Quote:
Originally Posted by Resolute 14
Because the reality is that not one of the existing seven markets will move the needle on international interest.
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I don't buy this argument at all. Better tell Juventus, Liverpool, Dortmund, Schalke, Leicester and Everton that they can't "move the needle" because the cities they play in aren't in the biggest markets in their respective country. They aren't Top 20 clubs worldwide because they play against teams in Berlin, Rome, and London either, they have big followings because they play exciting football and are well marketed.
The Toronto Argonauts aren't the reason Americans and others tune in to the CFL. Those that do so tune in because its different and interesting football. CFL went years without Montreal and Ottawa, and the league managed to survive.
Besides, CanPL has presence in Canada's largest market. Toronto has a team (York 9), its just in the borough of York within Greater Toronto, just like West Ham, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea are all "London clubs", even though most of them are in boroughs of Greater London.
The issue isn't going to be that Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal aren't in the name, the issue will be if the league has lousy football that isn't easily accessible. The novelty is going to be a "Canadian Div 1" to viewers outside Canada, not how many teams there are from Montreal.
So, to put a different spin, CanPL has teams in five of Canada's largest 10 markets, just to start. Even MLS only had about that when it started in 1996 with a mix of teams in the suburbs of major cities and a bunch of smaller markets. Movement towards the cores of some of the largest markets came later.
Toronto is the only Canadian market that might "move the needle" on its name alone. Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa mean very little outside of Canada for sports fans besides being marginally more recognizable.
That said, it might mean something locally, and I'm sure the Ottawa Fury (by force), a Surrey team and a Laval team are coming. Maybe even another GTA team.