2019 Cavalry FC season thread

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by jayswin

25000 may a little optimistic there, shremanator.

The game is free.

[shermanator]

Think we have the details ironed out on the bussing situation mentioned earlier.

The supporters group will have a bus from the Rose & Crown to Spruce Meadows. There will be $5 gameday pints, and members of the group will get a discount card for 15% off food at the Rose & Crown, which will be valid any day until the end of the season. There will no longer be a bus from Kildare's to Spruce Meadows, but there will be $5 gameday pints and the 15% discount card. I'm thinking that to get a discount card, you need to be there for the opening game, and show us your scarf, and it's yours. Whether there more discount cards will be available before the second home game, I'm not sure.

For the first game, I'm providing a list of names to the pub mid next week. We have an event up on our private Facebook group here(https://www.facebook.com/events/613063439140301/) where the names of those who are marked as "going' are being given to the bar. That list will provide access to the bus. There is only one bus, it only holds 44 people, we already have 40 marked as "going", and the 45th person and on will have to be put on a "next in line if someone doesn't show up" list. But if you want to come for the atmosphere and drive down or take the train and shuttle from Somerset, swing on by.

Ideally I'd love to be able to get more busses, but we need to prove demand for the service first. I've been on far too many busses from the Ship and Anchor with 5 other people going to Foothills games.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by jayswin

25000 may a little optimistic there, shremanator.

Originally Posted by corporatejay

The game is free.

Oops, that embarrassing. I thought Shermanator was talking about Cavalry's home opener and put in an extra zero by accident.

What's the capacity of Spruce Meadows again?

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Oops, that embarrassing. I thought Shermanator was talking about Cavalry's home opener and put in an extra zero by accident.

What's the capacity of Spruce Meadows again?

I believe roughly 6000 including Officer's Club.

[jayswin]

Is anyone else getting pretty excited about this league now? It had some rocky moments (especially in Calgary with some whack pricing that likely leads to empty seats in prime areas) but everything has come together nicely and being able to watch games on CBC is HUGE for the league.

Can't wait.

[jayswin]

And huge props to Shermanator for sticking through it and staying positive and providing updates in the face of negativity and pessimism.

Apologies for my part in that I'm just naturally pessimistic towards soccer in Canada as we've seen so many low budget attempts to build legitimate leagues in this country. Also, I was pissed at Cavalry for what I felt was gauging at a pro level while entering a market that needed low income earners and immigrants.

Either way we're here now so let's hope for the best!

[Howie_16]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Is anyone else getting pretty excited about this league now? It had some rocky moments (especially in Calgary with some whack pricing that likely leads to empty seats in prime areas) but everything has come together nicely and being able to watch games on CBC is HUGE for the league.

Can't wait.

I am. Have my tickets for May 4 and have a brand new Cavalry FC scarf to wear to the game. I really like that they made the decision to play on grass instead of playing on an artificial surface in an empty McMahon Stadium. I expect the atmosphere at Spruce Meadows will bring people back for more as well. This theme of creating a European atmosphere versus a North American one is the right way to go. I think the only thing that stands in the way is Canadian geography and the travel distances the teams will have to cover.

I am also going to be able to travel away for the July game in Halifax. Should be fun! I also really, really like the jerseys, especially the red one.

[Jimmy Stang]

I think it is fair to call out some legitimate concerns. Even Shermanator has expressed some disappointment in some of their decisions over the past few months. But I totally respect all of the time and energy that he and all of the very serious supporters have put in to ensure a healthy supporters culture. The pub and bus plans are a prime example.

But I am definitely getting excited now. A pretty decent TV deal, a streaming deal that will be free initially (and hopefully competitive priced after that), the stand at Spruce Meadows is going up, and there is a definite buzz with everything kicking off this weekend. Just wild to think that this thing that seemed nearly impossible a few years ago is ready to launch.

The league seems to understand some of the key things that will give it the best chance of success: soccer-specific stadiums where possible, TV and streaming is a must, cultivate a supporters culture, don't pretend to be an MLS clone, the league's marketing is pretty modern and on-point, etc. I still find the split season a bit odd, but I also understand the rationale behind it and I am willing to give it a chance. And I do worry that the Cavalry front office missed the mark on pricing and that will start showing up as empty seats after the novelty of the first few matches wears off. But prove me wrong - I'd love the place to be full and bringing in the maximum possible revenue.

The best part is that this is really just a blank canvas. Things will evolve. The club and league will learn from their mistakes and will hopefully adapt quickly. We've come a long way from dropping a team like the Mustangs onto football lines in a nearly empty McMahon and then wondering why nobody came to watch. Our starting point is much better than ever before for something like this.

[Jimmy Stang]

Also, the Forge/York9 inaugural match is showing up on my cable box program guide. 11am on Saturday, CBC. I have set a recording because my kid's activities have hijacked the day (what else is new), but I am guessing that I can avoid the score, pour a beer, and catch up on this one later in the evening. Excited to see this whole thing kick off.

[MillerTime GFG]

Yea I really like how they've marketed the league. You can tell this has been a key area of focus. The "player reveals", their slogans, the coverage of the open tryouts, etc. It has done a great job of drawing a lot of attention leading up to the first games.

Crazy to think of all the versions that have failed....Calgary Mustangs, Calgary Storm, Calgary United...what have I missed? Those never stood a chance, but I think the CPL does.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by jayswin

And huge props to Shermanator for sticking through it and staying positive and providing updates in the face of negativity and pessimism.

Apologies for my part in that I'm just naturally pessimistic towards soccer in Canada as we've seen so many low budget attempts to build legitimate leagues in this country. Also, I was pissed at Cavalry for what I felt was gauging at a pro level while entering a market that needed low income earners and immigrants.

Either way we're here now so let's hope for the best!

Appreciate the kind words.

The launch of the league isn't perfect in anyone's eyes, mine included. If people want this league to succeed, it will. If people want this league to fail, it will.

That said, we're 3 days away from the opening game, and I'm going to enjoy the hell out of the next 6 months. For those of us who started the supporters scene and supported the local game (there were only a small few of us, and we have been spurned by many supporters of European clubs), this is a huge step in building the supporters culture.

[Resolute 14]

Not at all surprised that they are badly struggling to sell the $85 and $100 tickets, but very surprised that the $60 tickets are going. Everything else is practically gone. So barring a significant walk up crowd, maybe we touch 5000 for our home opener? That would actually be pretty good.

[Jimmy Stang]

I think that one of the things they've done right is taking the world recipe for soccer and tailoring it for Canada, rather than taking the Canadian/American sports recipe and tailoring it for soccer. Even the MLS eventually figured this out. Remember when they were pretty bush league, all of those obnoxious uniforms and logos, had stupid breakaway penalty kicks because Americans don't like tie games, and a clock that counted downwards because that's what non-soccer fans in America were used to. Then they realized that they were alienating the soccer people with those gimmicks, and those soccer people were the ones that would ensure long-term survival.

Past soccer ventures in this country (and in this city, especially) have failed because non-soccer fans weren't converted for long enough for it to be more than a flash in the pan. And true soccer fans didn't like the lack of tradition and culture, the crappy venues that the non-soccer minds thought would be fantastic but were actually terrible for soccer, and the mickey mouse feel of the leagues.

They tried to attract everyone, and satisfied no one. The CanPL seems to understand that this thing lives and dies on the shoulders of actual soccer people, not getting some random baseball/hockey/football fan to try and grow some artificial, temporary love of the beautiful game.

[shermanator]

There will be none of this in the CPL....

[troutman]

I'd actually prefer if we talked about soccer in a Canadian way, rather than using cliche English jargon.

shut-out > clean sheet
uniform > kit
fast > pace
nothing > nil
good pass > nice ball

Etc.

And can TV avoid hiring commentators with incomprehensible Scottish brogues?

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Not at all surprised that they are badly struggling to sell the $85 and $100 tickets, but very surprised that the $60 tickets are going. Everything else is practically gone. So barring a significant walk up crowd, maybe we touch 5000 for our home opener? That would actually be pretty good.

The upper end of their pricing is really the biggest mistake that they've made. Outside of the front office themselves, it has been widely criticized by everyone, on every platform. I predict a lot of comps to the sponsors in those centre sections, and I think it'll be pretty sparse in there after the first few games. Weeknights and crap weather will really show that they've missed the mark on it.

The worst part is, in trying to maximize revenue, the likely results will be less revenue, less atmosphere, and less walk-ups because the lower tiers will be sold out, and a lot of people aren't going to drop $100+ on a whim, outside of rivalry games, home opener, etc. Two fans at $50 is better than an empty seat at $100+.

Anyway - not trying to dump on things. Still seriously optimistic, and I hope that I am proven wrong and/or the club learns from this season and makes some tweaks to the pricing for the next one.

[Resolute 14]

Ehh, not sure I'd be criticizing playing in a baseball stadium when we're playing in a show jumping ring.

Especially given both are intended to be temporary.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by troutman

I'd actually prefer if we talked about soccer in a Canadian way, rather than using cliche English jargon.

shut-out > clean sheet
uniform > kit
fast > pace
nothing > nil
good pass > nice ball

Etc.

And can TV avoid hiring commentators with incomprehensible Scottish brogues?

I don't know if you're referring to Stephen Caldwell on TSN with that, but I actually like him!

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

The upper end of their pricing is really the biggest mistake that they've made. Outside of the front office themselves, it has been widely criticized by everyone, on every platform. I predict a lot of comps to the sponsors in those centre sections, and I think it'll be pretty sparse in there after the first few games. Weeknights and crap weather will really show that they've missed the mark on it.

The worst part is, in trying to maximize revenue, the likely results will be less revenue, less atmosphere, and less walk-ups because the lower tiers will be sold out, and a lot of people aren't going to drop $100+ on a whim, outside of rivalry games, home opener, etc. Two fans at $50 is better than an empty seat at $100+.

Anyway - not trying to dump on things. Still seriously optimistic, and I hope that I am proven wrong and/or the club learns from this season and makes some tweaks to the pricing for the next one.

I'm a bit concerned about the pricing because it could make the atmosphere poor, but I bought tickets in the 2nd tier because of the covered grandstand. I know, it will be awesome in the summer and great weather to sit out in the sun and have a beer and whatever. But really...we all live in Calgary. It's not unheard of to have some cold, pouring rain through May/June with a little sleet mixed in for good measure. I figured that spending a little extra for the covered seats would add to my enjoyment on those days in particular.

[CofR]

Brief rundown on the league from John Molinaro:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/cana...faq-need-know/

I've been pleased to see Sportsnet and even The Athletic putting out some CPL content this week

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I haven’t posted in here in a while but I’ve got my season tickets (in the corner near the supporters section), jersey ordered, and am starting to get really excited for this! I bought two tickets and don’t have anyone committed to the second ticket. I’m just hoping to bring a bunch of different people and expose them to this league and maybe then they get interested and engaged. I’m really hoping this succeeds!

Is anyone going to the open house/exhibition on Saturday?