FIFA and Canadian teams in US leagues

Why to the people of Toronto automatically think they deserve and will get an MLS team once their new stadium is built?

 

That's all missing the point, in the original post.

The welsh clubs in the FL and the NZ team in the Aussie league are registered with the English and Aussie associations, respecitvely.

The only reason anyone would step in would be one of the countries' FAs. If both agree to the plan, FIFA will not intervene. FIFA didn't even intervene in the scenario you brought up - the Scotland FA refused to allow it to happen because losing Celtic and Rangers would lead to a severe collapse in the SPL in their opinion.

 

I didn't check the NZ club, but I did check Cardiff City, Swansea City and Wrexham and all three of them are registerd with the Welsh Football Association. Below is a link to the site and the club directory.


http://www.faw.org.uk/


And it was UEFA and the EPL that blocked the move of the Old Firm out of the SPL. The first thought was that they would join a new Atlantic League with clubs from Scotland, Portugal, Netherlands and possibley Denmark and Norway. That was the first time UEFA nixed a move outside of the SPL. The second time it was more a self promotion of the idea of moving to the EPL. And both UEFA and the EPL saide ain't going to happen.

 

If the Welsh F.A. wanted to they could stop Swansea, Cardiff and Wrexham playing in the English League. When the Welsh League was formed many of the teams did not want to leave the English Pyrimid. For a while Barry Town changed there name to Barri and played in an English non-league Stadium (I think Gloucester City's) as the Welsh F.A wouldn't let them play in Wales, before finally giving in and joining the Welsh League.
I believe the Football Kingz have to get permission from FIFA to play in the Australian League and that they only allow it because there is no pro league in New Zealand.

 

Kingz FC in New Zealand got a 5-year waiver to play in the old NSL. No doubt they got another one for the new A-League (Don't Ask).

But Kingz FC aren't being used in a way that an MLS club in Canada would be used.

 

http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/articles/1188646.html


After looking south to Mexico for one of the two expansion teams next season, Carson-based Chivas USA, the next expansion could see MLS looking north, Commissioner Don Garber said.
"The most likely expansion prospect for the next round is Canada," Garber said.

The Canadian Soccer Association is a partner in a 30,000-seat stadium it would share with a CFL team in Toronto. MLS wants to expand again by another two teams in the next two years en route to becoming a 16-team league.

 

You put the same post in the MLS Expansion Thread.

 

No, that was my twin brother.

 

I have a tough time believeing that MLS will expand into Canada when there are quite a few cities in America that would like to join the league. Of course if Toronto or some other Canadian city is willing to build a stadium for the team, it could happen. But I just think giving a team to Toronto over Philly or Seattle would be a major blow to the leagues reputation.

 

Do you really think MLS cares about it's "reputation"? It's all about stadium deals and expansion fees. I guarantee you that if someone is willing to build a SSS in Toronto and lay down the expansion fee, along with a committment to lose $X Millions per year, they would jump right to the top of the list.

Any cities who don't have an MLS-compliant SSS on the table will drop to the bottom of the list. I know it's not fair, but how do you think Salt Lake City got on the list this year?

This is why I think Seattle and Rochester (until they get their SSS expanded to MLS specs) are going to keep getting bumped off the list by SLC-type bids, when it's all about the $$$.

 

After the landmark TV fee rights deal that will show 40 Chivas and Galaxy games next year, they may feel they have a shot at a similar TV deal throught Canada if they get a team. They are in hockey withdrawl right now so the timing could be good.

 

Why are we talking about MLS expansion to Canada in the USL forum?

 

For the same reason we would discuss expansion of MLS into Seattle and Rochester, loss of USL teams/cities. Not to mention the loss of these teams have on the rest of the league. For example, if Seattle is moved to MLS as well as Vancouver what kind of effect would that have on Portland?

 

Because the rumor is that the expansion team will be named Lynx USA and will play in Detroit, catering to the large population of Canadian ex-pats in that city. A brilliant scheme to leverage the popularity of the Lynx in Canada.

 

Toronto is getting a new stadium for soccer and CFL football, to be built at York University. Of course the CSA added remarks about getting an MLS team for Toronto, once again forgetting that CSA is the Canadian soccer association not the Toronto soccer association. So once again we are inundated with MLS in Toronto threads on nearly every soccer board.

http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/stadium/index.asp?sub2=3

http://www.thevarsity.ca/main.cfm/include/detail/storyid/775823.html

http://www.yorku.ca/mediar/archive/Release.asp?Release=715

 

Personally I would have no problem with Canadian teams in the MLS.

KPMG did a study detailing the current candian infrastructure of the game and weight the potential for a all canada league anc concluded that it was not feasable.

Canadians are awsome and Toronto and Vancouver would be great additions. Everytime I go to canada I bump into canucks who are footy mad. I remember being in windsor and the backpage of the paper was Rooney and Radzinski back when they were blues. The A-league is not a good baramometer of wether or not a city is ready for a team.

Canadian teams could allways just leave the MLS if canada ever had a national league and dominate and eat up all the money aka Ajax/PSV or Celtic/Rangers

 

Now THAT is friggin hilarious... Very funny.

 

I'm laughing so hard that it makes me cry.

 

What's so funny, Doyle? The man is giving Canada props.
We know that you hate the idea of MLS in Canada. Ok. That's a pretty well known fact. The guy was sincerely trying to show some love for Canada.

I love visiting Canada, too. I actually thought about emigrating in the mid-90's. I love the people and have had some great conversations with Canucks (which is why you see me on the Voyaguer message boards).

When people are sincerely trying to show respect and you make fun of them it comes accross as meanspirited... I'm not saying that was your intention, but that's the way it comes accross.

Let me be clear, I'm not putting you down, I just trying to let you know how you may be misunderstood.

 

That fact that Canadians are awesome and are footy mad is irrelevant. With plenty of American cities on the expansion list, why would we go to Canada? This is an American soccer league after all. People always counter that argument with Chivas, well Chivas is playing in LA and not Mexico. Who cares that they have a stadium. There are plenty of stadia in London, but that doesn't mean we're going to put an MLS team there.

Saying that, of course we'll expand to Toronto. The MLS brass isn't as interested in promoting American soccer as they are trying to make money. Too bad.

 

Bro, as you know, we have a tradition of sharing leagues with Canada. NHL&, MLB (including minor league affiliates) , NBA, NASL, A-League, CFL (briefly just to name a few), MISL. Not all of them worked. Some found it beneficial to do so or continue to do so in some way. So, the London thing isn't really a good example (although NBA commish, David Stern has made it clear that he would love for the NBA to expand to continental Europe and Asia sometime in the next 10-15 years). So comparing Canadian expansion to UK expansion is not really a good one. We have a precedent for Canadian expansion. We already do it in seveal leagues.

I agree with you that MLS isn't exclusively interested in promoting American soccer. They are interested primarily in breaking even and moving on to a profit. They are trying to make money. Real Salt Lake, case in point. Right place, right time (ie, stadium plan and CA$H).

If any of the major American cities on the expansion list can come up with the CA$H and a stadium plan, they'll most likely get a team, too. I say "Major" city, not to disrespect anyone (Rochester, OK City). Just to indicate that you already have at least of the BIG 4 leagues in your town. Life's not fair. It's all about economics and marketing. That's pretty much all MLS cares about. I don't even bother to send King Don Garber or MLS emails anymore. Not worth my time.

 

What's funny is the the thought that Toronto's soccer snobs (Euro and otherwise) are avoiding Lynx games only because of it's level of play. Soccer snobbery and provinicialism in Canada is a huge problem for the game in that country.

I'm sure our Canucklehead friends that were there (or watched on TV) would love to tell you about the atmosphere at Varsity Stadium for the Canada-Mexico WCQ in 1993. Those same soccer fans you mentioned making the town "footy mad" pretty much stayed away in droves.

That's why Doyle was laughing...

 

I think a team in Toronto would make the league more interesting, and I think it would up the level of play on the field, as those Canadians would feel the need to prove themselves cause they can't get to The Show in weak-ass CONACAF.

 

The biggest laugh to Canadians who have followed soccer for a long time is the fact that Toronto is considered the best city in Canada for an MLS team. Once again lets remember the last time Canada had teams in a North American division 1. Vancouver averaged the highest crowds with 4 of their 11 season averaging over 20,000 a game. Montreal was second, two of their seasons averaging over 20,000 a game. Toronto was a distant third, never reaching the 20,000 per game plateau, only one season averaging 15,000 per game, 3 seasons at 11,000 a game, and the rest drawing below 7,000, and that was in the star studded NASL days.

I realize only money matters in getting a MLS franchise. However if people are going to fantasize about Canadian teams getting an MLS frachise it's a laugh that Toronto always gets chosen as the best city. They certainly have proven they aren't the biggest draw for domestic soccer in this country (and forget about the champions world games drawing so much-They'd have gotten the same crowds or bigger if those games were held in Vancouver or Montreal).