Two Canadian teams in the Champions League?..

[masster]

Get Ottawa, Hamilton and Victoria expanssion teams involced in the V's Cup and we have a real league. 1st place is Canadian champion while 1st and 2nd get Champion's League births.

[TT5]

quote:Originally posted by masster

Get Ottawa, Hamilton and Victoria expanssion teams involced in the V's Cup and we have a real league. 1st place is Canadian champion while 1st and 2nd get Champion's League births.

If you can get Hamilton, Ottawa and Victoria signed up. 1st place goes directly through to the group stage while the 2nd place has to go through the qualification process sounds good to me.

[Keano]

quote:Originally posted by TT5

If you can get Hamilton, Ottawa and Victoria signed up. 1st place goes directly through to the group stage while the 2nd place has to go through the qualification process sounds good to me.

2nd place would have no trouble with the Nicaraguan champions IMO. We were tentative and nervous against them not knowing what to expect, but now know they are low quality.

[Bratworst]

quote:Originally posted by Keano

2nd place would have no trouble with the Nicaraguan champions IMO. We were tentative and nervous against them not knowing what to expect, but now know they are low quality.

Agreed, I think the fact that we didn't smoke them last year was due to nerves more than anything and that if we faced them now it would likely be a much different story..

[brownbear]

You know what's ironic? Given all of the crap that Canadian soccer has had to endure as a result of its membership in CONCACAF, it just may be that the creation of the CONCACAF Champions League and its attendant knock-on effects (i.e., the creation of the Voyageurs [name of sponsor here] Cup) may have done more for club soccer in Canada than anything anyone in Canada has done.

[masster]

quote:Originally posted by Keano

2nd place would have no trouble with the Nicaraguan champions IMO. We were tentative and nervous against them not knowing what to expect, but now know they are low quality.

Remember, the Canadian team is not always going to be drawn against a team the likes of Real Esteli. If I am not mistaken 2 MLS teams and 2 Mexican teams were in the preliminary rounds as well.

[footballfreak]

quote:Originally posted by masster

Remember, the Canadian team is not always going to be drawn against a team the likes of Real Esteli. If I am not mistaken 2 MLS teams and 2 Mexican teams were in the preliminary rounds as well.

The Canadian entry was seeded in the preliminary draw along with USA 3 and 4, Mexico 3 and 4, Costa Rica 2, Honduras 2 and Panama 1.

The unseeded teams were the 3 CFU teams, Panama 2, El Salvador 2, Belize, Nicaragua, Guatemala 2. Any Canadian team has at least a 50-50 chance against every team excluding maybe Guatemala 2.

[Winnipeg Fury]

Ideally the CSA would like to broaden the Voyageurs Cup, because every club in Canada now wants a piece of it. It is now our de facto national league and has also become something of a cash cow for the participating teams.

Obviously there are many problems associated with broadening the tournament. Amateur clubs (probably the champion), PCSL, CSL, and PDL. The PDL in particular showed strong growth this year and I think this will just be the start. Who gets in, who is left out and how do you include the participating teams. It would require considerable sponsorship and in these tough economic times, that may be impossible.

Negotiations with CONCACAF will start later this year, and I look forward to seeing the results.

[michaeltfc91]

quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury

Ideally the CSA would like to broaden the Voyageurs Cup, because every club in Canada now wants a piece of it. It is now our de facto national league and has also become something of a cash cow for the participating teams.

Obviously there are many problems associated with broadening the tournament. Amateur clubs (probably the champion), PCSL, CSL, and PDL. The PDL in particular showed strong growth this year and I think this will just be the start. Who gets in, who is left out and how do you include the participating teams. It would require considerable sponsorship and in these tough economic times, that may be impossible.

Negotiations with CONCACAF will start later this year, and I look forward to seeing the results.

I can't remember, but does the format of the Voyageurs Cup remain the same for 2 years or 3 years?

If for 2 years, then next will have a different formatted tournament which will be very interesting.

[nazzer]

quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury

Ideally the CSA would like to broaden the Voyageurs Cup, because every club in Canada now wants a piece of it. It is now our de facto national league and has also become something of a cash cow for the participating teams.

Obviously there are many problems associated with broadening the tournament. Amateur clubs (probably the champion), PCSL, CSL, and PDL. The PDL in particular showed strong growth this year and I think this will just be the start. Who gets in, who is left out and how do you include the participating teams. It would require considerable sponsorship and in these tough economic times, that may be impossible.

Negotiations with CONCACAF will start later this year, and I look forward to seeing the results.

As good as it sounds ideally to add teams to the competition, it would be such a shame if the winner game down to a matter of goal differential... or what professional team but the participating amateur teams by the most goals.

[Winnipeg Fury]

quote:Originally posted by michaeltfc91

I can't remember, but does the format of the Voyageurs Cup remain the same for 2 years or 3 years?

If for 2 years, then next will have a different formatted tournament which will be very interesting.

2 years.

Regardless what participating parties desire, there's a very good chance the format for 2010 will remain the same as 2009.

[Keegan]

quote:Originally posted by Danny08

with the $$ the Impact have generated for CONCACAF,it would not surprise me to see Canada handed 2 spots (1 group spot and 1 qualifier), as I predict similar support u=in Toronto & Vancouver.

Bingo. Canada seems to be the only country that cares about the CCL. Toronto fans are pissed they missed and Montreal is going crazy over it. You want to have teams and fans who are passionate about your competition.

Vancouver would probably sell out BC place for a CCL game. And you can bet your life that Toronto would fill the skydome.

Even Puerto Rico only gets 5,000 fans for a CCL match? That isn't half of their stadium capacity for the biggest match in a club's history in a country with one pro club! Unbelievable.

[Intru]

quote:Originally posted by Keegan

Bingo. Canada seems to be the only country that cares about the CCL. Toronto fans are pissed they missed and Montreal is going crazy over it. You want to have teams and fans who are passionate about your competition.

Vancouver would probably sell out BC place for a CCL game. And you can bet your life that Toronto would fill the skydome.

Even Puerto Rico only gets 5,000 fans for a CCL match? That isn't half of their stadium capacity for the biggest match in a club's history in a country with one pro club! Unbelievable.

Relax man our owners are not billionaires, like Montreal's and we have the worst marketing department in the USL1. There wasnt a single add anywhere promoting this game at all and tickets went on sale 3 days before the game. You can see the difference when we promote against Santos 10k, against Municipal 7k. We dont even have our official uniforms ready we are using placeholder uniforms right now!

The sad thing is that it still the best run team in Puerto Rico.

[Keegan]

quote:Originally posted by Intru

Relax man our owners are not billionaires, like Montreal's and we have the worst marketing department in the USL1. There wasnt a single add anywhere promoting this game at all and tickets went on sale 3 days before the game. You can see the difference when we promote against Santos 10k, against Municipal 7k. We dont even have our official uniforms ready we are using placeholder uniforms right now!

The sad thing is that it still the best run team in Puerto Rico.

But for a country with 4 million people you would expect enough interest in the one pro team to at least fill a 12,000 seat stadium.

[Intru]

quote:Originally posted by Keegan

But for a country with 4 million people you would expect enough interest in the one pro team to at least fill a 12,000 seat stadium.

I'm wont be a douche and not explain, PR sports are dominated by Baseball and Boxing. Everything else is a step bellow that include basketball and volleyball the other two most popular sports. If you think USA is crazy about their baseball you havent seen a puerto rican! Dont even get me started on boxing, its like a religion down here.

Yes there are alot of soccer fans out there but with out marketing in the metro area your not gonna get that many people. Does 3k people are the teams core fan base that show up for everygame no mater what, to get the others you need to promote and hard. San Juan metro area has the worst fans in every sport on the Island, because they dont promote. And that may work in the rural areas of PR where everybody is a fanatic but no here.

And the Islanders fan pool is not 4 million its about 1 million which make up the immediate area of the metro area. Just to let you know it takes over 45 min to cross from one side of the metro are to the other and it just so happen the islanders play at one of the edges of the metro area. So you cant account alot of people coming from Carolina o Caguas to watch the islanders.

But it all come down to marketing when the Islanders fix that they will have 6k+ at every game.

[Robert]

What if Montreal wins the Champions League this year? Do the get a spot in next year's competition if Vancouver or Toronto win the next Canadian championship?

How did Monaco qualify 2000-2001 Champions League in Europe? Was if because they won the French League, or was it because their the best team in Monaco?

Therefore, does CONCACAF have different qualifying standards than UEFA?

[TT5]

I heard Bob Lenarduzzi on the soccer show in Vancouver and he said that when the format is re-done, they will likely allow for another team from Canada, because there is an argument out there that some of the countries that get a spot don't have a professional league, but more like a semi-pro/amateur league. So I think that means that semi pro teams in Canada wouldn't be allowed, or Lenarduzzi would block that if he has a vote.

Hopefully there are a few more Canadian teams playing in for the title though in the future.

[Daniel]

quote:Originally posted by Robert

How did Monaco qualify 2000-2001 Champions League in Europe? Was if because they won the French League, or was it because their the best team in Monaco?

They qualified through the French League. I believe Monaco has surrendered its rights to a national teams and simply fields a team in the Frecnh league.

[Robert]

Thanks Daniel and Danny. I'm just so greatful to Mr. Saputo for doing in just a few years, what the Canadian Soccer Association hasn't been able to accomplish in nearly a century. That is giving Montreal, Queebec and Canadian soccer fans a team that we can all be so very proud of. I wish so much that the Impact make it to the semi-finals tonight and that we get another 60,000 crowd at the big O for the man who put back joy in this Canadian soccer fans life. Thank you Mr. Saputo!

[ottawaguy2009]

quote:Originally posted by coppercanuck

It is a very interesting discussion. Expand it to the Caribbean ... 17 teams last year and this year 12? No entry from Jamaica or Cuba. Is this just based on the travel cost? Surely the promise of a top Mexican or MLS club coming to a small island must have the same "FA Cup" appeal. The same can be argued for Canada. The idea of a team paying their entry fee to get a shot at playing on a bigger stage appeals to me. I love the idea of the Impact playing in St. John's or TFC playing in Thunder Bay or the Whitecaps playing in Cold Lake, Alberta. The CSA needs to look seriously at our system of play. Has the CSA approached the Ottawa MLS group (with Montreal and Vancouver) and said "hey if you don't get the MLS, get on board with the USL because of these benefits."? The CSA needs to encourage owners in Ottawa, London, Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton and Victoria to consider getting into the USL and thus the Canadian Championship. I know it adds fixtures to the packed schedule but with a few indoor facilities across the country it can work. England's Fa Cup has 14 dates to go from 761 clubs to 1. Canada can figure out a way to handle 3 more clubs in the Canadian Championship.

Well well said. Cheers for this. Exactly. USL teams. That way it's lower risk, the league is a little kinder to the ownership group (MLS claims 51% ownership of MLS franchises(?))

Give Halifax, Quebec City, Ottawa, Hamilton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg USL teams. It's relatively a low risk financially - compared to the 40 million dollar price tag an MLS franchise comes with. The stadia requirements aren't as demanding (no need to have 20,000 seats - 5,000 - 10,000 would do nicely. Stade Saputo is awesome).

Excellent thought. Let's do it.