As far I know, they are not grandfathered. Not having equal roster rules for both countries certainly doesn't help make that case
Neither is an issue of not being able to compete. It’s an ownership issue in both cases. Basically the same issue with Columbus back when they almost relocated…
What’s the point of any team in MLS? It’s a large city with a lot of wealthy residents where soccer is a popular sport.
I'm afraid that Derek Reese from Fort Lauderdale is inaccurate. Let's debunk a few things By who? Who made that decision and when? Wrong. It starts first and foremost with the Canadian Soccer Association. If they don't agree to it first, it can't happen. Then he leaves out FIFA, who must also approve such exceptional cases. They've been in the English pyramid for over a century while Wales is part of Great Britain. The 3 cities aren't part of the United States and they've haven't been in MLS for a century. Also, Welsh players count as domestic players in English Football - for some reason, this has always been too much to ask to have Canadian count as domestic players on US-based clubs while Americans are domestic in both countries. The grandfathered argument falls flat.
More specifically under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment you can't discriminate against people based on their nationality. By favoring Canadians, you would be discriminating against other nationals. “In essence, [if MLS claimed Canadian players as domestic] you would be discriminating against non-Canadian people in the US in favor of Canadians, It is one thing to say you need to be a US citizen or a green card holder to be considered domestic. It is another thing to say if you’re Canadian you have these rights and if you’re not Canadian you have different rights.” - Bob Foos former MLSPA exec Unfortunately for @Robert Borden, in 1868 the US legislature was focused on equal rights for freed slaves and not Canadian soccer player development.
Somehow it didn't stop USL from doing so but that's totally fine - however, all I'm saying is that it doesn't help making the case that somehow the 3 clubs are "grandfathered" when they obviously aren't fully integrated like the Welsh clubs are in English football
Maybe someone read up on the law. I confirmed with USL that starting in 2021 all Canadian players (minus those with green cards, etc.) will be considered international players on USL rosters. This will mirror the MLS rules and will make it even more important that the #CanPL expands to provide more jobs.— Duane Rollins (@24thminute) January 24, 2020 All Welsh players have UK citizenship as Wales is part of the UK.
I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying that we aren't technically "fully integrated" so the whole grandfather thing doesn't hold
A better question to ask is why the UK is allowed four separate FIFA memberships when politically and citizenship-wise it's one country. The answer is "because".
Are American and Canadian players not considered domestic players on the three Canadian MLS teams? If so, that would seem to give the three Canadian teams a slight advantage when it comes to constructing rosters. https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations Oh and look at that, the three Canadian clubs can designate up to three international players as domestic players as long as that player has been with the team at least one year.
Canada and the United States have different laws. For Canadian clubs, a domestic player is either a Canadian citizen or the holder of certain other special status (i.e., has been granted refugee or asylum status), a player who qualifies under the Homegrown International Rule, or a U.S. Domestic Player. There is no limit as to the number of U.S. Domestic Players or Canadian Domestic Players on a Canadian club's roster; provided, however, a Canadian club is required to have a minimum of three Canadian Domestic Players on its roster at all times.
Canadians aren't domestic on US clubs the same way Amricans are on Canadian based clubs. This has always been the issue from the get go which almost prompted Montagliani to stop supporting sanctions of Canadian clubs in the US. Reframing it all you want doesn't change that.
I'm not reframing it. I'm simply stating what the rules are. Which, when reading them, it sure appears as if the three Canadian teams are being given some advantages over their American counterparts. The bigger issue at play is the divergent goals of the two entities. The CSA wants to develop players and grow the game in Canada. The three Canadian MLS teams want to win games and make money. While developing great Canadian players can help them with that goal, it's not their primary objective. Same goes for the American based teams, winning and making money are the primary goals. Developing great American players are secondary (or even further down the priority list) goals.
As you said, Canada Soccer priority is the whole Canadian ecosystem not only 3 pro clubs in a league they don't sanction. While the 3 clubs might have an advantage, the CSA sees a disadvantage for Canadians with regards to opportunity to access a pro environment from their perspective. That's the reason why I say that "should" Vancouver and Montreal leave on their own...can't see the CSA supporting just TFC playing in MLS for the following reasons: They are CSME strategic partnership with their potential revenues tied to one another. They would put pressure on the CSA to favor it's own league over a foreign one CPL would take a giant leap having all the markets to itself. This means more revenues shared with the CSA A stronger CPL means more expansions, meaning more clubs...meaning more opportunity for Canadians to play pro at a higher level in this country. This lead to a larger and deeper pool of players. Ultimately, that's the CSA main concern. If 1 single club gets in the way of that, sanction will be pulled eventually
How are we still having these discussions in year 31? This is all ground that has been covered and at this point churned into mud. The tl;dr version: *The U.S. law is that all internationals have to be treated equally *The law is not enforced until somebody with standing actually takes the league to court *In 1996 MLS originally had rules to treat American citizens one way and all internationals, regardless of their status (green card, visa, refugee, etc.) as interntionals *Per one of the old-timers here back in the day they were approached and informed they needed to get in line with U.S. employment law or face a suit, which is why we have the split (essentially) between "able to work in the U.S. without a visa=domestic" and "everyone else-international" *MLS found a carve out in the law that was not considered discriminatory to allow all players who came through a MLS academy to count as domestic, regardless of international status The reason it "didn't stop USL" is that nobody decided that trying to sue a league that's barely making ends meet to meet U.S. employment law was worth the cost and time given the only reward, assuming the lawsuit didn't crash the league, was getting your teammates pissed off at you.
France too..isn’t there an FA in CONCACAF whose players are also eligible for France? Guadeloupe maybe?
Overseas France: French Guiana: Full member of CONCACAF. Guadeloupe: Full member of CONCACAF. Martinique: Full member of CONCACAF. Saint Martin: Full member of CONCACAF. Réunion: Associate member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Mayotte: Regional associate of CAF. None of the above are FIFA members as they are part of France.