If you asked them, I'm sure that many (probably most) Canadian soccer fans would describe themselves as fans of one of our MLS teams. In most cases, however, that fandom would amount to a sort of general fondness and maybe watching game highlights on line. There probably aren't too many people who live outside the range where they could at least occasionally drive to a game who are also avid fans of any of the three teams. (By analogy, if you asked me which was my favourite basketball team I'd say the Raptors just because they're the only Canadian NBA team. It doesn't mean I have any real interest in them.) I don't see the MLS teams causing any loss of fans to the CPL outside the MLS markets. There's no reason a person living in, say, Halifax, couldn't remain a mild TFC fan and become an avid Wanderers fan. I'm a TFC fan but I'll pick a CPL team to cheer for even though I may never go to a game there. (I still think York may have issues in the Toronto area. That's not so much because TFC will suck up all the fans as because of Toronto sports fans' reluctance to support anything that isn't perceived as the highest level available. That's a separate issue from any minimal MLS impact on other cities, however.)
We've signed @torontofc academy product, Klaidi Cela! 🗞 | https://t.co/JvXXnniRR4#ForgeFC | #CanPL pic.twitter.com/8ShKgxtFuM— Forge FC (@ForgeFCHamilton) April 3, 2019 We've signed former @OakBDevils forward, Anthony Novak! 🗞 | https://t.co/Noa0BVgwyc #ForgeFC | #CanPL pic.twitter.com/fT4LnjYJOD— Forge FC (@ForgeFCHamilton) April 3, 2019
Thinking of Cela specifically, the CPL will be good for this type of player. Here's a guy who has spent (as far as I know) his entire development career with TFC staring in the Academy and working up to TFC II. He's only seen very limited playing time, however, and doesn't appear to fit into TFC's plans long term. That said, he's only 19 and I'd hate to see him lost just because he wasn't making one of the finite number of spots available at one particular club. Now, with the CPL, he will still have a chance to develop in a pro environment. He may still never really go anywhere as a pro soccer player but, even if it isn't him, some players are going to be "rescued" this way who would otherwise fall through the cracks.
Valour sign Canadians Calum Ferguson (FW) and Federico Pena (MF). Ferguson as born to a Canadian mother and Scottish father in Scotland and has spent his professional career in lower division SPFL, but played for Canada as a youth player. Pena was born in Trinidad, but moved to Winnepeg 10 years ago before signing with Belguim sides Gent and Standard Liege and playing on their U21 teams. He made 2 appearances for Canada's youth national team. Buried at the bottom of the article is that Colombian MF Nestor Navia will not be joining the club after all. https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/valour-fc-sign-calum-ferguson-and-federico-pena
Do we know roster sizes for CPL? Seems like a lot of teams are heading for 20 and pausing. I really hope it is going to be closer to 24 players, or else they are going to be really thin as far as back-ups go. With two more signings by Valour most teams are now at most 1 or 2 signings away from what I expect to be their opening day rosters. Forge, FCE, and Calvary have 20 announced. Y9, HFX, and Valour are now on 19. Pacific has the most room to fill with only 15 signed. #CanPL— David Rowaan (@David_Rowaan) April 3, 2019
Jersey reveal is tomorrow and CPL tweeted out a teaser: Pick your favourite. 04.04.19. 👀 #CanPL pic.twitter.com/Y3rvCeg3sC— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) April 3, 2019
Exactly. Sports fans are able to compartmentalize, especially between leagues that have no direct contact (e.g. a die-hard Cincinnati Bengals fan might be equally obsessed with the Buckeyes). You see this worldwide: your primary team is local, but maybe lower division, but you also root for a perennial champions league contender.
🚨 NEW PLAYERS ALERT 🚨 Welcoming our newest signings Abd-El-Aziz (Aziz) Yousef & Mohamed Kourouma to the Wanderers! 🌊🗞 Full story: https://t.co/KVzuLuWkJx#PlayerSignings #CanPL #COYW pic.twitter.com/AJsIwokE6t— Halifax Wanderers FC (@HFXWanderersFC) April 4, 2019
1 kit got leaked 📰 | https://t.co/FSBk9lAzHN | #CanPL | Did Cavalry just shit the bed and reveal their kits?????— CanPL FC 🇨🇦⚽ (@CanPL_FC) April 4, 2019
All the kits revealed. I like most of them - nice colours and some have appealing designs. Here's a high-quality, full-resolution look at all 14 inaugural 2019 Canadian Premier League kits👕: https://t.co/k9570OQxkx | #CanPL pic.twitter.com/lfRCdO9zsi— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) April 4, 2019
Figured out what OneSoccer is.. It is a brand new streaming service whose sole customer, so far, is CSB related properties.. Http://onesoccer.ca I’m a little concerned that two of the teams’ sponsor is the league’s streaming partner, another is their jersey manufacturer, and I think the other 3 are also league level sponsors... I hope the clubs are getting some extra cheese for wearing the brands on their jerseys.
I was more noting that the sponsors seemed to be league level sponsors rather than team sponsors. As you noted, having duplicate jersey sponsors in a league isn’t that unusual.
By all indication, the partner appears to be One Soccer.https://t.co/HBdr8Kospu— John Molinaro (@JohnMolinaro) April 5, 2019
Well, in that case, for a period of time between 2013 and 2018 there was a Toyota Park (Chicago Fire) and a Toyota Stadium (FC Dallas).