youcan'tseeme Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 I while ago I posted a soccer league that I hoped to form in the next 10 years. Know I've revised it and want to know what you guys think. Would it work would you support it?This league would co-exist with the CFl all CFL owners if they wanted could recieve a franchise with no fee's required. Teams in the Premier division would need 15,000 - 25,00 seats minimum. Second Division would need 10,000-15,000 minimum. and the third Division would need 5,000-10,000 seats minimum.League Name: Canadian Soccer LeagueSponsors: Air Canada Grey hound ReebokPremier LeaguePlay for the Air Canada CSL Cup$3 Million Dollar salary cap5 import players allowedEastern PoolMontreal,PQToronto,OntOttawa,OntHamilton,OntLondon,OntWindsor OntarioWestern PoolVancouver,BCOkanagon,BCCalgary,AlbEdmonton,AlbRegina,SaskWinnipeg,ManSecond DivisionPlay for the Grey Hound CSL Second Division's Plate& a spot in the PL$2 Million Dollar Salary Cap3 Import Players AllowedEastern PoolHalifax,NSMoncton,NBQuebec City,PQHull,PQGuelph,OntToronto(York),OntWestern PoolBrandon, ManSaskatoon,SaskSwift Current,SaskRed Deer,AlbAbbostford,BCVictoria,BCThird DivisionPlay for the Reebok Canada Cup$1.5 Million Dollar Salary Cap2 Import Players AllowedEastern PoolSaint John,NBFredricton,NBSt.John,NFLCharllettown,PEIMontreal (Nord Montreal),PQKingston,OntNiagra Falls,OntWestern PoolKelowna,BCWhistler,BCKamloops,BCMedicine Hat,AlbSuperb of Calgary,AlbSuperb of Edmonton,AlbSuperb of Vancouver,BCThe bottom in the East and West in the PL go to D2, top in east in west in D2 go to PL, bottom two in east and west of D2 go to D3 and the top two in the east and west of the D3 go to D2.What do yah think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian in Boston Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 I don't see it being successful. Stand-alone Canadian major professional soccer leagues have come and gone before. Both the Canadian Professional Soccer League (1983) and Canadian Soccer League (1987-92) folded due to high budgets brought about by travel expenses (air fare, hotel accomodations, per diems, etc) and, more importantly, low spectator interest.Further, when the Canadian Soccer Association asked the accounting firm KPMG to assess the prospects for attempting the launch of yet another Canadian Division 1 soccer league in 1998, KPMG concluded that such a project was "risky and highly speculative". They went on to say that "the financial viability of the league would be in question from day one".Despite this dire forecast, in 2000 the CSA went ahead and announced the plans for the eight-team Canadian United Soccer League, with an anticipated launch in 2003. By October of 2001, it was clear that the financial support needed to launch the CUSL was nowhere to be found, as both corporate sponsors and European club sides had turned down offers to invest in the league. Later efforts to merge the CUSL plans with those of the semi-pro CPSL (no relation to the 1983 league of the same name) failed to pan out.It would seem that the future of major professional soccer in Canada is going to revolve around two or three cities (Toronto, Vancouver and - maybe - Montreal) securing Major League Soccer expansion franchises. MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced in his recent State of the League speech that Toronto was the front-runner to secure one of two expansion franchises to be granted in time for the 2007 season. It is expected that Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment would serve as investor/operator of the Toronto expansion franchise and that the team would be based in a potential soccer-specific stadium being built in the Greater Toronto Area for the FIFA Men's Under-20 World Youth Championships. Stadium funding and siting specifics have not yet been settled upon.In addition, Greg Kerfoot - the billionaire owner of the United Soccer League First Division Vancouver Whitecaps - has recently acquired prime real estate on Vancouver's waterfront with plans to build a 20,000-seat (expandable to 30,000) soccer-specific stadium on the parcel. He is financing all acquisition and construction costs himself. Reportedly, he has a Major League Soccer expansion bid in mind.By the way, even with your plan "sweetening" the offer for CFL owners by granting them a CSL franchise for no acquisition fee, player salaries are still going to have to be paid, as are travel expenses. Given the dicey financial situation that several CFL franchises have found themselves in over the past decade or so, just how many CFL owners do you think are going to jump at the chance to take on more debt? And on behalf of a soccer league, no less. CFL involvement in your proposed Canadian Soccer League is a pipe-dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breakwood Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 this topic has been discussed alot on two message boards i frequent and the conclusion is : there are 3 cities that can support professional soccer therefore 3 teams and no chance for a league.here are some links to the discussions :http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226776http://www.canadian-soccer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7463 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheateater Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Teams in the Premier division would need 15,000 - 25,000 seats minimum. Second Division would need 10,000-15,000 minimum. and the third Division would need 5,000-10,000 seats minimum.Premier LeagueWestern PoolVancouver,BCOkanagon,BCCalgary,AlbEdmonton,AlbRegina,SaskWinnipeg,ManSecond DivisionWestern PoolBrandon, ManSaskatoon,SaskSwift Current,SaskRed Deer,AlbAbbotsford,BCVictoria,BCThird DivisionWestern PoolKelowna,BCWhistler,BCKamloops,BCMedicine Hat,AlbSuperb of Calgary,AlbSuperb of Edmonton,AlbSuperb of Vancouver,BC OK. Other than the problem that no one in Canada really cares about soccer enough for it to be remotely considered a major sport, your choices for franchise locations are puzzling.First off, considering that Saskatoon has a population about 30,000 above that of Regina makes me wonder if they should perhaps switch pools.Along that same line, I hope you know that Swift Current's population is less than 20,000. If anything, a better option would likely be Lethbridge, AB, with an ever-growing population approaching 80,000.Lastly, locating teams in a suburb of a city that already has one team would likely never work. Who'd want to go see "third division" soccer with a "premier division" team so close by (unless the tickets were nearly free of charge... )?All that being said, it's an interesting idea, but it needs work.......that, and the fact that it'd never fly in this hockey-loving country of ours kinda hinders your efforts. Wagner Athletic Group11-2 Saskatoon Steeds (WAFL)-NFL-2014 Western Conference Champions / 8-5 Calgary Pronghorns (TNFF)-CFL-2014 Confederation Cup XI Champions14-6-2 Saskatoon Yellowheads (XHL)-NHL-1st, Gretzky Conference / 5-4-0 Saskatoon Czars (MLH)-AHL-T2nd, Calder Conference7-1-6 VfL Dortmund (Weltliga)-Bundesliga-3rd, League / 5-1-5 West End AFC (WFL)-EPL-T5th, League14-7 Saskatoon Sheiks (AA)-MLB-2014 Founder's Cup Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stampman Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 I have to add to the "no--it wouldn't work" chorus--it's been tried more than once--and soccer doesn't do well on thatlevel in Canada--which seems odd given the level of participation in playing soccer...(no maybe if Vince McMahon started a soccer league up here? -Actually forget I said that...) Comic Sans walks into a bar, and the bartender says, "Sorry, we don't serve your type here." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcan'tseeme Posted August 4, 2005 Author Share Posted August 4, 2005 Teams in the Premier division would need 15,000 - 25,000 seats minimum. Second Division would need 10,000-15,000 minimum. and the third Division would need 5,000-10,000 seats minimum.Premier LeagueWestern PoolVancouver,BCOkanagon,BCCalgary,AlbEdmonton,AlbRegina,SaskWinnipeg,ManSecond DivisionWestern PoolBrandon, ManSaskatoon,SaskSwift Current,SaskRed Deer,AlbAbbotsford,BCVictoria,BCThird DivisionWestern PoolKelowna,BCWhistler,BCKamloops,BCMedicine Hat,AlbSuperb of Calgary,AlbSuperb of Edmonton,AlbSuperb of Vancouver,BC OK. Other than the problem that no one in Canada really cares about soccer enough for it to be remotely considered a major sport, your choices for franchise locations are puzzling.First off, considering that Saskatoon has a population about 30,000 above that of Regina makes me wonder if they should perhaps switch pools.Along that same line, I hope you know that Swift Current's population is less than 20,000. If anything, a better option would likely be Lethbridge, AB, with an ever-growing population approaching 80,000.Lastly, locating teams in a suburb of a city that already has one team would likely never work. Who'd want to go see "third division" soccer with a "premier division" team so close by (unless the tickets were nearly free of charge... )?All that being said, it's an interesting idea, but it needs work.......that, and the fact that it'd never fly in this hockey-loving country of ours kinda hinders your efforts. Yah your right about Swift current but, the reason i have Regina and not Saskatoon in the PL is because if somehow the CFL owners took on a team then the Roughriders are located in Regina there fore the CSL team would play in the same Stadium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hfxhockeyfan Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Eastern PoolHalifax,NSMoncton,NBEastern PoolSaint John,NBFredricton,NBThis is Halifax's largest stadium.This is Fredericton's Largest stadium.This is Moncton's largest soccer/football stadium.This is the largest stadium in Saint John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yh Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Say, what's that I see stomping across the Fredericton stadium??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
officeglenn Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Call me a negative Nelly if you must, but I have to add my voice to chorus of naysayers.The first problem I have (that hasn't already been discussed) is the salary caps. I can understand why they would be in place, but they are far too small to be able to have soccer make a go of it in Canada. In order to attract high-calibre players over from Europe ? which is probably the only way to make the league newsworthy and more than a beer league of semi-pros that won't draw fans ? the salaries would have to be much more than what you've outlined. North American teams would have to offer European players oodles of cash to get them to cross the pond, probably more than the cap itself in most cases.Secondly is the sponsors. I doubt major companies like the ones you have mentioned would dive head-first into a venture like this, which a major accounting firm has called "risky". For the first few years, these guys might be playing for the Gino's Pizzeria on 4th Cup rather than the Air Canada Cup. Even finding a place to build a soccer stadium has proven a less-than-favourable venture for most financial backers; see the debacle surrounding the proposed stadium in Toronto this past year.Speaking of stadiums ... while hfxhockeyfan pointed out the foibles of soccer stadiums in atlantic Canada, it should be pointed out that Calgary isn't necessarily well-equipped for soccer either. The old Calgary Storm of the A-League used to play in Foothills Park, which had rickety wooden stands on one side, portable washrooms, and no concessions nor lighting. McMahon Stadium would be better IF they installed FieldTurf, but to this day I believe they still have AstroTurf (basically cement painted green) and don't plan to change it in the near future.Sorry dude, but if you want to start this up within 10 years, there's a lot of work to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee. Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Say, what's that I see stomping across the Fredericton stadium??? Yale, I fluffing hate you.Now kiss me. Welcome to DrunjFlix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yh Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Eh, you're just jealous of my madd Paint skillz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcan'tseeme Posted August 4, 2005 Author Share Posted August 4, 2005 mod edit - Learn to take a joke or leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcan'tseeme Posted August 5, 2005 Author Share Posted August 5, 2005 Sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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