Toronto CPL

[Gopherbashi]

2 hours ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

MLSE manage Lamport stadium and have already made it clear that they would not welcome the presence of a CPL franchise in the GTA. That makes a non-TFC pro soccer tenant a long shot at best. Don't think there are any easy answers on where a Toronto-branded CPL team would play if TFC are not involved. After decades of municipal level politicians doing their best to steer people towards baseball, football and hockey, the major issue that pro soccer has always faced in Canada has been finding suitable venues. The use of marked fieldturf at most university stadia has actually made things worse than they were in the original CSL era in the late 1980s when a natural grass stadium of some description would usually be readily available in most citiies with no gridiron lines from May to August even if there would still be issues with field width and crowns.

If MLSE becomes convinced that a Toronto CPL will exist despite their best efforts, welcoming them at Lamport will allow MLSE to keep some control over their fate.

[Shway]

2 hours ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

They can always put TFC 2 in there as a blocking manoeuvre. They will be coming under pressure to move them into a better stadium anyway, because there is no way that the Soccer Centre meets USSF D2 sanctioning standards.

They need to move TFCII to the new D3 league they are creating.

[matty]

Edited June 4, 2017 by matty
fixed tweet

[Shway]

3 hours ago, Greatest Cockney Rip Off said:

And as the said, Lamport is a venue that loses money for the City. They would find away to put both tenants in their. They just can't afford to turn away money because a private corporation doesn't want to deal with competition. 

What people tend to forget is that Lamport is on a goldmine in regard to location. It's literally in the heart of where a lot of things are happening (especially in the summer time), and its in Liberty Village which is home to the Toronto millennials. 

With all that in mind, I would find it hard to believe that this stadium couldn't acquire a local stadium sponsor that would facilitate with upgrades to this stadium. And I'm not talking about 20M-50M upgrades, cause I don't think thats needed. It would not only be beneficial for the Wolfpack and Toronto CPL, but also to the city as it could be an instant financial attraction being a new/revitalized outdoor small stadium that could host concerts, events, and festivals.

 

 

 

 

[Shway]

3 minutes ago, matty said:

 

This tweet seems weird.....starts as announcement then moves to a question. 

Is the All suppose to be Any?

 

"Any Toronto & Mississauga #CanPL fans want to attend @League1Ontario NT Nitros vs North Mississauga on June 30th at Varsity?

[matty]

Just now, Jahinho Guerro said:

This tweet seems weird.....starts as announcement then moves to a question. 

Is the All suppose to be Any?

 

"Any Toronto & Mississauga #CanPL fans want to attend @League1Ontario NT Nitros vs North Mississauga on June 30th at Varsity?

crap i forgot the comma

[RS]

6 hours ago, baulderdash77 said:

Fair enough.  I like Lamport as a stadium location.  I do think that with new turf eliminating the football lines, 9,000 seats installed and some upgraded concessions it could be a great stadium for a CPL team.

 

???

Lamport doesn't have football lines.

[Tigers]

3 hours ago, RS said:

???

Lamport doesn't have football lines.

Maybe it's the Rugby league lines? I know there's soccer lines on during Wolfpack games.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

13 hours ago, Tigers said:

Maybe it's the Rugby league lines? I know there's soccer lines on during Wolfpack games.

I think there are also permanent lacrosse lines as an MLL team played there at one point. Tried looking for some youtube clips of Wolfpack games and it looks like they are drawing reasonable crowds and the numbers that are being announced are not in North York Rockets territory when it comes to credibility, so maybe they will make it all the way to the superleague and Lamport will very much be a rugby stadium in the years ahead. I was always skeptical that Nigel Reed really knew anything about soccer as he comes across as being a rugby union and cricket type to me, but hearing him announce a rugby league game is absolutely hilarious to listen to as he is completely clueless about it being from the wrong part of England to have ever been a player or fan. Hopefully if new turf is being put in it will be unmarked and they will paint on the lines for games. That would make it easier to use for Voyageurs Cup pro level soccer, but how likely is that in a facility that has a strong public access angle to it?

Edited June 5, 2017 by BringBackTheBlizzard

[Kent]

18 hours ago, Jahinho Guerro said:

They need to move TFCII to the new D3 league they are creating.

What D3 league are you talking about? Is this relating to the idea of USL splitting into two leagues?

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

3 minutes ago, Kent said:

What D3 league are you talking about? Is this relating to the idea of USL splitting into two leagues?

They say that a new D3 will launch in 2019:

http://www.usld3.com/

[ironcub14]

Feel like rugby fans will put up with the crappiness of the Lamport "seating" and facilities solely because of the excitement of having a pro rugby team in the city for the first time since I don't know when.

I don't think a Toronto CPL team will have that same sort of pent-up demand or excitement actually. I was just at Lamport on Friday playing soccer, it's barely suitable for amateur soccer at the moment.

I do hope CPL Toronto comes to Lamport and whoever comes in works with the city to make major renovations. Possibly even demolish the stands and build new ones, and play in a pop-up until the work is complete. I believe TD Place at Ottawa is a great example of a stadium completely revitalized by having demolished the stands and putting new ones in.

[johnluckpickherd]

I was at the Wolfpack match last weekend, but was largely there because of the novelty of watching a professional rugby team live (rugby league sucks btw). The elements and seating did not make for a comfortable experience, so I don't see myself watching more until they get promoted to higher divisions. I agree with @ironcub14, Lamport needs MAJOR renovations (and possibly a roof) to make it a viable venue for CPL soccer.

[Red Renaissance]

No need for a second Toronto team IMO. But definitely in the GTA. Not sure if its been touched upon in this thread but why not Vaughan? A certified hotbed of amateur soccer, alsomajor concentration of the talent and soccer interest lies in the GTA. Upgrades to OSA Field can easily make it suitable, also with the downtown core slated to open up there it will be a big concentration of millenials. Vaughan Azzurri, Woodbridge Strikers, Kleinburg Lions are 3 top notch amateur clubs that can provide as natural feeders. Its far enough away from Toronto to draw its own interest, but close enough to benefit from the additional interest in TFC over the past few years. This is coming from a TFC season ticket holder. There is enough potential investors and sponsorship opportunity for an Industrial hotbed as well and its one of the fastest growing cities in Canada. It can also draw fans from higher north as it is a closer alternative to fans in Barrie and beyond who can't easily access TFC games. No to MLSE monopoly in GTA! TFC will only benefit from any additional teams in the GTA, not lose out! #CANPL to Vaughan banners coming to League 1 games in Vaughan soon, lets get this movement started! 

 

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

Interesting interview with Eric Perez on the Wolfin Around pod. He was asked about what they would do in the future for a stadium. He mentioned possible renovations for Lamport including erecting a stand behind the south side. He also mentioned that he had positive feedback about general admission, so I doubt they would add individual seats. 

He also mentioned that they may look at building there own ground. 

Both options could be good if a CPL side were to get involved. 

[lazlo_80]

4 hours ago, Red Renaissance said:

No need for a second Toronto team IMO. But definitely in the GTA. Not sure if its been touched upon in this thread but why not Vaughan? A certified hotbed of amateur soccer, alsomajor concentration of the talent and soccer interest lies in the GTA. Upgrades to OSA Field can easily make it suitable, also with the downtown core slated to open up there it will be a big concentration of millenials. Vaughan Azzurri, Woodbridge Strikers, Kleinburg Lions are 3 top notch amateur clubs that can provide as natural feeders. Its far enough away from Toronto to draw its own interest, but close enough to benefit from the additional interest in TFC over the past few years. This is coming from a TFC season ticket holder. There is enough potential investors and sponsorship opportunity for an Industrial hotbed as well and its one of the fastest growing cities in Canada. It can also draw fans from higher north as it is a closer alternative to fans in Barrie and beyond who can't easily access TFC games. No to MLSE monopoly in GTA! TFC will only benefit from any additional teams in the GTA, not lose out! #CANPL to Vaughan banners coming to League 1 games in Vaughan soon, lets get this movement started! 

 

i worry about Vaugn. i keep hearing it be brought up as a potential spot but TFC2 havent exactly proven it to be a great soccer supporting place, especially if they plan to play at the same stadium

[Red Renaissance]

15 hours ago, lazlo_80 said:

i worry about Vaugn. i keep hearing it be brought up as a potential spot but TFC2 havent exactly proven it to be a great soccer supporting place, especially if they plan to play at the same stadium

I hear you, in fact I wouldn't bank on Vaughan being a suitable franchise, at first. The problem in my opinion is with their branding of being the number 2 team- people don't rally behind the minor league affiliate. But a team branded as truly beings Vaughan own and first professional franchise I think would work. Also, the rafters at OSA dont give it a very professional feel which is another problem. We need a  true stadium for this to work

[Ansem]

Vaughan to succeed needs the following:

• The right name: York is better than Vaughan. Vaughan has a population of ~319k while York Region as a whole, it's 1.1M, an increase of 7.5%. It's more appealing to go after the entire region than just Vaughan.
• The right location: The TTC is currently building 2 new subway stations in Vaughan set to open this December. The city is building a "downtown" from scratch, if that group of owner could acquire land as close as possible next to 1 of the 2 stations, it could work. The Highway 407 station is next to highway 407 with a massive parking lot. There's lots of land there and it becomes convenient to access the stadium

• The right ownership: We can include everything here from competent marketing, deep pockets willing and able to invest lots of capital in the team, right management team, etc...
• The right infrastructure: If you look 2nd rated, you will be treated as such. Anything less than a pop up with a roof like Empire Field in Vancouver would be a disappointment.

I'd like to remind people that the Empire Field:

• cost in 2010 around $14M
• took less than a year to be built (111 days) by  the Nussli Group of Switzerland, which specializes in the construction of temporary stadiums.
• could sit 27,528 fans and had 12 corporate suites
• Several commentators stated that use of temporary stadiums on a permanent basis could be used for other MLS and CFL stadia. For instance, the price of building an 18,500 seat permanent soccer-specific stadium was averaging $200 million.
• A CPL stadium with grass with half the capacity in today's dollars should still be less. I hope that's what's going to happen all across Canada

Edited June 8, 2017 by Ansem

[Red Renaissance]

Just to add to my previous post- I have been thinking another issue with a stadium at the OSA center is that it is highly inaccessible,and is in a north west corner of Vaughan which only appeals to people from Woodbridge. IMO- A new stadium would have to be built centralized in the new downtown core which is being built along with the subway. Which is also right off the 400. This would attract people from as far North as Barrie and even people in North Toronto IMO. That, along with a professionally branded Vaughan pro team in what is perceived as top level CPL is the only way that this can work. What works to Vaughan's advantage is that it has ambitions to be a truly global city, but a lack of any true stadium will hurt that image. I guess I found what I will be lobbying for in the next municipal election lol

[Red Renaissance]

10 minutes ago, Ansem said:

Vaughan to succeed needs the following:

• The right name: York is better than Vaughan. Vaughan has a population of ~319k while York Region has a whole, it's 1.1M, an increase of 7.5%. It's more appealing to go after the entire region than just Vaughan.
• The right location: The TTC is currently building 2 new subway stations in Vaughan set to open this December. The city is building a "downtown" from scratch, if that group of owner could acquire land as close as possible next to 1 of the 2 stations, it could work. The Highway 407 station is next to highway 407 with a massive parking lot. There's lots of land there and it becomes convenient to access the stadium

• The right ownership: We can include everything here from competent marketing, deep pockets willing and able to invest lots of capital in the team, right management team, etc...
• The right infrastructure: If you look 2nd rated, you will be treated as such. Anything less than a pop up with a roof like Empire Field in Vancouver would be a disappointment.

I'd like to remind people that the Empire Field:

• cost in 2010 around $14M
• took less than a year to be built (111 days) by  the Nussli Group of Switzerland, which specializes in the construction of temporary stadiums.
• could sit 27,528 fans and had 12 corporate suites
• Several commentators stated that use of temporary stadiums on a permanent basis could be used for other MLS and CFL stadia. For instance, the price of building an 18,500 seat permanent soccer-specific stadium was averaging $200 million.
• A CPL stadium with grass with half the capacity in today's dollars should still be less. I hope that's what's going to happen all across Canada

Holy shit. We posted at almost the exact same time LOL. Great post, and you may be right about the York region name, as much as I am biased to a team branded as Vaughan.

 

Edited June 8, 2017 by Argentina_111

[Fort York Redcoat1555362293]

1 hour ago, Red Renaissance said:

I hear you, in fact I wouldn't bank on Vaughan being a suitable franchise, at first. The problem in my opinion is with their branding of being the number 2 team- people don't rally behind the minor league affiliate. But a team branded as truly beings Vaughan own and first professional franchise I think would work. Also, the rafters at OSA dont give it a very professional feel which is another problem. We need a  true stadium for this to work

What makes you think Vaughan would get behind a tier 2 team instead? They will be marketing to the same families that won't know how much better the Vaughan/York team is than the Toonies are now. i wish them luck but I fear we need 2 teams in the core to get Toronto to actual care in numbers. Toronto vs "GTA team" would be a one way rivalry for a while.

[Macksam]

49 minutes ago, Fort York Redcoat1555362293 said:

What makes you think Vaughan would get behind a tier 2 team instead? They will be marketing to the same families that won't know how much better the Vaughan/York team is than the Toonies are now. i wish them luck but I fear we need 2 teams in the core to get Toronto to actual care in numbers. Toronto vs "GTA team" would be a one way rivalry for a while.

CPL isn't tier 2 though.

[Kent]

1 hour ago, Fort York Redcoat1555362293 said:

Toronto vs "GTA team" would be a one way rivalry for a while.

What is this supposed to mean? Are you saying a Toronto CPL team would definitely be better on the field than a Brampton/Mississauga/Vaughan/Markham/whatever team? Or that a Toronto CPL team would definitely have better support than a Brampton/Mississauga/Vaughan/Markham/whatever team?

It's possible that a Toronto CPL team will be well supported, and I hope that if it happens it will be well supported. But there is also a real chance that it won't catch on.

TCPL supporter: You should check out the new Toronto soccer team?

Casual fan: You mean TFC?

TCPL supporter: No, the Toronto CPLs!

Casual fan: Did TFC change their name?

TCPL supporter: No, it's another team.

Casual fan: Oh, Toronto got another MLS team?

TCPL supporter: No, it's a new league.

Casual fan: So is this new Toronto team better than TFC?

TCPL supporter: Well, no, not at the moment. But they are critical for the Canadian national team.

Casual fan: Oh, I see. TFC have 3 or 4 guys on the national team. So this new team has more?

TCPL supporter: Well... no.

[Red Renaissance]

4 hours ago, Fort York Redcoat1555362293 said:

What makes you think Vaughan would get behind a tier 2 team instead? They will be marketing to the same families that won't know how much better the Vaughan/York team is than the Toonies are now. i wish them luck but I fear we need 2 teams in the core to get Toronto to actual care in numbers. Toronto vs "GTA team" would be a one way rivalry for a while.

Honestly with the proper facility and for the chance for our community to represented on a national scale I believe the same people who are hesitant to go watch the TFC B team when they can drive an extra 30 minutes to see the "real TFC". Not many are going to stop being Toronto FC fans and become Vaughan/York fans exclusively, but for a chance to see our town/city/regions true best quality (which their is an abundance of) in a truly coast to coast league will interest the people, I believe. Again, this wont happen unless a proper stadium is in place, and this will likely have to happen before any serious bids occur here. 2022+ at a minimum.

[Ansem]

39 minutes ago, Red Renaissance said:

I believe the same people who are hesitant to go watch the TFC B team when they can drive an extra 30 minutes to see the "real TFC".

You clearly aren't from Toronto

Edited June 8, 2017 by Ansem