NASL Commish Will Meet With CSA

[Trillium]

_{NASL fall attendance...}

 

_{http://dohertysoccer.com/2014-lower-division-american-soccer-attendances/2014-nasl-season-attendance-log/}

 

_{Doing some calculations Ottawa looks to average 4595 attendance combined Spring and Fall attendance, this with a bump of 15k for the Cosmos Stadium opener, and five games at Carleton in spring with less capacity.}

 

_{So drop out the 15k over 12 games and you get 3345, average.}

 

_{When you look at just fall games without the Cosmos games ...attendance vaires from 4 to 5k, with a Wednesday night game that drew 3105.}

 

_{So challenge for ownership next year is to get the attendance up to 5,500 average for all league games, and to pay bills have a decent 15 to 20k International game before 2016 Voyageurs Cup brings chance for bigger paydays... a first round with NASL versus MLS teams to get Edmonton and Ottawa at least one game with bigger attendance potentional should be the goal of Victor Montaglianni.}

 

_{It would be great to have a third NASL team by 2016, so first round of V-Cup was NASL vs MLS, then the final three teams playing home v home round robin, giving the V Cup champions a total of six games.}

[-Hammer-]

_{NASL fall attendance...}

 

_{http://dohertysoccer.com/2014-lower-division-american-soccer-attendances/2014-nasl-season-attendance-log/}

 

_{Doing some calculations Ottawa looks to average 4595 attendance combined Spring and Fall attendance, this with a bump of 15k for the Cosmos Stadium opener, and five games at Carleton in spring with less capacity.}

 

_{So drop out the 15k over 12 games and you get 3345, average.}

 

_{When you look at just fall games without the Cosmos games ...attendance vaires from 4 to 5k, with a Wednesday night game that drew 3105.}

 

_{So challenge for ownership next year is to get the attendance up to 5,500 average for all league games, and to pay bills have a decent 15 to 20k International game before 2016 Voyageurs Cup brings chance for bigger paydays... a first round with NASL versus MLS teams to get Edmonton and Ottawa at least one game with bigger attendance potentional should be the goal of Victor Montaglianni.}

 

_{It would be great to have a third NASL team by 2016, so first round of V-Cup was NASL vs MLS, then the final three teams playing home v home round robin, giving the V Cup champions a total of six games.}

 

Man, I hope Hamilton gets a team one day, much like the CFL east division, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton are pretty much as close to each other as major cities as possible.

 

More importantly, I'd love to see the V-Cup expand.

[the Humberlands]

^   "More importantly, I'd love to see the V-Cup expand."

 

Here, f'n, here!

[shermanator]

Some good stuff about future NASL Canadian expansion in this article. Couple quotes as follows:

 

 

"Conversations have started, though it is really early days, but we can see a couple more teams in Canada the next two years. They are not a partner but they are supporting our efforts and our league and we think there are plenty of markets and the game is growing quickly.”

The conversations, Peterson says, may not be as obvious as people may think. I don’t know that we talk about firsts division or second division because they don’t have promotion and relegation!” Peterson exclaims.  “I don’t think they are really thinking about that.

 

 

“We have targeted three or four cities that we would like to have some discussions in,” he explains. “Early discussion have happened in two of those at least, and I suspect the other two will happen in the next few weeks and we will gauge where we are from there.

 

 

While downplaying the possibilities, Peterson does acknowledge that, if all goes accordingly, Canada can help push the league to the 18-team threshold “within 18 months.” “That is just a really healthy relationship,” he said.  “We like the people up there and our teams up there are big assets for us and we will continue to work together to build the game up. It’s very pure. It’s very good.”

 

 http://www.empireofsoccer.com/announcement-canadian-expansion-30004/

[CDNFootballer]

Even with talk of the GTA Toronto possibility, I still say Hamilton will be the next Canadian NASL team and most likely be announced before year end and start in 2016. 

 

They will basically be following the Ottawa Fury FC model which worked quite well this year for them.

[Soccerpro]

Even with talk of the GTA Toronto possibility, I still say Hamilton will be the next Canadian NASL team and most likely be announced before year end and start in 2016. 

 

They will basically be following the Ottawa Fury FC model which worked quite well this year for them.

There's been years of rumours. Why will it be announced now?

[masster]

There's been years of rumours. Why will it be announced now?

Because bob youngs exclusivity window to bring a team to Tim hortons field will be coming to an end. They will either announce something, or somebody else has the chance to step up.

[CDNFootballer]

There's been years of rumours. Why will it be announced now?

As Masster's said, exclusivity window closing and time will be right for 2016 with WWC 2015 done with and Bob Young wanting a NASL team for the stadium. Hamilton didn't reject third division usl pro to be left without a team - signs point to NASL Hamilton in 2016.

[baulderdash77]

The Ti-Cats had to get the stadium up and going before they can focus on another major project.  I think this weekend's season finale is the first time that Tim Horton's field is fully ready to go from a capacity standpoint; but there's lots of little fit and finish things for the stadium still.

 

With the exclusivity deal running out next year, I think we'll see some type of announcement soon either way for Hamilton.  I do think the market will support a team with 5,000-10,000 attendance per game which is probably good for NASL.  I guess we'll see soon.

[-Hammer-]

The Ti-Cats had to get the stadium up and going before they can focus on another major project.  I think this weekend's season finale is the first time that Tim Horton's field is fully ready to go from a capacity standpoint; but there's lots of little fit and finish things for the stadium still.

 

With the exclusivity deal running out next year, I think we'll see some type of announcement soon either way for Hamilton.  I do think the market will support a team with 5,000-10,000 attendance per game which is probably good for NASL.  I guess we'll see soon.

 

You are completely correct, Saturday was the first day THF may have run at, or close to capacity. I believe the only question was if all the corporate and club suites were open, which I think they were. That being said, they weren't able to run the OUA soccer finals at the stadium, with it being a test event for the pan-ams because of the ongoing construction and permits needed. The landscaping around the stadium is the current time sink methinks, with the speaker system having a couple glitches and the elevators still a work in progress.

 

Still is coming along nicely, in particular the south east side of the stadium, it looks like they may be getting reading to pour the concrete for the ice rink/staging area. As far as the exclusivity deal...well here's the bigger question. Who else besides Bob Young has enough interest to put the money forward to put a NASL team in the Hamilton area? The only other one I can see is MLSE, for no other purpose then the try to monopolize yet another sport in Southern Ontario, but I think expanding BMO and trying to fix TFC is higher on the priority list.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

MLSE already tried to put a USL Pro team into THF but that got rejected. Suspect they would try again to corner the market on soccer in the Golden Horseshoe if the exclusivity clause were allowed to expire, because there is obvious scope for big money exhibition games in the years ahead that would otherwise tend to go to BMO Field.

[CDNFootballer]

NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson backs ‘total free agency’ in wake of MLS labor deal

 

http://www.sbisoccer.com/2015/03/commissioner-peterson-agency.html#comment-1535873

 

“It won’t effect anything we’re doing. I think you find that more and more of the agents and more and more of the players start to realize what free agency really looks like when they come into the NASL and that’s one of our advantages, one of our unique selling points, that a player can come in and prove himself at a very high level and, in a short period of time, go back out there onto the market.”

 

Despite some potential impacts the CBA may have on the NASL, Peterson remains upbeat. Although there has been a raise in MLS’ minimum salary, Peterson insists that the NASL’s teams still have the resources to compete and offer plenty to any players looking to ply their trade within the league.

[nolando]

I'd like to read an Edmonton-centric version of this article. I suspect the trickle down effect of the MLS CBA for a team already on the ropes might be one out of the two or three punches needed for a complete knock-out.

[shermanator]

I will argue that if Minnesota moves to MLS, that will be another knockout punch. Or at least, more reason for FC Edmonton to move to USL

[rob.notenboom]

One good thing about FCE - they are well capitalized. Tom Fath is losing money but appears to be able to weather the storm. I've talked to a couple people closer to the action and it sounds very much like they're in for the long haul.

Hard if there's no league however.

[Soccerpro]

One good thing about FCE - they are well capitalized. Tom Fath is losing money but appears to be able to weather the storm. I've talked to a couple people closer to the action and it sounds very much like they're in for the long haul.

Hard if there's no league however.

If FC Edmonton is still around by the time Calgary goes USL PRO, it would make sense for the Eddies to change leagues. Hell it would make sense now, with all the west coast teams.

[Blackdude]

MLS FA won't really affect NASL because name one 8-year MLS veteran who has signed for an NASL team before?

[CDNFootballer]

I'd like to read an Edmonton-centric version of this article. I suspect the trickle down effect of the MLS CBA for a team already on the ropes might be one out of the two or three punches needed for a complete knock-out.

Not likely, there's plenty of players available on the market and FCE were already paying a guy like Niel Hlavatly for instance more than the new MLS minimum the last 2 years. Its not like NASL wages have been going down the last few years and clubs realize expenses will go up over time.

 

 

I will argue that if Minnesota moves to MLS, that will be another knockout punch. Or at least, more reason for FC Edmonton to move to USL

Minnesota will still be in the NASL for the next 2-3 years and NASL will have clubs on the west coast before then.

 

If FCE moved to usl I don't think they would last long - it is cheaper to run a club in usl but instead of playing against independant pro clubs like the New York Cosmos & Tampa Bay Rowdies etc you would be playing MLS farm teams and affiliates with a lower quality of play and prestige. FCE is already having a hard time getting actual people in the stands and the amount of fans they draw now would drop considerably if they dropped to usl.

[m-g-williams]

Peterson had an interview with TSN Corner Kicks yesterday and about 18:20, he discussed expansion by noting that in the next eight weeks or so there could be two new clubs finalized. He also mentioned (about 19:40) projected expansion sites in Canada - specifically, Hamilton, Winnipeg and Calgary. Thoughts? 

 

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/ottawa-1200/corner-kicks-march-24-2015-1.239542

[lazlo_80]

I really think Hamilton would be a success. I drool at the idea of a Hamilton-TFC voyageurs cup game.

[Soccerpro]

Peterson had an interview with TSN Corner Kicks yesterday and about 18:20, he discussed expansion by noting that in the next eight weeks or so there could be two new clubs finalized. He also mentioned (about 19:40) projected expansion sites in Canada - specifically, Hamilton, Winnipeg and Calgary. Thoughts?

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/ottawa-1200/corner-kicks-march-24-2015-1.239542

Don't see Calgary as an option with foothills doing their thing. I lived in Manitoba and don't see winnipeg them being able to support NASL. I can't speak to Hamilton.

[CDNFootballer]

Peterson had an interview with TSN Corner Kicks yesterday and about 18:20, he discussed expansion by noting that in the next eight weeks or so there could be two new clubs finalized. He also mentioned (about 19:40) projected expansion sites in Canada - specifically, Hamilton, Winnipeg and Calgary. Thoughts? 

 

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/ottawa-1200/corner-kicks-march-24-2015-1.239542

 Hamilton would be great and a good bet for the next Canadian NASL club, Calgary has no stadium suitable for NASL unfortunately although they could erect a temporary one like the Whitecaps did at Empire Field for the first few years. Winnipeg's new 33K stadium may be able to be configured similar to Ottawa's for an NASL team.

[shermanator]

Calgary has no stadium suitable for NASL unfortunately although they could erect a temporary one like the Whitecaps did at Empire Field for the first few years. 

 

I don't see this being an option. First, two of the three large sections of land in the city require extensive remediation (West Village and Firepark), so any stadium on that site would be far from temporary. The other is Victoria Park, close to the Stampede, and I don't see that being bought by anyone other than the Stampede itself.

 

Calgary Foothills has some land just outside the city that they are building their training facility / offices / outdoor pitch at. I imagine that's where any new stadium in Calgary will be built. The club has been saying if there is a business case that they will build the stadium...

[ted]

WTF are you guys tallking about? NASL in Calgary will play in the CFL stadium. Isn't that the whole point of the whole CSA/CFL/NASL partnership from the CFl perspective: to provide additiional revenue opportunites for CFL stadiums?

 

edit: sorry about the exrtra "f".

[Macksam]

^^^^Yeah, that is obvious enough. I expect the Calgary CFL stadium to be designed in a way to be great for soccer as well. I'm thinking an intimate soccer configuration with retractable end zone seating.