masster Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 This time it comes from the US Soccer Federation with regards to playing the USA-Mexico WCQ in Columbus: "Not only did US Soccer cave the fans demands to continue to hold this match in Columbus, but gave up substantial revenue to do so. Sunil Gulati, the President of US Soccer spoke to the Sports Business Journal about this issue. “In the economic environment we’re in and in the pre-eminent game of the year, it’s never easy (to give up revenue), but it’s an easy decision in this case because the most important thing we do is qualifying for the World Cup,” said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. “[Qualifying for the World Cup is] so central to our mission that even if it didn’t add commercial value, it would still override all of those issues.”" http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/countdown-to-columbus-us-soccer-keeps-the-fans-in-mind/669 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loud Mouth Soup Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Don't worry yourself, masster. The CSA has never understood that winning is paramount and never will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dare431 Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Being a relatively new voyageur I can't comment on previous CMNT match attendance. But from what I've gathered the CSA is more concerned about profit (Is it even that much?), thus selling as many possible tickets to anyone at our home matches. I wish our governing body had the attitude that qualifying for the world cup actually means something. Saputo (13,000 x roughly $15 per ticket = $195,000). Maybe if we held a few home friendlies every once and a while at BMO we could "afford" a new national team coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonovision Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I think money is the main reason they DON'T play any home friendlies. Getting a decent appearance fee is better for their bottom line then selling a few tickets (very few friendlies of the type Canada should be playing would sell out at BMO or Saputo) and paying out an appearance fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrennanFan Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 we need to get out of this cycle of being unable/unwilling to play home friendlies. it is not impossible for this MNT to make money playing at BMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 ^I am not sure that it is possible at BMO. If it had grass, the CSA could easily bring in some big teams and sell out charging premium prices. But the big teams will not play on Field Turf voluntarily. A team that would - Costa Rica (a pretty good CONCACAF Side) did not draw that well. I doubt the CSA made a profit from that game. I do have a question, however, the CSA has an obligation to hold 6 games per year in the facility. Did they achieve that last year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squizz1402635577 Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Gordon ^I am not sure that it is possible at BMO. If it had grass, the CSA could easily bring in some big teams and sell out charging premium prices. But the big teams will not play on Field Turf voluntarily. A team that would - Costa Rica (a pretty good CONCACAF Side) did not draw that well. I doubt the CSA made a profit from that game. The problems with the Costa Rica friendly have been well-documented. But enough has happened in the 15 months since that match to make me think the turnout would be much better if that match were held again sometime this year. The growth, mobilization and coordination of the Voyageurs and the TFC supporter groups, demonstrated in 2008, come to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcmurph Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Put temp but real grass in the Skydome and make a good surface. Get the Italian national team for a guaranteed sellout of 60,000 tickets. Use the home friendlies to generate revenue and make sure the WCQ are the most difficult to reach for other teams supporters. We can do both the raise revenue and give our teams a real home field advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 quote:Originally posted by tmcmurph Put temp but real grass in the Skydome and make a good surface. Get the Italian national team for a guaranteed sellout of 60,000 tickets. Use the home friendlies to generate revenue and make sure the WCQ are the most difficult to reach for other teams supporters. We can do both the raise revenue and give our teams a real home field advantage. I'm sure the Italian FA has been waiting for a call from the CSA for years now When was the last time we've been able to attract a world power for a friendly at home? I guess it's Brazil, Sapin, Germany and Netherlands in 1994? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdroze Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Well, technically the Italian national team did play in Toronto in 2005 (against Serbia & Montenegro), but that's probably not what you meant. And while the game admittedly did not include many of Italy's stars, attendance was only about 22,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhat Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 quote:Originally posted by loyola When was the last time we've been able to attract a world power for a friendly at home? I guess it's Brazil, Spain, Germany and Netherlands in 1994? Yep, just about. Here's according to the CSA: 1995 - Turkey 1995 - Portugal, Denmark (Skydome Cup) 1994 - Netherlands, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Morocco 1992 - Scotland 1989 - Belgium 1988 - Poland, Greece (Matthews Cup) All matches held in Canada. In 1999, the Canada Cup had Ecuador, Iran, and Guatemala, though none are "global powers." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I think we also hosted Chile and N. Ireland in the '96 Canada Cup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcmurph Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 quote:Originally posted by rdroze Well, technically the Italian national team did play in Toronto in 2005 (against Serbia & Montenegro), but that's probably not what you meant. And while the game admittedly did not include many of Italy's stars, attendance was only about 22,000. You guessed correctly that I meant against the Canadian MNT. And yes I would expect the full star filled lineup for Italy to show up. That would get the Italanadians out in force. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtl-supporter23 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 I think the real issue here lies with Canada's love for football. So until Montreal grows a true desire (and we are on the right path)for the sport our games have to be placed in destinations that away supporters can't access, but also in areas where we know Canadian support(be it the hockey guys coming out, as long as they bleed red) such as Winnipeg or Saskatoon. And thats what the USSF is doing here, putting the game in Columbus, where they're hoping there will be less Mexican support and a larger pro-USA crowd. One would think with the success of USSF in recent years, that the CSA would jolt down a few notes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piltdownman Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 quote:Originally posted by masster This time it comes from the US Soccer Federation with regards to playing the USA-Mexico WCQ in Columbus: "“In the economic environment we’re in and in the pre-eminent game of the year, it’s never easy (to give up revenue), but it’s an easy decision in this case because the most important thing we do is qualifying for the World Cup,”" Has anyone seen the ticket prices? $50-250. The tickets are about a third of the price for an entire season ticket for the crew. On big soccer there is a alot of bitching about the price. I'm sure rich Mexicans will half their stadium too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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