Mustangs fold

[Resolute 14]

Heard on Fan960 that the Calgary Mustangs have folded up shop. Not surprising, and I doubt they will be missed all that much, as soccer just isnt that popular out here.

[browna]

Having played with a bunch of the guys on the team (and the Storm before them), it seemed to be just an attendance thing this year, I am sure the owners lost money, but these owners weren't the meddling types like the previous one was.

Being attendance driven, this year they had a lot of Saturday games through the spring and early summer, including the home opener. Problem was, some other team was playing, usualy at home, through April to June which took the first 5 pages of the 8 pages of the sports section.

The Storm did so well the first season because the weather in the summer was fantastic, and games were $5. It didn't try to be more pro/bigger then that, and thats why, including success on the field, they had over 1000 people most of the games that year, They may have had 1 game over 1000 people in the last 2 years, and the mentality of manangement/ownership (wanting a bigger stadium, charging $10 or more for games etc) didn't help matters.

It'll be tough to convince the A-League to put a team anytime in the next 5 years...Edmonton too for that matter.

[kipperfan]

Originally posted by browna@Oct 28 2004, 02:04 AM
Having played with a bunch of the guys on the team (and the Storm before them), it seemed to be just an attendance thing this year, I am sure the owners lost money, but these owners weren't the meddling types like the previous one was.

Being attendance driven, this year they had a lot of Saturday games through the spring and early summer, including the home opener. Problem was, some other team was playing, usualy at home, through April to June which took the first 5 pages of the 8 pages of the sports section.

The Storm did so well the first season because the weather in the summer was fantastic, and games were $5. It didn't try to be more pro/bigger then that, and thats why, including success on the field, they had over 1000 people most of the games that year, They may have had 1 game over 1000 people in the last 2 years, and the mentality of manangement/ownership (wanting a bigger stadium, charging $10 or more for games etc) didn't help matters.

It'll be tough to convince the A-League to put a team anytime in the next 5 years...Edmonton too for that matter.

Soccer + Calgarians = A very bad idea.

[Calgary Flames]

Who the hell are the Mustangs? Seriously. I didn't even know this team existed.

[kipperfan]

Originally posted by SuperNilson@Oct 28 2004, 02:31 AM
Who the hell are the Mustangs? Seriously. I didn't even know this team existed.

HAHA

For sure. The only thing ive ever known about this team is I THINK they play by the science centre..........................thats IT :unsure:

[Mango]

Originally posted by kipperfan+Oct 27 2004, 07:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (kipperfan @ Oct 27 2004, 07:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-SuperNilson@Oct 28 2004, 02:31 AM
Who the hell are the Mustangs? Seriously. I didn't even know this team existed.

HAHA

For sure. The only thing ive ever known about this team is I THINK they play by the science centre..........................thats IT :unsure: [/b][/quote]

There used to be a soccer field where that skateboard park is now. It was home to the Kickers (and Strikers?) during the late 80s-early 90s. Foothills Athletic Park field #1 was home to the Storm for 2 years, but the Mustangs were playing on the turf at the McMahon for some reason.

The Storm had an outstanding first year. I'm bias, but the stats don't lie. Then they moved to A-League and it was hard to keep up with the competition. In addition, they raised ticket prices as well. They lost a lot of local players, because they stopped paying them late in the 2nd season.

[kipperfan]

Originally posted by Mango+Oct 28 2004, 02:51 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Mango @ Oct 28 2004, 02:51 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

HAHA

For sure. The only thing ive ever known about this team is I THINK they play by the science centre..........................thats IT :unsure:

There used to be a soccer field where that skateboard park is now. It was home to the Kickers (and Strikers?) during the late 80s to early 90s. Foothills field #1 was home to the Storm, but the Mustangs were playing on the turf at the McMahon for some reason.

The Storm had an outstanding first year. I'm bias, but the stats don't lie. Then they moved to A-Leauge and it was hard to keep up. They lost a lot of local players, because they stopped paying them late in the 2nd season. [/b][/quote]
Look at that.............

The one thing I thought I knew, gone, just pheff..........gone...like soccer

[evman150]

If there is one sport Canadians don't care about, it's soccer.

I don't blame us, I'd rather watch paint dry.

[calgaryred]

when will people learn Calgary isn't a place to put a soccer franchise.

Boomers
Mustangs
Kickers
Strikers
Storm
Mustangs

is there any others floundering franchises to mention?

For a pro soccer league only Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal are able to keep these kinds of teams alfloat. I'd rather watch PCL baseball again I miss the Cannons
;_;

[Bertuzzied]

Originally posted by SuperNilson@Oct 28 2004, 02:31 AM
Who the hell are the Mustangs? Seriously. I didn't even know this team existed.

oh haha. me too. i thought they were a junior football team?!

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Wasn't there the Drillers too?

[moon]

Originally posted by SuperNilson@Oct 27 2004, 07:31 PM
Who the hell are the Mustangs? Seriously. I didn't even know this team existed.

exactly why soccer will not work in Calgary. 50%-75% of Calgarians don't even know that there is a team, let alone want to pay to go watch them.

[Resolute 14]

Originally posted by I-Hate-Hulse@Oct 28 2004, 01:14 PM
Wasn't there the Drillers too?

They were in Edmonton, who also saw their A-league team fold yesterday.

Though the Calgary group says that they are actually only on a on year leave of absence.

[calf]

Originally posted by evman150@Oct 28 2004, 02:30 AM
If there is one sport Canadians don't care about, it's soccer.

I don't blame us, I'd rather watch paint dry.

I'm not so sure about it. Canadians definately don't watch much soccer, but it seemed that at the office I did my co-op term, many parents had kids involved in soccer...definately a players sport right now instead of a spectator sport.

I also remember in my soci of sport class, the prof noted that the 2 highest rated events on Sportsnet was, of all things, womens soccer (Canadian U-18s championship and some other game involving Canadian women)

[The Familia]

As long as Edmonton lost their team as well I'm happy! I always compare who has more profesional franchises us or them. This way we both lose one so it's no big deal.

Calgary- Flames, Stamps, Roughnecks, Hitmen, ABA team, NL (baseball team)
Edmonton- Oilers, Eskimos, Roadrunners, NL (Baseball team)

we both just lost our PCL teams and soccer teams now....we're still winning!

[Fire]

Apparently they couldn't play out of McMahon unless they had better artificial turf like the Argonauts have at the Skydome. League would only let them play on that crappy turf for one season.

They are planning on paying $600,000 to put new turf into McMahon in hopes they can come back for 2006.

[calgaryred]

I'm all for new turf at mcmahon hopefully the end zones will still be red.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Do some googling on "FieldTurf" and you'll see why the grass conditions are such a big difference. FT vs Astroturf is like old persimmon golf clubs vs the latest 460cc Titanium Taylor Made driver. I think the turf at McMahon is only a couple years though... doubt they can swing the cash to get FieldTurf put on.... until a new Daddy Warbucks is found.

[calf]

Originally posted by I-Hate-Hulse@Oct 28 2004, 11:26 PM
Do some googling on "FieldTurf" and you'll see why the grass conditions are such a big difference. FT vs Astroturf is like old persimmon golf clubs vs the latest 460cc Titanium Taylor Made driver. I think the turf at McMahon is only a couple years though... doubt they can swing the cash to get FieldTurf put on.... until a new Daddy Warbucks is found.

The turf at McMahon is about 10 years old now (already!)...and rumours have been getting field turf in a year or so

[kipperfan]

Originally posted by Fire@Oct 29 2004, 05:03 AM
Apparently they couldn't play out of McMahon unless they had better artificial turf like the Argonauts have at the Skydome. League would only let them play on that crappy turf for one season.

They are planning on paying $600,000 to put new turf into McMahon in hopes they can come back for 2006.

I think you mean "foothills" thats next door to Mcmahon they got come bleachers, at least 300 people can watch at once, its great!!! Why in the world would the "mustangs" play at mcmahon???????

I think the echo of those 28 fans cheering might rattle aroud in there. You do know Mcmahon is a place where like 40000 people come to watch pro football right?? So what are they gonna do with the other 39500 seats they DONT fill every game??? They couldnt GIVE em away, well they could, if they wanted to fly in some euros to watch the game, other than euros.........noone cares.

Yeah.........and the turf isnt good enough for them.........righhhhht. The ground that they run and kick a ball on, isnt good enough for them...........righhhhhhht Beacuse the ground that football players can go to war on, dig into, get driven into isnt good enough for some long haired fruits to prance around and kick a checkered ball?????? Come on man.

THAT is why we dont like soccer in Canada, "ahhhhhhhhh we need new turf to run, this turf hurts are toes ahhhhhhhhhhhhh" GO BACK TO EUROPE