Toronto Lynx Schedule Change Advisory

[Jarrek]

Due to a scheduling conflict tied to the U.S. Open Cup, the Toronto Lynx home match previously scheduled for Tuesday June 15th versus the Virginia Beach Mariners with kick off at 7:30 has been rescheduled for Wednesday August 18th at 7:30. Nicole Hartrell, the COO of the club, expresses her apologies to any fans and groups that have been inconvenienced as a result of this change. "

We will have to move quickly to alter advertising materials, game day plans and also get word out to fans. Hopefully no one will be affected adversely", says Hartrell. The Can-Am Cup final originally scheduled for August 18th will have to rescheduled also as a result.

[Free kick]

Only in North America :(

Auust 18 is the date for the first game of semi final round of WCQ. Much like the Can-Belize game, the ah-league / Lynx go and schedule a game on the same day when the national team is playing in WCQ. where else n the world would that happen? I still recall the frustration of 1986 WC play when the MNT had problems getting cooperation from the indoor soccer clubs and leagues as far player availability. Its seems we haven't progressed all that much since 1986 in North america when it comes to these things. I am not suggesting A-league players will play a pivotal role on MNT's but still, you don't schedule games during your country's WCQ matches even if it is an away game for the Lynx. The fan's attention can only be focused in one place at time and fan base isn't that large to support both at th same time.

[DarnCherry]

The A-League doesn't set dates, teams do. The game had to be re-scheduled, and it was the Lynx deciding on that day, so it's 100% their fault.

Have to add, the fan base may not be big enough to support the Lynx hosting a game on the same day as a WCQ, but I don't think it would be a problem in 3 of the other 4 Canadian cities. Lets not paint all teams with the same brush!

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Krammerhead

Have to add, the fan base may not be big enough to support the Lynx hosting a game on the same day as a WCQ, but I don't think it would be a problem in 3 of the other 4 Canadian cities. Lets not paint all teams with the same brush!

But that doesn't speak highly of the fans we have then. International soccer involving WCQ does not occur every year and I would ask again, In what other country would you see this happening? If your right, then I am afraid that it is the sizzle ( as alluded in another thread) and not the steak that sells soccer in a-league cities accross canada. Seriously, who would want to go watch domestic regular season club match when an important world cup qualifying game is on at the same time. OK, in the most extereme cases you might see that in places like england where the club loyalties are so strong, the supercede the national team ( eg>; the ABU phenomena).

BTW, I got the email from the Lynx as well this morning and it is a home game for them. Shame on them.

[Franky]

what the hell!!

they go and reschedule a game for the the stupid US Open Cup but not for WCQ that involves Canada and they know fairly well, that there will only be a few handful dedicated souls for that game against Atlanta. [V][V][V][V]

its no wonder the Lynx organization gets such ridicule and they are not taken seriously.

What else can Nicole Hartless-trell do to make this team anymore mediocre, invite mickey mouse to play. keep up your crazy antics nicole, you are truly NOT!! winning over anymore fans in this city.

[DarnCherry]

quote:Originally posted by Free kick

But that doesn't speak highly of the fans we have then. International soccer involving WCQ does not occur every year and I would ask again, In what other country would you see this happening? If your right, then I am afraid that it is the sizzle ( as alluded in another thread) and not the steak that sells soccer in a-league cities accross canada. Seriously, who would want to go watch domestic regular season club match when an important world cup qualifying game is on at the same time. OK, in the most extereme cases you might see that in places like england where the club loyalties are so strong, the supercede the national team ( eg>; the ABU phenomena).

This is a hell of a big country, and if a WCQ is going on across the other side of it, then I don't see it interfering with a domestic regular season game on the other side of the country, or some city a great distance away from it. This isn't a small european country where everything can stop and everyone travels to the big World Cup qualifying game.

Lets face it, like it or not, not every soccer fan in Canada is a supporter of Canadas national team. There are many reasons for this such as people still supporting the country of their birth (or their ancestors), or maybe it's that they have lost interest in supporting a national team that only plays at home during WCQ and is ranked so low. Lets remember now, outside of this board the Canadian national team is not high on many peoples priorities. Canada doesn't even sell out it's WCQ homegames. Like it or not thats the reality.

As to your question as to who would rather watch A-League soccer over a WCQ, I guess I would have to say if the Whitecaps were playing a home game that I could attend the same day as Canada were playing a WCQ elsewhere in Canada I'd choose to watch the Whitecaps. Ridicule me all you want, but I can easily tape the Canada game, and I do have loyalty to the Whitecaps, they play more often, they play at home and they are easier to follow. I'm not alone in that regards, at least here in Vancouver.

[Gian-Luca]

With this news it now means 4 Lynx home matches this season that I won't be able to attend - the two school/youth day matches deliberately scheduled during working hours and the two matches deliberately scheduled against Canada World Cup qualifiers. It's for reasons like these that I'm not a season ticket holder.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Franky

what the hell!!

they go and reschedule a game for the the stupid US Open Cup but not for WCQ that involves Canada and they know fairly well, that there will only be a few handful dedicated souls for that game against Atlanta. [V][V][V][V]

You also have to wonder why they didn't just ask the their opponent to reschedule that US open cup game. Must be that they regard the open cup as more prestigious than an A-League game. I'll bet that the MLS won't be playing games on August 18. If the the A-league wants to consider itself as " not second division " then it shouldn't have scheduled games on this date. As would any other 1st division that abides by the FIFA rules

[DarnCherry]

quote:Originally posted by Free kick

You also have to wonder why they didn't just ask the their opponent to reschedule that US open cup game. Must be that they regard the open cup as more prestigious than an A-League game. I'll bet that the MLS won't be playing games on August 18. If the the A-league wants to consider itself as " not second division " then it shouldn't have scheduled games on this date. As would any other 1st division that abides by the FIFA rules

Of course they regard the US open Cup as more prestigious than an A-League game. It's a national championship that has been played since 1914.

The A-League is perfectly fine with being a "second division" because that is what they are. Also the A-League didn't schedule any games on that date, the indivisual A-League teams did.