Quote:
Originally Posted by shermanator
I agree with a lot of your comments browna but as the resident expert on Canadian soccer I need to correct the misinformation in your rants.....
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I think overall we are getting at the same thing...that the CSB has its place to do what it can to make money for themselves through getting sponsorship and other business deals the CSA has woefully failed at for decades (and soccer grows in this country as a byproduct, however far the CSA can stretch their annual (which should be increased/indexed) CSB allowance)...but the agreement with the CSA needed some more vetting and checks and balances at the time, and again need those now, given the responsibility that a national body like the CSA has.
The fact the CSA got bent over (or were on the take to allow to be bent over) on the original signing is troubling for it to be allowed, but again, private enterprise doesn't have to apologize for suckering someone into a bad deal, though the CSA has to answer for it to the public.
Wherever own the podium funds went and other government funding went, yes likely completely swallowed up by mismanagement of CSA, mainly because private enterprise funded the regular stuff. It probably should've been filtered through the CSB as there would be a better chance some of it would reach it's intended use.
While the original deal was out there in black and white back when, the deal seemed very vague, especially that linked article. The important details and actual contracted agreement weren't known by those who it affected the most and were not even immediately provided when the MNT asked for in May of 2022 or the media asked for it. Not sure if that's even been forwarded yet.
That feeds into the other issue, is the continued arrogance and avoidance the CSA has with their operations. I am sure at some point someone on the NT asked for details/a copy of the contract of the deal back at signing, maybe even media memebers, to no avail.
Though even when the media spotlight was on the CSA last year and the CSA were still being coy, dismissive and then Bontis grandstanding and tried to turn it around on everyone as not their fault/blaming greedy players, and not releasing those details; so one can only imagine what the similar requests of the CSA or CSB for those details when the deal was signed and it wasn't in the public realm or spotlight.
It all still has an air of trying to keep the deal under the rug...and that's because it was a bad deal from the very start and the CSA and CSB knew it.
Does the CSB get the funds from FIFA or does the CSA? Sounds like the former?
While you say no one could've predicted the WC and it's associated revenues in 2022 is correct, but all that means is that this issue came to light earlier than anticipated because it was discovered funds weren't able to be paid to players (Men's or women's) from the CSA becuase the money for the year was gone.
When this was signed in March 2018, WC venue voting for 2026 was only 3 months away and clearly the joint bid between Canada and the US and Mexico was the favoured bid.
This CSB deal with CSA was for 10 years (and renewable by the CSB's discretion afterwards year by year on the same terms), so that term went through the 2026 WC. So, there was a pretty clear idea at signing in 2018 that the CSB, even without 2022 happening, was going to massively gain from the 2026 WC for all the revenue streams it now controlled (which is within their right under the terms of the poorly negotiated deal), while on the other end of the stick, the CSA would get the same $3-4M annual allowance in 2026 as it did in 2018 onwards to cover it's operating costs and WC disbursements to players, gear, training camps, and, all the way down to grass roots funding.
As you say, the fact that there were no escalators on the overall payment terms (not even inflationary adjustments) or provisions for special disbursements for increased training, proper and adequate amounts of equipment etc and for bonus payments to the NT...nevermind that there should be an overall trickle down of these additional funds all the way through youth national teams down to grassroots level, from the immense positivity from hosting a once in a lifetime WC, goes to show how terrible a deal the CSA negotiated to give that up for the future of soccer development in the country for very short term gains (immediate years of 2018-2025 of CSB allowance).
That is why this shouldn't have been allowed to go through...and the vehicle for that ability for the government to step in should be the fact that the CSA takes public funds for Sport at a federal level but then doesn't ultimately use those funds entirely to carry out what its mandate is.
Maybe governments asked for copies of the deal and also got the runaround from the CSA, part of their self preservation tactics, which they are very good at if nothing else, and then it died on the vine?
Regardless, however the first one got bungled and allowed the CSB to walk all over the CSA (again, the CSA executive and board all got or will get a peice of the pie from the CSB in some form for allowing this contract) and those that benefit from the CSA payments, yes, the deal needs to be redone.
TBQH, only public pressure and government intervention will have that happen, since a contract is in place, and unless something illegal can be brought up as to why that contract should've never been signed in the first place, (but the CSA and undoubtedly the CSB will fight tooth and nail to not have to change any terms of the original deal) that current contract exisists and has to be honored...and now hopefully tweaked to allow some common sense to prevail; allowing those who are bringing soccer to the forefront in this country to be justly rewarded and properly funded to be prepared, and,for long term legacy funds from the hosting of a WC to still be there for the next generations of soccer players in this country.
