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Old 05-06-2017, 05:24 PM   #1
shermanator
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Default The Canadian Premier League thread. UPDATE - League launches April 2019

The CSA approved the Canadian Premier League at their AGM today, and announced the league and it's first two clubs in Hamilton and Winnipeg. It has been heavily rumoured that Calgary will get a club, and that the Flames will be involved.

This league is a big step if Canada is ever going to get back to the World Cup (outside of automatically qualifying as hosts, that is).

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The Canadian Premier League has received expressions of interest from 10 cities from across the country to participate in an all-Canadian professional soccer league and will look to evaluate those candidates in the next few months.
CSA Release: http://www.canadasoccer.com/canada-s...0774-preview-1

Release from Bob Young (Hamilton club): http://hamiltonprosoccer.ca/article/...aker-bob-young

Release from the Blue Bombers (Winnipeg club): http://www.bluebombers.com/2017/05/0...ccer-manitoba/
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Old 05-07-2017, 12:40 PM   #2
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At the very least there'll finally be some concrete information in the near future on how they expect this thing is actually going to operate. I don't see how it makes any feasible sense with so much of the urban population in this country already better served by vastly superior levels of play, but I guess it isn't my job to figure it out.
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Old 05-09-2017, 09:09 AM   #3
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Please give the Calgary team red uniforms. Not green.
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Old 05-10-2017, 05:40 PM   #4
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Looks like Saskatchewan (doesn't say whether it's Saskatoon or Regina) is another of the 10 cities that expressed an interest in the CPL. The group is led by former Saskatchewan Rush president Lee Genier. http://thestarphoenix.com/sports/local-sports/genier

And Kitchener-Waterloo is another. The group is led by KW United owner Barry MacLean. http://www.therecord.com/sports-stor...terloo-region/

Haven't heard anything about a Calgary club as of yet. All rumours at this point.
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Old 05-11-2017, 04:28 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by shermanator View Post
Looks like Saskatchewan (doesn't say whether it's Saskatoon or Regina) is another of the 10 cities that expressed an interest in the CPL. The group is led by former Saskatchewan Rush president Lee Genier. http://thestarphoenix.com/sports/local-sports/genier

And Kitchener-Waterloo is another. The group is led by KW United owner Barry MacLean. http://www.therecord.com/sports-stor...terloo-region/

Haven't heard anything about a Calgary club as of yet. All rumours at this point.
I'd have to think Victoria would be on that list. Huge soccer community here.
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Old 05-13-2017, 12:00 AM   #6
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Is there a requirement by the league that the games have to be played on real grass vs field turf vs other crap?
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Old 05-21-2017, 10:08 PM   #7
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Our big chance to improve as a national team.
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Old 05-24-2017, 06:52 PM   #8
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Given that the comparisons of a Canadian Premier League to MLS are inevitable, here is a good article discussing MLS' formative years, and how despite their stability today, it was a long road to get there.

https://juneof86.com/2017/05/25/less...eation-of-mls/

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On December 17, 1993, World Cup USA 94 chairman and CEO/US Soccer president Alan I. Rothenberg announced the formation of Major League Soccer and unveiled the league’s logo.

The creation of a Division 1 league in the United States was a stipulation from FIFA as part of the U.S.’s successful bid for the World Cup. FIFA wanted the league to debut before the World Cup took place. Instead, two days before the World Cup draw, the league announced it would launch on April 9, 1995 with 12 teams.

In the end, MLS launched a year late, two teams short of its target and with a revamped logo.

The Canadian Premier League has vowed to learn the lessons of the past as they seek to create a nationwide soccer league.

CPL supporters would be well-advised to do the same.

The first dozen years of MLS (before-Toronto FC attracted the attention of many in Canada to the league) was full of mis-steps and setbacks before finding stability, and now, a level of success. If the early years of the league was full of trial and error, the creation of the league was something else entirely.

As Canadian soccer diehards follow the rumours and progress of the Canadian Premier League’s creation it is illuminating to also review the incubation of MLS before it saw the light of day.
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Old 05-25-2017, 11:12 AM   #9
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The problem with the comparison to MLS is that the CPL will be tier 1 in name only. It will, for all intents and purposes, top out as a feeder league to MLS (and hopefully Europe) simply because MLS is already established in both countries as the premier soccer league in both. Nobody is going to aspire to top out at the CPL.

By the same token, the existence of MLS, and the presence of the NASL and PDL in Canada means it would also be far easier just to shut down the CPL if it does struggle. Hopefully the people behind it are in for the long haul.
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Old 05-30-2017, 03:23 PM   #10
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The problem with the comparison to MLS is that the CPL will be tier 1 in name only. It will, for all intents and purposes, top out as a feeder league to MLS (and hopefully Europe) simply because MLS is already established in both countries as the premier soccer league in both. Nobody is going to aspire to top out at the CPL.

By the same token, the existence of MLS, and the presence of the NASL and PDL in Canada means it would also be far easier just to shut down the CPL if it does struggle. Hopefully the people behind it are in for the long haul.
Yes, but by that logic MLS is a Tier 1 league in name only as well. No one aspires to top out at the MLS. Everyone wants to eventually play in one of the big leagues (EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A).

And yet, just because EPL is the greatest league in the world (and occasionally has Welsh teams) that doesn't stop Wales from having their own premier league as well.

The CPL won't hurt MLS at all. If anything, it will help develop Canadian players that can go on to play in MLS or even further.
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Old 06-01-2017, 08:09 AM   #11
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Yes, but by that logic MLS is a Tier 1 league in name only as well. No one aspires to top out at the MLS. Everyone wants to eventually play in one of the big leagues (EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A).

And yet, just because EPL is the greatest league in the world (and occasionally has Welsh teams) that doesn't stop Wales from having their own premier league as well.

The CPL won't hurt MLS at all. If anything, it will help develop Canadian players that can go on to play in MLS or even further.
It's a worse situation than Wales. Wales' national league still has teams in it's largest cities even with the EPL already established in them, the CPL won't. Wales doesn't have the logistical nightmare of having to make trans-continental travel for its league road trips on a PDL-tier budget, the CPL will.

The thing is, 'topping out' at MLS still produces WC level national team-quality players. When you already have three leagues in this country playing at a superior level I can't fathom how this Canadian league is supposed to be comparable, especially when it's nowhere to be found in Canada's biggest population centers and thus is denying itself to a huge chunk of Canada's potential talent. Unless Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto flip over, this thing reeks of a half-measure token gesture that exists simply to get a WC bid approved.

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Old 06-01-2017, 11:24 AM   #12
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Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will never flip over. You're looking at either parallel teams in those cities, or affiliates of the MLS teams. In either case, you've firmly established the CPL as 'minor league'.
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Old 06-01-2017, 02:46 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by CorbeauNoir View Post
It's a worse situation than Wales. Wales' national league still has teams in it's largest cities even with the EPL already established in them, the CPL won't. Wales doesn't have the logistical nightmare of having to make trans-continental travel for its league road trips on a PDL-tier budget, the CPL will.

The thing is, 'topping out' at MLS still produces WC level national team-quality players. When you already have three leagues in this country playing at a superior level I can't fathom how this Canadian league is supposed to be comparable, especially when it's nowhere to be found in Canada's biggest population centers and thus is denying itself to a huge chunk of Canada's potential talent. Unless Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto flip over, this thing reeks of a half-measure token gesture that exists simply to get a WC bid approved.
Couldn't agree more. I think this league is unfortunately destined for failure, though I certainly hope for otherwise!
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Old 06-02-2017, 11:07 AM   #14
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A lot of people (well, mostly the same person who's #### on it from the start) writing this league off prematurely without knowing anything about it. The league was just approved by the CSA, and two teams have been named. We don't know anything more, including other cities, what the salary cap will be, what players will actually sign, etc.

This league is going to have a very tough road to stability, but if people are just going to dismiss it from the start, it will have no chance. Funny enough, the much hyped MLS went through the same struggles 20 years ago. It launched a year late. Teams that were announced never kicked a ball. Hell, it folded in it's 6th year for a few days, then came back to life.

My ask is that assuming it does launch, people at least go to one game to see if they enjoy it, rather than writing it off because it isn't the mighty American league. Of course, that would require people to invest a few dollars and hours into a product when ####ting on it from their computers is free.
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Old 06-02-2017, 11:21 AM   #15
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I'm cautiously optimistic, and I'll reserve judgment until I can see it in action. Even if it is destined to be a lower tier than the MLS, it will still be the top professional level that the non-MLS cities in Canada can hope for. MLS will never end up in Calgary or any other Canadian city - we need to accept that.

With some solid owners and a favourable TV arrangement, I could see people jumping on board. The worst thing that this league can do, however, is drop a team into McMahon, fill a fraction of it, play on football lines, etc. No matter how hard the supporters might try, it'll be crappy in person, crappy on television, and it will really diminish the legitimacy of the league when it will need all of the help it can get.

Where would they play then? Who knows. But large CFL football stadiums are the graveyards of Canadian professional soccer. It just doesn't work.
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Old 06-02-2017, 11:37 AM   #16
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Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will never flip over. You're looking at either parallel teams in those cities, or affiliates of the MLS teams. In either case, you've firmly established the CPL as 'minor league'.
Sure, but their U23 Academy's would probably benefit from joining something like the CPL. If the level of play quality can be brought up to or surpass that of PDL, then you have a fighting chance. Whitecaps U23 and Impact Academy are in PDL, and Toronto FC Academy plays in League1 Ontario. Clubs can switch leagues to play in, and often do for various reasons. There is nothing to suggest that Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto couldn't submit teams to the CPL, which would immediately raise the bar for non-MLS Canadian cities to develop equal or better skilled talent.

With more fervent supporters, the CPL should server as a feeder league to MLS and Europe. And that's exactly what we want, and I doubt any CPL fan would expect any different.
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Old 06-02-2017, 11:39 AM   #17
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The question I have is where does this league take us? What do the champions get? Other than just being champions. Is there a additional carrot?

Perhaps the champions from this league should get a 2nd Canadian spot in the concacaf champions league (in the prelims) and improve Canada's coefficient.

Or Could Canada have it's own Cup competition.

I'd like to see a Calgary team play Toronto FC one day, or even Pachuca! There has to be a path beyond this league to make is viable. Or else what am I (and tv contracts and advertisers) paying for since there is no promotion/relegation.

In hockey the dream of winning the league/Stanley Cup is the pinnacle. In soccer it has to be much much more.
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Old 06-02-2017, 11:41 AM   #18
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My ask is that assuming it does launch, people at least go to one game to see if they enjoy it, rather than writing it off because it isn't the mighty American league. Of course, that would require people to invest a few dollars and hours into a product when ####ting on it from their computers is free.
The fact that it wants to be the official premier league of Canada means I think people, at least on a base level, will take it a bit more seriously than u23 feeder leagues that doesn't have definitive Canadian content.

My ideal situation is that all major cities have a team (Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Montreal and Halifax), and that FC Edmonton and Calgary Foothills move their clubs to the CPL. The Canadian MLS teams use it as a development league for upcoming talent.

One of my childhood visions - and still to this day - is to see a proper, stable and supported Canadian Soccer league so that we may compete with the big boys on the World Cup stage.
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Old 06-02-2017, 11:49 AM   #19
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One more thought - how awesome would it be if the teams involved kept their traditional hockey or CFL colors? That would be an awesome and unique Canadian twist that could help build a fan base.
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Old 06-02-2017, 11:52 AM   #20
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One more thought - how awesome would it be if the teams involved kept their traditional hockey or CFL colors? That would be an awesome and unique Canadian twist that could help build a fan base.
like this?

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