BC Soccer aiming to launch "Regional Tier 3 League"

[ted]

2 hours ago, Cblake said:

I was always curious with the PCSL already in existence why it simply did not serve the role BC L1 is? From what I gather some of the standards were not there but not sure. 

As someone out of the loop for years (I was on the BoD of Victoria United for several years 20+ years ago) my guess is institutional inertia and lack of ambition on the part of the PCSL leadership and unwillingness to work with outdated  and amateurish thinking from those with money to invest. But that's almost entirely a guess.

[Watchmen]

On 2/24/2022 at 4:33 PM, Cblake said:

I was always curious with the PCSL already in existence why it simply did not serve the role BC L1 is? From what I gather some of the standards were not there but not sure. 

All club teams were offered the option to join BCL1. So if they're not in (and none of them are), it's because they chose not to be.

[rydermike]

1 hour ago, Watchmen said:

All club teams were offered the option to join BCL1. So if they're not in (and none of them are), it's because they chose not to be.

Don't think they were guaranteed entry though. Okanagan FC's Five year plan says they plan to "Re apply to BC Soccer for entrance to BC League One for Senior Team". Seems they applied and were rejected. Remember reading the same about FC Tigers Vancouver. So it's not necessarily that they chose not to be in.

https://okanaganfc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/OFC-5-Year-Plan.pdf

 

In other news, Rivers FC is entering a B team in the PCSL

https://pcsl.org/

Edited February 27, 2022 by rydermike

[Watchmen]

4 hours ago, rydermike said:

Don't think they were guaranteed entry though. Okanagan FC's Five year plan says they plan to "Re apply to BC Soccer for entrance to BC League One for Senior Team". Seems they applied and were rejected. Remember reading the same about FC Tigers Vancouver. So it's not necessarily that they chose not to be in.

https://okanaganfc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/OFC-5-Year-Plan.pdf

 

In other news, Rivers FC is entering a B team in the PCSL

https://pcsl.org/

When it was proposed the first time around, only 1 team in BC stepped forward as interested and 1 other was a maybe.  Second time around I think the criteria was more strict.  But the main point is, all of these "why didn't PCSL, VMSL, clubs/leagues become BCL1" are pointless because they all had the opportunity to do so and chose not to.  Clubs not being in BCL1 isn't on BC Soccer, it's on the clubs.

[Watchmen]

 

[Raven]

Interesting part of the Expansion Application process document:

While applications from any areas of the Province may be considered, priority for expansion in 2023 will be given to applications seeking to operate a League1 BC Club in one of the following areas:

•    Abbotsford
•    Chilliwack
•    Burnaby
•    Coquitlam
•    Kelowna
•    Nanaimo
•    Prince George
•    Surrey

[ted]

I'd say Prince George is an issue but the rest of the list makes good sense.

[youllneverwalkalone]

I've "heard" from "a guy" in "marketing" that the expansion plans are pretty aggressive. It sounds like they want to be 20 or so in a couple years. He didn't say if they would tier into two divisions from there. He also probably doesn't actually know anything lol. He does have a Glaswegian accent, so I believed everything he said.

[Kent]

3 hours ago, youllneverwalkalone said:

I've "heard" from "a guy" in "marketing" that the expansion plans are pretty aggressive. It sounds like they want to be 20 or so in a couple years. He didn't say if they would tier into two divisions from there. He also probably doesn't actually know anything lol. He does have a Glaswegian accent, so I believed everything he said.

Laughed at that last sentence!

[An Observer]

6 hours ago, youllneverwalkalone said:

I've "heard" from "a guy" in "marketing" that the expansion plans are pretty aggressive. It sounds like they want to be 20 or so in a couple years. He didn't say if they would tier into two divisions from there. He also probably doesn't actually know anything lol. He does have a Glaswegian accent, so I believed everything he said.

I am surprised you understood anything he said

[Watchmen]

Surprised Burnaby is on that list, since TSS plays there.  Otherwise, as Ted says Prince George seems to be the only real outlier.

[Unnamed Trialist]

On 3/4/2022 at 6:45 PM, ted said:

I'd say Prince George is an issue but the rest of the list makes good sense.

Wouldn't you think they'd try to encourage a team up Island, Ted?

Just thinking that the Merriman's are from Nanaimo, VIU has a decent team, there was the Mid-Island Mariners where Blasco played. The demographics are growing. Then, what it would give the Victoria team, a match away without having to catch a ferry, fans too. 

BTW, @Watchmen you are right TSS are based in Richmond, but the team plays at Swangard and has since they moved into PDL. But it does seem odd, since the team in best position to set up in Richmond are precisely TSS.

Edited March 6, 2022 by Unnamed Trialist

[nolando]

44 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Wouldn't you think they'd try to encourage a team up Island, Ted?

Just thinking that the Merriman's are from Nanaimo, VIU has a decent team, there was the Mid-Island Mariners where Blasco played. The demographics are growing. Then, what it would give the Victoria team, a match away without having to catch a ferry, fans too. 

BTW, @Watchmen you are right TSS are based in Richmond, but the team plays at Swangard and has since they moved into PDL. But it does seem odd, since the team in best position to set up in Richmond are precisely TSS.

Aren't TSS in that funny little corner of Rochmond just over the bridge from New West? 

[SthMelbRed]

33 minutes ago, nolando said:

Aren't TSS in that funny little corner of Rochmond just over the bridge from New West? 

Queensborough is technically a part of New West, I think.

[Unnamed Trialist]

25 minutes ago, nolando said:

Aren't TSS in that funny little corner of Rochmond just over the bridge from New West? 

They are in the extreme north-east of buildable Richmond. 

So maybe I am wrong; they located there as land must have been cheaper. Not the right place for a team if they want to draw fans.

I think Fusion who have HP teams are more in central Richmond, but not sure of the facilities. 

One of the best pitches to play games would be out at Hugh Boyd, off No. 1 Rd, I went to see a tournament there one summer, a lot of former pros and semi-pros, forget the name of that event.

A lot of these clubs have university affiliations, namely Varsity with UBC, Rivers with Thompson Rivers, Unity apparently with Trinity Western. Too bad Kwantlen killed some of their sports programs.

 

[SthMelbRed]

32 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

They are in the extreme north-east of buildable Richmond. 

So maybe I am wrong; they located there as land must have been cheaper. Not the right place for a team if they want to draw fans.

I think Fusion who have HP teams are more in central Richmond, but not sure of the facilities. 

One of the best pitches to play games would be out at Hugh Boyd, off No. 1 Rd, I went to see a tournament there one summer, a lot of former pros and semi-pros, forget the name of that event.

A lot of these clubs have university affiliations, namely Varsity with UBC, Rivers with Thompson Rivers, Unity apparently with Trinity Western. Too bad Kwantlen killed some of their sports programs.

 

Probably the Nations Cup, which has all-star teams representing all of the different ethnic groups playing a 3-day tournament each year. I went down a couple of times when I worked at the airport. It was always a good, fun event.

[Unnamed Trialist]

4 minutes ago, SthMelbRed said:

Probably the Nations Cup, which has all-star teams representing all of the different ethnic groups playing a 3-day tournament each year. I went down a couple of times when I worked at the airport. It was always a good, fun event.

Thanks, quite likely. There were teams representing "nations", or areas like the Caribbean, but not all players belonged to the supposed nation or ethnic group, there was quite a bit of mixing. 

I was invited by Srdjan Djekanovic, who was coaching a team. Maybe 11-12 years ago...

Speaking of whom, he's executive director of the club in Port Moody, which has men and women in PCSL.

[ted]

4 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Wouldn't you think they'd try to encourage a team up Island, Ted?

Huh?!?
 

Nanaimo is on the list already. I don't understand your concern.

[Unnamed Trialist]

53 minutes ago, ted said:

Huh?!?
 

Nanaimo is on the list already. I don't understand your concern.

😁

[Raven]

10 hours ago, Watchmen said:

Surprised Burnaby is on that list, since TSS plays there.  Otherwise, as Ted says Prince George seems to be the only real outlier.

Prince George is set-up nicely for a team. The local leagues play out of one area with approx 6 fields and a club house. Compared to other cities I have played in, it is a really nice set-up. No crappy high school fields, etc.

Travel will be an issue though.

[Watchmen]

19 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

BTW, @Watchmen you are right TSS are based in Richmond, but the team plays at Swangard and has since they moved into PDL. But it does seem odd, since the team in best position to set up in Richmond are precisely TSS.

Yeah, I was thinking about that. TSS plays in Burnaby because there's some prestige playing at Swangard, but that should mean that Richmond should be one of the locations they want to expand to. TSS can't take up both. 

[Watchmen]

13 hours ago, Raven said:

Prince George is set-up nicely for a team. The local leagues play out of one area with approx 6 fields and a club house. Compared to other cities I have played in, it is a really nice set-up. No crappy high school fields, etc.

Travel will be an issue though.

Yeah, travel is really the big issue there. Might be nice to get a few more teams in the interior and then PG. But if they're willing and teams are able, let them in.

[Cblake]

3 hours ago, Watchmen said:

Yeah, travel is really the big issue there. Might be nice to get a few more teams in the interior and then PG. But if they're willing and teams are able, let them in.

At 9 + hours from Prince George and Vancouver, where most of the league is based as this time. Even Rivers in Kamloops is the outlier right now at 4 hours to Vancouver. I know you have the fairy ride to the Island is also there too but 9 hours thats tough unless as you said they can get a couple other teams up that way. 

[Watchmen]

Listen to AFTN this week. The relevant points for here:

- Sounds like teams are lining up to get in to League 1 for next season

- Don't expect L1BC to have an entrance in to the Voyageurs Cup next year - sounds like the CSA wants a few more teams in the league and a longer season before they get the spot

https://aftn.ca/episode-503-the-aftn-soccer-show/

[MM3/MM2/MM]

TSS Rovers announce their 2022 roster; https://www.tssfc.ca/copy-of-rovers-women

Anyone in BC know how this compares to the TSS PDL rosters or a typical PCSL roster?

Edited March 15, 2022 by MM3/MM2/MM