martin lechelt Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 Today is the final day of the Subway Polar Cup in Edmonton (N.A.'s largest indoor soccer tournament). The Aviators have had a terrific physical presence at the event with video, handouts, fake tatoos for kids, etc. They have a special Polar Cup ticket special going on and are sponsoring a skills competition. They seem to be generating a lot of interest and excitement. I don't know, but would not be surprised if they have sold a whack of season's tickets at this event. Does anyone know? Go Aviators Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 Wow, that is great news. Looks like a serious outfit has been put together in Edmonton. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 Wow, that is great news. Looks like a serious outfit has been put together in Edmonton. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtlfan Posted January 1, 2004 Share Posted January 1, 2004 quote:Originally posted by martin lechelt Today is the final day of the Subway Polar Cup in Edmonton (N.A.'s largest indoor soccer tournament). The Aviators have had a terrific physical presence at the event with video, handouts, fake tatoos for kids, etc. They have a special Polar Cup ticket special going on and are sponsoring a skills competition. They seem to be generating a lot of interest and excitement. I don't know, but would not be surprised if they have sold a whack of season's tickets at this event. Does anyone know? Go Aviators Martin I believe every registered player of the Edmonton Minor Soccer Association is a season ticket holder. The ticket is paid for when they register for the 2004 season. [28,000 season tickets] This is the brightest marketing idea since the Impact started selling season tickets for youth @ $20.00 The number one rule for sports franchises is Fill the Joint</u> Thus the sponsors will want the exposure and then the media will follow and then more fans will show up and so on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettermirror Posted January 1, 2004 Share Posted January 1, 2004 this is fantastic. hopefully vancouver can get a similar ball rolling - or maybe with a new stand on the horizon, the caps are biding there time until they move to the mls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin lechelt Posted January 1, 2004 Author Share Posted January 1, 2004 Yes, Edmonton Minor Soccer Association registered kids will get a season ticket (this was announced some time ago). $15 will be tacked onto the registration fee. The Aviators will, in return, provide free camps for EMSA players througout the 2004 season. This was announced as a three year agreement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 quote:Originally posted by martin lechelt Yes, Edmonton Minor Soccer Association registered kids will get a season ticket (this was announced some time ago). $15 will be tacked onto the registration fee. The Aviators will, in return, provide free camps for EMSA players througout the 2004 season. This was announced as a three year agreement. Sorry but I'm pretty cynical about these sort of things. Bless the Aviators for getting that nice fat subsidy from the Edmonton players. Dought there would be a team without it. And cheers to board members who stuck their necks out to approve the plan 'cause it could sure bite them in the arse. It's just I have visions of a giant Commonwealth daycare with thousands of disinterested kids who've gotten in for free wandering around all over the place screaming at mascot Buzz so they can get some free Pokemon stickers, or Aviator tatoos, or whatever. And soccer parent Jane (her turn to haul the little nippers to the match) who's glad to let the five little buggers range about the grandstand just so she can be rid of them for a while and talk gossip with the other soccer mom near at hand who's turn it is also, as you've probably guessed, to brind wee Brandon and four of his teammates to the match. And why not? Already got the season's passes. Give them something to do in the afternoon/evening on the very cheap. Watch a bit of footy (good luck after the first, let us say I don't know, 8 minutes?) and maybe they'll run into somebody they know. Hit Rotten Ronnie's for a Happy Meal on the way home and call it a day. Charming. Once the novelty wears off, or unpleasant weather starts rolling in I guess it won't be so bad. Daycare won't be so much fun anymore. Geez, someone's in a sour mood. P.S. I will say this though, it dose certainly seem as though the Avaitors club has their **** otherwise together. Excellent timing too. Year one they've got novelty on their side. Year two will have the WCQ in full flight so again football exposure and likely a Canada match or two at Commonwealth to help the cause further. Year three and it's Germany2006. No matter what the Aviators do on the field they'll be in the unusual possition of getting media help selling the product. Hopefully they'll get over the "hump" and be about for many a years worth of kicking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeffery S. Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 I am not so cynical about these passes. First, they are paying for them, 15 bucks more in registration fees. They might actually decide to go a few times to make them pay off. I think you might find some coaches taking the whole team out with some parent support, and they may end up actually talking about what they see. All you need is some coach telling his 12 years olds to watch the back line do an offside trap, or explaining how an outside midfielder should move up and down in attacking and defending support, and it'll be worth it. I wish someone had done that with me when I went to see games as a kid. Then there are those parents who really are fans, and will be pleased to be able to take the kids without have to pay any more. In any case not all are going to be young. Until what age level are registered players paying extra fees to allow them into games? 18 maybe, or older? Not to mention that a lot of those kids will know who their team's players are. Since Edmonton will get some semi-final WC qualifiers as well, the kids will be prepped for that and might harass their folks into taking them. So for me the principle is good. I take my 4 year old to games, he takes his toys and plays. I try to watch, he doesn't. Then he comes home and repeats the cheers, he's convinced he's a fan. And if you ask him he'll tell you he likes it. Hell, I remember my father taking me to see Canucks games before they were even in the NHL (dating myself), I loved it, but all I remember is the sound of the puck against the boards, the smell of the ice, and the odd hit in the corner near where we sat. Those little details are the seed for a future passion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJT Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 I have to share Cheeta's cynicism. The Toronto Lynx have been going after kids for a few years now and, well, some Ultras have posted a thing or two about how that has turned out. About the Edmonton Aviators overall: things certainly look good so far, but remember how it all began with the Calgary Storm --- they looked like THE model club for Canadian soccer in most people's opinions. There are no easy answers for soccer in Canada and no matter how good ideas look you just never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 I understand the logic. I'm sure the Aviators will be 100% pleased if 1 in 10 of those kids which will come through the turnstiles at Commonwealth become fans of the game. But to me it's a matter of balance. We had a horrible experience here in Winnipeg with a program similiar to this. Absolutely killed what was once a good football atmosphere at the Fury games and after a few spikes the gate suffered for it. Worse still, once football fans were turned off it got too damn hard to bring them back. And for a lot of the casual fans who rely on the diehards to make the match more enjoyable for them loosing those adult rowdys is devistating. I hope them great success. So far there seem to be a few brains at work with the Aviators so I like their chances. And 4 year olds and footy. Whenever I run into certain old friends this story always comes up. It's that experience which you instantly recall when you think of sports and why you love them. Think you can probably relate. Once upon a time when the world was young a certain Fury squad actualy won a couple of games. To say the local supporters were drunk with illusions of grand things for their boys in white would be understating their hopes. But real or not the hopes were there when the Beast of the East, Hamilton, came to Pan-Am to play The Best of the Rest, a title we more than happily accepted and would have been glad to hold onto. Beautiful evening. Great crowd. And in those days the most enthusiastic of the vocal supporters had learned to gather in section D (I think). All the usual suspects showed plus some and we were in fine voice. The Fury took to our encouragement and in their style ran their guts out but it was simply odvious they where in over their heads. We'd pull back to within a goal and Hamilton would just put their foot back onto the gas and *poof* net a two goal lead. We'd steal a goal back and 5 minutes later we're down two again. That's the way it went. If there were 6,000 people in the grandstand, everyone of them knew an hour in how that match was going to end. But we kept our chins up, sang, and chanted and jeered but the illusions were gone and everbody could feel it. So it was that during one of those rare moments of quiet which had taken the grandstand in dour reflection this wee kid sitting on his fathers lap in front of me look right up into my eyes and in his tiny voice chants A rope. A tree. Hang the referee. And that such a small voice could carry so far was amazing. The whole section exploded! We were roaring! Went right to the heart, it did. We finished that match louder than we started and I'll never forget that momment. That lad's father who hadn't said boo all match just looked back at us glowing. Had that lad won the Stanley Cup in overtime he wouldn't have been prouder. Bloody kids. Leave it to them to ruin a good sulk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue and White Army Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 Have to agree about the babysitting atmosphere, but... 28,000 minor players x $15 a pop = $420,000. And it's the kids who have tickets, not the parents, right? So that should be about $450,000 in extra income. Perhaps they could dispense tranquilizers to parents as they enter the stadium? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin lechelt Posted January 2, 2004 Author Share Posted January 2, 2004 I'm not worried about the kids or cynical about the scheme's success. It is indeed big bucks for the Aviators to get them started and for the serious adult fan, there are four full sections of reserved seating which should be (due to price) devoid of children. I, for one, plan on taking my kids and sitting with friends to watch the games. Lastly ... someone asked so ... EMSA has registered players up to U18. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 No matter what anyone says, from a business standpoint, this was a masterstroke. Isn't it more like 40,000 minor soccer players? That's $600,000.00 per year. This is a three year deal. That's $1.8 million over three years. They will have covered most of their operating expenses for a three year period and they have not even set foot on the field yet. Beautiful! This could only be done at Commonwealth. A 60,000 seat stadium with 40,000 registered minor soccer players means that there is plenty of room for interested adult fans. There are going to be a TON of fans for the first few games, at least. Fans generate media coverage. Even if it is a tiddlywink tournament, if there are 20,000 fans there, the media will cover it, and cover it well. Media coverage generates excitement in a product, which results in more interest for the product, which results in more media coverage...etc. Yes, there will be a load of "annoying" children present (they will eventually disappear), but there will be a number of young fans who will be doing exactly what Jeffrey described. These youngsters will not disappear, and over time, they will manage to convince a few non-soccer-playing buddies to join them for a match or two. Believe me, if McMahon Stadium in Calgary had Field Turf, we would have tried the exact same thing. We can only look on in envy. Our only solace comes in the knowledge that we are going to kill the flyboys on the field :-) Hey Cheeta, I love that story about the kid. It did my heart good (plus I'm stealing that chant for the upcoming season). Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoyleG Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 For a bit of a comparison, this is the cost for an adult season ticket for any of the sports teams here. Aviators:$199 or $289 Trappers:$478 Eskimos:$109-$370 Oilers:$977 and up The deal with the EMSA can be productive in turning younger fans into season ticket holders when they are older. This being especially the case for older youth players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeffery S. Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 quote:Originally posted by martin lechelt I'm not worried about the kids or cynical about the scheme's success. It is indeed big bucks for the Aviators to get them started and for the serious adult fan, there are four full sections of reserved seating which should be (due to price) devoid of children. I, for one, plan on taking my kids and sitting with friends to watch the games. Lastly ... someone asked so ... EMSA has registered players up to U18. Martin Thanks Martin. I think that having a few hundred dedicated mid to late teens at games is going to be great for Edmonton. Some might be sitting there thinking they'd like to try out some day. By the way, is that deal only for Edmonton city players, or does it cover other municipalities in the area? I am asking because I am curious if that fan base is relatively close to the stadium or way out of town? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin lechelt Posted January 5, 2004 Author Share Posted January 5, 2004 Jeff, The way I understand it (and I live here and am paying really close attention ... and already have two adult seasons tickets to go with the two kids passes I'll get in the spring), the deal is only with the Edmonton Minor Soccer Association (EMSA). EMSA does have Spruce Grove (an adjacent city) as a member but the other neighboring municipalities are not part of EMSA. Go here to read more about EMSA and the deal http://www.edmontonsoccer.com/index.php. Edmonton also has an elite soccer system called EIYSA that is separate from EMSA and is NOT part of the deal ... but overall, the number of kids in EIYSA is tiny in comparison. As far as teens dreaming of playing for the Aviators, there has already been tryouts for both boys and girls youth teams to be associated with the big club. I understand that final selections will be made in the spring. I don't know who these teams will play. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coach Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 Did they have any players under contract at this time ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin lechelt Posted January 6, 2004 Author Share Posted January 6, 2004 They have some announcements regarding players on their website. Exciting for us in Edmonton were the announcements that Martin Dugas and Todd Rattee were signed. They were Driller indoor leaders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin lechelt Posted January 7, 2004 Author Share Posted January 7, 2004 Found this article which contains some details asked for in this thread. Note the $600,000 coming from EMSA registrations ... October 29, 2003 Wednesday Final Edition SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. SP1 LENGTH: 782 words HEADLINE: KICK START; NEW GROUP IS CONVINCED THAT SOCCER CAN FLY IN EDMONTON BODY: Greg McDannold had just made the proclamation with great ceremony. "A new era has taken flight,'' he enthused. "The Edmonton Aviators have landed!'' With that he turned away from the podium, gazed into the glare of the television lights, and unceremoniously fell off the stage. Crash-landed, as it were. Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play? If you were looking for something symbolic, McDannold's plunge without a parachute unfortunately provided the obvious. The launch of the Edmonton Aviators Soccer Club to play in the A-League and W-League respectively - the Aviators and the Waviators if you will - was otherwise successful. And the timing was perfect. CLEARED THE RUNWAY With the Edmonton Eskimos selling Triple-A baseball down the river, they inadvertently cleared the runway for the new teams in town - and the Aviators made the most of it. Last spring, when the soccer investors group announced plans to get to this day, there wasn't a great deal of enthusiasm. It appeared, from the outside looking in, like Joe Petrone's ninth life in the soccer business. And the nearest A-League point of reference was the disastrous operation in Calgary. But yesterday they provided their own points of reference. "Our investors want us to go first class all the way, to do it right, with a bang and some flair,'' said Stafford. "First class is the only way. We're set up and financed for a minimum three-year venture. We intend to do it first class from the beginning and give it every chance to be a success. If it doesn't work, we'll have nothing to be ashamed of in the attempt.'' The major-league press conference was held at the Edmonton Aviation Museum at old Blatchford Field, where the legendary bush pilots took flight. They unveiled sharp-looking double-blue uniforms, dominant royal blue for the men and baby blue for the women. Six new investors were announced, leaving only five of the 30 shares at $30,000 a pop to be sold. Team offices at 11041 105 Ave. were opened and the website www.aviatorsoccer.com became active. Season tickets were put on sale with four sections of seat-specific reserved tickets (including parking) at $289 for 14 men's and seven women's home games. General rush season tickets are $199. Waviators coach Janine Helland announced six signings for the women's team - Pan-Am silver medal-winners and members of next year's Canada FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship team - Stephanie Labbe of Stony Plain and Selenia Iacchelli, Monique Gjini and Veronique Mayer-Paradis of Edmonton and Kendra Flock and Yvonne Northover of Calgary. Men's coach Ross Ongaro announced signings of Martin Dugas and Todd Rattee, who played indoors with the Drillers, and Sean Fraser of Edmonton, fresh from back-to-back MVP seasons at the U of Memphis. Petrone says Edmonton native national team players Sasha Andrews and Breanna Boyd and Calgary keeper Erin McLeod are being approached and the team has fielded calls from Canadian players in the defunct WUSA league. UNIQUE SITUATION "We definitely want four or five national team players,'' said Stafford of the women's team that finished fourth in the World Cup. "We have a unique situation with the visibility of women's soccer here and hope to make the most of it.'' The Aviators announced a first-year overall budget of $2 million including start-up costs. Why will this work when all others have failed? Stafford didn't mention the corporate sponsorship availability, reasonable summer sports entertainment dollar opportunity or increased media interest resulting from the Eskimos' removal of Triple-A baseball from the Edmonton sports calendar. "The entire concept is unique and special,'' says Stafford. "The owners are diverse and have a very sound business plan. Very few soccer entities in Canada have ever started like this one. "The key is the Edmonton Minor Soccer Association and area minor soccer associations,'' he said of $15 additions to the fee structures, which provide all players with, in effect, a general-admission season ticket. With 40,000 players, that's $600,000. And that's the whole concept. The ownership is committed to 80 per cent local content for the women and 50 per cent for the men. The idea is to inspire all those kids playing the game to stay with it, knowing there's a place to play. They still have to get those kids and their parents to a significant number of games. Commonwealth Stadium is a big place. "We need a 14,000 average,'' said Stafford. The combination of the Trappers sale and the way the Aviators took flight yesterday, other than McDannold falling off the stage, gives them a chance. GRAPHIC: photo by Darryl Dyck, Special to the Edmonton Sun; Selenia Iacchelli and Sean Fraser show off their soccer skills near a vintage airplane at the Edmonton Aviation Museum yesterday, announcing Edmonton's new United Soccer Leagues franchise. LOAD-DATE: October 29, 2003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmac Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Martin: This is somewhat relevant albeit admittedly distant, to the discussion of the Aviators given the reports that have been in the local media concerning what players from what teams can play for the youth sides the Aviators sponsor. I do not understand the difference between the EMSA and EIYSA...may have the abbreviation incorrect for the latter. I appreciate that EMSA is the Edmonton Minor Soccer Association who have "invested" in the team via the surcharge on player registrations which in turn results in the receipt of a season's ticket. They are also the organization which has funded in part, the construction of the indoor facilities and perhaps the outdoor Henry Singer complex as well. Who/what is the second organization? I have heard the teams referred to as the "elite teams". Elite is what respect? All-star/rep teams v. community teams? Heard of the dispute between the organizations this morning while driving into work with the latter playing futsal v. the "hockey rink" indoor game at least in part because of an inability to get access to, or at least favourable times at the various indoor facilites. The retort from the spokesman for EMSA was that the other organization had had an ability to invest but chose not to. Can you clarify this for me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin lechelt Posted January 8, 2004 Author Share Posted January 8, 2004 BMAC, The situation is very fluid and combative between the two organizations. It is changing constantly and something will give in the next couple of years. It really sucks for parents who need to decide where to put the skilled kids. EIYSA is indeed not a part of the deal with the Aviators. EIYSA is an acronym for Edmonton Interdistrict Youth Soccer Association. Their aim is to provide for top level competition for youth and they only field teams in the provincial Tier 1 and Tier 2 category at the U12 level and higher. EIYSA was formed in the early 80's when EMSA (Edmonton Minor Soccer Association) had a fight with ASA (Alberta Soccer Association) and lost berths for Edmonton in the Provincial championships (and thus a chance for older age groups to go to nationals). EMSA has a zone structure with teams down to U6 and all levels of ability. Today both EMSA and EIYSA field top level teams (but EIYSA clubs are way better) and can both go to provincials and nationals. This began about 2-3 years ago. There are nine EIYSA clubs with territorial rights in the Edmonton area and eight soccer zones in EMSA (I said in an earlier post that only Spruce Grove was a part, but actually St. Albert and Battle River are members too - competing in the top tiers only, not down at the community level). I don't have time to get into everything, and I'm sure I'd get some of it wrong ... you can do some searches to find more information. Lastly, the EIYSA clubs are playing both FUTSAL and arena soccer seasons simultaneously. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmac Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Martin, much obliged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin lechelt Posted January 10, 2004 Author Share Posted January 10, 2004 BMAC ... how is this for timing??? Rival youth soccer groups seeking peace on the pitch Latest dispute centred around elite players John Korobanik The Edmonton Journal Friday, January 09, 2004 (A soccer ball) CREDIT: Journal Stock ADVERTISEMENT EDMONTON - It's far too early to celebrate, but there is at least one sign that the future may bring peace on the pitches of Edmonton soccer. And it can't come too soon for the thousands of young players in the city who have often been forced to choose between the Edmonton Minor Soccer Association and the Edmonton Interdistrict Youth Soccer Association. The two groups have a long history of bitterness since EIYSA was formed 15 years ago to operate the elite club programs in the city. They're still battling today. But on Feb. 7, representatives from both groups will sit down in a peaceful atmosphere to discuss how soccer can best be delivered to the youths of the city. "Both groups will send three people," EIYSA president Barrie White said Thursday. "These people will sit down, with no agenda, to talk about how we can best deliver tiered soccer in Edmonton. It's a start." Vern Gerhardt, executive director of EMSA, the larger of the two associations that runs all the community and zone programs, said it's a great first step for all soccer groups in the city. "Everybody knows it would be best to have one program, not two programs watering down leagues, scrapping for the same kids. Ideally one program needs to exist in Edmonton. That's no secret. "It's a matter of leaving the politics aside and getting together for the ... children and making it happen." To that end the most influential people in each group -- White and EMSA president Mario Charpentier, both of whom bleed soccer and push their own associations -- will not be part of the February meeting. Instead, each side has selected three people, none being elected board members, to try to find a way to bring the sides together. "We've been battling for 15 years," said White. "We've had all kinds of problems. Internally it's bad at meetings between the two groups. It's just out and out hollering type of things." The latest dispute revolves around EMSA's agreement with the Aviators. The pro team will operate two reserve teams -- one for each sex -- and while any under-18 player in the city is eligible to try out, if he or she makes the team, they must register with EMSA. "We're saying that's discriminatory," said White. "We've lost some players who have left to join the reserve teams so they have to join EMSA. The big concern is that with all the infighting, ... Edmonton will not be putting its best foot forward." EIYSA has Alberta's strongest elite-level club program for players in the under-12 through under-18 categories. "There's only so many players out there who have the ability and/or the desire to play at a certain level," said White. "So now we're competing for the same players." jkorobanik@thejournal.canwest.com THE A-TEAM - The expansion Edmonton Aviators will kick off their A-League season on the road against the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 30, the league announced Thursday. - The 16-team league opens April 17. - The Aviators' home opener is May 30 against Minnesota at Commonwealth Stadium. Edmonton plays its first five games on the road. - The regular season ends Aug. 29 with the championship game slated for the weekend of Sept. 18-19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drillers81 Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 In case anyone else noticed, the Aviators will be opening in the same city as the NASL Drillers did in 1979 and the CSL Brick Men did in 1987. It is my deepest and sincerest hope that the fate of the other two does not befall the Aviators, otherwise I will personally start a petition to have any future pro team in Edmonton play their first game somewhere else other than Vancouver. (Just Kidding!!) I think this is a great opportunity for a bit of media coverage and nostalgia. A reunion of members of the 79 Drillers and Whitecaps at that game might be an idea (Bob Lenarduzzi will be there!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 I just stumbled across this (if it's old news, sorry)... If you ever wondered about the reasoning and design work that went on to create the Aviators logo, check this out: http://calgary.shawtv.com/images/DAILY%20RM%20FILES/Jan%2021/20avia-ap.rm It's a tv report on the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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