a cast iron certainty.

[AndrewW]

"Four architectural firms are competing to design the stadium. The Canadian Soccer Association has said construction contracts will be awarded in mid-December and building will start in January."

Don't want to be a wet blanket, but the CSA, and in particular its chief executive, say a lot of things before all the pieces are in place. They (he) are also not immune to splashing some hyperbole around.

[AndrewW]

That's been my big fear over the last couple of weeks. Can the bureacrats sign off on all the documents and release funds for the project if a federal election campaign is underway? Maybe they can if the funding commitment has already been approved at the ministerial level way back when the WYC 2007 bid proposal was made but I was dreading that Paul Martin was going to say to hell with this nonsense and go to the Governor General yesterday to set up a pre-Christmas election or that Tuesday's alleged opposition day (there's a Bloc fillibuster underway that may stall that) was going to be a no confidence motion and that some signature would be unobtainable once the election writ was in place sinking the entire project. With the deal in place between the three opposition parties it looks right now like Joe Volpe should still be the minister for Ontario infrastructure projects until almost the end of the month now. If Don Garber and MLS officials are talking about flying in this week to finalize the franchise deal sounds like everything's OK but it is too early for people to be assuming this is a cast iron certainty.
I watched an interesting program that detailed how the minimum number of days required to pull off an election campaign and vote would put the election day smack-dab on Boxing Day (since the first Monday after the minimum campaign period is the earliest a vote can be scheduled). Everyone seems to be tip-toeing around trying not to be the grinch. As usual, I think they'll all dither, etc. until it becomes too late for a December vote.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

The best thing to do on this is to ignore CTV because they've been talking about crazy scenarios like Wednesday elections that simply won't fly under the Elections Act. The campaign has to be 36 days minimum and the election has to be on a Monday so yesterday was the last day for an election on Dec 19th to be doable and because parliament didn't sit last week only Paul Martin could do the deed not the opposition. If a pre-Christmas election was still doable the opposition would be going for it tomorrow with a non-confidence motion. It's not. Right now Tue 27th (if the Monday is a national holday the election gets moved back a day to the Tuesday) would be the probable date which is just too crazy even for Stephen Harper. If the plan the opposition are talking about actually gets carried out the election would probably be Mon Jan 9th assuming Paul Martin sticks to his guns. We'll see what happens. A lot probably depends on what the polling numbers look like over the next 7 to 10 days.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Don't want to be a wet blanket, but the CSA, and in particular its chief executive, say a lot of things before all the pieces are in place. They (he) are also not immune to splashing some hyperbole around.

I agree Kevan Pipe has zero credibility on stuff like this. Heart's in the right place but you can't take what he says at face value. Who can forget the "there is no plan B" stuff after the Argos pulled out of the York U deal? I have more faith in Richard Peddie of MLSE, however, when he gives optimistic sounding quotes like he did in the Globe's article.

[AndrewW]

The best thing to do on this is to ignore CTV...
Repped you for those words alone. :D

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

I notice the latest Globe and Mail article never happened as far as the Voyageurs board is concerned. A lot of the prominent pro-MLS Toronto posters on there were huge CUSL-boosters and were in very deep denial as it all unraveled. This latest "economic update" of the Liberals requires a vote of confidence to be implemented because of the taxation changes (it's effectively a budget) so the government is definitely not backing down to the opposition. If the federal government has to be in place with no election writ until after Christmas then there is a major problem. If that's not the case and things have progressed beyond that sort of point then hopefully we'll be hearing very soon that Don Garber and co are flying in to dot the i's and cross the t's before the end of the week.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Wonder if our friend Dave Perkins is aware which sport did it first:- :)

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1132008611841&call_pageid=970599109774&col=Columnist980457778208

Maybe a good sign that he isn't circling for the kill where the stadium is concerned.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Interesting insight on what an election means in terms of government activity from Sheila Copps:-

http://torontosun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Copps_Sheila/2005/11/13/1305156-sun.html

During an election campaign, the government attends to caretaker business only. Senior citizens need their pension cheques, unemployed Canadians need access to employment insurance. But all aspects deemed political in nature are on hold, to await the decision of the next government.