CPL General

[Gopherbashi]

I'll say this as someone from York Region: I don't *hate* the York 9 name, I don't love it either, but I can see it growing on me.  I assume they were going for an "Indy Eleven" vibe mixed with a "The 6ix" vibe, so we'll have to see how it turns out.  As long as the team is financially stable and does well, I don't care what they call it.

Though I'm gonna be hella disappointed if there's not some free pizza giveaway when the team sees two reds to go down to nine men.

[BuzzAndSting]

2 minutes ago, Gopherbashi said:

I'll say this as someone from York Region: I don't *hate* the York 9 name, I don't love it either, but I can see it growing on me.  I assume they were going for an "Indy Eleven" vibe mixed with a "The 6ix" vibe, so we'll have to see how it turns out.  As long as the team is financially stable and does well, I don't care what they call it.

Though I'm gonna be hella disappointed if there's not some free pizza giveaway when the team sees two reds to go down to nine men.

How about score 9 and win?!?

Although if they score 9 and lose it will be a real kick in the pants.

[Kent]

50 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

Founders of the league is my guess

I think it’s a double meaning thing.

Founder - a person who manufactures articles of cast metal; the owner or operator of a foundry.

[rkomar]

20 minutes ago, Kent said:

I think it’s a double meaning thing.

Founder - a person who manufactures articles of cast metal; the owner or operator of a foundry.

Founder - have your boat sink

[dyslexic nam]

1 hour ago, Gian-Luca said:

York 9 is cool. Blink 182 suck. Capitolo 6, Formula 3, Colloseum 2, Opus 5 and Stormy Six were all better bands.

And if York 9 isn't the right name, we can always call them the York False 9.

Was thinking about band names like this today for some reason.  Blink 182, Maroon 5, Finger 11, etc...  Seems to be a formula.

[Shortdutchcanuck]

3 hours ago, Soefeia said:

This is simply to clear up some of the confusion.

1. Port City is lower mainland of BC. 

2. Cavalry is Calgary. 

3. Neither Saskatoon nor Winnipeg are represented in the list of names that has been passed around. 

4. Founders is Hamilton. 

5. Calgary is as much a guarantee for year one of the league as it is possible to be.

6. Calgary - Edmonton will be a great rivalry but there are others that could be just as fierce.

7. Nothing is set in stone until it is and right now these names are not.

8. This is quite a decent tool to help you assess the quality of twitter commenters, especially those who claim to have inside knowledge. If they do not know exactly which teams these names refer to, it should suggest to you that their ability to provide solid league information is suspect as they do not have the ability to source information from many of the teams that will be involved in the league launch.

9. It is now time to return to my self-imposed forum hibernation. I hope that answered a few questions for those of you who honestly want to know and who are more interested in doing things to support the league than you are in arguing details about the league of which you do not actually have knowledge. Of course, those are not mutually exclusive. 

 

Much appreciated.  Feel free to self-unimpose your hibernation any time with additional concrete information.   We specialize in rampant speculation but it's all in good fun and out of general anticipation and eagerness for these clubs to take shape.

[Rocket Robin]

1 hour ago, dyslexic nam said:

Was thinking about band names like this today for some reason.  Blink 182, Maroon 5, Finger 11, etc...  Seems to be a formula.

and two members of Heaven 17 ended up as founding members of The Human League.  

[Bison44]

Just because you have numbers in your name doesnt mean you are a loser......does it???  SNIFF SNIFF.  

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

11 hours ago, Soefeia said:

1. Port City is lower mainland of BC. 

...

8. This is quite a decent tool to help you assess the quality of twitter commenters, especially those who claim to have inside knowledge. If they do not know exactly which teams these names refer to, it should suggest to you that their ability to provide solid league information is suspect as they do not have the ability to source information from many of the teams that will be involved in the league launch.

Port Credit and St John, NB definitely seemed like a bit of a stretch. If Burnaby can be part of the mix and Swangard is a viable option stadium-wise for "Port City FC" for 2019 (if the preferred long-term option in Surrey isn't sorted out yet) then all the pieces needed are almost in place for an 8 team launch (or the 6 with 2 in the pipeline scenario) assuming Spruce Meadows and the Ontario Soccer Centre are viable options, Clarke Stadium gets expanded, Hamilton and Halifax get their leases sorted and Ottawa decide to change leagues again.

Edited April 14, 2018 by BringBackTheBlizzard

[Ciaran L]

I'd be hoping Port City FC and Founders FC are secondary trademarks, like nicknames, personally. (Although I prefer nicknames to be organic). I don't hate Founders FC for Hamilton as much as some others seem to, I just think Steelers is better. 

I also don't like Cavalry for Calgary. I don't mind the concept, but it's too much like a tongue twister.

[Alex D]

I hate Cavalry for Calgary bet yet enjoy it for Winnipeg. 

[Dub Narcotic]

On 13/04/2018 at 8:22 AM, BuzzAndSting said:

My prediction: the CPL announces the next four teams in the coming weeks; Calgary, York, Edmonton and Halifax. They also mention that potentially 2-4 more teams will be involved in the 2019 launch, those being Ottawa and some other(s) - Port City? Then in the fall the other teams are announced.

This sounds the most likely to me, although I just think they'll have the six then Ottawa.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

For the first time since around August and September last year it looks like there is an obvious way for them to launch on their stated preferred timeline, but I'd wait for the outcome of the Edmonton city council committee meeting before assuming announcements are just around the corner given there may be other conflicting agendas where Clarke Stadium is concerned that we are not aware of. It's also worth bearing in mind that Ottawa are said to be very happy in the USL, and that could also come into play if they have to be part of the set of teams that are ready or in the pipeline in a no Edmonton scenario.

You also have to fear for the longevity of any league that has a 6000 breakeven and franchises in York Region, Halifax and Surrey, BC, because although that might be doable in the core five non-MLS CFL markets if things go very well, it would need things to be spectacularly successful for all eight to avoid large financial losses that pose an existential threat on an annual basis, but the common sense solution on how to subsidize the borderline franchises to give them more stability through the early startup years will be ignored because yadda yadda yadda...

Edited April 15, 2018 by BringBackTheBlizzard

[Alex D]

21 minutes ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

but the common sense solution on how to subsidize the borderline franchises to give them more stability through the early startup years will be ignored because yadda yadda yadda...

And this was what again, adding the one MLS reserve team? League saved!

[mpg_29]

3 hours ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

You also have to fear for the longevity of any league that has a 6000 breakeven and franchises in York Region, Halifax and Surrey, BC, because although that might be doable in the core five non-MLS CFL markets if things go very well, it would need things to be spectacularly successful for all eight to avoid large financial losses that pose an existential threat on an annual basis, but the common sense solution on how to subsidize the borderline franchises to give them more stability through the early startup years will be ignored because yadda yadda yadda...

To me it comes down to having as much financial flexibility as possible. Which is why I'd like to see low player min salaries (at least to start) and a soft cap instead of a hard cap. The soft cap could could consist of luxury tax over certain total payroll amount. Any revenue from luxury taxes would be redistributed to teams.

A structure like this would give teams flexibility along with some subsidization.

I think going in there with min salaries that are too high along with a hard cap is too rigid a structure and could hurt everyone.

Edited April 15, 2018 by mpg_29

[lazlo_80]

I don't mind Calvalry at all, but i have never been to calgary and have no idea how it relates to the city.

[grasshopper1917]

1 hour ago, mpg_29 said:

To me it comes down to having as much financial flexibility as possible. Which is why I'd like to see low player min salaries (at least to start) and a soft cap instead of a hard cap. The soft cap could could consist of luxury tax over certain total payroll amount. Any revenue from luxury taxes would be redistributed to teams.

A structure like this would give teams flexibility along with some subsidization.

I think going in there with min salaries that are too high along with a hard cap is too rigid a structure and could hurt everyone.

The minimum salary could be tricky. It has to be high enough to attract players and allow them to make a living. On the other hand it has to allow the clubs to be viable. The last time I checked I think the AHL (North American minor hockey league) had a minimum of about $39,000 per year. If you want a full professional quality league your not going to be able to go much below that. In markets like Vancouver and Toronto 35K a year pretty well has you living in a cramped bachelor apartment  carefully buying groceries at no frills to get you through the month.

[Kurt-MTL]

mpg_29: I see your point but think the league might be best served by following a more rigid cost-control strategy in the beginning as a way to minimize any potentially heavy early losses. 

Place a hard cap and floor with a little wiggle room worked in (say 1 DP and/or TAM) similar to MLS. Let the league get established and once things get a little more sustainable, relax the rules.

It doesn't have to be single entity but putting in a few safeguards against excessive spending and maybe centralizing certain costs (advertising, websites, merchandise, ticketing, etc) could go a long way toward ensuring the viability of the league. 

[mpg_29]

@Kurt-MTL

I disagree. Don't want the convoluted MLS salary system anywhere near the CPL. 

Most important thing for controlling costs is not to go overboard on player salary minimums in the beginning. That is the floor in a sense.

If certain owners want to spend more than the cap let them and just tax and redistribute the revenue from it. "Everybody wins" so to speak. At least in my opinion.

Edited April 15, 2018 by mpg_29

[Complete Homer]

2 hours ago, grasshopper1917 said:

The minimum salary could be tricky. It has to be high enough to attract players and allow them to make a living. On the other hand it has to allow the clubs to be viable. The last time I checked I think the AHL (North American minor hockey league) had a minimum of about $39,000 per year. If you want a full professional quality league your not going to be able to go much below that. In markets like Vancouver and Toronto 35K a year pretty well has you living in a cramped bachelor apartment  carefully buying groceries at no frills to get you through the month.

Part of the equation for league minimum salaries can be using seasonal/6 month contracts for depth players that allow players to work other jobs in the off season. Small knock on  professionalism but would allow you to pay reasonable wages in-season without breaking the bank. I think USL does this for the majority of their contracts as a cost savings measure

There's probably a few other ways they could get creative. If the York team does include greenpark homes, a condo developer, they could subsidize the high cost of Toronto living by providing housing. Sort of like how the SF Deltas did, but as probably cheaper as a developer 

Edited April 15, 2018 by Complete Homer

[Dub Narcotic]

The old MLS tricks (and tricks of minor leagues from the start of time) are always there: paying the players for coaching youth camps, subsidized housing, meals provided by the team and etc.. $30k for six months of work really is liveable everywhere in the country.

[Watchmen]

Did we ever get an update on how many season tickets FCE had deposits for?  Did they hit the 1000 mark Fath said he needed in that first 40 days?

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

53 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

Did we ever get an update on how many season tickets FCE had deposits for?  Did they hit the 1000 mark Fath said he needed in that first 40 days?

Not as far as I am aware and I doubt it was ever all that important in the big scheme of things beyond the publicity that it generated. The main issue for the Fath brothers appears to be the stadium expansion to 7000 seats, being the primary tenant of Clarke Stadium moving forward and having access to concessions. That's what gives them a shot at sustainability.

1 hour ago, Dub Narcotic said:

The old MLS tricks (and tricks of minor leagues from the start of time) are always there: paying the players for coaching youth camps, subsidized housing, meals provided by the team and etc.. $30k for six months of work really is liveable everywhere in the country.

The contract being long enough in duration to allow for EI claims tends to be part of that whole equation as well.

[Alex D]

1 hour ago, Watchmen said:

Did we ever get an update on how many season tickets FCE had deposits for?  Did they hit the 1000 mark Fath said he needed in that first 40 days?

All i have seen on twiter was that they passed their season ticket total from the previous year. That number was apparently right around 1,000. So if these are true numbers then yes they did.

[Rocket Robin]

And USL Attendances?     Not many watching Toronto FC II who have played all their games on the road.  

March 17th  New York Red Bulls II     717   

March 24th  Charlotte  Independence   1026   

April 7th    Pittsburgh Riverhounds   840   

I'll save BBTB the rebuttals.   New York doesn't like minor league sports, it rained in Charlotte, and the game was moved to Pittsburgh on four days notice because of BMO unplayable field. 

Still no one says the independent teams have attendance problems.  

 

 

Edited April 16, 2018 by Rocket Robin