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USL's release on 2010...Edmonton & Ottawa?


Peter Schaad

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Key sentence where 2010 is concerned:-

$B!H(BI was delighted to see so many potential new franchises at the meeting, with several of them prepared to play as early as 2010 and 2011,$B!I(B continued Rawlins. $B!H(BThere will be a transition moving forward, but the future is very bright from an expansion standpoint.$B!I(B

That implies that some of them are not prepared to play as soon as 2010 and 2011. Given the dispute with the TOA breakaway faction any speculative expression of interest is liable to be talked up at this point.

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Has anyone from Edmonton or Ottawa heard anything about USL-1 expansion franchises yet? Last time I talked with the USL office, Ottawa and Calgary were their two choice Canadian markets.

The article seemed more like a PR "invest in us we have potential :)" piece than a news article. They must realize the legitimacy of the league is taking a massive hit with the TOC battle their in.

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quote:Originally posted by Cyrus

As far as Ottawa, goes, there is absolutely no way that Frank Clair Stadium would be physically ready for USL-1 in the next five months. 2011 is doable, if the municipality can get their act together. 2012 is more likely.

The stadium situations are pretty similar in Ottawa and Edmonton, both have a large, unsuitable stadium; a small soccer appropriate stadium; and a largely empty baseball stadium. What USL sees as the way forward, I'm not sure, but both would appear equally suitable destinations.

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quote:Originally posted by Bxl Boy

Which are the “small soccer appropriate stadium” in each city ?

Edmonton

Foote Field http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foote_Field

or

Clarke Stadium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke_Stadium

Ottawa

Keith Harris Stadium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Harris_Stadium

Obviously, none of them has the necessary capacity now, and some have gridline problems.

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"Amazing" "Sophisticated" "Prestigous" "Thrilled" "Magnificent" "Flagship" "International Affiliations" "Corporate Opportunities" "Fantastic" "Building Relationships" "New Era" "Tremendous Host"...

... maybe someone who uses this board has the data on USL expansion franchises for the last - say 5 years - and where are they now?

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Guest Jeffery S.

Regarding how odd it is that Portland is on the outside amongst the TOA looking in at an event held in Portland basically with Nike.

You join MLS and you join Adidas, there is no choice. They are the exclusive partner in jerseys, you have no other option. So Nike has no future in MLS and that is not likely to change, Adidas will fight tooth and nails to keep their partnership with MLS alive and keep Nike out.

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quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

Regarding how odd it is that Portland is on the outside amongst the TOA looking in at an event held in Portland basically with Nike.

You join MLS and you join Adidas, there is no choice. They are the exclusive partner in jerseys, you have no other option. So Nike has no future in MLS and that is not likely to change, Adidas will fight tooth and nails to keep their partnership with MLS alive and keep Nike out.

Unless Portland is the fly on the wall for the TOA? Maybe the owners drew straws and Portland lost? ;)

Yes the MLS=Adidas is written in stone so it doesn't make much sense to me other then the spy in their midst routine.

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Really interesting points re: marketing and Portland's odd role here. They will be the team most disadvantaged geographically by the potential departure of the TOA clubs.

Part of me wants the TOA to hold firm, because USL stands for U-sed Car S-alesmen L-eague. If they honestly believe they can bring in Detroit, Baltimore, Edmonton, and Ottawa in a year, and turn them into decent franchises...they're delusional. Every single season, another club is in trouble. This season it's Cleveland (because they were brought up against their will) and Rochester. I could see the whole thing collapsing next season given the USL"s track record.

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That is one of the TOA's beefs about the way the USL is run... no proper due dligence done on new franchise applicants with the result that teams collapse midseason leaving the schedule in disarray and showing the league and thus the remaining clubs in a really bad light. I just don't believe four new stable, well financed franchises with adequate stadiums can be whistled up between now and 2010 season kickoff. TOA has a point.

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quote:Originally posted by Cyrus

As far as Ottawa, goes, there is absolutely no way that Frank Clair Stadium would be physically ready for USL-1 in the next five months. 2011 is doable, if the municipality can get their act together. 2012 is more likely.

The stadium surface.. field turf is fine, there are roughly 15,000 useable seats, and temporary stands on the south side lower deck can be erected in less then a week.

So frankly your statments about stadia are wrong.

Even if the Lansdowne live project is approved this month there wont be construction till late July 2010 or later, indeed the project will clearly be in phases.

Now does that mean a USL 1 team application would be approved to the Ottawa Fury organisaton ? Probably yes, can they attract a creditable team to compete in a USL 1 with out a Montreal and Vancouver.. probably yes, would you invest 750,000 for a franchise fee and not have games against Montreal and Vancouver not likely.

So any new pro teams in Canada need to be for 2010 playing in a league against Vancouver and Montreal as well as Voyageurs cup games.

Frankly I dont see anyone with the cash and skill set to launch teams by 2010.

USL 1 needs to make peace with the TOA or vice versa for the good of the game.

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Somebody knows what happened to this:

http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/story/?id=268484&lid=headline&lpos=secStory_soccer

?

Tiger-Cats owner, and TOA Carolina Railhawks co-owner, wanted to purchase a USL div. 1 franchise if he could get a new stadium. The 2015 Pan-Am games were awarded to Hamilton and the stadium will be build.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/panamgames/article/722389--toronto-wins-2015-pan-am-games?bn=1

I was wondering what happened to the USL 1 plans? Did the recent TOA/USL dispute screwed them?

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quote:Originally posted by Mr. Caca

Somebody knows what happened to this:

http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/story/?id=268484&lid=headline&lpos=secStory_soccer

?

Tiger-Cats owner, and TOA Carolina Railhawks co-owner, wanted to purchase a USL div. 1 franchise if he could get a new stadium. The 2015 Pan-Am games were awarded to Hamilton and the stadium will be build.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/panamgames/article/722389--toronto-wins-2015-pan-am-games?bn=1

I was wondering what happened to the USL 1 plans? Did the recent TOA/USL dispute screwed them?

It also means a separate 10K seat soccer stadium in Burlington.

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  • 2 weeks later...
quote:Originally posted by Vic

Ottawa Stadium was approved today. I heard 2013 mentioned, but 2012 or sooner is probably more realistic. It really doesn't matter when though, because soccer on football lines is like barfing in your mouth.

We don't know for sure if the field will have permanent football lines. Nevertheless, soccer on football lines is still better than no soccer at all.

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quote:Originally posted by Vic

Ottawa Stadium was approved today. I heard 2013 mentioned, but 2012 or sooner is probably more realistic. It really doesn't matter when though, because soccer on football lines is like barfing in your mouth.

As opposed to what? Barfing into the mouth of someone else?

Don't laugh. It happens.

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