Canadian expansion possibilities

Discussion in 'NWSL Expansion' started by WPS_Movement, Dec 26, 2012.

  1. cflsteve

    cflsteve Member

    Jul 21, 2013
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    I think the US as well as Canada and Mexico federations did one heck of a job putting this together so fast and the format with each federation paying its own players certainly solves the money flow problems.
    Right now Portland has set the stadard. In an interview with one of the owners of the Timbers/Thorns he agrees having a brother MLS team, Much the same way the WNBA got started will be key. I think even an NASL brother team could also work.
    His biggest isssues were the home fileds. Aside from Portland and Western NY the other teams are playing at HS and other such venues he said were unaccetable for the future of the league.
    Vancouver dropped its women's program so that would leave possibly two great choices at this time TFC being part of the MLSE empire and having BMO at its disposal helps.
    Another would be the Ottawa fury part of the newly fomed OSEG in which started with a Junior hockey team and now will have a CFL and NASL soccer playteam playing out out of the brand new venue in Landsdowne park and already have a women's team in place and the OSEG runs the stadium. 2014 could be kind of quick for them since both the football and soccer teams will both be starting in 2014.
    As for the number of teams for the league they would need to get other commitments from other concacaf countries in the Caribean and Central America to help fill the roster with the top players at least in Concacaf.
    The US and Canada are two of the best in the world so there players along with a women's program in Mexico who will want to become a top team in the world provides a great base for 8-10 teams anymore other countrise would have to participate in this format
     
  2. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I hope Paulson was not including Rutgers in the opinion. If he did, maybe he has a friend, also the son of a Wall Street CEO or former, who will pay for Red Bull stadium for SB's use.
     
  3. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    I've been hearing some good things on the possibility of Vancouver still coming to this league.
    The timing, though, might be best for them to wait until 2015 at this point.

    As for Toronto, it sounds like Toronto may want in as soon as they realistically can get in.
    Vancouver, however, wants to be in NWSL, but is still taking a wait and see approach to it.
    I think this coincides with why they don't want to acknowledge any possible interest at this point.
    Based on what I'm gathering, it sounds like they want to go through a sniff test to see how the Toronto situation unfolds for a Canadian team in this league, and how that plays out. Vancouver knows they have options, but it would be ideal for them to be in NWSL. Plus Paulson wants them in (of course, it's not up to him). It would be great for the Pacific Northwest, with that trio (Portland, Seattle, Vancouver), and he knows it. But it does sound like that Vancouver is ok with another Canadian team beating them to the punch (acquiring successful entry into the league). However, Vancouver and Toronto have also communicated about entering at the same time too. So we'll see. Right now, U.S. Soccer and crew are still concentrating on running this league, and have sort of deferred reviewing and finalizing any possible expansion teams until after the season. It does sound like they have a somewhat handshake agreement with Toronto, with hints that they want them in the league and that they would be accepted, but it seems no contracts have been signed yet to ensure any official agreement.
     
  4. Forgedias

    Forgedias Member

    Mar 5, 2012
    They can't talk about any teams entering the league with as many as 12 potential bids out there. That would not be wise. I'm actually a bit surprised that Vancouver is still being talked as an expansion when their president basically shut down any talk about joining the NWSL. So maybe I got the wrong vibe from him in his interview.

    What is guaranteed though is that we will see expansion for next year and this makes me happy. I just hope one of them is an MLS club, I want the girls playing in those bigger grass parks.
     
  5. newsouth

    newsouth Member

    Nov 20, 2010
    Club:
    Santos FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil

    i think it's toronto instead of vancouver because of Roger Communications. the league can't past on a deal like that. they should be at toronto's door step the minute the championship game is over in portland ;) (phantom calls on the way or no more yellows for morgan and heath) , or the commissioner and ussoccer are full of fools. toronto like portland gets the canadians they want on their roster. i'd say the red bulls are a shoe-in if they are interested. there are enough big name girls like press and dunn (allocate her before the draft :ROFLMAO:) with ny/nj family ties to stack their roster. if i was the commissioner, those two are the locks for 2014.

    i wouldn't play with colorado, dallas and some of the others. get the 2 billion dollar corporations in the league.
     
  6. necron99

    necron99 Member

    Oct 17, 2011
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    [quote="newsouth, post: 28377791, member: 181928" toronto like portland gets the canadians they want on their roster.[/quote]

    Hmm how does that work? The first Canadian player that they will want is Sinclair.
     
  7. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    I wouldn't be surprised to see Toronto get Filigno, and maybe Tancredi.
    I also think Candace Chapman could be on their team somehow (even if not allocated).
    Matheson is also a strong possibility. She basically grew up in the Toronto area.
     
  8. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006
  9. necron99

    necron99 Member

    Oct 17, 2011
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
  10. cflsteve

    cflsteve Member

    Jul 21, 2013
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Rogers has bought into the MLSE who owns TFC and BMO is the stadium where the National teams practice. The cost of a NWSL franchise would be peanuts to the MLSE/Rogers.
    Playing at BMO with Rogers sportsnet family of channels they can show them regionally on sportsnet Ontario or on the new Sportsnet 360.
    Keeping sinclaire with Portland would mean her visit to Toronto will have a huge attendance. With Canadian stars all over the the league they could even show a game of the week on the National 360 using the Simulcast from the fox feed of the game of the week and the Toronto team on SN ontario.
    Toronto coming in next year a year before the WC in Canada and the Pan AM in Toronto. Interest will be very high
     
  11. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    *blows dust off thread*
    We have the American expansion possibilities thread, but Toronto isn't American!
    (In the colloquial sense of course - we know "American" usually refers to United-States-ian instead of North American, even if the latter is more correct)
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018...onto-fc-eye-another-round-bmo-field-expansion
    Pencil in Toronto 2022!
     
  12. toad455

    toad455 Member+

    Nov 28, 2005
    Toronto & Vancouver in 2022 would be fantastic!
     
  13. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Actually, looking like Vancouver is the 2nd rumored MLS team interested for 2019 (alongside LAFC).
    http://equalizersoccer.com/2018/03/02/sources-vancouver-whitecaps-nwsl-2019-expansion/
    I'm not surprised but still not happy. I've made clear on multiple occasions that I would welcome almost any MLS expansion except for Vancouver. I will forever hold a grudge against them for folding their W-League team while the initial NWSL formation talks were happening, and I have no confidence that they're *actually* interested in WoSo - IMO this is just them trying to ride a good PR wave.

    The only way I see this as slightly acceptable is if SEA looks like it's not going to find a stadium solution and this keeps a second team in Cascadia. Adding LAFC as an outright new team plus relocating SEA to VAN brings the league back up to an even 10.
     
  14. WoSoFan

    WoSoFan Member

    Dec 23, 2017
    Utah could be changing a lot of minds right now. Barca wanting a piece of the action may be having some influence as well. Also, is the Canadian National Team federation involved in some way, too.
     
  15. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    As I said, good PR wave. They're seeing a fad they now want in on and/or they're bowing to outside pressure. They had a prime opportunity to say they wanted to support WoSo more than they were - or at least keep the existing commitment - and dumped it. I fully expect them to run the team below the line of Houston rather than along the lines of Utah. I hope they prove me wrong, but my hopes are not high.
     
  16. WoSoFan

    WoSoFan Member

    Dec 23, 2017
    #91 WoSoFan, Mar 2, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2018
    It does present a unique situation they can capitalize on by filling their roster with a lot of Canadian National Team players, as well as potential National Team players. I would imagine we could even see Canada's biggest star, Christine Sinclair ending up there. Maybe even see Sophie Schmitt and Kadeisha Buchanan returning from Europe.
     
  17. BalanceUT

    BalanceUT RSL and THFC!

    Oct 8, 2006
    Appalachia
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As for Utah, RSL's owner's interest in soccer started with his children's interest in women's soccer. So, he's long wanted a women's team after he'd finished upgrading RSL's facilities and USL team. When KC dropped their interest and the team became available he snagged it earlier than anticipated because he'd otherwise need to wait for expansion to be announced. He does nothing half-way, which is what you are seeing. One way you can tell the depth of commitment is that he has welcomed the women's team players with equal facilities and accommodations as he welcomes men's team players. The only thing he can't control is salary. But, there are many things an owner can do outside of salary. He provides housing, cars, facilities and more for men's team players, and has done precisely the same for the women. He's a stand up guy, not a fad chaser.

    I hope the Canadian MLS teams, or others, see the potential and capitalize on this. Lots of Canadian players have developed their skills at US colleges. They should form a good base of players.
     
  18. toad455

    toad455 Member+

    Nov 28, 2005
    Canada winning Gold has sparked some talk that the NWSL should look into adding a franchise in Canada. Wouldn't read into Altidore's Tweet too much, but people are talking about a Toronto NWSL down the line now.

     
  19. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006
    #94 Cliveworshipper, Aug 8, 2021
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2021

    Canada has had more than one chance to field a team in a Canadian city. In 2012 the league founders practically begged the Whitecaps to field a team in Vancouver, and I recall Paulson went up there to try and talk them into it. There has been more than one year that the subject of Toronto doing the same has been floated.
    https://equalizersoccer.com/2018/08/30/whitecaps-fc-president-discusses-why-team-wont-join-nwsl/

    and
    https://equalizersoccer.com/2018/03/02/sources-vancouver-whitecaps-nwsl-2019-expansion/
    Among other things, it appears they wanted Sinclair, and she wanted Portland.

    If there is going to be a Canadian franchise they will need help from the Canadian federation, just as the USSF has supported all the teams in the league now and continues to provide financial support.
    You can’t expect that somehow the USSF will extend that support to a Canadian team.

    and as backward as the USSF has been towards women’s soccer, the Canadian federation has been even more backward, even siphoning away a bronze medal winning coach to the men’s side with a larger salary. The idea that these same fellows will see a new revelation is a bit far fetched. They aren’t even compensating their Gold medalists as much as USWNT players are getting for Bronze.

    ( you have to wonder if Herdman has any second thoughts)
     
  20. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    Doubt they can have a Canadian Franchise, it be too small. However, I think the Canadian Federation can join and support the Canadian based teams in NWSL. What places would be popular for women's soccer in Canada besides Toronto? Vancouver with MLS support as well? Its close to OL Reign and Portland. Montreal maybe? 3 NWSL teams in Canada? I do know Canada has their own men's soccer league but it is small and new.
     
    toad455 repped this.
  21. toad455

    toad455 Member+

    Nov 28, 2005
    Thinking Toronto and Vancouver could both support an NWSL team.
     
    Klingo3034 repped this.
  22. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    Not Montreal?

    Here are all the U.S. based teams and where they are at both men's and women's. Vancouver and Toronto looks like good locations 1 for west and 1 in east. Vancouver is close to Portland, OL Reign, future San Diego and Angel FC. Toronto based team if possible will be close to Chicago, Louisville, Gotham, Washington, NCC, and Kansas. So not to far from most of the teams in terms of travel.
    [​IMG]
     
  23. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    Notice no teams in North West. Less populated obviously. Wonder if soccer is popular there at all anyways even with small population.
     
  24. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    [​IMG]

    MLS and Canadian Premier League locations. Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal heavily concentrated.
     
  25. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006
    :)
     

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