I like that. I was only being half-facetious in my last post. I really think that MLS should add teams with an eye on creating natural rivalries.
You "No Canadian teams in MLS!" people are so silly sometimes. If someone in Toronto wants to invest $10 million (or more) into the league and provide the team with a good home, why the hell not? To me, that would make them more "deserving" of a team than any of the usual suspects south of the 49th (Seattle, Portland, Philly, Rochester, etc.), who have epitomized the phrase "all fart, no ********."
If Toronto is willing to put up the goods to get a team, then MLS should definitely consider it. But, they should look for American teams first. I want soccer to be big in this country, and Canadian teams do little to achieve that goal. The tv ratings and media coverage are helped more with Philadelphia or Houston than Toronto.
but chivas usa is on american soil, toronto or vancouver wouldnt be. if mls adds teams in canada would they stock them with a majority of americans or canadians? i think canada should start a league of their own. they have already infested the nba, mlb, nhl. we dont need them in mls as well. i think that mls should take care of all the american cities first then they can cross the border to canada. canada has alot of major cities that could support a league. vancouver, edmonton, toronto, calgary, qubec just to name a few. they could start with 8 teams and expand like the mls has.
candada infesting the nhl, that's almost funny. where do you think the nhl started? but I agree that if a US market is open to investing, I'd pass on Toronto. They'll be sharing the stadium with a CFL team all season anyway
An MLS team in Toronto would be basically a junior to the CFL. The Argos would get the choice of prime dates for games as the stadium is being built for them built for them. The Argos wouldn't be considered as an owner as they would be paying off their share of the stadiums costs.
i think that Canada is further behind than the US with the whole soccer culture issue...and the elimination from the World Cup (jesus Canada sucked this time around) are just simply two factors that dont encourage MLS expanding there... I think its too early.... Lets get 14 MLS american based teams then think about canada...
El Jefe, What is so silly about wanting to avoid the inevitable aggravation of including a Canadian team? It has horror show written all over it. Beyond that, given MLS's slow but sure progress (i.e., tenuous state), why would you want to invite complications by adding a (another) team whose ownership, fanbase and players will not share stated goals? Is it petty of us to want to jealously guard the little that we've achieved? I know that such an idea may fly in the face of the presumption of MLS/soccer being some sort of ambassadorial mission or internationalist statement. I just don't think that we need the aggro. And screw Toronto and Vancouver. They'd stab us in the back in a heartbeat and you're silly to think otherwise. I still think it's an uphill battle; think about it: Fifa would have to be convinced that a developed nation of 30,000,000 couldn't organize its own league. To a Canadian to agree with that is pretty damned defeatist. Let them start their own league. I'd wish them well with it. But I'm not so desperate for Cuban beer that I'd ever want to see a Canadian team in MLS.
Are you serious? I agree that MLS is a fine league and heading in the right direction but look up the definition of tenuous and you'll see that it's one of several words that describe MLS.
Actually I think this descibes alot more than a certain (unnamed) person, hell it descibes 80% of current BS posters.
I did . I'm still trying to figure out exactly what about MLS is tenuous. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=tenuous tenuous adjective 1. Long and thin, slender. 2. Having a thin consistency; dilute. 3. Having little substance; flimsy. None of these definitions apply to MLS.
Okay people's. Time for a little project Name what would be postive about having a Canadian team in MLS. Then, name what would be negative about having a Canadian team in MLS.
Okay, I'll start: Positive: A bigger MLS is better, and either Vancouver or Toronto is a large enough metropolitan area to make it financially viable. Another positive: Nationalist sentiments can make for intense derbies! Negative: Canadian dollar exchange problems, while not that much of a problem at the moment, might undercut Canadian teams' ability to financially compete on a level playing field. That's really the only reason I can think of not to have a Canadian MLS team, and it isn't a very good one.
Positives: 1) The development of soccer in Canada is good for CONCACAF and for the United States. To improve the US needs to face strong competition. A healthy game in Canada, the Central America, and the Caribbean is good for our players. 2) Toronto, especially, offers the chance for a strong franchise that would not only draw well at home, but would also be the prime derby candidate for numerous other teams. Close vicinity to other potential expansion sites (Rochester, Detroit) in the United States, or other Canadian teams (Vancouver) is a big plus. Rivalries are an absolute must for growing the game. For example, Chivas USA will improve attendance in San Jose. 3) A Canadian team would be another nail in the coffin for nationalist-isolationist mentality in this country-- at least as far as soccer is concerned. All this "America first" crap really has no place in the game. Soccer, more than any other sport, is internationalist. Chivas USA is one positive step. A team in Canada would be another. Negatives: 1) SYoshonis brought up exchange rates; the way the (American) dollar is going that might not be a problem long term.
Poor example. The national team failed due to decades of mismanagement from the CSA, not because the players themselves, suck. ON TOPIC: POSITIVES - The third largest media market in North America (Toronto) - A proven club soccer market (Vancouver, and more recently, Montreal) - Increased development for a potentially good CONCACAF nation (works better if all 3 of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver get a team eventually) NEGATIVES - Exchange rate problems (for the time being, although this isn't a huge problem as the players are not millionaires) - Teams here will be taking potential clubs away some such 'great' American soccer markets as Oklahoma and Florida. For MLS to work in Canada, it'll take a team of forward thinking and risk-taking people within the I/O groups, especially in Toronto, where Eurosnobbery is more prevalent than just about anywhere else in Canada.
How about this for negatives? 1) For it to work Canadian players will stop being SIs and TIs. Vergara will take advantage of this and try to push similar status for Mexican players. 2) Canadian teams in other leagues have been either lukwarm or disasters. They bring very little with respect to rivalry or sales. I think Canadians are tired of having teams in US leagues. They should start their own. Heck Uruguay has a nice little league and they only have one city. Canada can do it.
A very good point with the SI-TI thing, that would be a tough one to figure out as MLS cannot mandate that the Tronoto MLS team have mostly Americans and it would be stupid to give a one (or two) team exemption to the rules. Personally, I am not for any teams in Canada at the moment, I would much rather build and solidify our base in the US, put teams in Seattle, OKC, San Antonio, Rodchester, Philly and the like. I think Canada might be a little further down the road, once the balence of the league is playing in SSS. Also, is there anything in FIFA rules about a league having teams in different countries?
I have a hard time believing Yallop didn't have the team performing to near the best of its abilities this cycle Raptors, former Grizzlies, Blue Jays, former Expos, no NFL teams ... There's not a good track record outside of hockey of Canadian teams being vital to any US sports leagues, even if it's the "#3" market in Toronto. Laugh off "Florida" and "Oklahoma" but the US is full of potential viable soccer markets. They're just like Toronto that with the right owner and stadium situation they could succeed. Biggest issue probably is the exchange rates/taxes/living in Canada vs. SI/TI issue. Will the Canadians in England come home for a Toronto MLS team? Otherwise, Cann, Brillant, Bent, etc - Canadians haven't exactly been overwhelming current MLS rosters. Is there the 11-15 needed (not counting developmental) to stock 1 Candian team? And will they all want to play on the same team ("Team Canada"). I'd think the SI/TI rule would have to change. I'm not specifically against MLS in Canada, but I'm not sold on it. I think some have blown out of proportion how much benefit it would be. I'm all for developing CONCACAF, but I'm not sure putting teams in Haiti, Jamaica, Costa Rica, etc is the way to go. Seattle vs. Vancouver, Toronto vs Detroit - maybe 1 team can help cover both markets? I don't see MLS going past 18-20 teams. So a team in Canada is a spot that won't be there for an emerging US market. Long list: Seattle, Rochester, New York City, Portland, San Diego, San Antonio, Houston, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Cincinatti, Detroit, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, St. Louis, Sacremento, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Raleigh, Birmingham, Charleston, Bufallo, Louisville, Vegas, NW Arkansas (had to throw that in) many have flaws, but add that to 2nd teams in Chicago or elsewhere (maybe like Chivas) and the list is long for the final 6-8 spots in MLS. I think Canada should have its own 4-6 team league, maybe half of a 2nd division if it must. This SSS is concerning if it means sharing during CFL season, artificial turf, and football lines. But if Toronto comes around with the right owners that can sustain a profitable franchise and the other MLS markets aren't ready, I'll consider supporting it.
For his MLS team in Mexico....? Seriously, this anti-Vergara stuff is getting old. "Vergara wants MLS to drink Mexican water! Vergara wants anyone who speaks English in his presence to be shot! Vergara wants MLS to change the rule so Chivas gets four points for a win! Vergara will serve deep-fried American babies at the HDC concession stands!" Give it a rest, already.