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NASL expansion in Canada


Obinna

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The NASL commissioner stated the other day that they'll have at least 4 new American clubs joining the league in the next season and that further Carribean expansion is something they want as well. They have a goal of having 20 clubs in the league based on the interview, meaning they would need at least 15 US based clubs. If we don't lobby for more of the league from the USSF, we could probably see another Carribean club in addition to PRI, and 3 Canadian clubs. Personally I think Canada could probably pull off four or five NASL clubs if they're well run and have dedicated owners.

This. All of it.

Now someone find the money. :)

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PLEASE, PLEASE let one of them be CALGARY!!

Want instant sucess in both Edmonton and Calgary? set up rival clubs in each city. Easy darby, and long history of sports teams battling it out. Add a large group of supporters willing to drive back and forth and it would be awesome.

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There are a lot of people I've talked to around here that would love a team in town.

The big issue would be the stadium though. Unless they build new, there's nowhere to house the team right now. Foothills and Glenmore parks have been (or are being) renovated, so that could be a start?

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The Calgary Flames just bought the Calgary Stampeders, and they said they're looking at a new stadium to be part of their pitch to build a new arena. If they're going to get into the stadium business for their CFL team, wouldn't it make sense to follow the Ottawa model and make the stadium suitable for an NASL team as well? to fill out a few of the dates that the football team isn't using it? Vancouver, Seattle, and (hopefully) Ottawa have shown that football and soccer teams can work in the same venue.

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Interestingly enough, the concept plan for the redeveloped Glenmore Athletic park mentions seating for 1500 on the outdoor track. Would be a start for a PDL team if that was the route Calgary were to choose.

[urlhttp://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Research-and-development/Concept-plan-Foothills-and-Glenmore-Athletic-Parks.aspx

Only downside is the track may take away from the spectactor experience...

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Interestingly enough, the concept plan for the redeveloped Glenmore Athletic park mentions seating for 1500 on the outdoor track. Would be a start for a PDL team if that was the route Calgary were to choose.

[urlhttp://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Research-and-development/Concept-plan-Foothills-and-Glenmore-Athletic-Parks.aspx

Only downside is the track may take away from the spectactor experience...

Indeed so,

The feedback on Sunday was that Clarke, with the stand so close to the touchlines, made the atmosphere better than Foote, which had the big grass bank, similar to a running track, acting as a buffer zone.

If you watch the video of the Stars final goal the reverse angle shows how busy the "Grand stand" looked.

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Mr. Sandor mentions the team will start play in 2014, despite the NASL saying it's okay to start in 2013...

http://the11.ca/2012/05/01/pugh-ottawa-will-kick-off-in-nasl-in-2014-not-2013/

I think it's interesting that Pugh indicated that the soccer team MAY have the same name as the new CFL team that starts the same year, similar to how Real Madrid and Barcelona has the same name for basketball / soccer teams (or how Dynamo Minsk have the same name for soccer / hockey)

Can't see it happening, but it's interesting nonetheless

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Great to hear about this weeks developments with respect to Lansdowne park. Hopefully it marks the end of various legal processes delaying redevelopment of the stadium. Nothing but building both the pitch and the team from here (hopefully)!

I also hope to see more Canadian teams in NASL by 2014.

[quote=shermanator;444654

I think it's interesting that Pugh indicated that the soccer team MAY have the same name as the new CFL team that starts the same year, similar to how Real Madrid and Barcelona has the same name for basketball / soccer teams (or how Dynamo Minsk have the same name for soccer / hockey)

Can't see it happening, but it's interesting nonetheless

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I think it's interesting that Pugh indicated that the soccer team MAY have the same name as the new CFL team that starts the same year, similar to how Real Madrid and Barcelona has the same name for basketball / soccer teams (or how Dynamo Minsk have the same name for soccer / hockey)

Can't see it happening, but it's interesting nonetheless

This is actually extremely common in Europe. I’d like to see a team in Calgary using the "Flames” banner as the market exposure would be massive not to mention the Flames ownership bought the Stampeders so the use of Foothills Athletic Park would have less red tape

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Great to hear about this weeks developments with respect to Lansdowne park. Hopefully it marks the end of various legal processes delaying redevelopment of the stadium. Nothing but building both the pitch and the team from here (hopefully)!

I also hope to see more Canadian teams in NASL by 2014.

Unfortunately, living in Ottawa, I find the franchise often takes a back seat with media and, I suppose, the general public. Everyone seems to be excited about "The new CFL team" coming in 2014, while the NASL side, often referred to as nothing but "a professional soccer team", tends to be thrown in as an afterthought. I hope this changes in the next two years, and it may take some cross-promotion to help keep the NASL team stable. I literally just heard about the single name for CFL/NASL, so I don't know what to think about that just yet, although I guess its not completely out of the question. I personally have confidence in the ownership group for the NASL team (they do a good job with the local OHL hockey team), so whatever they decide to go with, I'd accept for now.

Would a tie in with CFL team be that bad?

Same FO would/ could be promoting each outfit in a complimentaery way. Perhaps with the CFL team promoting 2 for 1 for the Soccer when Pointy ball is out of town?

Take me for example, I support Leeds United but it's not mutually exclusive to soccer, as I also Support the Leeds Rhinos in the Rugby League, European Superleague.

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Unfortunately, living in Ottawa, I find the franchise often takes a back seat with media and, I suppose, the general public. Everyone seems to be excited about "The new CFL team" coming in 2014, while the NASL side, often referred to as nothing but "a professional soccer team", tends to be thrown in as an afterthought. I hope this changes in the next two years, and it may take some cross-promotion to help keep the NASL team stable. I literally just heard about the single name for CFL/NASL, so I don't know what to think about that just yet, although I guess its not completely out of the question. I personally have confidence in the ownership group for the NASL team (they do a good job with the local OHL hockey team), so whatever they decide to go with, I'd accept for now.

Let's be realistic here, the return of the CFL is the bigger deal in Ottawa. The Rough Riders were around for 120 years before folding in 1996. The new NASL club will be (at best) 3rd fiddle in town behind the Sens, and the football team. They will always take a backseat to those two.

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Who cares if they are "backseat" in Ottawa? What difference does it make. Soccer is still somewhat of a niche sport so they won't be looking to take fans of the other teams or put fans in a position to choose one sport over the other when game times conflict. They will attract the current fans and be just fine. I am sure an Ottawa NASL team will average 2000+ over a season....which is a decent D2 number....

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Let's be realistic here, the return of the CFL is the bigger deal in Ottawa. The Rough Riders were around for 120 years before folding in 1996. The new NASL club will be (at best) 3rd fiddle in town behind the Sens, and the football team. They will always take a backseat to those two.

Don't forget the 67s

But it doesn't matter if the new soccer team is 3rd or 4th (or 5th) in the pecking order as long as there are 10,000 actual supporters of the team. If 1/3 of them show up to each game, things will be fine.

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Would a tie in with CFL team be that bad?

Same FO would/ could be promoting each outfit in a complimentaery way. Perhaps with the CFL team promoting 2 for 1 for the Soccer when Pointy ball is out of town?

Take me for example, I support Leeds United but it's not mutually exclusive to soccer, as I also Support the Leeds Rhinos in the Rugby League, European Superleague.

A tie in could potentially be a great thing. Its almost certain to happen with ticket and advertising promotions. It'll be interesting to see if the team names are tied in somehow.

Let's be realistic here, the return of the CFL is the bigger deal in Ottawa. The Rough Riders were around for 120 years before folding in 1996. The new NASL club will be (at best) 3rd fiddle in town behind the Sens, and the football team. They will always take a backseat to those two.

Who cares if they are "backseat" in Ottawa? What difference does it make. Soccer is still somewhat of a niche sport so they won't be looking to take fans of the other teams or put fans in a position to choose one sport over the other when game times conflict. They will attract the current fans and be just fine. I am sure an Ottawa NASL team will average 2000+ over a season....which is a decent D2 number....

Don't get me wrong, I realize what you're both saying. If I came off as negative in any way, it wasn't intended. I realize a pro soccer club will be 3rd/4th/5th in a pecking order. What I was getting at is I still feel media coverage is low (even given my low expectations of the Canadian sports media with respect to soccer). No doubt it'll likely increase with time.

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Its great that Ottawa looks like they will now start in the NASL in 2014 and its also great that they will use the Edmonton FC model for player development. They have a big advantage on marketing over Edmonton as they can leverage the 67s and the CFL team so that all 3 cross-pollinate each other. They alos have a good track record with running a successful minor league franchise (67s) even in a market where there is a major league team (senators).

That being said, if they are expecting to fill the new Ottawa stadium, they have lost their minds. Even the Cdn MLS sides would struggle with that. They better be thinking about how they will create an intimate atmoshphere of about 10,000 for soccer and thats a maximum to begin with. Looking at their plans, you could easily tarp off the upper deck of the new proposed south stand and probrobably the ends of the lower deck as well which are beyond the field of play....that would probably bring that stand down to 5k. The north stand is more problematic as its not decked and just one large stand......perhaps they could look at Vancouver's canopy concept and see if they could hang drapes from the roof above the north stand to block of the top half of that stand. Vancouver also seems to effectively block off some of the top rows of the lower deck with tarp (or at least they did with their temporary field). Obviously such a canopy would be a substantial additional cost. However, if they don't create an intimate venue for soccer, they will lose bucket loads on this venture and I predict they will fold within 2 years. Every sport has come to the realisation that creating the atmosphere for the game is integral to a team's success financially. Lets hope they are smart enough to realise that or we will have the Edmonton Aviators all over again which is very bad for soccer.

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Remind me how many Lansdown is to hold at capacity?

I ask this as the Eddies had about 8K in the commmnweath last night against the Caps.

8K is a good crowd for soccer in Edmonton, but in the 60K Commonweatlh it looked pitifully small.

8K is very good for Edmonton but I am surprised that they use Commonwealth. Why not use that other Staduim newxt Door the one Eskimos used to play in.

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8K is very good for Edmonton but I am surprised that they use Commonwealth. Why not use that other Staduim newxt Door the one Eskimos used to play in.

That would be Clarke field;the NASL home ground.

Currently it only seats 1000 and has permanent Pointy ball lines.

They managed to shoe-horn 1300 in against the Stars, which had the place rocking. (Looked like a third Round FA Cup game, so it did)

Another 3000 bleacher seats are to be installed but the weather has made it difficult to erect them.

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