Bob Young net worth is in the billions and he will own the Hamilton franchise. Deep pocket owner, good t.v. deal and sponsorship makes it possible. I'd like to remind you that the CFL had a better TV contract per teams than MLS even as of today and Hamilton happens to have consistently very high attendances. If the Hamilton Tiger-Cats can get those peoplento also go to soccer games with his current marketing machine, than it's optimistic to believe that he can do it. Also, wouldn't you agree that the ranking (although most experts agrees it's BS) further emphasis that a change is needed?
Getting tired of Americans thinking they know more about Canada than Canadians. Most of you could care less what hapoened in Canada but as soon as someone points out that the USSF might be dumped entirely from the CSA long term plans, some peoe gets ultra defensive and start pretending they care about those markets, franchises, Canadian fans and even to my amusement, the Canadian program. The Hamilton CPL franchise will be owned by Bob Young, his business is worth billions and personal net worth, several hundreds millions. The Winnipeg CPL franchise is rumored to be linked to "True North" who are owned by the Thomson Family...Thomson Reuters rings a bell. They are worth over $30B, much much more than all the big 3 combines and own the Winnipeg Jets. Calgary is linked to CSEC who owns the Calgary Flames and Stampeders, their owners own oil sand fields and are worth collectively billions. Toronto CPL is linked to a billionaire owner of an existing UEFA club. An EPL club is linked to a southern Ontario club and recently, we heard Chinese investors were interested in investing in the league. Granted the above are rumours, but Montagliani said CPL ownership would be constituted with those type of owners, net worth in the billions, something previous Canadian leagues didn't have, stable, competent and deep pocket owners willing to lose money at first to build a viable league. So please... do your homework before writing random assumptions. No one is saying CPL will surpass the MLS financially, but we're saying it can thrive and succeed too.
So when are you going to answer my questions about the attendances levels of the Canadian leagues? what of their attendance outside of the big three that are in MLS? Stop moving the goal posts and answer those simple question please? lets see the numbers to prove your point. MLS hasnt refused future expansion in Canada, its just highly unlikely no matter how much I would love another team to round it out to four. We have to see if this CPL actually gets off the ground and kicks a ball first before proclaiming it the death of MLS, US/CAN are family.
Two things: 1. The Cosmos did not sell out a 80,000 stadium every week. The largest crowd they ever had was 77,691. Over the years, they had a grand total of 11 crowds of 70,000 or more. The best season average they ever had was 50,842 per game. 2. Yes, the weakest MLS teams can't fill a 20,000 stadium, but in the old NASL, the weakest teams couldn't fill a 5,000 stadium. Even with the Cosmos boosting its numbers, the best season average the NASL ever had was 14,911 per game. For the last two seasons, MLS has averaged more than 21,000 per game.
Canadian players in MLS are getting plenty of minutes, all of them consistently 60 seconds long. After his meeting with CSA, Garber said he didn't intend to expand further into Canada but expand the current supporter base. But his decision must have been made easier by the fact that no Canadian cities have applied for an expansion slot. Like Robert Kraft has done in New England you mean?
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/mls/toronto-fc-not-canada-team-1.3891444 That's why we need our own league and that's also why, the CSA doesn't see the merits of those 3 clubs in MLS beyond their academies No, there was no point in applying, he said no to expansion. His remark about expanding the supporter base will not happen. CPL will ensure that. Not too familiar with New England but that's suburb Boston right?
LOL....was in Toronto working last week, spend a lot of time there, and my counterpart and I said the exact thing about Canadians with regards to Yanks. Of course we laughed and are smart enough to realize it goes both ways. IMO, and long observation, it is usually the "tired folks" on both sides of the border who are the most narrow minded. Of course narrow minds can't see around the corner so they never get that they are! Not saying you are, but considering where I just was and what the topic of conversation was, it is amusing. With regards to billionaire owners and "rumors", they mean nothing until they actually happen and those owners show commitment. The rumors of commitment in Canada and the US with regards to soccer over the last 50 years are wide spread. The actuality? We are seeing it for the first time ever in the US, and it wasn't easy. We saw it in Canada because of the MLS business model...and for no other reason....no matter what internet business geniuses try to say. Oh yeah. Stay at the Four Seasons across from Yorkville when there. As a native New Yorker I laugh hard every trip when I walk through those streets. People trying to be both NY hip, cultured and cool, along with a showy South Beach glitz mentality.........pulling it off poorly. Talk about folks trying way, way, way to hard. Milwaukee Bucks were staying there for the playoffs and my son got pictures with all of them and the coaches (he had school break and tagged along). Funny part? He had no clue who they were and didn't care. Talked to the head coach about Jozy and Mikey . That was great.
Toronto have 7 Canucks on their books. Of those Osorio, Chapman, Ricketts, Edwards and Chapman were involved on Friday. Of the other 2, Camargo plays for TFC II and i've no idea what's happened to Ashtone Morgan. But if players are good enough for MLS they'll play in MLS or another first division league, even if they come up through a CPL team. If they're not good enough for MLS they'll play in USL or NASL, as they do today, or in CPL. The big advantage of CPL as I see it is that it will expand the academy program beyond the 3 MLS teams but you're probably not going to play for your national team if you're not playing at the highest level. Anyhoo, day 1 the 144 players or so that make up the CPL rosters are not going to be the Ricketts or the Osorios, they're primarily going to come from the current Canadian regional leagues.
You can say that about most American cities and a lot of cities in other countries. You also see a lot of New Yorkers trying to be hip and cool and not pulling it off. What does hip and cool mean anyway? Going to pretentious night clubs where you pay $15 for a beer? Eating at swanky restaurants on the East-Side with 80 year-olds wearing sports jackets? Walking around the Upper West-Side with a baby carrier,? Watching the odd independent film?Calling each other n**** on the subway? Working your ass off just trying to feed your kids? At least 95% of New Yorkers haven't heard of David Villa or Andreas Pirlo and I've met Premier League and Liga MX fans who don't even know there's a team playing at Yankee Stadium. I'm an Englishman, a New Yorker and a Canadaphile (one of the things I like most about Canada is that they know how to cook up a breakfast).
Regional leagues are too low for CPL. Paul Beirne confirmed in Halifax that only players from Division 1 and 2 leagues will be targeted. Also, another reason why the owners pushed backed on the high quota was the risk of driving up the price for Canadians playing in other leagues. D3 leagues like Ontario League 1 players will have to earn their spots, it won't be given to them
Agreed. As a German, Dutch, NYer, who has traveled extensively, and lived in various places your words are very true. However, for me personally, after a dozens of viewings during all seasons, Yorkville comes off as Simpsonesque to me compared to all other cities I have seen. Just something about that scene for me in particular that has me laughing out loud.
This is a great point that gets lost often here. We went through many of the issues Borden has during MLS's first ten years. A league will expand footprint, but it will take a few decades, probably less in Canada as they have a head start, to really change the development culture. I always tried to tell folks it would take 20 years, if MLS survived, before we started to see real structural change. Pretty much spot on there. The youth player today is so much further ahead of where they were back then....but difference makers. Can't force those. They will rise to the top. What will develop is better depth and team filler. One sticking point I see for current Canada MLS teams is TV rev. Yes, right now Canadian teams have strong deals. However, in the near future, after this FOX deal expires, that can start changing quickly. As an owner I have to be wary of that. Otherwise, if you can get the owners, get the commitment...go nuts. The problem isn't the first few years when it is all fancy, shiny and new.....it is during those growing pain years where you will find out what really happens, and just what owners are willing to do. All I know is from following CS since the early 80's, an in over his head Klinnsman and unqualified Gulati would be major upgrades over what had gone on there over the decades. That is an insult if there ever was one. While CSA has legit concerns regarding MLS, watching them scapegoat the league for everything, while trying to obfuscate their incompetence has been both sad and funny to watch.
Great podcast and discussion the Canadian Premier League on Canadian soccer and overall relationship with MLS from a Canadian point of view. Helps understand why voices to separate from the USSF are rising in Canada http://www.northernstartingeleven.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/E2-MLS-World-Cup-and-USL.mp3 ***The 3 Teams are members of the CSA and not the USSF
I have to disagree. The U teams have performed worse since MLS included Canadian clubs than when we were not part of it. Same for the men national team. Hence the CSA backtracking from the USSF venture. The owners are willing to go through the same growing pains that MLS owners had to go through. You're right. Plenty of blame to go around. The old CSA people were shown the door so half the problem has been addressed
The two gentlemen seemed to support retaining MLS in Canada and even discussed CPL reserve teams playing in a USL second division if it happens.
MLS in Canada makes sense if only Canadians counts as domestics on Canadian teams. As long as Americans counts as domestics and not internationals in Canada, it will be a huge irritant to the CSA and Canadian fans. Even I don't think that Canadians should be domestics across the board, but in Canada, they should and if MLS do that, this will end the debate about the CSA sanctioning or not MLS in Canada. My prediction is that MLS might not have a choice down the road. It's possible, but I would prefer those teams in Canadian Division 3 that the CSA is trying to reform to copy the CHL in the hockey system, which is a proven model in term of developing elite players. The CSA have imposed a ban on sanctioning new teams in the USSF so I can't see that happening, CPL B teams will be required to go to the Canadian D3 system.
If there's some kind of legal protection against CSA pulling sanctioning out from those teams, then they can drop teams in those markets. Done.
MLS wouldn't go to court to stop that, they would go only if there's no settlement on losing the 3 clubs
The 3 clubs may go to court, like the Welsh clubs. The main argument would be obviously that it would result in them folding. There's no way CPL games would attract 20k plus other than for Montreal/Toronto.
They won't go to court for that. They'd ask for financial compensation which I said numerous times that it's a given. Courts would be only if there's no agreement on a settlement. MLS or the 3 clubs would not sue CSA to protest the sanction revocation. Doing that means you're actually suing FIFA themselves as you're not challenging the CSA rules but FIFA's own rules...good luck with that. I'll leave it at that since it's laughable to assume that fans wouldn't prefer all Canadian matches and that those 3 would fold. More people would actually watch them on TV compared to now. They'd have the same attendances and would just guarantee the rapid growth of CPL. Outside Vancouver-Seattle and Toronto-Montreal, no one has "true rivalries" with the Canadian clubs. Quebec City vs Montreal would be guaranteed sellouts, same for Vancouver vs Calgary but it's Ok, you don't know Canadians as much as you think you do.