2025 Cavalry FC and CPL thread

[MegaErtz]

Originally Posted by Muta

Look, I get the frustration up to a certain level, but every single thing you post in this thread is negative, passive aggressive, backhanded, or sarcastic about players, the team or the league as a whole. Maybe don't watch this league if it's so bad to you? Some of us actually enjoy this league and like what it has done, and what it is doing for, the game in this country.

We can't all start at English Premier League quality right in season one. Leagues take time to grow. You ever watched early-day MLS? Case in point.

Yeah, fair point. I'm a fan, I want this to be successful. There just isn't enough interest and it sounds like the league is just barely holding on, waiting for a payout next summer when World Cup fever sweeps the nation. Asking me to pay $30 to watch guys like Lowell Wright play isn't fair, there are far better players playing at local playgrounds in pick up games all around Calgary. Daan Klomp, Ali Musse, and now Tobias Warschewski are the only players we've had that are worth a lick. The owners need to invest more money if they want this thing to stick. There's a reason attendance is down massively so far this season; the product on the pitch is very poor.

[CroFlames]

Herdman was awful. Musse wasn't himself it looked like.

I thought Shome was strong and consistent.

Overall, disappointing result, but coming home the support will be there and that counts.

Forge is up 1-0 on Montreal and Valour are 2-2 with Whitecaps. Things could be interesting!

[jayswin]

Yeah, I try not to be negative and hope it doesn't come off that way. But anecdotally in my social circles of possible/casual fans I am a huge supporter of a Cavalry game being a fun event for decent soccer, due to the atmosphere and stadium.

The response is mostly that it would be a fun idea at $20-$30 but the top levels being $40 and good seats being $60 is mostly a non starter and they find other outdoor activities and events. And that's in Calgary where the team has done an amazing job with the stadium and supporters have done an incredible job creating a fun, unique atmosphere.

Now imagine Calgary at least has the atmosphere and experience going for it and many see it as very pricy, where other Canadian teams have the same soccer and prices without the great Spruce Meadows experience? That cannot work. Ands we're starting to see it.

[jayswin]

One thing that is clear is that smaller, intimate stadiums are the key. Anything cavernous and fans just won't go there and have a fun experience. But the problem is these ownership groups mostly need to slide into existing stadiums to make things work at the beginning.

If we could have 5 more Halifax situations this league would be sitting pretty, I bet.

[ditty]

My takeaways from last night's game:

- It was a scrappy cup match away. Nowhere near our best performance but it was good enough to get a result that still puts us in the driver's seat in the second leg. Vancouver is improving as all their new players start to adjust to the league and gel.
- Shome really sets the tempo in midfield and he's so smart with the ball. He also had some good moments combining and getting forward. He was such a smart pick up by Tommy; the last couple years of FC Edmonton were a difficult place to shine for anyone and he's blossomed in this environment.
- Wähling had one of his best performances as a Cav. He's clearly a technically strong player but now I feel like he's starting to adjust to the physicality of the CPL and adding some grit and guile to his game. His ability to play up and down the right side is also useful.
- Warschewski is one of my favourite players to watch at any level. He has such a unique blend of skill but also a certain awkward physicality which is so tough to defend. I love the way he cuts and spins. And that finish was class.
- I thought Tommy managed his subs really well by leaving Warschewski and Wähling out there and getting fresh legs in for Piepgrass and Shome as well as replacing Herdman and Musse.
- I wasn't sure what to think of Myroniuk the past couple years; he seemed like a futsal player trying to adjust to 11v11 footy but I think there's good potential with him. He's very good on the ball and as he develops physically, I think he can be a strong holding midfielder. He's got a good engine and puts himself about.

I'm looking forward to Sunday's match here vs Valour. I want to see us keep building momentum.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Yeah, I try not to be negative and hope it doesn't come off that way. But anecdotally in my social circles of possible/casual fans I am a huge supporter of a Cavalry game being a fun event for decent soccer, due to the atmosphere and stadium.

The response is mostly that it would be a fun idea at $20-$30 but the top levels being $40 and good seats being $60 is mostly a non starter and they find other outdoor activities and events. And that's in Calgary where the team has done an amazing job with the stadium and supporters have done an incredible job creating a fun, unique atmosphere.

Now imagine Calgary at least has the atmosphere and experience going for it and many see it as very pricy, where other Canadian teams have the same soccer and prices without the great Spruce Meadows experience? That cannot work. Ands we're starting to see it.

I really don't under stand folks saying $40 is pricey. Maybe 5 years ago, but in 2025 money that is about what entertainment costs.


You can't buy two decent steaks for less than $35


Going to the Calgary zoo is like $40, and going to the movies is about $20 a seat.

Hell the cheapest tickets to a Flames game are $40 and those tickets are a hell of a lot worse.


It certainly is not cheap... but its not pricey.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Originally Posted by ditty

My takeaways from last night's game:

- It was a scrappy cup match away. Nowhere near our best performance but it was good enough to get a result that still puts us in the driver's seat in the second leg. Vancouver is improving as all their new players start to adjust to the league and gel.
- Shome really sets the tempo in midfield and he's so smart with the ball. He also had some good moments combining and getting forward. He was such a smart pick up by Tommy; the last couple years of FC Edmonton were a difficult place to shine for anyone and he's blossomed in this environment.
- Wähling had one of his best performances as a Cav. He's clearly a technically strong player but now I feel like he's starting to adjust to the physicality of the CPL and adding some grit and guile to his game. His ability to play up and down the right side is also useful.
- Warschewski is one of my favourite players to watch at any level. He has such a unique blend of skill but also a certain awkward physicality which is so tough to defend. I love the way he cuts and spins. And that finish was class.
- I thought Tommy managed his subs really well by leaving Warschewski and Wähling out there and getting fresh legs in for Piepgrass and Shome as well as replacing Herdman and Musse.
- I wasn't sure what to think of Myroniuk the past couple years; he seemed like a futsal player trying to adjust to 11v11 footy but I think there's good potential with him. He's very good on the ball and as he develops physically, I think he can be a strong holding midfielder. He's got a good engine and puts himself about.

I'm looking forward to Sunday's match here vs Valour. I want to see us keep building momentum.

Love your insights, thanks for sharing.

I thought last year Wahling looked like a guy who desperately just needed a couple bounces to fall his way and to get a goal. They never came and he lost all confidence. I'm very pleased that they kept him around and I think getting the minutes he did against Pumas did wonders for his confidence. There aren't many wingers (or players period) in the CPL with his blend of size, speed, and strength.

I agree with you 100% on Myroniuk. He's not a fast guy but he's reasonably quick with the ball at the feet. I think the center of the park could suit him better as he learns to read the game better. There's certainly an opportunity for him there with all of the injuries that were had by the midfield early in the year. On that note, has anyone heard anything about Gutierrez at all??

Originally Posted by MegaErtz

Daan Klomp, Ali Musse, and now Tobias Warschewski are the only players we've had that are worth a lick.

I don't actually 100% disagree with the your post but you are really selling Julian Buescher, Shamit Shome, Jose Escalante, Joel Waterman, and a few others short here. I still think Buescher is the best midfielder we've had. We have had some really quality players come through and each year the league is getting better. One thing that is going to help is by allowing guys like Warschewski to count as domestics because they've been in the league long enough. Now there's an additional international spot available

[shermanator]

If someone could please let me know where I could get the best seat to a professional sport in this city for $40 that would be great. Preferably one where they actually pay their players and fly across the country unlike the Hitmen or Dawgs....

[The Big Chill]

30-40 bucks is great value IMO (especially with free parking), but as most of us on here said from the beginning, the prices got too high as the seats moved towards the middle of the park.

[Arsenal14]

Having just bought tickets for my family for Cavalry, Wild and Stampeder games I have to say Cavalry seems like by far the best deal. I guess if you go with the family zone for Wild/Stamps it comes out a bit cheaper but I certainly can't complain about the value.

Wranglers is maybe a bit cheaper but really not by much if you do the 10 game flex pack for Cavalry. Hitmen is cheaper but as mentioned, it's junior hockey which is a bit of a different beast. I'm sure Cavalry U21 games are also cheaper.

[shermanator]

Go check out prices of the Surge game on Sunday if you want a comparable. $86 a seat on the one side, $106 a seat on the other. End seats for $32-$45. Corner seats cost $55-65. Courtside is $219.

As I mentioned earlier, there are good seats at the Cavalry game for $40 and they come with a pint. They're available every game....

[CroFlames]

Also missing from the conversation is the atmosphere at Cavalry matches is not even comparable to anything else in the city.

It is so much fun.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by shermanator

If someone could please let me know where I could get the best seat to a professional sport in this city for $40 that would be great. Preferably one where they actually pay their players and fly across the country unlike the Hitmen or Dawgs....

I think the problem lies here...

For the people that enjoy soccer, who want to enjoy the best qualify of soccer available in Calgary, and see the CPL as an professional league the prices are fine.

But for the majority of more casual fans I don't think they see the CPL as a true professional league, but more of a semi-pro / amateur league. That sentiment might not be correct, but I think it exists. And TBH the Surge face the same battle.

And then in Vancover and Toronto the problem is you have a better professional league in the same cities for similar prices. So that makes it tough to sell too.

[MegaErtz]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I think the problem lies here...

For the people that enjoy soccer, who want to enjoy the best qualify of soccer available in Calgary, and see the CPL as an professional league the prices are fine.

But for the majority of more casual fans I don't think they see the CPL as a true professional league, but more of a semi-pro / amateur league. That sentiment might not be correct, but I think it exists. And TBH the Surge face the same battle.

And then in Vancover and Toronto the problem is you have a better professional league in the same cities for similar prices. So that makes it tough to sell too.

This is the exact problem. The Cavalry are not a fully professional team - almost all of the players make less than $40,000 a year and have other jobs to make ends meet.

I'm lucky in the sense that I'm comfortable financially and have the means to afford good seats to any Cavalry game. The problem is that in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, you can get tickets to an MLS game (fully professional and a MUCH higher standard of play compared to the CPL) for about $30.

I'm on board to enjoy the atmosphere and love going to the matches. The league is not going to survive with attendances of 1500 a game in Winnipeg though. Unless there is a sustained level of interest after the World Cup next summer, this league is not going to last more than another few years. The interest just isn't there.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I think the problem lies here...

For the people that enjoy soccer, who want to enjoy the best qualify of soccer available in Calgary, and see the CPL as an professional league the prices are fine.

But for the majority of more casual fans I don't think they see the CPL as a true professional league, but more of a semi-pro / amateur league. That sentiment might not be correct, but I think it exists. And TBH the Surge face the same battle.

And then in Vancover and Toronto the problem is you have a better professional league in the same cities for similar prices. So that makes it tough to sell too.

I think also there is the issue that the average adult is used to binging on dopamine inducing content. Yeah soccer games are fun, but watching soccer on TV while scrolling reels and eating junk food is more addicting.

[shermanator]

Hearing Kamdem is out for a while.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Hearing Kamdem is out for a while.

Not surprised. Hopefully it’s just a really bad sprain and nothing worse

Wahling starting in place of Musse today. I like it

[Slava]

I couldn’t make it to the game this afternoon, but Cavs are rolling. The audio being about 10 seconds ahead on OneSoccer is really annoying though.

[shermanator]

One interesting thing I learned about watching today's game on the couch...

...is that CAVALRY ARE ####ING BACK BABY!

[Swift]

Great weather, great atmosphere and importantly great result. Kamdem was walking (limping) around in a full leg brace so wouldn't expect to see him playing anytime soon.