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Old 06-02-2017, 11:58 AM   #21
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I'm cautiously optimistic, and I'll reserve judgment until I can see it in action. Even if it is destined to be a lower tier than the MLS, it will still be the top professional level that the non-MLS cities in Canada can hope for. MLS will never end up in Calgary or any other Canadian city - we need to accept that.

With some solid owners and a favourable TV arrangement, I could see people jumping on board. The worst thing that this league can do, however, is drop a team into McMahon, fill a fraction of it, play on football lines, etc. No matter how hard the supporters might try, it'll be crappy in person, crappy on television, and it will really diminish the legitimacy of the league when it will need all of the help it can get.

Where would they play then? Who knows. But large CFL football stadiums are the graveyards of Canadian professional soccer. It just doesn't work.
This is how I'm approaching things as well. MLS is never coming to Calgary. MLS is never expanding further into Canada. This league is arguably the last shot at professional soccer in this city as the CSA is not approving additional Canadian professional clubs in American leagues.

As for McMahon, unless a Calgary ownership group wants to build a modular soccer specific stadium (which is the way other rumoured cities are going), I think any Calgary club is stuck at McMahon. It sucks, but I don't know of any alternative that doesn't require a new stadium.

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The question I have is where does this league take us? What do the champions get? Other than just being champions. Is there a additional carrot?

Perhaps the champions from this league should get a 2nd Canadian spot in the concacaf champions league (in the prelims) and improve Canada's coefficient.

Or Could Canada have it's own Cup competition.

I'd like to see a Calgary team play Toronto FC one day, or even Pachuca! There has to be a path beyond this league to make is viable. Or else what am I (and tv contracts and advertisers) paying for since there is no promotion/relegation.

In hockey the dream of winning the league/Stanley Cup is the pinnacle. In soccer it has to be much much more.
Canada has had it's own cup competition since 2008. The Voyageurs Cup (aka Canadian Championship) is how Canadian teams qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League. Canadian clubs can't actually qualify for the tournament by winning MLS club.

CPL clubs would be added to this tournament. My ideal tournament for now is the 3 MLS clubs, FC Edmonton, Ottawa Fury, 8 CPL clubs, the winners of League1 Ontario and PLSQ, and the winner of the Canadian Challenge Cup. 16 team knockout format.

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Sure, but their U23 Academy's would probably benefit from joining something like the CPL. If the level of play quality can be brought up to or surpass that of PDL, then you have a fighting chance. Whitecaps U23 and Impact Academy are in PDL, and Toronto FC Academy plays in League1 Ontario. Clubs can switch leagues to play in, and often do for various reasons. There is nothing to suggest that Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto couldn't submit teams to the CPL, which would immediately raise the bar for non-MLS Canadian cities to develop equal or better skilled talent.

With more fervent supporters, the CPL should server as a feeder league to MLS and Europe. And that's exactly what we want, and I doubt any CPL fan would expect any different.
My only argument is that the second you allow MLS reserve clubs into the CPL, it's seen as minor league and loses some of it's appeal. I think working with MLS clubs and having MLS clubs loan players to CPL is likely, and mutually beneficial for both leagues.

I think even the biggest proponents will acknowledge that this league will ideally be a feeder league to MLS and CPL, and / or Europe. And the whole point of the league is to develop more Canadian talent, who can then move on to bigger leagues.
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Old 06-02-2017, 12:00 PM   #22
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like this?

Hahaha I love it! Although lets stick to the jersey on the right, the one on the left is . . . . special
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Old 06-02-2017, 12:06 PM   #23
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Shermanator: The Voyageurs Cup has been quite a farce. A glorified 5 team tournament so that Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto can play each other. Calgary Foothills et al aren't in it.

I would like Canada to work towards addition spots in the Champions League. Frickin El Salvador gets 3 spots!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E...b_competitions

Need a real cup competition like the US Open Cup which has teams from all levels.
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Old 06-02-2017, 12:20 PM   #24
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As for McMahon, unless a Calgary ownership group wants to build a modular soccer specific stadium (which is the way other rumoured cities are going), I think any Calgary club is stuck at McMahon. It sucks, but I don't know of any alternative that doesn't require a new stadium.
Yeah, I don't know the answer either. But I honestly feel that McMahon would be the Achilles heel for a club in Calgary. It will enough of a tough sell to get casual fans excited about it, and then they'll go to a 1/3 full football stadium where they are sitting miles from the pitch, and I don't know that many will go back.

The MLS figured it out - it is all about the culture and the atmosphere, and you can't create that in a cavernous stadium. While many here wouldn't consider McMahon to be "big", especially compared to the big American football stadiums, it actually has a larger capacity than over half of the English Premier League stadiums. Not to mention that, because the seats are only on the sides at McMahon, plus the huge gap between the sidelines and the seats, everyone ends up being further from the action.

I would take a semi-temporary modular stadium any day of the week over McMahon. Sure, it would mean food trucks and outhouses, and would be an extra cost compared to using something that is already there. But the success of this league is going to hinge on people getting excited about it, and to do that they need to showcase the atmosphere. I'll even go as far as to say that using McMahon will make this venture dead on arrival.

Anyway - enough negative Nancy for today. I really hope it does well, but I don't trust the Flames (or the future CPL) to avoid repeating history by putting a team in McMahon and then shrugging their shoulders when people don't show up.
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Old 06-02-2017, 12:30 PM   #25
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Shermanator: The Voyageurs Cup has been quite a farce. A glorified 5 team tournament so that Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto can play each other. Calgary Foothills et al aren't in it.

I would like Canada to work towards addition spots in the Champions League. Frickin El Salvador gets 3 spots!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E...b_competitions

Need a real cup competition like the US Open Cup which has teams from all levels.
Well, I can't really argue that. The winners of League1 Ontario and PLSQ are joining next year, but that won't improve things much. I don't know why the hesitation towards PDL clubs joining, I know Foothills has asked.

Maybe the CPL winner will get an extra spot in the CCL? I don't know what will actually happen.

Like I said, I think folks like yourself who could be supportive of it should at least give it a try when it launches. It's not going to be MLS level, but it's probably the last chance at a professional club in Calgary. I don't think supporting Tranmere Rovers from thousands of kms away would be quite the same.
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Old 06-02-2017, 12:34 PM   #26
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Yeah, I don't know the answer either. But I honestly feel that McMahon would be the Achilles heel for a club in Calgary. It will enough of a tough sell to get casual fans excited about it, and then they'll go to a 1/3 full football stadium where they are sitting miles from the pitch, and I don't know that many will go back.

The MLS figured it out - it is all about the culture and the atmosphere, and you can't create that in a cavernous stadium. While many here wouldn't consider McMahon to be "big", especially compared to the big American football stadiums, it actually has a larger capacity than over half of the English Premier League stadiums. Not to mention that, because the seats are only on the sides at McMahon, plus the huge gap between the sidelines and the seats, everyone ends up being further from the action.

I would take a semi-temporary modular stadium any day of the week over McMahon. Sure, it would mean food trucks and outhouses, and would be an extra cost compared to using something that is already there. But the success of this league is going to hinge on people getting excited about it, and to do that they need to showcase the atmosphere. I'll even go as far as to say that using McMahon will make this venture dead on arrival.

Anyway - enough negative Nancy for today. I really hope it does well, but I don't trust the Flames (or the future CPL) to avoid repeating history by putting a team in McMahon and then shrugging their shoulders when people don't show up.
Well, from the people I've talked to that are more in the know, those behind the CPL are heavily pushing for soccer specific stadiums. I agree that they are a big piece of any long term viability. Unfortunately, I don't have a billion dollars to fund this club so I can only show up and give my money to whatever is available.
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Old 06-02-2017, 12:50 PM   #27
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Id like to support a calgary team.

It depends how the league is organized though. Not like disorganized CSL in the 90s
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Old 06-02-2017, 01:06 PM   #28
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Well, from the people I've talked to that are more in the know, those behind the CPL are heavily pushing for soccer specific stadiums. I agree that they are a big piece of any long term viability. Unfortunately, I don't have a billion dollars to fund this club so I can only show up and give my money to whatever is available.

This is reassuring - it gives me a little bit of hope.

And I don't worry about whether you will show up, Mr. Super Supporter. Unfortunately there aren't enough of you to go around, so the moderate and casual supporters need to be hooked early.
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Old 06-02-2017, 04:15 PM   #29
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A lot of people (well, mostly the same person who's #### on it from the start) writing this league off prematurely without knowing anything about it. The league was just approved by the CSA, and two teams have been named. We don't know anything more, including other cities, what the salary cap will be, what players will actually sign, etc.

This league is going to have a very tough road to stability, but if people are just going to dismiss it from the start, it will have no chance. Funny enough, the much hyped MLS went through the same struggles 20 years ago. It launched a year late. Teams that were announced never kicked a ball. Hell, it folded in it's 6th year for a few days, then came back to life.

My ask is that assuming it does launch, people at least go to one game to see if they enjoy it, rather than writing it off because it isn't the mighty American league. Of course, that would require people to invest a few dollars and hours into a product when ####ting on it from their computers is free.
Not sure if this was directed at me, but I'll respond anyway.

I would get behind a Calgary team. The problem with Foothills (for me at least) is that the U-23 component eliminates a lot of quality players in Calgary, so obviously it's not a full professional team. In fact they're not even the best team in Calgary right now, so it makes it hard for me to go out and support.

I would support a team with no age restriction, as then I'd be confident it is indeed the best brand of soccer this city has to offer. I'm just interested to see if they'll have mostly local players or if they'll look to recruit elsewhere.

I'm just going on a hunch and being pessimistic, but my feeling is it's not going to turn out well. I'll be supportive and bring the fam out though regardless.

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Old 06-03-2017, 03:03 PM   #30
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Not sure if this was directed at me, but I'll respond anyway.

I would get behind a Calgary team. The problem with Foothills (for me at least) is that the U-23 component eliminates a lot of quality players in Calgary, so obviously it's not a full professional team. In fact they're not even the best team in Calgary right now, so it makes it hard for me to go out and support.

I would support a team with no age restriction, as then I'd be confident it is indeed the best brand of soccer this city has to offer. I'm just interested to see if they'll have mostly local players or if they'll look to recruit elsewhere.

I'm just going on a hunch and being pessimistic, but my feeling is it's not going to turn out well. I'll be supportive and bring the fam out though regardless.
My post wasn't directed at you, but I appreciate the response. I just think that writing it off (not saying you are necessarily doing that) with very little actually known about the league is completely premature at this point.
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Old 06-04-2017, 11:51 AM   #31
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Then why don't you just name who you are talking about so they can respond properly?
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Old 06-29-2017, 10:05 AM   #32
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Two non-MLS teams advanced to the US open Cup quarterfinals last night (Cincinnati and Miami). I hope it's something we can see in Canada in the future. The Calgary Foothills or the new Calgary Premier League team compete for the Voyageurs Cup.
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Old 07-20-2017, 01:07 PM   #33
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Looks like there is a little more traction for a team in Saskatchewan, which would include building a new 8600 seat modular stadium for $15-20 mil.

I still haven't heard anything on Calgary, which is starting to concern me, as other potential CPL locations (Kitchener, Halifax) have been in discussion with supporters whereas we in Calgary haven't heard a peep.

http://nationalpost.com/sports/socce...2-0739a708ff34
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Old 07-20-2017, 03:00 PM   #34
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That is concerning. Why does there seem to be no corporate appetite for sponsorship or investment in Calgary? I don't get it? Why does it exist everywhere else? Soccer is the most played outdoor sport in Calgary.
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:55 PM   #35
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^ is it a lack of sponsorship or is there no ownership group in general? Who is spearheading this in Calgary?
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Old 07-22-2017, 11:47 AM   #36
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That is concerning. Why does there seem to be no corporate appetite for sponsorship or investment in Calgary? I don't get it? Why does it exist everywhere else? Soccer is the most played outdoor sport in Calgary.
Don't get me wrong, I've had people who are in conversation with ownership groups in other cities tell me Calgary is for sure getting a club in 2018. But that is all third hand info, and I haven't heard anything from a potential ownership group directly.

Some more info from last night's CPL event in Regina. Interestingly, the ownership group says they would be the 7th team in the league, not one of the "original 6" that has been talked about. Also, the article talks about how the officiating in the game is struggling to improve because young referees are being chased out of the game by angry parents, and that the league is not trying to compete with MLS to start.

https://the11.ca/potential-canpl-own...chewan-soccer/
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Old 09-24-2017, 09:37 AM   #37
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A little birdy has told me a few details about the Calgary bid that they were able to pry out of someone connected to the league. Note, this is not direct info, so I don't know how solid it is, but it's all I've heard so far:
- There is a deep pocketed ownership group behind the bid that is not the Flames.
- Calgary Foothills is affiliated with the group (which makes sense as guys like Tommy Wheeldon have been talking about this league more publicly lately).
- They will originally play out of McMahon, but the long term vision will have them play elsewhere.

And some other recent articles about the league are below:
Article on supporters groups around the country. There is a new one in Calgary that just started on Twitter: http://nationalpost.com/pmn/sports-p...premier-league
Article on the Saskatoon bid: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskat...city-1.4296670
Article on the head office setup: https://www.thespec.com/sports-story...oronto-office/
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Old 09-24-2017, 01:54 PM   #38
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A little birdy has told me a few details about the Calgary bid that they were able to pry out of someone connected to the league. Note, this is not direct info, so I don't know how solid it is, but it's all I've heard so far:
- There is a deep pocketed ownership group behind the bid that is not the Flames.
- Calgary Foothills is affiliated with the group (which makes sense as guys like Tommy Wheeldon have been talking about this league more publicly lately).
- They will originally play out of McMahon, but the long term vision will have them play elsewhere.
Considering the mess CSEC is making with a new arena and the great foundations that Foothills have been laying, the first two bits make the last much easier to swallow.
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Old 09-24-2017, 03:05 PM   #39
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Absolutely. It fits in well with me not wanting to give CSEC a dime.

Also, there is another Calgary supporters group that has formed recently so that's good to see. Their Twitter is https://twitter.com/CalgaryCanPL
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Old 09-27-2017, 07:55 PM   #40
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They just need to get a stadium figured out stat. Nothing has been a better demonstration of how poor venues and atmosphere can affect attendance than Foothills FC.
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