Victoria Highlanders FC

[Drew Shaw]

VHFC are having a "VIP" night on Monday November 7. Key points are:

1 - the team is selling season tickets which will also be memberships in directing the club.

2 - the club is in discussions with the CSA regarding a national league.

3 - a baseball team in the city is trying to manoeuvre soccer out of Royal Athletic Park.

Season tickets will mean ownership share in Highlanders

But club's future at Royal Athletic Park in question

BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMES COLONIST

NOVEMBER 5, 2011

The Victoria Highlanders’ future in soccer appears at once sunny and cloudy. The United Soccer League Premier Development League team begins its biggest week of the off-season with a public meeting Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Uplands golf clubhouse when it will announce the club is taking a page out of the playbook of the Green Bay Packers, Saskatchewan Roughriders and FC Barcelona. The simple act of purchasing a Highlanders season ticket will give fans an ownership share in the club and a voice in its direction, said current owner Alex Campbell Jr.

Then, on Thursday, Campbell will meet with Canadian Soccer Association officials, who are considering a national pro league below the MLS in medium-market cities across the country.

But these potentially exciting times for the Highlanders have been tempered by the possibility the club may not be able to play in Royal Athletic Park beyond 2012 because a baseball team might take precedence the following year.

The West Coast League, featuring top major-league draft eligible U.S. collegiate NCAA players, has expressed an interest in putting a team in RAP beginning in 2013. An unnamed prospective team owner is in negotiations with the City of Victoria. Part of the deal apparently could be a provision for a permanent outfield fence during the baseball season. That would effectively freeze out the Highlanders from the facility because the team also plays over spring/summer.

“They are one stroke of the pen from eliminating soccer from the park [during summers],” said Campbell. “This overlooks the park’s 50-plus years as a dual-use facility. This is short-term thinking. The repercussions are huge for soccer.”

Campbell said the Highlanders moved from Bear Mountain Stadium in Langford to RAP in the middle of last season because of certain issues at the former. He thought he had found his long-term home on Caledonia. “The City is keen to see a long term, anchor tenant in Royal Athletic Park and has been contacted by several organizations over the past several months. Negotiations are underway with an organization for a long-term agreement beginning in 2013,” said Katie Josephson, director of communications for the City of Victoria.

“Interest has been entertained on a first come, first serve basis and we’ve been very clear about the status of active negotiations with all interested organizations. The City welcomes the opportunity to host the Highlanders at Royal Athletic Park during the 2012 season. Come January, we will have a clear sense of whether there are opportunities for future seasons. We’ve shared this timeline with the Highlanders, however we had entered into negotiations with another organization, prior to any indication of interest from the Highlanders. We hope to conclude negotiations in January and confirm what options are available.”

Campbell has broached the possibility of a $33,000 outfield fence on wheels, which is used in other parks, and can be simply wheeled in and out, allowing soccer and baseball to co-exist. “They have to get a fence, anyway,” said Campbell. “The cost of keeping it a dual-use facility is so small.”

[Alex D]

How was the attendance at RAP for the Highlanders?

[Soccerpro]

I read an article that the highlanders were having trouble off the pitch this year. I sincerly hope they can get things together and continue on. They are the type of market Canada needs for a D2 league if there ever is going to be one.

[The Ref]

Why do the Highlanders need to play at the Royal Athletic Park when they have their own and nicer stadium at Bear Mountain Stadium??

[A_Gagne]

Why do the Highlanders need to play at the Royal Athletic Park when they have their own and nicer stadium at Bear Mountain Stadium??

Article said:

Campbell said the Highlanders moved from Bear Mountain Stadium in Langford to RAP in the middle of last season because of certain issues at the former.

Not sure what "issues" those were. Either way, Downtown Vic > Langford; real grass pitch; larger seating capacity last I checked. I think if you're looking to grow the team's brand, and to step up from PDL to a prospective Canadian D2 league, RAP is a much better option for many reasons.

Also, Bear Mountain wasn't necessarily going to remain "their own". Rugby Canada just entered into a longterm agreement with the City of Langford to make Bear Mountain the centerpiece in a new development academy and operational home base.

Check the link: http://www.rugbycanada.ca/leagues/newsletterarchive.cfm?leagueID=0&clientID=3817

Not sure how the Highlanders fit in moving forward in light of that development.

[ThiKu]

Would be a significant flagship franchise in any Canadian D2. It's also nice to see this getting some media play - a CanD2 that is....

[A_Gagne]

Another thought... If they do end up getting pushed out of RAP (horrible if they do), they could use UVic's Centennial Stadium. Other than the track it's a great venue for soccer.

[ted]

I read an article that the highlanders were having trouble off the pitch this year.

Yes, the Women's team was a financial disaster. They had to travel far and wide to play and averaged something like 300 per game at home.

Why do the Highlanders need to play at the Royal Athletic Park when they have their own and nicer stadium at Bear Mountain Stadium??

Have you ever been to Victoria? Sorry I honestly cannot remember but to say BM stadium is better than RAP is bizarre. BM is a glorified high school field in a horrible location with barely adequate facilities. RAP is a much better facility with a great history and better location. We can meet in a pub a half a block from the park. The covered stand is old and needs new seats but is no worse than metal benches @ BM - at least the benches @ RAP have backs on them. At BM you have to walk between the field and the stand to get to your seat.

Another thought... If they do end up getting pushed out of RAP (horrible if they do), they could use UVic's Centennial Stadium. Other than the track it's a great venue for soccer.

Centennial Stadium is a dismal place for soccer. Even in midsummer the main stand is freezing cold and windy and the track is more than an annoyance. It puts you so far away from the action as to be nearly pointless. It might be a covered stand but in combination with the distance sound carries hardly at all. Players on the field might as well be playing without spectators. Furthermore there are little to no amenities. The only advantage over the other two locations is that parking and city buses are abundant.

[Drew Shaw]

How was the attendance at RAP for the Highlanders?

Alex, the last few games of 2011 all got over a thousand, with about 1500 for the last game against Kitsap. That was the only game Kitsap lost all year as they won the PDL Championship.

This is for a PDL team, a level of play which many (most?) soccer fans will not come out to watch. It's kind of like how the new junior hockey Royals are selling out the arena, but ECHL and Tier II junior hockey in Victoria did not. If Victoria were a pro team in a Canadian league, playing against FC Edmonton and other such teams, the 2500 fans that came to the Highlanders opener in 2009 is probably the minimum that would support a truly professional team in a Canadian league. 2500 is higher than the attendance of many teams in USL Pro this past year.

Victoria is a minor-league city, and the citizens know it, which is why Tier II soccer would get similar numbers in Victoria to what the 86ers and then Whitecaps were drawing in Vancouver in Tier II despite the population differences.

[Drew Shaw]

I read an article that the highlanders were having trouble off the pitch this year. I sincerly hope they can get things together and continue on. They are the type of market Canada needs for a D2 league if there ever is going to be one.

On-field this team is doing well. The PDL team made the playoffs. The W-League team is weak, but the girls youth team is strong, so reinforcements are coming. The youth set-up is deep, and has expanded to Nanaimo.

There are a few problems off field. One is that owner Alex Campbell expected that attendances for the womens team would increase when he moved them up from the PCSL (which they dominated) to the W-League (where they were last in their division), but they didn't. I could have told him this would be the case, because the market for womens' sport is not large. Good on him for his commitment, and I certainly would like to see 13 Canadian W-League teams (Vic, Van, Cgy, Edm, Sas, Wpg - Lon, Ham, Tor, Ott, Mtl, Que, Hfx), but the flagship team of any soccer club needs to be the mens' team, not the womens team.

Secondly there are problems around venues. Bear Mountain was at the edge of the urban area, is shared with gridiron football, and is artificial, despite being a nice little stadium. Royal Athletic Park is downtown, better known, and easier to get to; but a baseball team is coming in and is trying to get soccer marginalised within the park, so that's going to be a battle.

What Alex Campbell needs is another financial partner to get the mens team to the next level, so the club has the clout to use RAP as a primary tenant. Centennial Stadium at UVic is NOT a preferred site because the track around it, like all tracks, kills the atmosphere.

[Drew Shaw]

Why do the Highlanders need to play at the Royal Athletic Park when they have their own and nicer stadium at Bear Mountain Stadium??

Bear Mountain is not their own, it's part of a large sports complex built by Colwood / Langford. It's literally at the edge of the greater Victoria area. People from the Colwood / Langford / Metchosin area will go there, but people from Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula will not. Of greater Victoria's 325,000 people, only 75,000 of them are in that Col / Lang / Met area; the majority are in Victoria / Saanich. Bear Mountain has artificial turf with grid lines permanently painted on it, which isn't ideal. It's a great little stadium, but . . .

The official line for leaving Bear Mountain was conflict with the Westshore (Victoria) Rebels of the BCJFL. I suspect it was actually because the club realised that Royal Athletic was just the better option for larger crowds. It's downtown. People know where it is. It's familiar to soccer fans. It has a warren of local parking. It's close to restaurants and more accesible to transit. Old and small as it is, it is the place where Victorians are used to watching soccer.

[Drew Shaw]

Article said: Not sure what "issues" those were. Either way, Downtown Vic > Langford; real grass pitch; larger seating capacity last I checked. I think if you're looking to grow the team's brand, and to step up from PDL to a prospective Canadian D2 league, RAP is a much better option for many reasons.

Also, Bear Mountain wasn't necessarily going to remain "their own". Rugby Canada just entered into a longterm agreement with the City of Langford to make Bear Mountain the centerpiece in a new development academy and operational home base.

Check the link: http://www.rugbycanada.ca/leagues/newsletterarchive.cfm?leagueID=0&clientID=3817

Not sure how the Highlanders fit in moving forward in light of that development.

Unfortunately your link is to the CRU page, not a specific article. I'm a rugby fan, and am glad to see anything that grows rugby. We need the RCSL back, not as a 5 game circuit, but as a 2 division national semi-pro league. I went to Crimson Tide games, and would buy a season ticket . . .

The "issues" at Bear Mountain were apparently field conflicts with the BCJFL Rebels. I think the real reasons were the ones you have given.

[Drew Shaw]

Would be a significant flagship franchise in any Canadian D2. It's also nice to see this getting some media play - a CanD2 that is....

Absolutely. Attendances in Victoria in a new CSL would be good. When the Canadian Baseball League collapsed a few years ago, the Victoria team was the best attended team. I still remember how positive everything felt in Victoria at the end of the 1990 CSL season; things were just poised to take off. The game in Canada today has SO many more potential fans who want live local soccer that it would work this time.

[Drew Shaw]

Another thought... If they do end up getting pushed out of RAP (horrible if they do), they could use UVic's Centennial Stadium. Other than the track it's a great venue for soccer.

But that track is a big "other than". Centennial is a dank, cold, soulless place, and you're a mile from the action. RAP is, even with a baseball configuration at the west end, the superior venue for soccer. That's why it, not Centennial, was used in the 2007 World Youth Cup.

[A_Gagne]

But that track is a big "other than". Centennial is a dank, cold, soulless place, and you're a mile from the action. RAP is, even with a baseball configuration at the west end, the superior venue for soccer. That's why it, not Centennial, was used in the 2007 World Youth Cup.

Fair enough, it's a worse option, definitely. I'm just saying if RAP wasn't an option in my opinion it would still be better than going back to Bear Mountain, and is the only other stadium in the City I can think of that would be remotely professional quality.

My advise: install heaters/a wind break, seat fans on the other side of the stadium (closer to action) where possible/weather permitting, and make the best of it. They've played national Women's team games there, and some of the rugby games I've watched there have been some of the best I've ever seen from an atmosphere standpoint, so I disagree with the view points that it's an atmosphere killing venue.

[A_Gagne]

FYI, as the link didn't seem to work here's the RC article text:

LANGFORD - In the most significant announcement for the future of rugby in this country, Rugby Canada and the City of Langford revealed today the details of a 10-year partnership in a multi-million dollar rugby complex that will see Langford play home to the Canadian Rugby Centre of Excellence.

The Canadian Rugby Centre of Excellence will be built on the site of the existing City Centre Park.

Click here for images from the press conference and artist's renderings of the centre (http://www.rugbycanada.ca/leagues/albums_open.cfm?clientID=3817&leagueID=0&albumID=9111)

City Centre Park, created in 2005, is a $25-million facility that currently features two modern, state of the art flood-lit stadium/training turf fields, featuring seating for 2,500 and 1,500 seats respectively, with the ability to add additional seating, along with additional dry-land training and community activity sport centre.

Overlooking Langford, at a press conference atop Bear Mountain, Mayor Stuart Young, Rugby Canada Chairman Rick Bourne and Rugby Canada CEO Graham Brown provided stakeholders from the rugby and business communities complete details for the training centre that Canada's national men's and women's 15s and sevens rugby teams will now call home.

“I hope this is something our players can build on,” Brown said. “There is a connection between how I believe rugby operates and how I believe your community operates. Now we have an opportunity to consolidate everybody’s actions and everybody’s passions and visions for the sport.”

Langford Mayor Young shared Brown’s excitement of the possibilities for the future partnership between the city and Rugby Canada.

“This is one of the biggest things we’ve announced,” Mayor Young said. “It’s great to announce this on the heels of our City Centre Park, the timing is really good. Langford residents will be treated to world class rugby and that’s what we’re excited about.”

Plans to enhance the existing facilities and infrastructure at City Centre Park are already well under way. Ground was broken in July on the 4,500-plus square-foot administrative offices and storage facility that will overlook the current 2,800-seat stadium field.

A world-class strength and conditioning centre, as well as medical facility is currently being renovated and equipped. A purpose-built 4,000+ square-foot scrummaging area is being constructed with state-of-the-art equipment and video capabilities.

Work is scheduled to be completed shortly after the return of Canada’s Rugby World Cup squad from New Zealand in October. Phase 2 will include a residence capable of hosting 70 athletes, adjacent to the Canadian Rugby Centre of Excellence.

Construction of the residence is to begin January 2013 and will provide Canada’s national rugby players with top level accommodations in a four-storey residence being built by Westhills Developments in the centre of town.

Speaking at the press conference, Brown said the facility was a positive step for the future of Rugby Canada.

“The move to a permanent, world class facility is yet another move forward for our organization. With current partners Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (PISE), Canada Sport Centre Pacific – Victoria and Shawnigan Lake School, Canadian rugby is positioned to offer our athletes a world class environment with which to train to compete. This new partnership will see the integration of PISE and SLS into the framework of the Canadian Rugby Centre of Excellence through the continued use of facilities as satellite training locations.”

Construction and renovations associated with this project include a high-performance training centre (strength and conditioning), custom medical clinic, a custom built high tech scrum training zone, 3,000 square-foot high performance office as well as 3,000 square-feet of equipment storage and laundry facilities. Phase 2 construction will be completed by November 15, 2011.

"Now that Rugby Sevens is an Olympic Sport (for the 2016 games in Rio), and with the heightened competition amongst the Top 20 nations in world rugby, the need to increase our levels of training both qualitatively and quantitatively make this move imperative to getting ready for the Rio Games," Brown said. "This announcement underscores the huge strides the sport has taken in recent years, both in Canada and world-wide."

In attendance at the event were current players and coaches of Canada's Rugby World Cup men's team, which is departing in two days time for Australia and then New Zealand for the seventh Rugby World Cup.

Canada’s national senior men’s coach Kieran Crowley said he was pleased with the way the community of Langford had embraced rugby.

“The way the community got behind it is massive,” Crowley said. “The different things they’re providing are great. We’re building and what Langford provided is outstanding.”

Canada’s Rugby World Cup captain Pat Riordan said he hoped the facility would help further Rugby Canada’s identity in the country’s diverse sports landscape.

“It’s a huge step forward for rugby when we see communities wanting to attract us as a sport,” Riordan said. “Langford is a progressive city and a sports community is a great identity for them. From the players’ perspective it’s great, it sounds like it will be well tailoured to us.”

[Drew Shaw]

Fair enough, it's a worse option, definitely. I'm just saying if RAP wasn't an option in my opinion it would still be better than going back to Bear Mountain, and is the only other stadium in the City I can think of that would be remotely professional quality.

My advise: install heaters/a wind break, seat fans on the other side of the stadium (closer to action) where possible/weather permitting, and make the best of it. They've played national Women's team games there, and some of the rugby games I've watched there have been some of the best I've ever seen from an atmosphere standpoint, so I disagree with the view points that it's an atmosphere killing venue.

Hi A Gagne. You base your opinion of Centennial Stadium on having seen it on television. Ted and I base our opinion of Centennial Stadium on having watched games there live. Need I say more . . . it's like every venue with a track, in that it's inferior to one without one.

Thanks for the article on rugby - now I know what that new building is for. Now what we need is a national rugby league, this time with a schedule longer than 5 games, and with some actual crowds watching.

[Drew Shaw]

Key points from 7 Nov soiree:

- Season ticket is now $84 for both mens PDL and womens W-League games (ie less expensive than 2011). 12-18, and parents of academy players are $35. Kids under 12 are free. The womens team will stay in the W-League rather than drop back down to PCSL, despite poor results last year and obviously much higher travel costs at that level.

- The team will be at RAP for 2012. The baseball team is still a threat beyond that for the park.

- The club will be phasing out older players and focussing on getting 16 and 17 year old players into the PDL squad.

- The expansion of the youth training to Nanaimo was a success, and will be continued. 150 kids in Victoria, 40 in Nanaimo. The Y20 boys team was successful, the Y20 girls team won the Continental championship.

- Alex Campbell is cutting costs after having sunk hundreds of thousands of dollars into the club over the previous three seasons. The office is closed and the office staff has been cut a bit. This isn't a big deal, since they can work, run a web site, and sell tickets from home anyway.

- In the absence of other wealthy business partners, the owner is partnering with up to five (of the 8) local community clubs in Victoria, and with season ticket holders.

- MY READING BETWEEN THE LINES: if this club isn't fairly close to break-even financially by the end of this season, the youth academies will probably stay (because they can run at a profit), but the W-League team will certainly move back down to PCSL, and the PDL team may be in doubt.

- BOTTOM LINE: fans in Victoria need to purchase more than the 200 season tickets sold last year. The club says they want to sell 1500. I suspect that means that 1000 will do it.

If anyone outside of the Victoria area wants to support this team and buy a ticket, I would be happy to liaise with a local Boys & Girls Club to donate their ticket to a Big Brother or Sister, who would be able to take a Little Brother or Sister under age 12 to the games next year for free.

Here's the article from last night:

BY CLEVE DHEENSAW

TIMESCOLONIST.COM

NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Ever wanted to be like Mark Cuban, Paul Allen, Jerry Jones or Francesco Aquilini? Even a little bit? Here’s your chance. Why have a tiny owner’s box when you can have an entire grandstand full of them? The Victoria Highlanders unveiled an ambitious plan Monday to make 1,500 season-ticket holders also team owners, meaning that for an $84 adult pass, anyone can own a share of the team.

The club will operate again next spring and summer in the United Soccer League Premier Development League, the current fourth level of soccer in North America and top amateur level below the top-tier MLS, second-tier NASL and third-tier pro USL.

The current sole owner of the Highlanders, Alex Campbell Jr., is meeting Thursday with Canadian Soccer Association officials who are considering a national pro league to operate in medium-sized markets below MLS markets Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

In whatever future league the Highlanders find themselves, Campbell plans it to be as a community-owned team based on the model of the Green Bay Packers, Saskatchewan Roughriders and FC Barcelona. Under the plan, 1,500 season ticket holders would own 30 per cent of the Highlanders. Another 30 per cent of the club would be owned by local soccer associations, with Lakehill, Gorge FC and Prospect Lake having agreed in principle to the concept and Campbell meeting today with Bays United. Campbell would retain a 20 per cent share with the other 20 per cent reserved for operator. Liability is limited, meaning if the team loses money, season ticket holders or the local associations are not responsible for any club losses.

“It’s a no-risk prospect [for shareholders]. My goal is to have the soccer community united behind a common purpose,” Campbell told a packed public meeting Monday night at Uplands. “So when we send players to pro teams or the national team, we can all say we did it together.”

Campbell admitted some of the established soccer associations “were at odds” with the fact the Highlanders organization also features development academy teams. “Some of the associations had reservations [about the Highlanders development program clashing with their own] but now we will all be on the same team together as an organization that is owned by the local fans and local associations,” he said. “The idea is to create a Victoria soccer talent factory.”

Meanwhile, Campbell addressed the issue of the Highlanders potentially being homeless after the 2012 season if the City of Victoria allows a new West Coast Baseball League team to have exclusive spring/summer use of Royal Athletic Park starting in 2013. “The City needs to hear from people that this is not acceptable,” said Campbell, who said the Highlanders will endure, regardless of what transpires at Royal Athletic.

[ThiKu]

Let's hope they stay around and thrive. Unfortunately, it sounds like Kitsap is also going through major financial issues and as a result are going to be less professional than they were - they've apparently lost a lot of their players for next year already. These are two clubs many thought might move up to USL Pro.....here's hoping! FYI - I'd have no issue with Kitsap being in a Canadian D2 if it meant Victoria and other Canadian clubs had a league to play in!

[A_Gagne]

Hi A Gagne. You base your opinion of Centennial Stadium on having seen it on television. Ted and I base our opinion of Centennial Stadium on having watched games there live. Need I say more . . . it's like every venue with a track, in that it's inferior to one without one.

Thanks for the article on rugby - now I know what that new building is for. Now what we need is a national rugby league, this time with a schedule longer than 5 games, and with some actual crowds watching.

Exactly what gave you the impression I was watching anything on TV?

[Drew Shaw]

Exactly what gave you the impression I was watching anything on TV?

Sorry, I thought I had seen you say "on television", when you didn't. Since you're here in Victoria, (a) are you a season ticket holder for Victoria Highlanders, and ( are you going to be at the UVic game Thursday?

[ted]

Gonna be a great game against Montreal. 7:00 pm Centennial Stadium and they have arranged for a beer garden just for us at one end!

[ted]

In another thread I was asked:

Can you give an overiew of their youth system structure, philosophy, players to watch out for and maybe elaborate on your discussions with Alex himself?... especially if you're that close to the club.

LOL, Lets not get carried away. I'm not on the board of directors or anything - yet.

I have spoken a couple of times to Alex and try to keep my ear to the ground. I always try to share what I find out but for the kind of analysis you want I am not the best guy. Drew can answer that sort of question better than me probably. There is an academy program here in Victoria and running up-island based near Nanaimo. We have a cadre of coaches all working towards a common goal. I was excited to watch "local" lads Gorman, Mitrou and Dixon amongst others last year as well as our impressive import Burbeary.

What issues are there in the fact that HFC and VIW are basically competing for players?

Interesting questions regarding the Wave who will begin competing in March 2012 from what I understand. I don't see the teams as competing for the same players but frankly that whole program has not really been on my radar as it is run through the youth clubs and is a pay-to-play operation for elite youth.

[ThiKu]

VIW has already started.

http://www.bcsoccerpremierleague.net. (typed from memory. forgive me if link wrong).

They are defo competing for the same players as HFC have a u16 and u18 program (and youth camps etc) while VIW have u13-u18. Both run boys and girls.

Yes, VIW is pay to play. Is HFC free for the youth?

[ted]

VIW has already started.

http://www.bcsoccerpremierleague.net. (typed from memory. forgive me if link wrong).

And what it says on the site is that, "The first full season of competition will begin in March 2012".

So that is what I went with.

Is HFC free for the youth?

The academy system is pay-to-play at this time. I would love to see it be free to youth who sign up someday but the $$ is not in the system at this time.

I am not sure why you think there is competition or a lack of cooperation. It was my understanding that Alex and the Highlanders have worked in cooperation with LISA from day 1 of the club and I cannot see any reason that that should stop. Not every kid can get a place in the Highlanders Academy so the Wave seems like a great way to offer another option.

There is no lack of great programs for kids in Canada. What we need are clubs at a national D1 - D4 levels that are working together and I see no reason that the Highlanders cannot move from D4 (current) to D3 (USL Pro or whatever) and maybe someday D2 (NASL). So long as Highlanders management are scouting the VIW program does it really matter if a u-16 player is playing for VIW or Highlanders Academy? Wouldn't a little competition help both programs as they strive to provide the best training opportunities possible?