a-league & respect.

[bettermirror]

hi,

i think the following must happen in the a-league for it to be taken seriously.

a)play games on set days. saturday/wednesday, sunday/monday, and maybe the odd tuesday match. as it stands the schedule is ridiculous. for example, forcing a team to play one night on the road, take a bus back and play a huge match the following night at home. (ie/ portland v. vancouver, then vancouver v. montreal back to back). stop this 3 games in 4 nights ****e as well.

b)play each team twice. home/away. the schedule makes absolutely no sense. have divisions - they are a must in north america, unfortunately - but have it in two conferences instead. the league is large enough. set it up like major league baseball (yes, baseball). american league/national league, with a few set periods where cross over matches play. (this would allow the canadian clubs that are seperated by an entire nation to play against each other and the yanks to play out their traditional new york/southern california rivalries etc.)

c) keep the playoff, but add a cup as well interspersed throughout the season.

d) do everything they can to have more of an association with the major league soccer and ... well, ya ... the pdl as well.

there ain't gonna be any middle any more.

[Cheeta]

Geezus that scheduling.

Has it allways been this bad? I mean come on now. It dose no favors to the quality or marketing of the game, using this crazy, cost savings schedule. And how many times do you want to see the same club over a season?

"Minority of one"

[Mimglow]

Bettermirror, the only part of your post I disagree with is the cup during the season. A-League teams do have a cup during the season: The U.S Open Cup. Canadians are not invited for the obvious reason, that well, we're not American!

Until the A-League teams decide to participate (or are invited?) in the Canada Open Cup, then there will be no cup matches for Canadian A-League teams. Unfortunately.

Mimglow, Ottawa

_________________________

Where are the weapons of mass destruction?

[bettermirror]

that makes sense, mimglow.

ya, i think vancouver, seattle, portland, and calgary have already played each other 4 times this year! it's an abomination.

the league has no respect, and it's no wonder why. at least the mls is on somewhat of a set schedule.

there ain't gonna be any middle any more.

[Bxl Boy]

I'll post again what I wrote some weeks ago :

As all teams in the season meet almost all the time the same teams, I suggest such a calendar (with, like this year, 28 matches) :

20 week-ends based, with 1 match = 20 matches

on Friday (almost for FSW) or, if possible, Saturday or Sunday, just what the team prefers

2 of these week-ends are "double" : a long travel with two away matches in cities near of each other, on on friday, the other on sunday (for exemple Virginia Beach and Richmond or Portland and Seattle)

20 + 2 = 22

6 wednesdays (the same 6 for all the league)

20 + 2 + 6 = 28

That's it and the number of matches in a few time should decrease a lot !

That's my answer to point a, considering the "system" used now doesn't change.

b : it should be a must to play each team twice and have a regular calender, and even better with one division (I don't like this partition in two non-geographical divisions, as it's arbitrary). If it happens, forget a lot of what I suggested in a.

But to meet each other so often in the season is a stupidity for the rivalries because you can take revenge soon and when you play a team once at home and once away, it's more an event cause you won't meet them before a year then and THE match has more importance.

c : take that playoffs to the garbage because it gives a too big advantage to teams in form at the end of the season and the champion is not to better and most regular team

c bis : yes, create a cup with the canadian teams, maybe use the US cup model

d : yes ! yes ! and yes ! in place to have a lot of leagues with no link to each other, fusion all and have one structure, one organization. USL is a good beginning but is not enough at all.

e : Give the winners of the trophies (championship and cup) a sportive "reward" as it is howwww frustrating to win something and to begin again from 0 the year after. Rewards could be : a place in the Concacaf Cups, a match home-away vs the MLS champion (for the A-League champion) a US-Canada supercup (for the winner of the cup, match vs the winner of the us cup),... I'm surer people here have imagination enough to find other ones.

___________________________

http://www.impactsoccer.com

[bettermirror]

that's great bxl boy. is there any way to contact the a-league and explain our frustration at this incredibly nonsense set-up that they have. how many players simply don't bother trying out for the a-league because of it's set-up in canada alone, let alone usa. i mean, the players are having to take all different days off of work for travel and training because the games are all over the calendar. it's ridiculous.

there ain't gonna be any middle any more.

[marcl_19]

quote:Originally posted by bettermirror

that's great bxl boy. is there any way to contact the a-league and explain our frustration at this incredibly nonsense set-up that they have. how many players simply don't bother trying out for the a-league because of it's set-up in canada alone, let alone usa. i mean, the players are having to take all different days off of work for travel and training because the games are all over the calendar. it's ridiculous.

there ain't gonna be any middle any more.

that made me think of a question......the part about players getting time off from their jobs.....how much money to a-league players make?

[DarnCherry]

Do you guys have any idea why they play that schedule? It fine to fantasize that we could have it any other way but there are reason the schedule is the way it is. Face it the league plays from April to August (regular season). Thats 5 months. Obviously if we did it the way you guys want we'd be playing 9 month seasons. The climate doesn't allow for that. Not to mention that nobody goes to games after September when school starts and people minds in the USA switch to football and baseball and in Canada to hockey. Ever paid close attention to the attendance to playoff numbers in both teh MLS and A-League? Drops considerably. Even in Rochester the attendance for playoff games drops over 50%. That is why the A-League regular season now ends in August and playoff teams have been reduced from 12 to 8.

Then theres the fact that teams don't make money, so travel costs have to be considered. You don't like the fact that the regional schedules have us playing the same teams over and over so they have scheduled out of division and conference games. That means road trips as their is no point travelling across the country to play just 1 game. So they play many games in few nights.

Another thing to realize is most teams share their stadium with other sports. They have to schedule the games when the stadiums are available.

For teams to be able to afford all of this good scheduling you guys propose, in a league that spans the US and Canada and the expenses it requires teams would need to average about 15000 fans per game, and it's just not going to happen.

[Bxl Boy]

20 weeks regular season based is not 9 months !

please, read better !

That's from 19 April to 31 August.

So, just like now...

For the travel costs, please be serious. Let's look the Montreal Impact schedule :

Two "double" away matches are useful :

In VB and Charleston, in Calgary and Vancouver (the two I spoke about)

Else are :

- game in Toronto june 6, in Montreal june 8

- in Pittsburgh june 13, in Montreal june 15

- in Rochester june 20, in Montreal june 22

- in Montreal july 2, in Syracuse july 4

I don't see costs save in those matches, as there are always one home (without travel) and one away in a few days...

Excepted the two "useful travels", Impact plays twice other two away games on a row :

- In Pittsburgh on june 15, Rochester june 20

- Atlanta july 26, Pittsburgh august 3

And twice, they come back home between both games

So, also there, no "travel spares"

___________________________

http://www.impactsoccer.com

[Bxl Boy]

20 weeks regular season based is not 9 months !

please, read better !

That's from 19 April to 31 August.

So, just like now...

For the travel costs, please be serious. Let's look the Montreal Impact schedule :

Two "double" away matches are useful :

In VB and Charleston, in Calgary and Vancouver (the two I spoke about)

Else are :

- game in Toronto june 6, in Montreal june 8

- in Pittsburgh june 13, in Montreal june 15

- in Rochester june 20, in Montreal june 22

- in Montreal july 2, in Syracuse july 4

I don't see costs save in those matches, as there are always one home (without travel) and one away in a few days...

Excepted the two "useful travels", Impact plays twice other two away games on a row :

- In Pittsburgh on june 15, Rochester june 20

- Atlanta july 26, Pittsburgh august 3

And twice, they come back home between both games

So, also there, no "travel spares"

___________________________

http://www.impactsoccer.com

[DarnCherry]

You still do not understand. Forget your fantasy April 19 to Aug 31 schedule. Do you think all teams started the season on April 18th? Out west the season started on May 23rd! Hell Calgary's games were being snowed out in June! Now I'll repeat the obvious:

Most A-League teams don't get first dibs on stadium dates. They take whats leftover. That means many Saturdays are not available for many teams. Therefore to fit in all those Saturday games you wish for the schedule would have to be dragged on for 9 months. Teams have to play weekday dates as thats the only times they can get the stadiums.

Taking Montreals schedule and using it for the basis of your argument is useless, they are just one team. Take a look out west, travel is much more difficult.

If you can't see how scheduling these games they way they are done is to save travel costs then theres no point discussing it with you, as you are clueless. You tell me to read better? How about you try THINKING better. Do you think the A-League teams WANT to schedule the season this way?

Do you even know how they come up with the A-League schedule? All of the GM's get together at the yearly meeting and they get in a room and bang out a schedule the best they can. They have to figure in all the dates that their stadium is available to them, the dates that the opposition is available to play them, the logistics of road trips etc. Then they schedule more games agains regional rivals in order to cut down on travel costs.

Geez, you guys seem to think that this is Europe where teams can play a road game and the players can be home in bed the same night, and there is virtually no travel. You seem to think they can pick and choose whenever they can play a home game and make a schedule as easy as that.

Perhaps take some time to learn about the league, and the logistics problems first.

[DarnCherry]

You still do not understand. Forget your fantasy April 19 to Aug 31 schedule. Do you think all teams started the season on April 18th? Out west the season started on May 23rd! Hell Calgary's games were being snowed out in June! Now I'll repeat the obvious:

Most A-League teams don't get first dibs on stadium dates. They take whats leftover. That means many Saturdays are not available for many teams. Therefore to fit in all those Saturday games you wish for the schedule would have to be dragged on for 9 months. Teams have to play weekday dates as thats the only times they can get the stadiums.

Taking Montreals schedule and using it for the basis of your argument is useless, they are just one team. Take a look out west, travel is much more difficult.

If you can't see how scheduling these games they way they are done is to save travel costs then theres no point discussing it with you, as you are clueless. You tell me to read better? How about you try THINKING better. Do you think the A-League teams WANT to schedule the season this way?

Do you even know how they come up with the A-League schedule? All of the GM's get together at the yearly meeting and they get in a room and bang out a schedule the best they can. They have to figure in all the dates that their stadium is available to them, the dates that the opposition is available to play them, the logistics of road trips etc. Then they schedule more games agains regional rivals in order to cut down on travel costs.

Geez, you guys seem to think that this is Europe where teams can play a road game and the players can be home in bed the same night, and there is virtually no travel. You seem to think they can pick and choose whenever they can play a home game and make a schedule as easy as that.

Perhaps take some time to learn about the league, and the logistics problems first.

[Cheeta]

I'm generaly with Bxl Boy on this one. The A-League schedule drafted as it is for whatever reasons is capitol "B" Bush-League. It's a minor league baseball schedule and we're talking football on this board not baseball (you know baseball, the sport in which you can play a double-header and still not need to shower).

You've got to get a regular schedule. Thinking way back now but the Fury home dates were allmost always a wednesday or sunday. Going to have to tweek a little with those sort of traditions because of availability of stadiums (and opponents), competing local events, blah, blah, blah, but if you can more or less stick with it the advantages must be odvious.

If the USL or A-League can't optain travel, transportation and housing for it's clubs at the most economical rates then there is a problem in the League offices and structure. I'm guessing here, but I'm getting the unhappy feeling that individual clubs are responsable for arranging all their own road requirements.

Probably late september is the longest you could drag the season on for in this part of the world for the most part. If in some communities there's a drop off of fan interest as other sports are also gearing down (or up) what are you going to do? Maybe those fans would be a little more interested if the rest of the season leading up to the fall wasn't treated sooo Bush-League.

"Minority of one"

[Cheeta]

I'm generaly with Bxl Boy on this one. The A-League schedule drafted as it is for whatever reasons is capitol "B" Bush-League. It's a minor league baseball schedule and we're talking football on this board not baseball (you know baseball, the sport in which you can play a double-header and still not need to shower).

You've got to get a regular schedule. Thinking way back now but the Fury home dates were allmost always a wednesday or sunday. Going to have to tweek a little with those sort of traditions because of availability of stadiums (and opponents), competing local events, blah, blah, blah, but if you can more or less stick with it the advantages must be odvious.

If the USL or A-League can't optain travel, transportation and housing for it's clubs at the most economical rates then there is a problem in the League offices and structure. I'm guessing here, but I'm getting the unhappy feeling that individual clubs are responsable for arranging all their own road requirements.

Probably late september is the longest you could drag the season on for in this part of the world for the most part. If in some communities there's a drop off of fan interest as other sports are also gearing down (or up) what are you going to do? Maybe those fans would be a little more interested if the rest of the season leading up to the fall wasn't treated sooo Bush-League.

"Minority of one"

[DarnCherry]

Okay I'll make one last simple stab at this.

Why doesn't the A-League play a set Schedule of weekend games and the occasional Wednesday and be like the rest of the world?

BECAUSE THEY CAN'T. If they could they would. Until you can propose a way to do it the way logistics are you guys can call the league "bush" or whatever names you wish, but if you were in charge of the same system you couldn't do any better.

This argument is kind of like all those people who say "why don't we trade our bench warmer for the top scorer in the league. Why? Because it isn't possible no matter how much you fantasize.

The league may be bush but for most of us thats all we have, and the schedule is the way it is because thats the only way it can be.

You may "be" with Bxl Boy on this one but that isn't going to change league logistics. Hell I think everyone would rather have a set schedule. It ain't going to happen, but if you can provide an answer on how it could be done please contact the league, and perhaps Mensa as well, as obviously you guys are geniuses that have found a way to schedule the A-League that everybody else in the A-League could not come up with themselves.

[DarnCherry]

Okay I'll make one last simple stab at this.

Why doesn't the A-League play a set Schedule of weekend games and the occasional Wednesday and be like the rest of the world?

BECAUSE THEY CAN'T. If they could they would. Until you can propose a way to do it the way logistics are you guys can call the league "bush" or whatever names you wish, but if you were in charge of the same system you couldn't do any better.

This argument is kind of like all those people who say "why don't we trade our bench warmer for the top scorer in the league. Why? Because it isn't possible no matter how much you fantasize.

The league may be bush but for most of us thats all we have, and the schedule is the way it is because thats the only way it can be.

You may "be" with Bxl Boy on this one but that isn't going to change league logistics. Hell I think everyone would rather have a set schedule. It ain't going to happen, but if you can provide an answer on how it could be done please contact the league, and perhaps Mensa as well, as obviously you guys are geniuses that have found a way to schedule the A-League that everybody else in the A-League could not come up with themselves.

[Cheeta]

Mensa. Ha, funny. Good one.

Dose remind me though that I'll have to send them a change of address notice. They're still sending my membership renewals to NASA and since I haven't been to my ol' offices since the lay offs,,,.

As for scheduling, since we all agree it sucks, hurts the quality and perception of the league and pretty much guarentees no further growth in the game I'd think they'd have to make correcting it a priority. Out here in the provinces we need football to grow just a little bit more before anyone with cash'll stick their neck on a what is still a fringe sport in this country. It's been 10 years since the CSL survivors (with it's set schedule) effectively joined the "greener" pastures of the A-League. What were the reasonings? Stability and growth weren't they? Geezus. And football in Canada's football heartland still hasen't outgrown Swangard. Lots of genius to go around.

A-League and respect. Untell your lot who've got A-League clubs force that league to get it's **** together a little more I hold out little hope for the growth of the game in this country and I'm stuck going to MMSL Premiership matchs and hoping for a PDL club. How do you think that feels? Talk about reduced expectations.

"Minority of one"

[Impact supporter]

Krammerhead, Bxl Boy

You both have good points on scheduling but I think that for now it has to stay regional to keep travel costs low and build up rivalries. Canada is NOT like Europe(where ONE Canadian province is the same size as a European country) where the teams can play in a day and be home in bed that evening.(I see Canada more like Brazil) Does Montreal have a rivalry with Vancouver. NO. It has one with Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto, and Otttawa if it joins the A-League.

As for forming a new Canadian league, even if this happens there would still have to be interleague competition with A_league and MLS teams(US teams) close by ex Montreal vs. Rochester or Vancouver vs. Portland and Seattle. As well in such a Canadian league there would have to be regional playdowns - Pacific, Praries, Central and Atlantic - over the summer and then a final four or national championship.

Just a thought.

[DarnCherry]

How nice to have a reply where somebody agrees with something I say!

Yes the A-League has to be regional, it's the only way to keep costs down so that the teams can survive. You are also right, at the moment regional rivalries are important. However I don't see why if we eventually got our own CSL we'd still have to play interleague with our present rivals. Having our own league would mean cutting ties with the A-League and being independent, or else why bother? We could keep rivalries by keeping our independent cups, such as the Can-Am cup (but name it something decent) and revamping the Canterbury Cup competition between Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle. That way we'd still keep those rivalries (and they'd be more meaningful as ther'd be not so many games against ech other. Pre-season friendlies woul also be played against our these regional rivals. Once again that would create more interest in the friendlies.

Just a thought while I'm still sober.