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New League for BC?


ted

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^ Like what Shamrock? 

 

The only difference I can see is that the Craps have started actually marketing the team (and the "new" league). Creating an actual professional game-day experience is a great move but what about the team itself, players, coaching or administration, has changed significantly?

 

Not trying to criticise but whatever they are doing that is working would be a good example for a D3 moving forward.

 

I think re-inventing the PCSL would be much the same and could be sold in a similar fashion with success while keeping the history that a large segment of soccer fans really love. Sports fans like history so why not give them some?

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I think seeing 3,000+ for a reserve team that is well marketed makes you think D1A could work in Canada with the CFL and TSN behind it if they marketed it in the right way.  They probably could average 10,000 or so with the right strategy (and the right stadium configurations). And build from there.  From what I see of Edmonton and Ottawa, they don't really have a very good marketing strategy (or perhaps the cash to throw at it).  Its therefore not surprising that they are getting 3,000 to 4,000 a match (one in a sub standard venue, the other in a venue far to large that has not been customized for a more intimate experience).

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Lets not get carried away here. There were 3,000 people because it was the first game, it was a beautiful day, and they papered the house. I expect attendance to be much closer to the 1,000 range for future games.

 

Having said that, my point above still stands; people get more excited about things they think are new.

 

Indeed changes have been made to the reserves, but they amount to window dressing. At the end of the day, it is still mainly MLS extras and residency graduates as it was before.

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^ Like what Shamrock? 

 

 

 

No one took the MLS-Reserve league serious, the clubs maybe least of all. Now they signed (Canadian) players for the second team, they play out of a suited small stadium, they aligned the club with BC soccer and yes they also marketed the team. Overall they actually seem to care. Een though I do believe attendance shall be around the 1000-1500 on average, I think little has to do with the new name / marketing of the league itself. 

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Updated list.

 

Possible teams for a D3 L1O Style BC League :

 

Victoria - Rap Stadium.........................3800 capacity

Richmond - Minoru Park Stadium....... 2000

Vancouver/Burnaby - Swanguard.......5000

Kelowna - Apple Bowl...........................2300

Coquitlam - Perry Percy Stadium.........1482

Langley - McCloud Athletic Park...........2200

Abbotsford - Rotary Stadium...............4000 (updated from Bateman Stadium)

Kamloops - Hilside Stadium..................1000

Chilliwack - Exhibition Stadium.............2500

Nanaimo - Caledonia Park......................700

New Westminster - Queens Park........2000

 

BC Soccer is in the process still with this new BC D3 league apparently but no concrete timeline from info I've heard for 2016 but still possible.

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No one took the MLS-Reserve league serious, the clubs maybe least of all. Now they signed (Canadian) players for the second team, they play out of a suited small stadium, they aligned the club with BC soccer and yes they also marketed the team. Overall they actually seem to care. Een though I do believe attendance shall be around the 1000-1500 on average, I think little has to do with the new name / marketing of the league itself. 

 

I do not agree with your statement that no one took the MLS Reserve league seriously; some teams did and some teams didn't. Just like some teams have decided to proceed with USL pro teams and some teams haven't. The argument doesn't make sense that 2 years ago, the Whitecaps wouldn't care about their reserve team, then would turn around and spend the money necessary to run one again. Back then, you had young residency players like Sam Adekugbe and Kianz Froese playing as 'guest' players in those games; many at the very same stadium where the 2 squad is playing now. The development principle is the same. Plus, you think it makes any difference to Robert Earnshaw whether the 60 minute fitness run he gets is in USL or the MLS Reserve league? Same difference.

 

If you don't think the attendance increase has to do with name/marketing, what is it attributable to?

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They had like 6 games in the Reserves League? This is a team, they actually signed players to play for it. Of course it has something to do with marketing, but like I said also with the the stadium, the players they've signed, the fact tat they actually have a coach for this team. This whole argument started when you said a new league creates hype. It's not a new league, they just joined it. Renaming the PCSL won't do that much but I agree with you that the league (or any league in BC) could use some hype.

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Think this new BC League would have better success with a completely new set of people and owners involved in it rather than freshening up the PCSL. Some of the people involved in that league would probably be resistant to moving to semi-pro and it wouldn't have as much "splash" as a new league to the general fans.

 

It could be used and the name changed but a completely new league setup has a better chance.

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Well that makes sense. I think the problem in BC is the fragmentation of leagues. So yeah maybe you're right and it takes a new league to get some of the Metro teams and some of the PCSL teams together and on a higher level. Another problem is that the US is so near and it provides for a high level competition as well. 

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I can appreciate the "fresh" factor. As well I do not for one minute believe that the PCSL brain-trust would even consider the idea anyway.

 

 

That does give us an opportunity to award new trophies rather than using the existing PCSL cups. Speaking only as an individual, I would like to suggest that the supporter-created Juan de Fuca Plate be given as the trophy for the league champion (or for a league cup-style competition).

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  • 4 months later...

I can't remember where i read it(or if it was even Credible) but apparently the New D3 supposed to be in 2016 and be composed of 8-10teams.....

 

 

2 Vancouver Island

4 Fraser Valley

2 Interior BC

 

Posibility of another 2teams from AB. I guess for transportation purposes they want to have 2teams on Vancouver Island and Interior BC to even out the costs.

 

Either way if a D3 team shows up in Richmond I'm taking my 4whitecaps seasons tickets and walking away.

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I can't remember where i read it(or if it was even Credible) but apparently the New D3 supposed to be in 2016 and be composed of 8-10teams.....

 

Would love to know where you read it. So far all we have is rumour and conjecture.

 

I like the conjectured 8 teams in BC but would oppose the AB teams. They should be in a league with Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

 

 

 

Either way if a D3 team shows up in Richmond I'm taking my 4whitecaps seasons tickets and walking away.

 

I like you passion for local soccer!

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Possible teams for a D3 L1O Style BC League :

 

Victoria - Rap Stadium.........................3800 capacity

Richmond - Minoru Park Stadium....... 2000

Vancouver/Burnaby - Swanguard.......5000

Kelowna - Apple Bowl...........................2300

Coquitlam - Perry Percy Stadium.........1482

Langley - McCloud Athletic Park...........2200

Abbotsford - Bateman Park.................1000

Kamloops - Hilside Stadium..................1000

Chilliwack - Exhibition Stadium.............2500

Nanaimo - Caledonia Park......................700

 

Having stadiums is all great and wonderful but they'd have to put up tarps (nice ones) on the fencing all the way around them or why would people pay to attend if they can just stand outside the park and watch free?

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Having stadiums is all great and wonderful but they'd have to put up tarps (nice ones) on the fencing all the way around them or why would people pay to attend if they can just stand outside the park and watch free?

 

I used to wonder that but our experience in Victoria at RAP was not really an issue. We would put 1,500 peple in the park for Highlanders games and maybe 12-15 people woiuld watch through the fence in tree-shaded comfort on the grass. Of those, most would be random people walking by late in the game or homless people taking advatage.

Atmosphere inside the park and appropriate ticket prices are more important than tarping the fence I think.

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And an almost-insider I would have thought so too. But I believe that there is no way the PCSL wants anything to do with a professional league. It was made very clear by the president only recently that they are providing a place for amateur players to play and nothhing else.

 

Better to start fresh and at most poach some of the better-run clubs.

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Just to thow a wrench into the mix: what happens if the C-League actually happens and a team comes to BC?

 

Off the top of my head that removes that market as viable for a D3 team as I doubt any market outside Vancouver can support more than one "professional" team.

 

Maybe that needs to be sorted before they get too far in planning the new league here.

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Just to thow a wrench into the mix: what happens if the C-League actually happens and a team comes to BC?

 

Off the top of my head that removes that market as viable for a D3 team as I doubt any market outside Vancouver can support more than one "professional" team.

 

Maybe that needs to be sorted before they get too far in planning the new league here.

That's probably true, but a semi-pro D3 club failing because a pro D1A (née D2) club scooped up all the area talent wouldn't be the end of the world, would it?

 

I think people expect local semi-pro clubs to be in more of a flux than fully professional teams.

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