Canadian Premier League

[PJSweet]

BREAKING: Dino Rossi from the OSA has just tweeted me hours ago. As per Montagliani's statement yesterday, Rossi has informed me (with assurances) that the CPL is expected to start as scheduled in 2018. Rossi backs up this information based on his reliable sources that come directly from the organizing committee of the CPL. So whatever Montagliani said yesterday, it was totally inaccurate.

 

[rob.notenboom]

8 minutes ago, PJSweet said:

BREAKING: Dino Rossi from the OSA has just tweeted me hours ago. As per Montagliani's statement yesterday, Rossi has informed me with assurances that the CPL is expected to start as scheduled in 2018. Rossi backs up this information based on his reliable sources that come directly from the organizing committee of the CPL. So whatever Montagliani said yesterday, it was totally inaccurate.

 

This is satire, right? Apologies if not. 

[PJSweet]

Just now, rob.notenboom said:

This is satire, right? Apologies if not. 

No! It's not satire. Montagliani made inaccurate statements that need to be rectified. I will not tolerate another year of bull shit.

[Ansem]

CSA being the sanctioning body, I'd say CPL ownership/group/BoD have last say on the league business once they conform with the CSA criteria to get the sanction.

So 2018 or 2019

[Zem]

8 minutes ago, PJSweet said:

BREAKING: Dino Rossi from the OSA has just tweeted me hours ago. As per Montagliani's statement yesterday, Rossi has informed me with assurances that the CPL is expected to start as scheduled in 2018. Rossi backs up this information based on his reliable sources that come directly from the organizing committee of the CPL. So whatever Montagliani said yesterday, it was totally inaccurate.

 

I don't know wtf people have been going on about, Montagliani never said anything about the planned start date changing, that was Kurt Larson's speculation in reference to Montagliani saying that the desired start date is 2018, but the priority is getting the right model and owners in place.

 

"While Montagliani still pegs 2018 as the desired start year for the CPL, he said the key is to first get the right model and the right people involved in setting up the league.

The start date could be pushed to 2019."

 

In other words, this article changes nothing about what we know, it just reaffirms VM's priorities with the league. It certainly doesn't indicate that the league will start in 2019, it just confirms the 2018 start date assuming everything continues as planned.

Perhaps we should read articles before jumping to conclusions about them.

[rob.notenboom]

7 minutes ago, PJSweet said:

No! It's not satire. Montagliani made inaccurate statements that need to be rectified. I will not tolerate another year of bull shit.

Ah. The 'just tweeted me hours ago' threw me off. 

[rob.notenboom]

1 minute ago, Zem said:

I don't know wtf people have been going on about, Montagliani never said anything about the planned start date changing, that was Kurt Larson's speculation in reference to Montagliani saying that the desired start date is 2018, but the priority is getting the right model and owners in place.

 

"While Montagliani still pegs 2018 as the desired start year for the CPL, he said the key is to first get the right model and the right people involved in setting up the league.

The start date could be pushed to 2019."

 

In other words, this article changes nothing about what we know, it just reaffirms VM's priorities with the league. It certainly doesn't indicate that the league will start in 2019, it just confirms the 2018 start date assuming everything continues as planned.

Perhaps we should read articles before jumping to conclusions about them.

Why actually READ the articles? We live in a post-truth post-fact era after all. 

[matty]

35 minutes ago, PJSweet said:

No! It's not satire. Montagliani made inaccurate statements that need to be rectified. I will not tolerate another year of bull shit.

That's pretty bold. The guy who is one of the major players with this league and is afforded more info than anyone else who as talked about the CPL outside of maybe the Hamilton group. It seems he still thinks 2018 is the launch and was just being cautious.

[Gopherbashi]

To be fair, "maybe 2019" is something we've been hearing for a while.

It's just frustrating to hear it again.

[Gopherbashi]

The tweet (I believe) for reference.

[Rheo]

We all really need to relax when it comes to this.  It really isn't worth it to get worked up over.  As I've said before the handful of us in here are the only ones who truly care enough to go so in depth for such an extended period of time.  When the league is ready it'll will be ready and 99% of Canada will begin to notice and care about it about a million percent less then we presently care now.

[ted]

15 hours ago, nolbertos said:

It didn't take MLS 10 plus on and off again years to try to make this league happen. 

Let's take a moment to inject some facts into this discussion please.

In 1988 the US was awarded the 1994 World Cup on the promise of starting the league. They kicked off in 1996 after several delays.

I have no idea where you get your "10 plus" crap.  The Easton report was 2013. That is not "10 plus" years. That was not BTW any sort of promise to start a league.

If you are going to hold the CSA to account at least use real facts.

[Complete Homer]

4 minutes ago, ted said:

Let's take a moment to inject some facts into this discussion please.

In 1988 the US was awarded the 1994 World Cup on the promise of starting the league. They kicked off in 1996 after several delays.

I have no idea where you get your "10 plus" crap.  The Easton report was 2013. That is not "10 plus" years. That was not BTW any sort of promise to start a league.

If you are going to hold the CSA to account at least use real facts.

For the sake of accuracy, I think the "beginning" of the process is probably the moratorium in 2010, but the point you make stands.

If we are using MLS as the golden standard (and as the only really successful NA league, that is fair), going from "Hey we should have a league" to players on the field, 8 years is par for the course. 

[Rheo]

I can't wait for the ESPN 30 for 30 on the formation of the CPL and the five minute segment of the great message board arguments of 2016 lol. 

Doc debuting on ESPN Canada coming in 2040

[PopePouri]

24 minutes ago, Complete Homer said:

For the sake of accuracy, I think the "beginning" of the process is probably the moratorium in 2010, but the point you make stands.

If we are using MLS as the golden standard (and as the only really successful NA league, that is fair), going from "Hey we should have a league" to players on the field, 8 years is par for the course. 

Let's also remember that MLS technically was a dumpster fire in the beginning. They weren't the gold standard. Their effort to make it more American backfired with the league almost folding in 2003. Now NASL is on the brink. Delays shouldn't be a surprise in their effort to establish some sort of business model that would work here.

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

3 hours ago, grasshopper1917 said:

The MLS champion would be viewed at the North American champion wouldn't they?

I am sure Mexico would have something to say about this. 

[Ansem]

19 minutes ago, Greatest Cockney Rip Off said:

I am sure Mexico would have something to say about this. 

They are relevant worldwide. Liga MX is respected around the world. MLS ISN'T even close to that.

Time for some USSF die hard fans and some Canadians with massive inferiority complexe to join the "Canada needs to grow up" movement... because there ain't no help or saving us coming from the USSF or their leagues.

Will CPL get more respect worldwide? Of course not, but unlike MLS we won't be pretending to be something we're not, a top world league. CPL will grow over time and prove itself as a desirable league to play in.

Perhaps eventually mature into something like the Scottish league or English Championship  (I know I'm dreaming). But gradually growing will earn us more respect worldwide. Can we stop aspiring to be like the MLS? I'd like to aim higher for a change. MLS is unbelievably overrated here

[1996]

For all you guys who live in the Edmonton's and Calgary 's and places that have no MLS team I can see why you can't wait for a pro team in your cities even though Edmonton has a team now  in the NASL but with that league about to go under then I'll include Edmonton in this argument. Like I said a Canadian league will be great and will be something that will help in developing Canadian players so I'm hoping it works out. However, it seems to me that a lot of the MLS bashers on this site and I may be wrong are mainly people from cities in Canada without any pro teams and also a lot of CFL fans who dislike the MLS because how in such a short time it has more or less caught up to the CFL in those 3 cities with an MLS team as well . Pro soccer is doing just fine at the moment popularity wise in Canada's 3 big cities and will continue to grow in popularity over the years. I'm done going to games with just friends and family in attendance and with no media coverage been there done that by supporting the different pro leagues that came after the NASl folded in 1984 and the start of TFC in 2007. I've put in my time supporting all those leagues in between with no fans and no media attention, therefore, forgive  me if this new CPL is not something that is keeping up at night anticipating it. I'm now finally supporting a team and a league that feels sort of big time and that has decent media coverage and pretty good attendance, however, I understand for you others that have no pro soccer in your cities this CPL is exciting stuff but for me I've been where you guys are now , you will be going to games with a couple of thousand in the stands hopefully ,with most likely no real media coverage which is fine, but for me I'm in an MLS city where the team matters and it has a big time feel to it and that is all I want after putting in the time supporting pro soccer where even here where I live had hardly any fans or media coverage and where those teams I supported did not matter apart from a few diehards and friends and family of the players, been there done that.

[Complete Homer]

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/12/30/qa-victor-montagliani-reflects-his-time-charge-canada-soccer

Really good interview by Squizz here. Lots of CPL stuff

[Complete Homer]

The key bits:

 

DS: Speaking of players getting opportunities, the Canadian Premier League—which is the name it’s been given in the public – is the elephant in the room, to some extent. Last year, you suggested the CSA wanted to get all the I’s dotted and T’s crossed before making any official announcements. 

You did also say, though, that you thought 2016 was a year when you’d be willing to go a bit more public with details. So in the spirit of Christmas, and of giving, is there any new information you’re willing to put out there?

VM: I like the way you phrased the question, well done. Listen, I think I’ve been clear –part of me would love to sit down and tell everybody exactly what we’re doing. But the reality is that I have to also respect the ownership groups that we’re dealing with.

We’ve had interest from over a dozen ownership groups across the country, in various locations, who are interested in looking at the business model. We’re in the process right now of going through due diligence with these ownership groups to establish a memo of understanding that we need to execute in the early part of 2017.

What we’re trying to explain to them is what the business model of this league looks like, which is completely different from business models we’ve had in this country as it relates to the NASL or USL. 

I love that people are champing at the bit for that information, but they need to also respect that the people who want to be involved with this league are serious people that need to look at things the right way before they make a commitment.

DS: How about this, then – are we safe in continuing to call it the Canadian Premier League?

VM: Even internally we haven’t dubbed it any official name, but it sounds like a great name to me. So you can continue calling it that … what it ends up being, we don’t know yet. I’m not worried about the name as much right now as the details around it.

DS: One piece of news that’s leaked out is that Paul Beirne [an executive who was Toronto FC’s first-ever employee] is involved with the league. What does he bring to the table, and why was it important to get someone like him on board?

VM: I wouldn’t so much say the league, although I know how people can see it that way. He represents a swath of the ownership group that is looking at the business side of it. 

I thought when they brought Paul on board it was a positive move. Paul has a lot of experience, going back to his TFC days and then going to England. He is a very passionate and patriotic Canadian who wants to see the game grow, so I think it’s a very positive move by the ownership group.

 

To me, it sounds like they are collecting the letters of intent from as many possible owners by early 2017 so they can push forward with a 2018 launch. Given what was said at the BSB meeting, I feel confident that there is a gentleman's agreement among enough teams to launch, but they are looking to go as many groups involved as possible.

The Bierne comment is interesting. Sounds like he was hired by a portion of the owners, as opposed to the league itself, since the league doesn't exist as an entity yet. 

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

The bit about Paul Beirne's role is a bit odd to say the least given how his arrival on the scene was reported in the Hamilton Spectator as being a hire by the league. The stuff about the name also calls into question why CPL was trademarked apparently unilaterally by people in Hamilton. This suggests that the CSA and the Ticats are not working in unison on this and that might even extend as far as "the business side of it".

[Gopherbashi]

42 minutes ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

The bit about Paul Beirne's role is a bit odd to say the least given how his arrival on the scene was reported in the Hamilton Spectator as being a hire by the league. The stuff about the name also calls into question why CPL was trademarked apparently unilaterally by people in Hamilton. This suggests that the CSA and the Ticats are not working in unison on this and that might even extend as far as "the business side of it".

Yeah, considering there's been a CPL trademark for months now, it seems odd that the CSA wouldn't consider it the official name.

[Gopherbashi]

1 hour ago, Complete Homer said:

We’ve had interest from over a dozen ownership groups across the country, in various locations, who are interested in looking at the business model. We’re in the process right now of going through due diligence with these ownership groups to establish a memo of understanding that we need to execute in the early part of 2017.

This is a key part to keep in mind - these "dozen ownership groups" are interested in looking at the business model, not necessarily interested in fielding a team.  You may not get half that number coming to the table.

Certainly seems a lot less along than we had anticipated in terms of lining up the ownership groups.  The language also makes me think even more that this has nothing to do with the CFL (or, at least, it certainly isn't centrally-supported by the CFL).  An early rumour that I really think should be put to bed; maybe a club here or there with CFL ties, but certainly not a CFL project.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

...and would use an interview with the MLS website to point that out, if "CPL" was all about providing alternative opportunities for Canadian players. Duane Rollins thought CPL was getting ratified by the CSA in early December and now he is no longer tweeting for whatever reason. Will be interesting to see what happens next.

[ted]

 

3 hours ago, Ansem said:

Time for some USSF die hard fans ...

Wait, WTF is this about? Nobody on here is a fan of USSF and if this was a game I think you would be called for "offside" with that comment.

40 minutes ago, Gopherbashi said:

Yeah, considering there's been a CPL trademark for months now, it seems odd that the CSA wouldn't consider it the official name.

It's about controlling the narrative while allowing speculation to generate interest and excitement. They will want to have a big event in front of TV cameras to announce the league, not some rinky-dink (no offence meant) end-of-the-year interview on a niche website.