Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang
I agree that soccer is a tough sell in this city. It occupies an awkward place in between two sets of mindsets. On one hand, you've got that typical arrogance that soccer is for kids and foreigners, but will spend all sorts of time and money following hockey, NFL, etc. etc.
On the other side, you've got "proper" soccer people that will get up early to watch their favourite English or Spanish team, follow their motherland's national team passionately, etc. A lot of expats and immigrants in this group too. The trouble is, many see anything Canadian-grown as inferior. They like soccer - just not Canadian soccer. They'll follow their second-tier domestic club from their father's village in Italy passionately, yet the local club that they can actually go to matches - nope. These people even crap on the MLS because it isn't La Liga.
I think that we are in the midst of a slow culture shift in North America though. The MLS has figured out that supporters groups are needed to make the atmosphere better, that soccer-only stadiums make it more enjoyable, etc. More grassroots. I think that this league gets it too (from early indications).
If the guy with the Denver Broncos room in his basement still thinks that soccer sucks, that's fine. He's a lost cause. But if you can get some people who love the game to put their elitism aside and get them into a festival-like atmosphere, they might realize that supporting the local team can a neat experience, and they can still watch Barcelona on TV - the two can exist together.
I know that you, of all people, get it. If the league and club can tap into that and bridge the divide, this might just work. In the past, teams have plopped themselves in crappy facilities, didn't market themselves well, didn't find a way to appeal to the various little pockets of soccer in Calgary, etc. and then stood there shrugging when it all eventually fell apart.
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I think you've highlighted two of the major groups of detractors, but there's also a third. Calgary as a city is generally a pretty lousy sports town unless its "major league", despite being a very small major league town and lacking the same corporate punch it once had. If the product is seen as second rate, they won't come. If the product is seen as too cheap, it won't attract much of a corporate presence, which pro sports need.
When you look back at the Storm and Mustangs, the product cried second rate garbage (even though A-League was a strong Div II to MLS at the time and the actual soccer product wasn't bad), but they played in crappy facilities with no marketing and no appeal to corporate ticket holders.
The trick will be to have a polished and legitimate looking product that companies will buy blocks of season tickets for, and can still attract families and a festival atmosphere. Beer gardens are also a must.