Was the killing of the CUSL by the CSA in 2001 a BIG mistake?

[SoccerCoach]

With all this talk of the CSA wanting to establish a pro-league in Canada, there's still an unresolved issue at the back of my mind. I hate to bring this up guys, but back in 2000 wasn't there a project drafted by the CSA wanting to establish a pro-league in Canada called the "Canadian United Soccer League" (CUSL). Eventually the CSA killed the project in 2001, for reason that they probably opted for the MLS option (I think). Now 14 years later, when looking back, do you think the CSA made a BIG mistake killing the CUSL?

 

In order to start the debate I will say YES! What do you think?

[Cheeta]

Dont' know.

 

But I will say I think we're still paying a price for the "Pipe years".  Virtually a lost generation of footballers brought on by a complete absence of leadership by the national association.

[-Hammer-]

I don't think an entire soccer league would have gotten off the ground back then, and I'm not wholly convinced a wholly Canadian division 2 league will either quite yet. It's just not in the psyche of enough Canadians.

 

That said, I think if we can get around say 8 stable pro-teams pulling in at least 5,000 average attendance a game, opening a Canadian league becomes a reality; even more so if any of these pro teams are willing to jump ship into that league.

[jpg75]

Pretty sure the idea for the league was killed because it was financially unfeasible and had nothing to do with MLS as the Americans had rejected expansion into Canada during that time period.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

It was the three A League owners with money invested in pro soccer that pulled the plug on it more than the CSA, who were very keen on sanctioning their own pro league, but had no money available to invest in it. It's worth bearing in mind that the CSA got KPMG to do a feasibility study on whether a pro league was possible and they came back with the answer that no it wasn't. The CUSL stuff subsequently unfolded under the leadership of Gerry Gentile and eventually arrived at the outcome KPMG predicted, i.e. no Canadian pro league.

 

Much the same appears to be happening now, because people who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it as the saying goes. The CSA got a former CMNT player, who subsequently carved out a career in sports marketing, called Alex Easton to do a similar feasibility study on launching a D2 pro league to coincide with the 2015 WWC and his conclusion was it wouldn't work and they should focus on regional D3 instead. If Duane Rollins is accurate with his blogs and isn't just doing it to seek attention and maximize his hits, that advise has also been ignored and chances are whatever is being tried will fizzle out in much the same way CUSL did when/if the NASL owners and/or the three MLS related USL teams decide that they aren't interested in a Canada only approach under CSA sanctioning.

[ted]

... do you think the CSA made a BIG mistake killing the CUSL?

 

Welcome to the forums SoccerCoach. 

 

We have discussed the CUSL many times (ie: in this topic) so please forgive me if I tend to abbreviate.

 

As one of the contributors to the plan that was submitted I can answer your question: NO.

 

Now, did they make a big mistake by not building a truly national league? YES.

 

The answers are different because the CUSL plan was never going to work. The team took a good idea and turned it into something unworkable trying to make everyone happy.

 

And, as mentioned above, the project imploded due in large part to the flaws in the plan and the inability to keep the owners of A-League teams in Canada at the time onboard.

 

Much like todays discussion of the C-League, the idea that we can create a fully independant, national, league without the participation or at least cooperation of the biggest teams in the biggest markets (MLS teams) is simply foolish.

[Trillium]

Welcome to the forums SoccerCoach. 

 

We have discussed the CUSL many times (ie: in this topic) so please forgive me if I tend to abbreviate.

 

As one of the contributors to the plan that was submitted I can answer your question: NO.

 

Now, did they make a big mistake by not building a truly national league? YES.

 

The answers are different because the CUSL plan was never going to work. The team took a good idea and turned it into something unworkable trying to make everyone happy.

 

And, as mentioned above, the project imploded due in large part to the flaws in the plan and the inability to keep the owners of A-League teams in Canada at the time onboard.

 

Much like todays discussion of the C-League, the idea that we can create a fully independant, national, league without the participation or at least cooperation of the biggest teams in the biggest markets (MLS teams) is simply foolish.

Agreed.... we will get a National League in Canada when it is economically viable for Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal to sell thier MLS franchise operations to American cities, then to lead the development of a single National League in Canada, folding in NASL clubs.

 

The road to that ...the simply road is to have more NASL clubs in Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Quebec once those cities are on board and stable i.e. three to five years of operation, then you fold the Big Three MLS clubs into the seven NASL clubs in a National league with attendances in the 10k to 15k or more range.

 

So the CSA rather then trying for a Men's World Cup should be finding investment groups in unserved markets to start NASL clubs. So four cities needing ownership groups,  given Hamilton seems to have the Ti-cats owner ready to start a club. How hard is it for Peter Montipioli to achieve this in two years ?

 

The CSA given our presidents joint position running CONCACAF at the moment with USSF president Sunil, ( I won't appear before Congress ) Gulatti, should be able to cut a deal allowing any number of Canadian clubs in NASL with the goal of them eventually going into a Canadian National League. 

 

This along with an agreement in writing that when it happens MLS will allow the sale of Canadian franchises to US based owners at market price, then having a North American* Super League of 16 teams three from Canada, seven from US and six from Mexico who would play in four groups of four ( home and home for six games each )  with top four team advancing to a North American Championship ( home and home knockout ) to be held annually.

 

TV revenues for the North American Super League to be returned to all clubs in Top League in each country as a form of revenue sharing. This would mean a smaller Division one club in Mexico would get a payout on TV revenue from a Club America vs NYFC final, as would a club in Canada's top tier.

 

Gate reciepts for games in the North American Super League would be split by the teams 50/50.

 

North America with three top level leagues running independently with same player eligibility rules set by the North American Football Union would increase quality of each of the three National Teams, Mexico to a lesser extent, the USA more so and Canada the most.

 

 

*North American Zone (NAFU)

[SoccerCoach]

Agreed.... we will get a National League in Canada when it is economically viable for Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal to sell thier MLS franchise operations to American cities, then to lead the development of a single National League in Canada, folding in NASL clubs.

 

The road to that ...the simply road is to have more NASL clubs in Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Quebec once those cities are on board and stable i.e. three to five years of operation, then you fold the Big Three MLS clubs into the seven NASL clubs in a National league with attendances in the 10k to 15k or more range.

 

So the CSA rather then trying for a Men's World Cup should be finding investment groups in unserved markets to start NASL clubs. So four cities needing ownership groups,  given Hamilton seems to have the Ti-cats owner ready to start a club. How hard is it for Peter Montipioli to achieve this in two years ?

 

The CSA given our presidents joint position running CONCACAF at the moment with USSF president Sunil, ( I won't appear before Congress ) Gulatti, should be able to cut a deal allowing any number of Canadian clubs in NASL with the goal of them eventually going into a Canadian National League. 

 

This along with an agreement in writing that when it happens MLS will allow the sale of Canadian franchises to US based owners at market price, then having a North American* Super League of 16 teams three from Canada, seven from US and six from Mexico who would play in four groups of four ( home and home for six games each )  with top four team advancing to a North American Championship ( home and home knockout ) to be held annually.

 

TV revenues for the North American Super League to be returned to all clubs in Top League in each country as a form of revenue sharing. This would mean a smaller Division one club in Mexico would get a payout on TV revenue from a Club America vs NYFC final, as would a club in Canada's top tier.

 

Gate reciepts for games in the North American Super League would be split by the teams 50/50.

 

North America with three top level leagues running independently with same player eligibility rules set by the North American Football Union would increase quality of each of the three National Teams, Mexico to a lesser extent, the USA more so and Canada the most.

 

 

*North American Zone (NAFU)

I totally agree brother...There's no reason for the CSA to force Ottawa and probably Hamilton from joining this new pro-Canadian league. What I'm suggesting is further CFL markets such as Winnipeg, Calgary, Regina, Quebec City and probably Hamilton (that's if Bob Young is really joining the NASL) in forming a Canadian division within the NASL. There's so much positive things coming out of the NASL these days...Please follow us in the Reddit thread (https://www.reddit.com/r/naslsoccer).