sounderfan Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151870 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Interesting to see the anti-Canadian sentiments from some of the Americans in that thread, plus plenty of ignorance about Canadian soccer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sounderfan Posted November 20, 2004 Author Share Posted November 20, 2004 I don't share those sentiments, but maybe it's because I'm not all that gung-ho about "my country" the USA. Even if Vancouver were to get an MLS franchise instead of Seattle, I still would not play the "Country" card. Fact is I like Vancouver very much, and would go to a few matches up there if MLS came to BC and not Seattle. FIFA understands that if Canadian soccer is to move forward it *MAY* take some partnering with millionares south of the border. So I don't see why they would have a problem with MLS in Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 I believe MLS expansion decisions are driven by fiscal considerations not nationalistic ones. Including a Canadian team in MLS may well add some interest and crowd appeal to the league, especially if the team becomes stacked with Canadian national team members looking to live and work closer to home. Vancouver may have an emotional appeal for some but the Greater Toronto area with a brand new 30,000 seat soccer specific stadium already on the books would be a better financial risk. Vancouver has no such stadium and a much smaller population than the GTA plus there is not even a suitable stadium in the planning stages. Greg Kerfoot, owner of the USL Whitecaps has talked about building a new stadium larger than Swangard but he does not have a location and it will likely start out as a 15,000 seat facility at most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoyleG Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Richard Interesting to see the anti-Canadian sentiments from some of the Americans in that thread, plus plenty of ignorance about Canadian soccer. They aren't as ignorant as you think. The real reasons are they feel that more must be done with pro soccer in the US. They don't see a Canadian team helping at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 quote:Originally posted by DoyleG They aren't as ignorant as you think.... I did not describe them as ignorant people, just ignorant about Canadian soccer - read the posts and you will see what I mean. Sure, ideally MLS would serve just the US market and provide an opportunity for only US players but MLS is a business looking to minimise losses if not operate at a profit and if a Canadian team based in Toronto stacked with Canadian national players will help put more bums in seats than diluting the US domestic player pool with yet another US exclusive franchise then they'll go for the Canadian option. Why do you think they went with the Chivas franchise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 The Chivas franchise is still an American one and will comply to the same rules on imports as all other teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Daniel The Chivas franchise is still an American one and will comply to the same rules on imports as all other teams. I am sure the same rules will apply to any Canadian MLS teams except foreigners will be non-Canadians. Will Chivas USA be restricted to US citizens only? Anyway, this has nothing to do with rules - Chivas was a smart business decision on the part of the MLS. The fans where the Chivas franchise will be located have more money to spend on tickets and concessions than do the fans in Chivas home town in Mexico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 Chivas will be restricted to the same number of domestic and special-MLS players (ie foreign/junior international, etc.) as other teams. This might mean citizens, green card holders or whatever. I don't know the details. Basically, expect their foreign players to be Mexican, at the beginning anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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