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Originally Posted by anyonebutedmonton
The problem is the talent isn't significantly higher than the Calgary united team. I have played against or with all the players but 5 that are on that roster in the past year. I hope it could work and actually draw fans but I just doubt the level of interest.
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I find at the lower levels in North America standard of play and names on the roster aren't so much the drawing factor as the facility and the match day experience. A small stadium with decent food, drink and amenities where there is even a little atmosphere would do more for the game in Calgary with a team that came in last than a winning team at McMahon IMO. Look at what a team like the Rochester Rhinos have accomplished with the right building in a small market.
I don't think Calgary would support MLS right now regardless of building but they could easily play in the A-League/NASL and build up with a nice 5,000 seat stadium designed for soccer.
That kind of infrastructure is proposed or being built by very rich guys in Greg Kerfoot, Eugene Melnyk and Joey Saputo in other places in Canada. To date, no one with the financial clout to pull off pro soccer has shown an interest in Alberta in the last 20 years. Because there is absolutely no infrastructure there to support soccer you're basically starting from scratch so it is an expensive proposition.
The NASL in Edmonton is going to have a rough rough ride. That league is a house of cards and Foote Field is an amateur facility at best. I noticed they have 11 people working in their front office! 11 people for a semi-pro soccer team in Admin! Makes you wonder if it is intended as a writeoff or something. I want to see them succeed but I don't know. As for on the pitch, I think they look OK, the 4 dutch guys they signed are all from the top 2 leagues in Holland and Shaun Saiko is actually a pretty amazing Canadian player for them to have landed at that level in Edmonton IMO.