CPL General

[rkomar]

17 minutes ago, Ruffian said:

I was hoping they would mention the Y9 vs PFC game during the Whitecaps vs TFC game. Nothing! And essentially these games are all part of the greater Voyageurs Cup.

I'm sure the last thing they wanted to do was point viewers to a more interesting game going on at the same time.

[Ansem]

2 hours ago, Ruffian said:

I was hoping they would mention the Y9 vs PFC game during the Whitecaps vs TFC game. Nothing! And essentially these games are all part of the greater Voyageurs Cup.

Mark my words, MediaPro will snatch the MLS rights and both leagues will be on onesoccer which will see an influx of subscribers. TSN will hand up with nothing or buying games here and there

[narduch]

4 minutes ago, Ansem said:

Mark my words, MediaPro will snatch the MLS rights and both leagues will be on onesoccer which will see an influx of subscribers. TSN will hand up with nothing or buying games here and there

I wonder if MLS will want to still be on the traditional broadcasters though. 

Although I guess they could always partner with CBC.

[narduch]

DAZN will probably be aggressive on the MLS rights too.

[Ruffian]

58 minutes ago, Ansem said:

Mark my words, MediaPro will snatch the MLS rights and both leagues will be on onesoccer which will see an influx of subscribers. TSN will hand up with nothing or buying games here and there

I would absolutely love that! The commentators can discuss everything about Canadian soccer without having to worry about Corporate restrictions.

[Ansem]

4 hours ago, narduch said:

I wonder if MLS will want to still be on the traditional broadcasters though. 

Although I guess they could always partner with CBC.

MediaPro did say they wanted to launch their own channel. Securing MLS would made that possible while adding more leagues 

[Watchmen]

20 hours ago, Ansem said:

MediaPro did say they wanted to launch their own channel. Securing MLS would made that possible while adding more leagues 

MediaPro's financial position might mean they aren't in the position to grab more leagues.

But assuming MLS did sign with OneSoccer, there's something they would want besides money: more coverage than the CPL. They'll want the same talk shows, coverage, etc that the CPL is currently getting and they'll want them in prime time slots. It's the only way it makes sense for them to leave a bigger national carrier like TSN.

[narduch]

No conflict with CL final anymore

Edited August 20, 2020 by narduch

[dyslexic nam]

55 minutes ago, narduch said:

No conflict CL final anymore

Just conflict with my wife about me watching 3 footy games on the weekend. 

[narduch]

2 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Just conflict with my wife about me watching 3 footy games on the weekend. 

What your not watching the 2 Saturday Games? 😀

Edited August 20, 2020 by narduch

[dyslexic nam]

6 minutes ago, narduch said:

What your not watching the 2 Saturday Games? 😀

Sadly, I probably am.  

[SpursFlu]

In defense TSN did shout out the CPL when talking about the officials and how the CPL is also proving to benefit Canadian officials 

On a side note as a Caps fan watching the games simultaneously the CPL game was far more compelling 

[Shway]

14 minutes ago, SpursFlu said:

On a side note as a Caps fan watching the games simultaneously the CPL game was far more compelling 

As a TFC fan, I forgot they were evening playing when I was watching the Forge v Halifax game. And surprisingly I wasn't mad. 

[dyslexic nam]

32 minutes ago, SpursFlu said:

In defense TSN did shout out the CPL when talking about the officials and how the CPL is also proving to benefit Canadian officials 

The fact that we have to cite this one brief mention as an example of TSN’s level of coverage of our national soccer league is fairly telling.  

[Ansem]

2 hours ago, Watchmen said:

MediaPro's financial position might mean they aren't in the position to grab more leagues.

I'm under no illusion what's our place in MediaPro strategy. We aren't the end game but a mean to an end.

Canada was up for the grab and MediaPro stepped in as a way to enter the North American Market.

We are an investment - meaning that all those expanses are worth it if a decade from now, it means that MediaPro gets in the American market and perhaps later the Mexican market where the money truly is

The timing (2026) makes it the opportunity of a lifetime if they get in early enough. We are "step 1" of a bigger and long term strategy to expand into an untapped market, the last Eldorado of football

The potential return on investment justifies the early expanses they are doing right now. All of this was never about CPL being the end game. If anything, all those crashes on Onesoccer to me says that we are the "guinea pigs" where they get to test and fix it for when they are ready to go south.

Also, other major sports networks have to think about all the other sport leagues who are way pricier and MLS isn't on top of the list. It's  the top 4 and other events and then MLS. MediaPro can throw more money at them like DAZN did in Canada for EPL and Champions League, especially if they view the American market as the prize.

2 hours ago, Watchmen said:

But assuming MLS did sign with OneSoccer, there's something they would want besides money: more coverage than the CPL. They'll want the same talk shows, coverage, etc that the CPL is currently getting and they'll want them in prime time slots. It's the only way it makes sense for them to leave a bigger national carrier like TSN.

TSN has to divide their attention against all the other sports and leagues, MediaPro doesn't have to do it to the same extand. MLS content being important to TSN and TVA, MediaPro could easily resale primetime games without the cost of production at a premium allowing them to buy games "a la carte" given them more flexibility 

MLS gets the same quality of production than what's being done in Europe. I think there's lots of upside for MLS choosing them.

As for having more attention, MediaPro has way more capacity. They have the app and eventually the TV channel whichould allow for more US games being shown in Canada instead of primarily just the 3 Canadian teams.

This helps gaining new fans for non Canadian teams who don't get the chance to be shown often and fans in CPL market would have convenient access to MLS products and content

Edited August 20, 2020 by Ansem

[Shway]

1 minute ago, dyslexic nam said:

The fact that we have to cite this one brief mention as an example of TSN’s level of coverage of our national soccer league is fairly telling.  

And thats why with each day the CPL exists, the more and more I get disinterested in watching "Canadian" teams in the American leagues. Yes I am anti-American, and anti how we as Canadians rely too much on them for our entertainment infrastructures - I simply hate it. We are the only country that doesn't have our own media sources, and it extends to the main sports, and past that which effects the mentality of Canadians that we have to go south to achieve better. So my hope & prayer is that by 2026 when we host the leftover games at the WC,  is that we can say we have a true independent first division. No more TFC, MTL, WFC in the MLS under rules that don't truly benefit the Canadian player development. 

[narduch]

18 minutes ago, Shway said:

As a TFC fan, I forgot they were evening playing when I was watching the Forge v Halifax game. And surprisingly I wasn't mad. 

Ya it doesn't help that they announced the mini tourney with only 5 days notice.

People like to shit on CPL but I think it's a joke that MLS isn't even sure what is happening with the 3 Canadian clubs

[SpursFlu]

8 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

The fact that we have to cite this one brief mention as an example of TSN’s level of coverage of our national soccer league is fairly telling.  

I agree but just saying 

[Shway]

6 minutes ago, narduch said:

Ya it doesn't help that they announced the mini tourney with only 5 days notice.

People like to **** on CPL but I think it's a joke that MLS isn't even sure what is happening with the 3 Canadian clubs

They simply don't care, and with the ever increasing ever expanding of granting expansion franchises - it will continue to diminish. Thank God for TFC becoming relevant and waving the "don't forget about us" flag only because they are one of the best teams in the league, sourcing a bunch of American internationals. If not...I can't see them trying to figure out a season for them.

Lets see what Phase 2 is.

Edited August 20, 2020 by Shway

[narduch]

18 minutes ago, Shway said:

And thats why with each day the CPL exists, the more and more I get disinterested in watching "Canadian" teams in the American leagues. Yes I am anti-American, and anti how we as Canadians rely too much on them for our entertainment infrastructures - I simply hate it. We are the only country that doesn't have our own media sources, and it extends to the main sports, and past that which effects the mentality of Canadians that we have to go south to achieve better. So my hope & prayer is that by 2026 when we host the leftover games at the WC,  is that we can say we have a true independent first division. No more TFC, MTL, WFC in the MLS under rules that don't truly benefit the Canadian player development. 

I'm in the same boat.

It's very similar to how the creation of TFC led me to stop caring as much about Serie A and other teams I followed in Europe.

We were sold a bill of goods when TFC was created about how great it would be for Canadian soccer. In my opinion 13 years later and the jury is still out on that. Now that the CPL is up and running its time to move on from that.

Besides I'm convinced that MLS is a ponzi scheme. None of it makes sense considering how awful the TV ratings are. I also feel like there are too many teams now. 

Edited August 20, 2020 by narduch

[Watchmen]

46 minutes ago, narduch said:

I'm in the same boat.

It's very similar to how the creation of TFC led me to stop caring as much about Serie A and other teams I followed in Europe.

We were sold a bill of goods when TFC was created about how great it would be for Canadian soccer. In my opinion 13 years later and the jury is still out on that. Now that the CPL is up and running its time to move on from that.

Besides I'm convinced that MLS is a ponzi scheme. None of it makes sense considering how awful the TV ratings are. I also feel like there are too many teams now. 

TFC's arrival was good for Canadian soccer, and it's not even disputable.

1) We're entering a golden generation of talent in Canada, and at least some of it is directly attributable to MLS.

2) The success of TFC, in terms of proving there's a market for live soccer in Canada, lead to both the Whitecaps and Impact also entering a higher league and eventually the creation of the CPL.

Where everything goes from here is up to the CSA, owners, fans and players, and hopefully things continue to get better. But let's not kid ourselves that it all started with TFC.

[ddoouugg]

3 hours ago, Watchmen said:

.

2) The success of TFC, in terms of proving there's a market for live soccer in Canada, lead to both the Whitecaps and Impact also entering a higher league and eventually the creation of the CPL.

Where everything goes from here is up to the CSA, owners, fans and players, and hopefully things continue to get better. But let's not kid ourselves that it all started with TFC.

Vancouver and Montreal were already on the way to the MLS before TFC.

[Kent]

Some of you may have seen I created a new thread just listing Canadian players that have played in Champions League finals. In researching that, glancing at lists of player names for each game with flags beside each player really hits the point home. If it’s a Korean team you see 16 or so Korean players and a couple Brazilians. If it’s an Argentinian team you see 17 Argentinians and 1 Colombian. If it’s an Egyptian team you see 18 Egyptians. It is immediately apparent by a one second glance at the list of player nationalities what country the team is from (I wasn’t looking at UEFA for the most part). Then you get to the Montreal Impact with 0 Canadians starting and TFC with 2 starting, more Americans than Canadians. It’s jarring.

This is going to be a horrible analogy but the jump in legitimacy of MLS from the 1.0 days (NFL stadiums, with shootouts with run ups to decide regular season games, and I think no time added on perhaps) to the 2.0 days (stadiums built for the teams, academies to develop players, better player budgets, etc) feels like the same size of jump that Canada soccer is getting between its MLS only era (only three pro teams, playing very few Canadians, Canada an afterthought every time the commissioner opens his mouth) to the CPL days (8 CPL teams and looking to expand further, playing mostly Canadians, an expanded Voyageurs Cup, spot in the CONCACAF league for CPL).

[toontownman]

We can hope. I like the quality I have seen so far in the Island Games. I don't think it's worse than last year, arguably it's better and that is without any real pre-season or match fitness. 

Considering the foreign talent that couldn't make this tournament, I think we are in a much better place quality wise. It would have been even higher with the missing players and will likely up a level if we do get back to a regular season in 2021. That said, had they been here would players like Farsi have even been in the league? Probably not with Luca and Escalante there. Likewise the three York players.

The selling point in this league for fellow Canadians is the one media vision. We aren't matching MLS for level anytime soon. It is the stories, the investment in the countries game and Canadian players. Getting to know the characters and journeys and being part of something great. The league will go as far as the country supports it imo. People will forgive the playing level if they can get invested. With so many corrupt leagues with big money owners, fans are becoming increasingly disillusioned with big league football, the CPL is a breath of fresh air. For now at least. 

 One media is doing a great job from a host of different characters of pundits to content introducing players. There isn't anyone with a soul that doesn't secretly want to see Kareem Moses do well after watching Bringing it Home. I hope the CBC buys and airs that. Unlikely with the amount of swearing lol.

As fans we need to find ways to pull more eyes on the league and to games once we can again. Easier said than done but I think that is the reality. We can make it as great as we want.

[SoccMan]

The TV ratings debate for soccer in North America is a tough one, be it here in Canada or the US. The other big sports here in North America really have no other competition in terms of other leagues within their sports.  I would say the vast majority of hockey fans in North America are watching the NHL when watching hockey . How many are watching the Swedish league or the KHL for example ? Not many I would venture to guess . Basketball fans vast majority are watching the NBA . How many are watching the Spanish basketball league ? Again not many hardly any. Therefore, these sports don’t have to deal with their fans watching other leagues and not watching theirs. Soccer however, a league like the MLS or even the CPL are always going to compete with all these other leagues around the world for eyeballs. Unless the MLS or even the CPL become top world leagues , they will always struggle on the TV ratings side of things. Both leagues will have to find a way forward in spite of probably not ever having the tv viewership of the other sports . People are watching soccer in decent numbers in North America but they are just not all watching the same league.

Edited August 21, 2020 by SoccMan