Isn't that what BC League 1 was supposed to be already?
If they want to keep Foothills going, that's probably the best option for 2021 - try to join the BC league. The travel would actually be better.
Originally, yes. But they couldn't find enough interested clubs so they backed off. I'm not as familiar with this new BC League 1, maybe that's still the case.
I don't see BC clubs allowing Foothills into their league due to travel costs, and I don't think Foothills have the appetite to pay for opposing clubs travel costs like they the first 3 years in PDL, which is the only way they'd get in. Especially when we know the level of play will be lower than they had in PDL. Might as well just stay in AMSL in that case.
I would think a Western Canadian division 2 would have to have some overlap with both CPL and the division 3 leagues. They would need to have professional players, and draw talent from players in USports and NCAA. Ideally a division 2 would be fully pro but Canada isn't ready for that yet. I don't know what's actually on the table outside of what Simon Fudge has leaked.
The Cavs coach explained that it’s been particularly important to stay engaged with the club’s newcomers for this year, including international players. For instance, he told Sportsnet 960 that Peruvian striker Jair Córdova arrived in Canada the day before international travel shut down, his first introduction to the country.
“He had to go into the mandatory 14-day isolation so the poor lad was picked up at the airport, put into a basement suite and he’s been there by himself,” Wheeldon explained. “We’ve been using creative ways to keep him engaged and welcome him to Calgary and to Canada, but you imagine for a player like that, who doesn’t speak a ton of English, that’s his first input.”
The Cavs coach explained that it’s been particularly important to stay engaged with the club’s newcomers for this year, including international players. For instance, he told Sportsnet 960 that Peruvian striker Jair Córdova arrived in Canada the day before international travel shut down, his first introduction to the country.
“He had to go into the mandatory 14-day isolation so the poor lad was picked up at the airport, put into a basement suite and he’s been there by himself,” Wheeldon explained. “We’ve been using creative ways to keep him engaged and welcome him to Calgary and to Canada, but you imagine for a player like that, who doesn’t speak a ton of English, that’s his first input.”
Man, I'm not too worried about Cavalry with the Spruce Meadows backing, but you have to seriously wonder about most teams in this league if we miss a whole season (which some reports suggest we might (keeping mind empty stadium games are essentially meaningless in a league with no TV revenue).
We're looking at the possibility of no public gatherings until 2021, what a damn shame if we get our first successful soccer in decades in Canada and lose it to this.
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Article with the commissioner discussing how the league is interacting with its fanbase during this hiatus. I can't see any clubs folding from this, and I think a few of the clubs may actually lose less money during this situation then they would have had the season gone as expected.
The club I'd be most worried about is Edmonton. They've already done a 1 year hiatus and they didn't improve in the stands despite the move to a Canadian league. Don't know how much longer their owner will stomach losses.
Quote:
"The most important thing is for people to be healthy and to stay healthy and for us to get through this as a community and as a nation, from a global perspective," he said. "And then there’ll be time for football afterwards.
"And that’s when I actually believe that sport, and especially football, will become that kind of rallying cry for folks as we get through this period … That time will come and we need to be ready when that happens. And until then, we follow what we’re being told by the health officials and by our provincial and federal governments."
Clanachan says the new league, thanks to the commitments of its owners, will survive the pandemic.
"As in any business, you do what you have to do and adjust as you go. But we’re in this for the long run. This is a long game here and we’re very focused about what we’re going to build and the legacy we will leave going forward. That’s not changed at all."
And the league continues to hear from potential new ownership groups.
"A bit of a pause obviously right now but that doesn’t mean those conversations aren’t happening," Clanachan said.
I have brought it up a few times. This league will live and die on season ticket sales. It is the outside of advertisement and partnership revenue it is the only guaranteed income the team will get.
In the event of the season being unplayable. If they give me the option to roll my season tickets into next year I'll take it.
Hour long interview with the commissioner. A few key points:
- They have flexibility in the schedule to accommodate a season with delays due to the pandemic.
- Not a fan of playing in empty stadiums. Never say never but not likely to happen.
- Next step in expansion is to get to 10 teams. Believes Quebec and Prairies are key regions for next.
- Designated Players have not been discussed. He feels most DP's are mercenaries in search of a last big paycheque. Would rather invest in young players who want to grow their career in the league instead.
- Not a fan of academies as he finds clubs in Canada spend a lot of money on them and they do not produce many players.
- Cavalry appears to have the most ambitious ownership in the league.
- FC Edmonton (or at least, their stadium) is no good.
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Last edited by shermanator; 04-10-2020 at 03:58 PM.
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Well if they aren't playing in empty stadiums I'd say just start planning for the 2021 season. And to be honest that's probably the best route for a league that has no TV revenue.
Legderwood seems to think July is in the cards. Not that he or anyone else is the biggest expert on how this will all unfold.
Quote:
“The earliest and most likely situation would be mid- to end of July, which would only leave us a three-week pre-season,” said Cavalry captain Nik Ledgerwood. “Even if the first couple of games were behind closed doors, I think a lot of people would be OK with that. Just to get soccer back going, you have something for players and fans to watch, cheer for and smile about.”
That would be semi-attainable if they were the MLB or any league that stands to gain from television revenue (and even the MLB's goal of unattended games have been called a pipe dream for summer). The idea of fan attended sporting events in July is unfortunately fantasy.
Even when fan attended sports are green lit, they will likely be very sparsely attended. At this point it'd be a miracle if the NHL season has fans in the stands by January 2021.
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To save the clicking:
- Players will have 25% of their salaries deferred.
- CPL and club officials, coaching and technical staff will take wage reductions
Unfortunate for sure, but to be expected given the situation we are in. I am not sure how the emergency wage subsidy factors in here. Also deferring a wage makes me think the players will get that wage back at some point.
I talked to one player on the weekend (not on Cavalry) that confirmed they were getting paid throughout this situation, but I guess that has changed.
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Cavalry officially announce the signing of RB Mohamed Farsi.Ticks some good boxes (young, fullback, top player at a lower level). If Cavalry see the pitch this year I'm interested to see what he can bring.
