A couple of podcasts from the last week have given more information on what the aim of this new CSA / NASL / CFL / TSN based Canadian Soccer League might shape up to be. I've listened to the first podcast but not the second and it sounds like this is a league that wants to develop Canadians, but also be sustainable, which means the league will increase it's Canadian content over time.
First, John McGrane's interview with Totera (John McGrane works with Bob Young's - Hamilton prospective owner): (36 minute mark)
http://www.nextsportstar.com/index.p...ugust-19-2014/
Second, Steven Sandor's interview on the Ultras alive podcast:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/soccers...tras-alive-145
And some highlights from folks who listened to the duration of both podcasts, copied from the Voyageurs board:
From Totera's
- He's had talks with prospective owners
- No football lines on the pitch
- Manadated that turf will have paintable lines like Hamilton, Ottawa, Saskatchewan
- Calgary and Edmonton need new turf
- TV production needs to be high
- Praises CFL for having high TV production while competing with inferior product to NFL
- Need to have best practices for TV production from around the world brought to CL - "TV is everything"
- No ethnic names for teams - make sure it's professional and relevant to the Canadian market
- Affiliation with clubs globally is a possbility but no ethnic names - mentions Europe & South America
- There will be a salary cap - similar to MLS' current cap
- DP will not be a part of the picture from the beginning - run like a business not a "philanthropic adventure"
- Ownership will consist of individuals with high 8+ figure net worth - my example $80,000,000
- Expect 5-6 years of substantial losses. 10 year plan for turnaround.
- Canadian player pool is too shallow to have high Canadian starters quota
- 1 to 2 mandated canadian starters at first - needs roundtable discussion - increase over time
- Don't want to kill the product through player content rules
From Sandor's
- The CSA partnering with Traffic Sports is a good for the CSA's push for the WC 2026
- Traffic Sports owns NASL teams, is a major operations contributor to league, are media baron in South America, and are player agents
- Traffic sports has a lot of clout in CONCACAF which could improve Canada's chances for the World Cup
- Traffic owns the media rights for the NASL and presumably see the chance with the CSA for their 2026 bid for the WC rights
- The CSA has worked very hard with FIFA on the bid and has climbed the ladder by holding various successful FIFA tournaments
- The division 1A is not tied to the bid but it increases its viability if we have a league
- The american hosts were concerned about it creating instability and the league taking on too much
- Happen within 2 years - same as what John McGrane said
- It works for NASL because the CSA can sanction NASL as division 1 pushing the discussion with MLS
- CSA/NASL/CFL Owners/TSN are all involved
- Per capita Canada's viewership of the World Cup is double that of the USA
- 4 CFL owners suppose to be involved - Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Saskatchewan - same as John McGrane
- Whispers out of Victoria that the highlanders want to be in NASL.
- No teams rumored from Quebec or Maritimes
- The idea is not to force TFC, VWC, or Impact to leave MLS but make the league enticing enough to join it over time
- Brought up the Canadian non-domestic designation as one of the motivations to make this division
- Self-fulfilling prophecy of Canada dropping in World Ranking and player Canadian player image abroad looking for jobs
- Example Paul Hamilton - 2 years ago was Starting 11 for NASL - now out of pro soccer. Limited options bc international status
- NASL has learned about making announcements before they were solidified - that's why its quiet.