Just carrying over (to the forum) a conversation I heard the other day. Say TFC continues for 5-6 years. They are in the thick of things each year, but not producing what looks like a championship team. MLSE has clearly sunk their teeth in this TFC project and is running the show how they normally do business (you know what that means). Toronto is then awarded a second team (forget about location for their home games), but a major difference is this new team is not owned by MLSE. What do you do? Change teams because you are done with MLSE antics? Stay Red? Do the "faux pas" and cheer for both teams? (if all you're going to say is "who cares", or "what's the point of this", or "toronto won't get a second team", please move along)
I can definately see in a few years if Toronto doesn't win anything a new team in Toronto. I'm pretty sure MLSE won't let another team in the MLS, but I think a strong USL team owned by the supporters is not out of the question. Lets just wait and see until next season....... lets not get ahead ourselves. If they sign a good dp or two (depending on future rules) my opinion will change drastically.
TFC till I die. But.... If the supportors pull off a "FC United of Manchester" and purchase their own club because of MLSE's mediocrity...then i'm all over that like a fat italian at a pasta buffet.
thanks for the reply, but a bit too analytical. the assumptions were given. TFC is doing well (playoff worthy) but not quite a championship side after, say 5-10 years. Assumption was that the city definitely receives a second team (in MLS), and it's not owned by MLSE. How would you react as a fan? Do you hold enough of a grudge against MLSE that you wouldn't support TFC any more, or do you stick with them?
I think if we had a decent team it would be really hard to start a movement for a new club since I think the next club would come around much like FCUM. I never liked the idea of a sports corporation owning our football club, so I'm extremely biased. I rather have a rich owner or supporter owned club because then you know their interests are not in the bottom line.
To be honest, I don't know. It depends where second Toronto team will be located. If they're located in the west end of Toronto/GTA (Brampton, Mississauga, Woodbridge/Rexdale) then I will root for second Toronto team for sure.
And that is exactly what this topic is about! You'd think that you'd still support TFC, but behind it lies MLSE. I have a feeling that you (and probably a lot of people, maybe myself included), would switch alliance to a new team, especially if the team was owned by the community (much like the Green Bay Packers in the NFL. The team has shares which are owned by about 110,000 people in the community..that's more people than their entire population of the city). For argument sake, assuming that the new Toronto team shared BMO field with TFC, I think the appeal of a franchise in this city NOT owned by MLSE would be pretty high.
I'll cheer for the more well-managed franchise who cares for the on-field results. I don't have any affiliations to MLSE, so why the hell do I care?
You can always carry a grudge against ownership. Don't carry a grudge against the team you support. btw the answer should be easy for all true supporters, TFC till I die!
so being a real supported is being completely ignorant to the ownership of your team buying tickets overpriced beer while screaming TFC till I die, and the corporate only classifying the demand for TFC as completely inelastic, so they invest even less. You think the MLSE cares about results? see if the ownership shows the same enthusiasm if there is ever a point when their money could get a better return somewhere else. This is a franchise not a club. Other franchises include Macdonald's, subway etc. Do you show them undying it support? This a business not a club. We don't even own our players. MLS does. Most clubs end up in deficits each year. If a real pro football club took form in Toronto I would give it undying support in a second.
Hard to say. Ownership is the tricky part. I think we would have city council's blessing for a stadium without too much resistance. The corporate support is the problem, and it would probably have to come from Toronto. Unless, Nortel wants to do it which is highly unlikely. You must be the other Chelsea supporter in Brampton. I'm glad to see we're growing in numbers. Don't LA and Dallas bring in a profit?
The whole 'MLSE is pure evil' thing is so overplayed. All sports are business and some of the views in this thread are laughable. By the way, you can have your Bramledesh FC, I'll stick to TFC. Thanks.
MLSE is pure evil and I will turn my back on them and their franchise as soon as I get the chance. And I am being 100% serious. I ****ing hate MLSE.
Feel free to not concern yourself with how other people view MLSE. Just because they have a monopoly on professional sports in this town doesnt mean I have to like it.
Monopoly? What, you don't like the Blue Jays? Or the Toronto Rock? Hell, if you hate them that much, the Toronto Lynx still exist. Plus there is countless CPSL team in the GTA you could support. Why give your money to those greedy bastards at MLSE if you hate them so much?
And this is exactly why i brought up this thread. You have some individuals who, despite loving the team, would change ships because of the ownership. You have others that will support the team regardless. I'm not the biggest fan of MLSE, but they are certainly better than having someone like Harold Ballard in charge.
And what exactly have the Jays accomplished with Ted in charge? Nothing. If anything, the system the Jays have in place is even more insidious than the Leafs. And the media goes along with it. Every year its the same hope and hype at the start of the year. And then its the same at the end of the year, no playoffs. At least most Leafs now we suck. If Ted was really that great he'd put more money on the team. Or at least fire JP, who is part of the reason I think the team sucks. Anyways, sorry for going off topic.
Ted puts huge amounts of money into the Jays. There really isnt much he can do about having the two biggest sports franchises in North America in his division.