Canadian Premier League

[matty]

3 hours ago, Complete Homer said:

Well, this one says 729000 by 2031

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regionalGovernment/resources/ROPNewsletterVolume2.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiE8L-KuKfQAhUh24MKHQsOBg4QFggaMAA&usg=AFQjCNFkxgOM2DqicRry6szBkLuuL6gdWA&sig2=kh9uUgNb3aYNhL39DjsqaA

Can't find the particular document from the transit committee I was reading before

I did see a couple environmentalist initiatives saying 740k, but no citations either. Safe to say 650-750k is probably the range 

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.climateactionwr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/ClimateActionPlan-Summary.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwir7cuCuafQAhWj0YMKHY--Cv4QFghaMAk&usg=AFQjCNG93FFRnOSpkiBgNSPjBLBdDN-OMg&sig2=2iWOYxxJQEDOV7029evyAw

Edit: this one has 729000 and has proper citations from Statistics Canada, so it is probably the most legitimate 

www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regionalGovernment/resources/RTMP_
FINAL_REPORT_PDF.pdf

Here's the one I found

http://chd.region.waterloo.on.ca/en/researchResourcesPublications/resources/PopulationProjections_QS.pdf

[Shway]

So Paul Bernie is some  of you guys sources huh....or Duanes....

http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/6964861-new-canadian-pro-soccer-league-makes-major-hire/

[Shway]

"six to 10 teams across the country."......is a massive gap. 8-10 would be a respectable start.

[Shway]

It's anticipated that there will be teams in Hamilton, Regina, Calgary and Winnipeg and perhaps Victoria and that the Fury and Edmonton FC will move over to the CPL as well.

Looks like there trying to figure out that second Ontario team, and the Quebec team.

[Levi Oakey]

Paul Beirne eh? He has been really involved in the KW community as well. Was part of the KW United launch amongst other moves. By the way, in regards to population. Waterloo Region continues to grow. I think we will easily hit that 2031 number from LRT. 

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/6916859-in-waterloo-buyers-camp-out-for-a-week-to-grab-a-home/
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6952397-waterloo-region-has-fastest-growing-tech-market-in-canada-report/

There is growing confidence amongst techies here that the Trump victory will be a very good deal for Canada. There are over 300,000 Canadians in Silicon Valley, many from Waterloo and I know a few guys who have startups here and they have said they have been contacted by old friends who are talking about moving home. Also, the jobless rate in Waterloo Region is one of the best in the country.

That doesn't mean we suddenly get a CPL team... but dammit. I can dream. 

[Rheo]

Well that's great that there's real, official news finally.  This is excellent 

[shermanator]

So the CPL have hired someone who was instrumental in building Toronto FC's corporate support? Seems like a wise decision to me!

Curious to see the spin from the usual suspects on how this hire means the league won't happen.

[matty]

52 minutes ago, Jahinho Guerro said:

 

Looks like there trying to figure out that second Ontario team, and the Quebec team.

Not shocked by Quebec (or that BC is up in the air). Not having the second Ontario-side sorted is however surprising 

[matty]

"... There has been speculation that at least one British Premier League team is interested in owning a team in the nascent Canadian league....."

SOUTHAMPTON!

[matty]

22 minutes ago, shermanator said:

So the CPL have hired someone who was instrumental in building Toronto FC's corporate support? Seems like a wise decision to me!

Curious to see the spin from the usual suspects on how this hire means the league won't happen.

Let me take a crack at guessing

"...This means nothing. Totera threw some of his YouTube money at Bernie to make him lie about being involved. Rollins, who is secretly rich, gave Bernie a bonus because he did such a good job..."

[Kent]

31 minutes ago, shermanator said:

So the CPL have hired someone who was instrumental in building Toronto FC's corporate support? Seems like a wise decision to me!

Curious to see the spin from the usual suspects on how this hire means the league won't happen.

I'm not the usual suspects, but this screamed BBTB when I read it. Also, I have to admit it does raise questions.

"Beirne says when it comes to potential ownership groups "there's not a lot to talk about", although the Tiger-Cats are in and have a played a significant role in getting the concept off the ground."

I wish the reporter would have dug deeper here. Does "there's not a lot to talk about" mean they don't have interested investors? Or does it mean they can't divulge who their investors are? Can they give us a number of committed investors, and a number of interested investors that aren't yet committed?

Aside from that one little bit, this is good news.

[-Hammer-]

Glad to see more news on the matter.

Hamilton, Regina, Calgary and Winnipeg with possibly Victoria and overtures to FC Edmonton and Ottawa. Hopefully we can add Quebec City and Toronto to that list.

[Rheo]

2 minutes ago, Kent said:

I wish the reporter would have dug deeper here. Does "there's not a lot to talk about" mean they don't have interested investors? Or does it mean they can't divulge who their investors are? Can they give us a number of committed investors, and a number of interested investors that aren't yet committed?

 

I assume it's a can't say on the record matter and the reporter could just use the various leaks and rumours that have been out there for context.  I can't see it being a lack of interested investors.  Why make your first official announcement if you don't have everything lined up

[Complete Homer]

So many thoughts! 

1) Excited to see this, Paul is a guy who "gets it" in terms of marketing teams to both supporters culture and getting kids in who will become lifelong fans. Also always ready to engage the fanbase, so hopefully once there's an official announcement to clear out the pesky non-disclosure agreements, the league will actually have a fair degree of transparency, which will be refreshing after 10 years of MLS 

2) As others have said, "not much to talk about" about owners is probably a rephrasing of what we've heard all along about non-disclosure agreements

3) Regarding the foreign team, I am starting to get the feeling that Matty's idea was right. Narrowing it down to EPL really makes it either City 4.0 or Southampton in my books. Hopefully it works out and they actually go for a team 

4) The fact that Victoria is explicitly stated (though not by Bierne) makes me think that Rollins' "BC Team" will be Victoria. Considering he also said that OSEG would be on the poor side of the ownership groups, it's probably not the Highlanders, or perhaps the Highlanders are getting a new partner

5) Given what I've heard and what has been said recently, something tells me #7 and #8 is Quebec City and "mysterious EPL Ontario team" while #9 and #10 are the efforts to bring Ottawa and eventually Edmonton on board. A 6 team launch if none of those can be brought on for 2018 wouldn't be optimal, but as long as they can say they have expansions lined up, hopefully it won't look to bad on them

6) I really really want CPL Toronto to bring back the Blizzard, just for the delicious irony. I'll settle for a retro jersey night 

Edit: grammar

[Complete Homer]

Also, 6) he has ties with the Ottawa Senators. Not to spark that debate again, but the whole "OSEG not being the only Ottawa option" when a former Vice President of the Ottawa Senators gets involved

[Complete Homer]

Steve Milton (the guy who wrote that last article) will apparently be on TSN 1150 to discuss CPL at 6pm tonight. 

[Complete Homer]

At the risk of turning this thread into "Complete Homer's stream of consciousness", here's another thought. FuryFanatic tweeting he's "heard some clubs need more time", makes me think Ottawa could be in but not good to go for 2018? Unless he has other sources available

https://mobile.twitter.com/FuryFanatic/status/798245828389433345

Rollins and Totera also tweeting that the trickle of information is going to turn into a flood soon. Get ready! 

[ray]

Boom!  Where is Anthony Totera when you need him?

Nice to see some concrete actions with respect to the CPL.  Would be interesting to know who is paying Beirne's salary.

BTW, skepticism is perfectly valid because it is all too easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new league .  Even after league launch, there is much to prove when it comes to the viability of pro soccer outside of the 3 big Canadian markets.

[Levi Oakey]

So this has to be announced during the Grey Cup. This completely seems to be leading up to this.

[-Hammer-]

4 minutes ago, Levi Oakey said:

So this has to be announced during the Grey Cup. This completely seems to be leading up to this.

I have doubts that they will. Even if there are owners that will have dual ownership, the league is desperate to try to rebuild the Argos. Announcing that there may be yet another alternative to them in the Toronto sports market isn't going to do them any favors. Unless the entire league is on board, I don't see it happening. I see it happening after December after the CSA meeting then or next spring.

[Kent]

22 minutes ago, Levi Oakey said:

So this has to be announced during the Grey Cup. This completely seems to be leading up to this.

I still don't understand how that makes any sense. It would make more sense to announce it at one of the TFC v Impact games. There you have soccer fans watching. If it comes about by way of a halftime interview with Montagliani or something, or a 5 minute pre-recorded feature or something, then when articles are written about the game, it would make sense to have a mention of the CPL announcement in the same article. What Grey Cup game recap would stop and say "Oh and they also announced a new pro soccer league, and it wasn't awkward at all".

Anyways, I don't think they will announce it at one of those MLS games either. I'm sure it would be a separate news conference or something, rather than piggy backing off of what the general public would believe to be a bigger news story.

[Complete Homer]

4 minutes ago, Kent said:

I still don't understand how that makes any sense. It would make more sense to announce it at one of the TFC v Impact games. There you have soccer fans watching. If it comes about by way of a halftime interview with Montagliani or something, or a 5 minute pre-recorded feature or something, then when articles are written about the game, it would make sense to have a mention of the CPL announcement in the same article. What Grey Cup game recap would stop and say "Oh and they also announced a new pro soccer league, and it wasn't awkward at all".

Anyways, I don't think they will announce it at one of those MLS games either. I'm sure it would be a separate news conference or something, rather than piggy backing off of what the general public would believe to be a bigger news story.

As much as Montagliani is pushing the "not a competitor with MLS" angle, I'm almost certain that the MLS teams would be unhappy with announcing CPL at their game. 

[Levi Oakey]

To me it makes sense from a sponsors perspective.

At the Grey Cup you have Canadian eyes watching. It's our only truly professional national league. So to step in and say, there will now be two professional national leagues that you can sponsor as a Canadian business and that Canadians can be excited about makes sense.

Add to that, Bob Young looks to have the headquarters of the new league in Hamilton. His major publicity vehicle is the CFL, so to use all of that gather CFL audience makes sense. I would agree on the Impact and TFC game, but that was impossible to predict. You need to have a set date (CFL fits) and a big audience. Just doing a presser does seem possible, but not entirely fitting.

The usual suspects end up on those conferences. They could draw more people that might have an interest by announcing near the Grey Cup. Even if it was just a commercial. 

[Rheo]

There's pro and cons to announcing at both the Grey Cup or the MLS playoffs.  If they are planning on announcing it I'm leaning towards the MLS playoffs because they might see this as a once in a lifetime oppourtunity.  The eyes of Canadian soccer fans will be on those two games.  It makes sense for the maximum exposure to the general soccer public.

This is just a guess though lol

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

2 hours ago, Kent said:

I'm not the usual suspects, but this screamed BBTB when I read it. Also, I have to admit it does raise questions.

"Beirne says when it comes to potential ownership groups "there's not a lot to talk about", although the Tiger-Cats are in and have a played a significant role in getting the concept off the ground."

I wish the reporter would have dug deeper here....

Can't claim to know Paul Beirne well but have met him a few times and have followed his online posts and tweets over the years. Think that probably means pretty much what it says as he usually is a straight shooter and doesn't hide behind weasel words. As we have known for a while the Ticats are interested but there have been very few solid rumours from other cities.