2024 Cavalry FC and CPL thread

[cheevers]

Originally Posted by shermanator

James Sharman and the Footy Prime crew were quite complimentary of everything that went down in Calgary this weekend. Saw them swing by the supporters night near the end but didn't talk to them as I headed out not too long after.



https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/arti...league-growth/

I do laugh about him saying that Forge has represented the league with class. Remember when their coach racially attacked a Cavs player, then stood by him even after the accusations were found to be true? Cause Pepperidge Farms remembers.

Otherwise, really nice article, I've always liked Sharman, and miss seeing him on tv.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I had a nice little chat with Sharms before the match on Saturday. Great guy, thanked him for coming out to Calgary for the game and for the many years of growing football in Canada

Was able to have a brief chat with AGR too, I enjoy his writing. That was a nice little surprise of the day on Saturday; chatting with some of the media

[Ozy_Flame]

My favorite part of that article is this:

If there is a more affable and charismatic head coach in Canadian sport than Tommy Wheeldon Jr., I don’t know who it is. The Englishman who has made Calgary his home since 2002 is box office, and a genuine league star who at some point will be targeted by bigger clubs in bigger leagues. For now, though, he deservedly gets his CPL title.

It makes me overjoyed we have the gaffer we do, but I also recognize that when you consistently deliver results on the field, opportunities are going to present themselves elsewhere. I wouldn't doubt it if he gets opportunity south of the border, in England or in Australia.

[Ozy_Flame]

Also some promising news regarding the CPL Final this year:

Northern Tribune: Over Half A Million Spectators Tune In For CPL Final

The final’s viewership figures from CBC Sports show some growth over their average match reach from the league’s inaugural season, when CBC Sports carried ten regular season games. Those tallied 3,216,000 viewers in all, with an average audience reach of 422,000 per game.

That means the total audience for the 2024 CPL Final ultimately drew an audience reach higher than the average audience for a regular season CFL match on TSN this year (454,000), though comparing total and average audiences isn’t apple-to-apple, as the former doesn’t reflect how long viewers stayed on the channel for.

[TheIronMaiden]

Glad the league got some exposure. Glad the game wasn't broadcast in a CFL stadium, Glad the Cavs won!

[CroFlames]

That couldn't have gone any better. Cavalry just proved you can have grass pitches in Canada. I wonder what the future holds for Cavalry, this city and this country.

Will soccer continue to grow with changing demographics? The Southerns build a new 12-15k seater stadium on the same grounds? Do we realize a promotion relegation system with MLS in the next 10 years? Do Canada's 3 MLS clubs join CPL?

If CSA could get out of their own damn way, there is potential in Canada I believe.

[shermanator]

MLS and CPL are completely separate entities. CPL's vision is to become the Canadian version of MLS. That's why they hired Garber's old right hand man as it's commissioner, and that's why they are trying to copy/paste the same model. Because MLS actually succeeded in building a sustainable league in an area of the world where it failed over and over again.


For the league to grow, it needs:

1. People with the wealth to own clubs to invest in the game.
2. Infrastructure that actually exists and is not a vision.
3. People in cities to actually want clubs, and open their wallets to support them.
4. Patience to let the game grow organically.

Cavalry is the unicorn in the league in my opinion. They have an ownership group that is not only committed but will actually build infrastructure with their own money. They have the right infrastructure to let the gameday experience flourish and the patience to realize that it's going to be organic growth from here on out. Halifax has a great thing but they have hit a ceiling and they are begging for the city to build them a stadium right now which is a tough position to be in. Ottawa and Forge are doing good with what they have but it is not perfect. The other 4 clubs are struggling at best and at worst look like they will fold at any second.

As for soccer in Calgary, Spruce Meadows has a plan to built a 12,000 seat stadium elsewhere on their grounds. First they need to sell out their existing grounds regularly, and they still need to grow attendance 20-25% to do that. I think last weekend's game and events are a good sign to help that growth but I would be surprised if games start regularly selling out. Champions Cup being in February limits the upside there and I think it'll have to do at McMahon when they replace their turf. Not great but better than flying to Victoria.

Even if MLS were to want another club in Canada (they don't), Calgary will never get an MLS club. It's $1 billion to even get a club and that's before building stadiums which as we know we simply do not do in this city without massive handouts from the public.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by shermanator

MLS and CPL are completely separate entities. CPL's vision is to become the Canadian version of MLS. That's why they hired Garber's old right hand man as it's commissioner, and that's why they are trying to copy/paste the same model. Because MLS actually succeeded in building a sustainable league in an area of the world where it failed over and over again.


For the league to grow, it needs:

1. People with the wealth to own clubs to invest in the game.
2. Infrastructure that actually exists and is not a vision.
3. People in cities to actually want clubs, and open their wallets to support them.
4. Patience to let the game grow organically.

Cavalry is the unicorn in the league in my opinion. They have an ownership group that is not only committed but will actually build infrastructure with their own money. They have the right infrastructure to let the gameday experience flourish and the patience to realize that it's going to be organic growth from here on out. Halifax has a great thing but they have hit a ceiling and they are begging for the city to build them a stadium right now which is a tough position to be in. Ottawa and Forge are doing good with what they have but it is not perfect. The other 4 clubs are struggling at best and at worst look like they will fold at any second.

As for soccer in Calgary, Spruce Meadows has a plan to built a 12,000 seat stadium elsewhere on their grounds. First they need to sell out their existing grounds regularly, and they still need to grow attendance 20-25% to do that. I think last weekend's game and events are a good sign to help that growth but I would be surprised if games start regularly selling out. Champions Cup being in February limits the upside there and I think it'll have to do at McMahon when they replace their turf. Not great but better than flying to Victoria.

Even if MLS were to want another club in Canada (they don't), Calgary will never get an MLS club. It's $1 billion to even get a club and that's before building stadiums which as we know we simply do not do in this city without massive handouts from the public.

I know the MLS isn't coming to Canada, and especially not Calgary.

But if there are only 3-5 clubs doing OK in the CPL, what does that mean for the future of the Cavalry - we can't play against ourselves. Join the USL at some point?

[Muta]

I do know for fact that CSEC was interested in an MLS franchise when CalgaryNEXT was their plan.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I know the MLS isn't coming to Canada, and especially not Calgary.

But if there are only 3-5 clubs doing OK in the CPL, what does that mean for the future of the Cavalry - we can't play against ourselves. Join the USL at some point?

It's CPL or nothing IMO. I think the existing owners would step in and pull the clubs through if needed. 6 years in MLS was about to fold and was down to 3 ownership groups so it's been done before....

Originally Posted by Muta

I do know for fact that CSEC was interested in an MLS franchise when CalgaryNEXT was their plan.

For sure, but that doesn't mean that it was going to happen. A long way to go from kicking tires to try and strengthen a failed stadium bid and actually happening.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by shermanator

For sure, but that doesn't mean that it was going to happen. A long way to go from kicking tires to try and strengthen a failed stadium bid and actually happening.

Agreed, but it was probably more serious at the time than you may think. Just a fun fact.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Muta

Agreed, but it was probably more serious at the time than you may think. Just a fun fact.

I'm sure the Flames were super serious, and why not? It's a money maker.

Was the MLS serious? Doubtful. They don't want to be in Canada.

[Muta]

Right now they don't want to be expanding in Canada, sure; doesn't mean 13+ years ago they had that same attitude.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

That couldn't have gone any better. Cavalry just proved you can have grass pitches in Canada. I wonder what the future holds for Cavalry, this city and this country.

Will soccer continue to grow with changing demographics? The Southerns build a new 12-15k seater stadium on the same grounds? Do we realize a promotion relegation system with MLS in the next 10 years? Do Canada's 3 MLS clubs join CPL?

If CSA could get out of their own damn way, there is potential in Canada I believe.

The MLS teams will only join the CanPL if ConCaCaf forces them. Which there is no financial or cultural pressure to do.

The CanPL at its best is a serious step below the MLS at its worst its a caverns drop in every metric.

But that is only today. the 2026 world cup might just invigorate the domestic football market, and lord knows this recent influx of immigration will only help the sport.

[shermanator]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1856788904348893474

[CroFlames]

Weren't there Canadian clubs in the NASL that lasted a good 20 years?

[shermanator]

NASL was an American league. So was NSAL 2.0. So is MLS, USL, USL League 1, etc.

The longest Canadian league was the CSL which lasted 6 seasons, from 1987-1992.

[Muta]

Who was the team that played out of the old Mewata Stadium? The Calgary Mustangs?

[shermanator]

You'll have to be more specific there are lots of failed teams.

Calgary Boomers (NASL) played in 1981 at McMahon. They folded at the end of the season.
Calgary Mustangs (CPSL) played in 1983 at Mewata. They and the league folded mid season.
Calgary Kickers (CSL) played in 1987-88 at Mewata. They folded after the 1988 season.
Calgary Strikers (CSL) played in 1989 at Mewta. They folded at the end of the season.
Calgary Storm (USL A-League) played in 2002-03 at Foothills Athletic Park. They folded in the middle of the 2003 and became Team Calgary, and then folded after the 2003 season.
Calgary Mustangs (USL A-League) played in 2004 at McMahon Stadium. They folded after the 2004 season.

[jayswin]

Ha, what terrible, unimaginative team names. So lame.