2016 Calgary Foothills PDL Thread

[CorbeauNoir]

Originally Posted by Nuje

I just want as many people around as possible to show that this sport can work in this city.

I'd go to every game if they were playing in a reasonable location... even living in the Beltline that's an absurdly long way to go, let alone for people north of the bow.

[Nuje]

Originally Posted by CorbeauNoir

I'd go to every game if they were playing in a reasonable location... even living in the Beltline that's an absurdly long way to go, let alone for people north of the bow.

Well, what's ideal though? I missed 0 games at Hellard last year despite living in the deep south. Really, you can't please everyone. show up now, and we elevate to a league where weeknight games are rare or nonexistent.

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by CorbeauNoir

I had to look it up and wow that's an u-g-l-y location even if you have a car... they really couldn't find any field even marginally close to a c-train station? How are you supposed to get back home after having a pint or six?



I've had an ear to the ground on this sort of stuff since the whitecaps entered MLS... rumors and offhand declarations like this come out like clockwork every six months or so. There's going to be a pro league tied to the CFL, then there's going to be an all-Canadian NASL division, then there's going to be a pro league tied to the CFL again, then Calgary and Hamilton are guaranteed to be entering the NASL individually next year... oops no, in two years... oops no, in two years after the end of next year... oops no, now NASL is saying they've actually never heard any word of interest at all from any Canadian markets... then there's a rival group saying there's actually going to be a completely different national league and it has nothing to do with the CFL-tied league, and now it's a pro league tied to the CFL *and* the NHL, which is going to be the real deal this time because it got a quiet off-hand reference during a Hamilton city planning meeting as political leverage to get a couple of practice fields built.

I'll believe it's big, big news when I actually see these apparently-real 6-8 ownership groups together on a stage giving concrete announcements of exactly where and when games are going to be played, until then it's yet more smoke and mirrors. Nobody seems to have any reasonable answer to how a "national" league is supposed to have any traction in the pro sports market when 5 of Canada's 6 biggest cities are already accounted for, which I suspect is why the people with money at stake never go any further than expressing vague desires to get it done.

You could just not drink, or bring a DD

[CorbeauNoir]

Originally Posted by Nuje

Well, what's ideal though? I missed 0 games at Hellard last year despite living in the deep south. Really, you can't please everyone. show up now, and we elevate to a league where weeknight games are rare or nonexistent.

There isn't a single field in the city that's at all reasonably accessible by public transit? That should be a no-brainer for any spectator sport.

[shermanator]

Save for the field at SAIT, there is no suitable facility close to a transit line. And that field has a terrible playing surface, and minimal stands. Great location, but not suitable for the club. The 24 route has a stop a few metres away, so there's a way home at least.

What if the club were to organize a match day bus from a centrally located pub? Something like the Pig and Duke downtown? It's a longshot, and there would have to be demand for it, but it's something the supporters could pitch to the club? Anything less than 25-30 people that want this for each game means no way it will have a shot at happening.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by CorbeauNoir

There isn't a single field in the city that's at all reasonably accessible by public transit? That should be a no-brainer for any spectator sport.

There are; SAIT comes to mind first and even Foothills Athletic Park.

However, a lot of other variables play a factor. What's the spectator capacity? Is it a grass or turf pitch? Parking? Can we have concessions? Does the City of Calgary own the field and if so, how often is it in use? Who maintains it?

Foothills was able to put a lot of checkmarks in the columns by going to a rugby park for this season. Certainly the location isn't totally ideal, but the facility they're building isn't going to be on a transit line either. However, it's going to have everything else they want and most importantly, it's going to be grass.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by shermanator

I cannot wait for this league to get off the ground.

While I definitely wouldn't mind having a larger local club to support, I think the PDL is the correct level for Calgary at the moment and Foothills is the perfect organization to have running the PDL club. Additionally, as Foothills is starting to climb the ladder they are going to require financial resources to fund necessary improvements. While their gate receipts last year most likely didn't fill their coffers, it may become an important revenue stream for the club in the future. As such, it may be detrimental to local football if Foothills had to compete for spectators with another club that may not be as invested in local youth development.

Having seen numerous professional clubs fail and youth development perennially stagnate in this city, I'm cautious about this new venture. It will depend on how the group behind the project is approaching the sport. Are they:

1. Establishing a league because the sport has become increasingly popular and they think we should totally have a Canadian league?
2. Establishing a league because the sport has become increasingly popular and they think there is a chance to profit off of the popularity?
3. Establishing a league because the sport has become increasingly popular and a professional league is a component of their plan to provide direction and stability for the sport in Canada?

The last approach would show this group is cognizant of the reality facing football in this country and is a group I can get behind. The other approaches left us with the Boomers, Storm and Mustangs.

Originally Posted by Mango

Certainly the location isn't totally ideal, but the facility they're building isn't going to be on a transit line either. However, it's going to have everything else they want and most importantly, it's going to be grass.

While a lot of it may work for them, accessibility and transportation are massive planning considerations when it comes to stadia.

[CorbeauNoir]

Maybe I'm underestimating the attendance for these games, are parking/capacity/facility demands for fourth-tier amateur soccer seriously THAT much of a crunch? Even MLS uses turf fields.

I guess I'm seeing the egg where others are seeing the chicken. It's easy to say "take an hour-long bus trip each way for games and maybe the local profile of the sport will grow someday" (especially when you're not the one taking that bus trip), I personally don't see how the profile can grow when it's made so difficult for a casual audience to experience the product. It's the same type of mistake MLS has been spending the last decade trying to untangle. The idea of a gameday shuttle might be something worth looking into though.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Addick

While a lot of it may work for them, accessibility and transportation are massive planning considerations when it comes to stadia.

Certainly.

With shovels in the ground, the location for the new Foothills building/fields is what works best for them and the money they've raised.

This all circles back to the same point though and is a true testament as to why a city of Calgary's size needs a fieldhouse in accessible area.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by CorbeauNoir

Maybe I'm underestimating the attendance for these games, are parking/capacity/facility demands for fourth-tier amateur soccer seriously THAT much of a crunch? Even MLS uses turf fields.

Speaking of Shouldice Athletic Park, the place is a total gong show in the middle of summer because of how many games are happening on the various fields and diamonds. You combine that with the renovations/construction they are doing and it's a nightmare. On a Foothills WFC game night last year, they had to have people park on the grass, near the river. The team buses had no where to park. It was an awful situation.

[shermanator]

So I figured I would get the ball rolling on an away game trip to Victoria. If anyone just so happens to be interested, here's where we're planning such a thing.
https://www.facebook.com/events/461074727419785/

[shermanator]

A couple of the supporters met with Tommy and co. from Calgary Foothills to discuss plans for the upcoming season. I wasn't there, so I'm passing this on second hand. A fellow CPer was on hand if they want to confirm / deny what I have is accurate:

- Glenmore Athletic Park is now the frontrunner for where games will be played, which works out much better from a transit perspective.
- The club is in talks to partner with the Ship and Anchor to get a matchday bus to and from the Ship on game days. IMO this is fantastic from a supporters point of view as it works towards the 19-34 demographic which is an oft-overlooked demographic by clubs.
- The club is also in talks to get games televised on Shaw TV (channel 10 if you have Shaw). Even a local TV deal for a club at this level is huge.
- FC Edmonton of the NASL will be in town for a preseason game.

The first three items above are not set in stone, but they are being worked on by the club. If all three can get worked out I think they are all good developments.

[Nuje]

Originally Posted by shermanator

A couple of the supporters met with Tommy and co. from Calgary Foothills to discuss plans for the upcoming season. I wasn't there, so I'm passing this on second hand. A fellow CPer was on hand if they want to confirm / deny what I have is accurate:

- Glenmore Athletic Park is now the frontrunner for where games will be played, which works out much better from a transit perspective.
- The club is in talks to partner with the Ship and Anchor to get a matchday bus to and from the Ship on game days. IMO this is fantastic from a supporters point of view as it works towards the 19-34 demographic which is an oft-overlooked demographic by clubs.
- The club is also in talks to get games televised on Shaw TV (channel 10 if you have Shaw). Even a local TV deal for a club at this level is huge.
- FC Edmonton of the NASL will be in town for a preseason game.

The first three items above are not set in stone, but they are being worked on by the club. If all three can get worked out I think they are all good developments.

Sounds about right.

To add to that, it sounds like early March was the latest they'll confirm where they'll be playing. I'm sure myself or Sherm will know about as soon as anyone can. I agree that Glenmore would be a good location.

[Ozy_Flame]

Those are all great moves, and playing at Glenmore Atheltic Park (I suspect the North fields?) would be a great location. Ship and Anchor is a bit far, but definitely the go-to pub for soccer supporters. Shaw TV would be a massive gain, but hopefully it would be live and not taped to show on Friday nights at 12:30 AM.

FC Edmonton coming to town for an exhibition? I'm totally coming.

[shermanator]

I'll see if I can get a date on when the FC Edmonton friendly is. I imagine some the supporters from Edmonton would come down for the game.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Nuje

Sounds about right.

To add to that, it sounds like early March was the latest they'll confirm where they'll be playing. I'm sure myself or Sherm will know about as soon as anyone can. I agree that Glenmore would be a good location.

Glenmore and I am there!!!

imagine they could put temporary bleachers on the track?

[shermanator]

If anyone has an hour to spare, here's a great podcast with Tommy Wheeldon at Calgary Foothills where he discusses the PDL club and Foothills soccer in general.

http://rednationonline.ca/Portals/0/...ole_ep_70.html

[shermanator]

Hopefully this isn't spamming. With the economic conditions in Calgary, the club is doing something different with their jersey sponsors. Instead of one sponsor for $50K, they are trying to attract 50 sponsors for $1K each. The national team supporters are starting a GoFundMe to become a sponsor.

I'm not sure how that will look on the jerseys themselves but it will be interesting. Hopefully they won't look like clubs in Central America with 15 sponsors on a shirt.

And just in case anyone wants to pitch in a few $, here's the GoFundMe, of course with the PIMking fiasco I can imagine that GoFundMe is a bit of a swear word here! https://www.gofundme.com/VoyageursFoothills

[shermanator]

I should mention that buses from the Ship and Anchor to Glenmore are arranged for the home opener on Friday May 27. I believe it's arranged for the May 29 game as well but not 100% sure on that.

Let's pack the bus.

[CofR]

Originally Posted by shermanator

I should mention that buses from the Ship and Anchor to Glenmore are arranged for the home opener on Friday May 27. I believe it's arranged for the May 29 game as well but not 100% sure on that.

Let's pack the bus.

Awesome news!!!!!!