MASL expands to Toronto (indoor soccer)

[Rocket Robin]

MASL ANNOUNCES INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
More Expansion News Promised in Coming Months

KANSAS CITY (April 7, 2017) – In a Press Conference on Thursday Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) Commissioner Josh Schaub discussed the future of the league, including the first MASL franchise in Canada. The MASL will kickoff in Toronto, Canada for the 2018-2019 season.

　

Led by CEO Sergio Giancola and President Peter Kovacs, the new group energized the press conference with their entry into the league. Kovacs spoke for the group as he explained the history of their journey into the MASL.

　

"17 years ago we went down to watch the NPSL All-Star game and our idea then was to bring arena soccer to Toronto," said Kovacs. "Last January we revisited the situation, and we started to do our due diligence. What really hooked us, our group went to Hermosillo, Mexico to see the second leg of the final and what an event that was. We made our decision then to go through the application process and I’m proud to say that in December 2016 the league accepted our application."

　

The team will play in the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, right in the heart of the Toronto metro area. They will begin play in 2018 in order to set up their staff and drum up local support of the franchise.

　

"We are very excited to bring in a group of this caliber to the MASL and to expand the league’s reach into Canada," said Schaub. "With the inclusion of Toronto, we will further the league’s fan base and the excitement of the game."

　

Kovacs closed out his remarks with a promise to the rest of the MASL.

　

"We are not coming into the league just to compete. We want to put a product on the field that will chase the championship right from the get-go."

　

Schaub also announced last night that the Brownsville franchise will resume play in 2017-2018 as the Rio Grande Valley Barracudas. The team will play in the 6,800 seat State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, TX. The MASL commissioner also noted that there were more announcements to come in the coming months.

　

ABOUT THE MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE
The Major Arena Soccer League represents the highest level of professional arena soccer in the world. The MASL features teams across North America, with teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico. The MASL is currently incorporated as a 501(c)6 not for profit corporation formed to promote the business and sport of arena soccer.

[Gopherbashi]

"The team will play in the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, right in the heart of the Toronto metro area."

lol

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Bring back the Thunderhawks!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_ThunderHawks

[matty]

On 10/04/2017 at 4:17 AM, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

Bring back the Thunderhawks!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_ThunderHawks

i made them this offer. might as well make sure this group has a team to cheer for

UPDATE: They liked the tweet and followed The Cronenbergs

Edited April 26, 2017 by matty

[Cblake]

After the Canada Mexico Friendly in the fall, the CASA is running a league out in the west end of the GTA, something called the Arena Premier League. It's littered with a number of the usual suspects on the local scene. With the current state of the indoor game, thus being pretty much being a part league form what I gather, paying its players $150 to $500 a game, maybe more, maybe less in some cases I am not sure how this will work out come the 2018-19 Major Arena Soccer League season. 

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Played their first game in Baltimore yesterday:

DeRosario is unlikely to feature in CanPL given his lack of mobility in this game even when playing a short shift, but that's no surprise.

[1996]

Was at the Mississauga MetroStars home opener yesterday, not a good crowd at all maybe 500 in attendance not good for a home opener, can just imagine how bad the attendance can get if this is all they get for a home opener, hopefully I’m wrong and attendance  improves. The opposing team Florida was short a player or two and signed a local player from the Toronto area , this local player wore the jersey of a Florida player who did not make the game wearing this players jersey with the guys name on the back lol, moreover, the Florida team also had a guy on their team who let's just say did not look like he had been to the gym in years to put it mildly. This Florida team had a bit of a bush league feel to them. Saying all that it’s not a bad product this MASl indoor soccer but it does look like some teams really don’t have the financial backing to really call themselves professional with this Florida team being a prime example and by the way Mississauga won 10-0 ya a shutout in indoor soccer with hockey boards where goals are pretty easy to come by lol.

Edited December 9, 2018 by 1996

[Rocket Robin]

Florida Tropics SC @FLTropicsSC

Less than 10 minutes in the 4th quarter @saugametrostars lead 9-0. As a reminder the Tropics are without Silva, Parreiras, Teixeira, Touloute, Birche, Diegues, Laidley, Dos Santos (Guilherme), Franca, Ruiz, Montelares and Moojen. #MASL

Mississauga shuts out Tropics, 10-0

December 8, 2018

by Brian Ackley

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MISSISSAUGA, Canada – The Florida Tropics fell to the Mississauga MetroStars, 10-0, in a Major Arena Soccer League game Saturday afternoon.

The majority of the Tropics roster did not dress for the game because of Canadian immigration work laws, forcing the team to sign most of their players for Saturday's game that already lived in the greater Toronto area.    

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LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Tropics SC have signed seven players that may be activated for Saturday's Major Arena Soccer League in Mississauga. Per league and team policy, terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

Signed are: Edgar Gamboa, Mario Orestano, Marko Bedenikovic, Josue Jaramillo, Eduardo Jauregui, Diego Gonzalez, Nikola Miodrag and Milos Scepanovic

The player signings were necessitated by fear of Canadian Immigration laws, which may hinder a number of Tropics players from crossing the border in time for the game. This type of roster activity is not unprecedented in professional sports which has seen similar travel issues preclude competition for athletes originating from certain countries.

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I recognize at least five of these guys from CSL (the outlaw league) when I followed it before L1O started.  

MetroStars won't have long to wait for their second home game as it's Thursday night at 7:30pm against Kansas City.  

I don't know what the media coverage will be.  Will Rollins be there again?  Neil Davidson who wrote some pregame stuff was tweeting Saturday from the MMA fights in downtown Toronto rather than being in Mississauga.  

Will Canadian border officials keep KC players from crossing?    

 

 

[Kent]

13 hours ago, Rocket Robin said:

Florida Tropics SC @FLTropicsSC

Less than 10 minutes in the 4th quarter @saugametrostars lead 9-0. As a reminder the Tropics are without Silva, Parreiras, Teixeira, Touloute, Birche, Diegues, Laidley, Dos Santos (Guilherme), Franca, Ruiz, Montelares and Moojen. #MASL

Mississauga shuts out Tropics, 10-0

December 8, 2018

by Brian Ackley

Share

MISSISSAUGA, Canada – The Florida Tropics fell to the Mississauga MetroStars, 10-0, in a Major Arena Soccer League game Saturday afternoon.

The majority of the Tropics roster did not dress for the game because of Canadian immigration work laws, forcing the team to sign most of their players for Saturday's game that already lived in the greater Toronto area.    

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Tropics SC have signed seven players that may be activated for Saturday's Major Arena Soccer League in Mississauga. Per league and team policy, terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

Signed are: Edgar Gamboa, Mario Orestano, Marko Bedenikovic, Josue Jaramillo, Eduardo Jauregui, Diego Gonzalez, Nikola Miodrag and Milos Scepanovic

The player signings were necessitated by fear of Canadian Immigration laws, which may hinder a number of Tropics players from crossing the border in time for the game. This type of roster activity is not unprecedented in professional sports which has seen similar travel issues preclude competition for athletes originating from certain countries.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I recognize at least five of these guys from CSL (the outlaw league) when I followed it before L1O started.  

MetroStars won't have long to wait for their second home game as it's Thursday night at 7:30pm against Kansas City.  

I don't know what the media coverage will be.  Will Rollins be there again?  Neil Davidson who wrote some pregame stuff was tweeting Saturday from the MMA fights in downtown Toronto rather than being in Mississauga.  

Will Canadian border officials keep KC players from crossing?    

I put a laughing reaction because there is no shocked option. I had read about the blowout, and then found out Florida is actually supposed to be pretty good. So this explains some things. But seriously, is it really that hard to come to Canada to play a pro game? Is this Florida team filled with felons or something? I am totally ignorant to this stuff.

[Rocket Robin]

Sounds great to help the food bank in Mississauga  but a big difference for the fans who paid $35 for a ticket and those that brought a couple of cans of beans.  

[Rocket Robin]

League 1 Ontario Pro Stars players both 'hurt' and 'help' the Mississauga MetroStars MASL team in two tweets four minutes apart.  

Kansas City won 12-6.   Attendance listed on league site as 687.  MLS Referee Sylviu Petrescu listed as an assistant referee.    

 

Pro Stars FC L1M‏ @ProStarsFCL1M

Following Following @ProStarsFCL1M

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Our very own Marco Polancec-Marin on loan from Pro Stars FC to Kansas City Comets @KCComets, as he was at @PFFCentre for some @m2arenasoccer #MASL Action tonight against Mississauga @saugametrostars!! Congratulations and Keep up the hard work Marco. #PFCLive

7:24 PM - 13 Dec 2018

 

Pro Stars FC L1M‏ @ProStarsFCL1M

Following Following @ProStarsFCL1M

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Let’s not forget brothers @Navidr9 and @Adelrahman10 training with the @saugametrostars of the @MASLarena hoping to crack the roster soon, coming back from the Pakistan National Team @FootballPak! True inspiration on never giving up and keep on working hard, it’ll come lads!!

7:28 PM - 13 Dec 2018

 

[SoccMan]

Looks like the pro indoor soccer experiment that was the MetroStars are no more they folded the night before their first game . The MetroStars were going to play home games in like four different cities in Ontario this season . Sarina , Kingston, St. Catherines , and I think Mississauga? They were going to be called the Canada MetroStars. But they folded before their first two home opening games this weekend in St. Catherines. Why they would wait until before the first game to fold is strange , why not fold earlier why wait until opening night , but who knows.

[Big_M]

Just looks like a case of the owner not having the money and trying to keep it alive..just wasnt gonna happen

[Kent]

Yeah, maybe they had some hope of getting another investor but in the end couldn't convince them.

I never planned on going to a game, but it's still not good news for a team to fold.

[to70]

I was surprised that they were even trying to continue. Talked to one of the players from the previuos season and he hadn"t been paid.