shamrock Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 Grizzly is pretty much spot-on if you ask me. The Comish recently told about the plans. He was very clear about them: 1. 3-4 clubs for 2015 onwards (even though Joe Petrone keeps saying his Calgary branch will start in 2014, that could only be possible in the fall-season IMO) 2. Another 4 potential groups who are interested in starting after that (talks start in august) 3. Get to roughly 18 clubs in 2018 Then he was asked which were the clubs in the first group and he replied LA, Oklahoma City and then one or tow others who don't want him to mention it. Now unless Joe Petrone is full of bulsh$t, Calgary must be one of the remaining clubs in the first group. We have no clue how serious this is, but if it's the group behind all the other sports franchises in Calgary, starting a NASL team would be peanuts for them. Petrone also recently talked about Winnipeg and that would make sense. Cause they have a new stadium, and for a group such as the Blue Bombers organization, fielding an NASL team is droppig some pennies just to make more use of the stadium they already have. It makes perfect sense in that way if you think about Calgary and Winnipeg. Hamilton also has a beautiful stadium, so it might work there too. But somehow I think that there's less money in Hamilton (the Tiecats owner) and a smaller market. After that, the remaining markets (in Canada) will be smaller. And realisticly speaking I can only see a new club survive with investments from another club. In the way that it would make sense for the Whitecaps for intance to invest in an NASL team in let's say Victoria, just to provide a competitive envirement for their prospcts. At some point, you can't be investing so much money in the Academy, without providig them opportunities to develop. And Lenarduzzi has hinted about that, buying a club for those purposes. That could mean the much cheaper USL Pro team, but if you want to develop Canadian players, you need a Canadian club and I don't see any new Canadian USL Pro teams apearing in the nearby future. But looking at it like that, Whitecaps with possibly Victoria or Edmonton connection, one could imaine Montreal with Quebec City and TFC with Hamilton or some other relatiely small market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macksam Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 NASL is still a small struggling league that needs more teams and in particular more successful teams. They have absolutely no ground to stand on to be picky based on geographical location. MLS is near its maximum size, is getting good attendance and has teams in most regions of the US. They can afford to be picky. NASL is still in survival mode and any city that presents a well financed deal with a good plan will be approved. If Hamilton does so they will get a franchise end of story. I think MLS will go to 32 teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuzzAndSting Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 I think MLS will go to 32 teams. I thought this was nuts until I looked up MLS attendance. Here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 Maybe. One day. Not before I die. Unless of course you're thinking of an MLS 2nd Divison. $100,000,000 US for an expansion team in New York City could be the best thing to ever happen to the NASL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 I think MLS will go to 32 teams. Garber has stated MLS might go to 22 teams by 2020 although no decision has been made yet about expanding beyond 20. However, MLS is a money oriented league so if they think they can make more money by expanding even further it would not surprise me if they do so. However, my point is not that MLS has reached a maximum size, it is that they are big and successful and can afford to be choosy as to where they place teams. NASL is lacking both in the number of teams and in the stability of teams. At this point they are going to accept anyone that has solid financial backing and a plan that makes sense. Yeah it would be nice to have a team near FCE to provide a rival for them and to allow traveling teams to play 2 games on a western road trip. But whichever city has the best plan and financial backing will get the next NASL franchise whether that is Hamilton, Calgary, Winnipeg or some other city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThiKu Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 FIFA wants top leagues at 18 teams. Maybe they said 16. So for MLS to think about 22-32 teams ... FIFA may just come in and say "stop. go with a 2nd division." Not that FIFA can stop them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shermanator Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Hamilton also has a beautiful stadium, so it might work there too. But somehow I think that there's less money in Hamilton (the Tiecats owner) and a smaller market. Hamilton? A beautiful new stadium? They are building a stadium that resembles a Texas high school football stadium, as opposed to the beautiful new building in Winnipeg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Hamilton is essentially building the next BMO Field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegan Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 FIFA wants top leagues at 18 teams. Maybe they said 16. So for MLS to think about 22-32 teams ... FIFA may just come in and say "stop. go with a 2nd division." Not that FIFA can stop them. I think that's what it should come to. Two leagues, 16 teams in each with promotion/relegation time to man up as MLSE will have themselves a second division team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maccaliam Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 MLSE will have themselves a second division team. And that's why promotion/relegation will never happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 FIFA wants top leagues at 18 teams. Maybe they said 16. So for MLS to think about 22-32 teams ... FIFA may just come in and say "stop. go with a 2nd division." Not that FIFA can stop them. If FIFA hasn't been able to stop Spain, Italy and England from fielding 20 team first divisions, what makes you think they can stop MLS from increasing? Besides, FIFA is more worried about the number of games played. MLS will solve that issue by having an unbalanced schedule. I'm with Macksam, the league will continue to increase in size. That is the real big threat to NASL. MLS will keep scooping up all the good markets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberta white Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Hamilton is essentially building the next BMO Field. Edmonton on the Other hand has Plough Lane. However its a very nice Cozy Plough Lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macksam Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 FIFA wants top leagues at 18 teams. Maybe they said 16. So for MLS to think about 22-32 teams ... FIFA may just come in and say "stop. go with a 2nd division." Not that FIFA can stop them. That had nothing to do with the number of teams. They encouraged that to reduce the number of games played in a season. I think that's what it should come to. Two leagues, 16 teams in each with promotion/relegation time to man up as MLSE will have themselves a second division team. MLS will have two leagues alright, but it will be more akin to the MLB, two leagues that are on equal footing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFC07 Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 MLS expanding to 32 teams? I don't think there's 32 cities out there that can support soccer in USA alone. Plus with $100 million expansion fee and SSS, it's going to be hard to find more owners in the long haul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThiKu Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 If FIFA hasn't been able to stop Spain, Italy and England from fielding 20 team first divisions, what makes you think they can stop MLS from increasing? Besides, FIFA is more worried about the number of games played. MLS will solve that issue by having an unbalanced schedule. I'm with Macksam, the league will continue to increase in size. That is the real big threat to NASL. MLS will keep scooping up all the good markets. When FIFA said they want 16-18 team first divisions England, Spain, and Italy already had 20 teams in theirs. They weren't going to ask those leagues to retract, and TV deals probably make that impossible. But they can say to MLS "we won't sanction a 22 team league" etc etc. Catch my drift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 When FIFA said they want 16-18 team first divisions England, Spain, and Italy already had 20 teams in theirs. They weren't going to ask those leagues to retract, and TV deals probably make that impossible. But they can say to MLS "we won't sanction a 22 team league" etc etc. Catch my drift? FIFA can say no the leagues but they will do whatever makes the most financial sense for FIFA. FIFA wants to limit the number of games in leagues because they want more time for players to be free for FIFA events, ie. games for which FIFA gets direct revenues. The EPL already reduced the number of teams from 22 to 20 and complains that while FIFA and UEFA keep talking about the leagues reducing teams/games it is FIFA and UEFA who keep adding games in their own tournaments like the Confederations Cup, Champions League etc. FIFA has no principle against larger leagues (or any principles in general ) they just want to make money. If a 32 team league can be successfully implemented and be financially successful FIFA will be all for it as long as the number of games does not interfere with international and continental national team play. If a 2 league system akin to baseball were established I don't think FIFA would be an obstacle unless they thought they were getting cut out of revenues they think they deserve. I would prefer a promotion relegation system myself and am not sure if MLS will reach 32 teams anyway but if the right palms are greased I don't think FIFA will hinder Money League Soccer plans whatever they may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmonte Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 That had nothing to do with the number of teams. They encouraged that to reduce the number of games played in a season. MLS will have two leagues alright, but it will be more akin to the MLB, two leagues that are on equal footing. Right, they will just split it to east/west, and each league will really only have 16 teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDNFootballer Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 NASL is targeting 18 teams by 2018. They have 8 now, to be 12 next year and 14 the year after. MLS probably hits 24 teams by 2018-2020. If MLS even decides to go to 32 which I don't see them doing, there are still plenty of markets for both leagues to co exist. I think MLS will stay at 24 teams though with NASL topping out at 20 eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Right, they will just split it to east/west, and each league will really only have 16 teams. BINGO! We have a winner! The idea of MLS actually splitting vertically into a D1/D2 is, sorry to repeat myself, delusional. Not. Going. To. Happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I've said this before, but there is a better chance of Europe's top league abolishing promotion/relegation than there is of MLS implementing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberta white Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Right, they will just split it to east/west, and each league will really only have 16 teams. They still won't be able to count though. 16 teams will still not play 30 matches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maccaliam Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I've said this before, but there is a better chance of Europe's top league abolishing promotion/relegation than there is of MLS implementing it. The were reports that some of the Premiership owners were pushing for the removal of relegation last season. While it was rejected, there were close to 1/4 of the owners supposedly supporting the idea, which means it isn't beyond the realm of possibility at some point in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Bob Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 The were reports that some of the Premiership owners were pushing for the removal of relegation last season. While it was rejected, there were close to 1/4 of the owners supposedly supporting the idea, which means it isn't beyond the realm of possibility at some point in the future. Those on top want to pull up the ladder after them. 'tis always been thus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberta white Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Those on top want to pull up the ladder after them. 'tis always been thus. ...and will always be poo-poo'ed by the FA as the fear of been hoisted upon the Ramparts of Wembly by the mass ranks of supporters who do not follow the current top flight is ever present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigzTFC Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 http://the11.ca/2013/07/03/floods-could-delay-calgary-nasl-franchise-by-one-season-winnipeg-investor-making-inquiries/ Joe Petrone, the former FC Edmonton director of soccer who has been working with two separate investors’ groups looking to bring an NASL team to Calgary Petrone said one of the groups is local, while the other is an out-of-town consortium looking to locate a team in Calgary. Petrone is working as the de facto headhunter for Canadian expansion investors; and he said that six months ago, he was contacted by someone looking to bring the NASL to Winnipeg. Petrone said that once NASL Commissioner Peterson has taken over the Calgary process, which could come in weeks, the gears will shift. Petrone will then work with helping the Winnipeg bid take shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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