CPL General

[toontownman]

Once the league hopefully takes off and is growing it wouldn't surprise me to see some of the MLSII sides folding and some affliations with CPL teams like they did with USL sides previously. 

Depends what is of max benefit to MLS clubs. Although either way I think and hope the CPL won't be pandering. Comes down to whether MLS teams want to save money closing their b-team operations and put full faith in the CPL environments being an equal or better benefit to having their own team in the USL or whether they prefer having full say on their players development and coaching. 

I think most clubs will do both in the short term and build some relationships for loaning players to CPL sides while keeping their own USL teams going. If CPL reaches its goals then it will be a stronger league than the USL at which point opinions might change. 

[Ansem]

13 minutes ago, toontownman said:

Once the league hopefully takes off and is growing it wouldn't surprise me to see some of the MLSII sides folding and some affliations with CPL teams like they did with USL sides previously. 

Depends what is of max benefit to MLS clubs. Although either way I think and hope the CPL won't be pandering. Comes down to whether MLS teams want to save money closing their b-team operations and put full faith in the CPL environments being an equal or better benefit to having their own team in the USL or whether they prefer having full say on their players development and coaching. 

I think most clubs will do both in the short term and build some relationships for loaning players to CPL sides while keeping their own USL teams going. If CPL reaches its goals then it will be a stronger league than the USL at which point opinions might change. 

That's an awful lot of capital and risks those owners are dealing with to simply end up being an MLS affiliate...don't you think?

[toontownman]

Definitely. If that ever ends up being a possibility it should be because its beneficial for and wanted by the CPL teams primarily not MLS clubs. Guess it depends on the terms of affiliation.  

If you are suggesting the prospect of clubs building themselves up just to become feeder clubs for an MLS side, yeah for me that's nonsense and probably not in the best interest of the cpl franchise clubs and communities. 

Obviously we are talking about the MLS clubs wanting to take the CPL players on loan because the league will have grown so big  

 

 

[lazlo_80]

It's funny how quickly this thread has turned back into the old thread before the Whistler meeting.

At one point this was a good spot to find news on the league...now there's better places to do that.

Note how posters on this board who likely do have inside information have suddenly stopped posting here.

 

[Ansem]

18 minutes ago, toontownman said:

Obviously we are talking about the MLS clubs wanting to take the CPL players on loan because the league will have grown so big

I think CPL initially will get lots of Canadian players loans from MLS. No need for "affiliations" for loan deals back and forth

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Wouldn't be so sure. If MLS teams use an affiliated USL team for that they can have more of a say over what happens on the technical side. In the absence of a deal that makes three CanPL teams the USL equivalent for the three Canadian MLS teams, the pathway for a lot of the best CMNT prospects is probably still going to be MLS Academy -> USL -> MLS. Where CanPL would probably fit into the equation is not so much on loans but later down the line when players are eventually told that they will have to look elsewhere for a contract at around 23 years of age.

[Macksam]

On ‎2017‎-‎10‎-‎11 at 12:54 PM, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

 I see a disconnect with reality in some of what is being said at the moment in a way that seems worringly familiar. Paul Beirne talking about promotion and relegation as if reaching 16 teams that can operate on a sustained basis is going to be a slam dunk is almost as wildly optimistic as expecting total football at TFC because Aaron Winter has just been brought in as coach (I realize that hire was probably more down to Tom Anselmi than Paul Beirne). It's about tapping into people's emotions in the short term to create a feel good factor rather than the reality of where things are likely to be at any time soon.

You do realize Paul Beirne mentions promotion relegation and reaching 16 teams as a long-term vision for the league and not something that would happen right away, right? People know the league won't look like that initially or in the short term but it's the long term vision. People have no conflict between a "feel good factor" and what the league will look like next year or 2019.

[Rheo]

I put this is stadium thread but applies here as well I guess, CPL confirms Surrey stadium bid is linked to them

https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/outdoor-spectator-stadium-in-surrey-eyed-as-home-for-pro-sports-team/

[ironcub14]

20 minutes ago, Rheo said:

I put this is stadium thread but applies here as well I guess, CPL confirms Surrey stadium bid is linked to them

https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/outdoor-spectator-stadium-in-surrey-eyed-as-home-for-pro-sports-team/

Said this in the other thread as well, but love the article. It's great that it's Surrey that's being discussed instead of Langley. And the enthusiasm from the Surrey city councillor is a great sign as well.

I think the whole MLS B team debate is moot when it's been unofficially announced that Whitecaps 2 are folding and that Vancouver's affiliating with Fresno FC next season. Just a quick point unrelated to CPL that it's a massive shame, as was FC Montreal folding. You're talking about a ton of CanM23 and CanM20 content there, some of who will definitely find their way to CPL but some who won't. Me, I'm pushing TFCII (and Ottawa) where I can as much as I can.

Me personally, I just want to see as many pro clubs in Canada as possible, that's literally all. Boost CPL, boost USL, boost MLS, boost L1O, boost every damn soccer team in this country except for those CSL sellouts. And ditch the dirty money NASL, FC Edmonton, the Faths know they're coming to CPL sooner or later.

Edited October 12, 2017 by ironcub14

[Blackjack15]

So now that we know the Whitecaps 2 are folding and are gonna be affiliating with Fresno FC next season does this force TFC to do the same? 

My only concern is that like @ironcub14 said; a lot of Canadians play in those two sides and it would be a shame if they struggled to find jobs after it folds. I know that both missed the playoffs and finished near bottom in the USL conference standings but there could still be some good players there, all very young U-23 & U-20 for the most part 

FYI: *Frank Yallop is now the GM of the new franchise in California * 

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Think it was the stadium issue for D2 level USSF sanctioning that probably ended things for Whitecaps 2 as the Langley stadium clearly didn't cut it for that and neither would Swangard. TFC II are going to use double headers with the first team at BMO Field along with other games at Lamport to solve that issue.

[Complete Homer]

30 minutes ago, Blackjack15 said:

So now that we know the Whitecaps 2 are folding and are gonna be affiliating with Fresno FC next season does this force TFC to do the same? 

My only concern is that like @ironcub14 said; a lot of Canadians play in those two sides and it would be a shame if they struggled to find jobs after it folds. I know that both missed the playoffs and finished near bottom in the USL conference standings but there could still be some good players there, all very young U-23 & U-20 for the most part 

FYI: *Frank Yallop is now the GM of the new franchise in California * 

I doubt TFC II folds. There's stuff to criticize with them, but being cheap isn't one of them. I think they are very serious about the goal of being a top north American team permanently 

[dyslexic nam]

8 hours ago, Oranje said:

I don't think it is as black and white as you're making it out to be. My thoughts are having the MLS farm teams as the founders of CPLII and keeping with Paul's Bundesliga comparison, second teams cannot be promoted to the first division. CPL wins because they have 3 financially backed teams stabilizing the 2nd division. MLS teams win because they can focus on development and not results because they can never be promoted, all while playing competitive matches because the other teams are vying for promotion.

just my $0.02

To be fair, I said "founding member" - meaning the original teams in D1.  If they want to be brought into the structure later at a lower level, that is a separate conversation.  But as a founding member, their presence would undermine CPL's identity and aspirations as a D1 league.  

[Initial B]

I think it's really important that CPL gets both Ottawa and Edmonton to join the league right off the bat. Both teams have pedigree now and some success that would bring instant credibility to the league and a certain expected quality for the new clubs. You would also have a built in rivalry, seeing how much they've played each other over the last 4 years. I think that the MLS clubs are planning to loan out their Canadian players that make it through their academy system to CPL teams to give them playing time and have to work their way into the lineups. Every year TFC is churning out 18 players from their academy system, and not all of them get into TFCII.

[dyslexic nam]

43 minutes ago, Initial B said:

I think that the MLS clubs are planning to loan out their Canadian players that make it through their academy system to CPL teams to give them playing time and have to work their way into the lineups. Every year TFC is churning out 18 players from their academy system, and not all of them get into TFCII.

If CPL is populated by guys who aren't good enough to make TFC II, it will fail.  I know people think the game-day experience and supporter culture will be a primary driver of league success, but that has to be coupled with a decent level of play.  Guys not good enough for TFC II simply won't cut it.  That would represent an even further step down from the farm teams that the league isn't interested in.

[Bison44]

1 hour ago, Initial B said:

I think it's really important that CPL gets both Ottawa and Edmonton to join the league right off the bat. Both teams have pedigree now and some success that would bring instant credibility to the league and a certain expected quality for the new clubs. You would also have a built in rivalry, seeing how much they've played each other over the last 4 years. I think that the MLS clubs are planning to loan out their Canadian players that make it through their academy system to CPL teams to give them playing time and have to work their way into the lineups. Every year TFC is churning out 18 players from their academy system, and not all of them get into TFCII.

You could have loaned out  Ucello, Anthony Osorio even Malik Johnson out so they could play every week in CPL.  Not exactly guys that arent good enough for TFC2, but guys that only get limited minutes and would benefit from steady play.  Zator, Melvin also might have been loaned out from VWC2 to get more minutes.  I think this might be the kind of CDN players we will get in year 1 of the CPL anyways.  

[Dub Narcotic]

16 hours ago, BuzzAndSting said:

So with more little tidbits dropping from BC and Halifax, isn't this the kind of info the doubters have said should be leaking if the CPL is legit?!

Yes! This pro team stuff is nearly impossible to keep hidden given the needed civic involvement. This type of news should have started leaking two years ago if a 2018 launch was ever realistic.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

5 hours ago, Initial B said:

I think it's really important that CPL gets both Ottawa and Edmonton to join the league right off the bat...

If they don't get them on board even a 2019 launch isn't going to be easy given the bureacracy and logistics surrounding stadium builds. Maybe we'll hear more once the NASL and USL seasons end, but if 2018 isn't happening as the Halifax article strongly implies then it may be this time next year before we hear anything official in Ottawa's case. With FC Edmonton the outcome of the injunction is probably the key.

Edited October 13, 2017 by BringBackTheBlizzard

[Rheo]

Kurt Larson asked for questions for a video so I asked about how much CPL information is out there but that you can't report on and he answered.  I found it interesting to see his take on timeline and hints on what he's heard and what areas would be   excited by when it comes out (video on the top of the article)

http://www.torontosun.com/2017/10/12/reds-must-focus-on-the-details-to-reach-records

[BuzzAndSting]

2 hours ago, Rheo said:

Kurt Larson asked for questions for a video so I asked about how much CPL information is out there but that you can't report on and he answered.  I found it interesting to see his take on timeline and hints on what he's heard and what areas would be   excited by when it comes out (video on the top of the article)

http://www.torontosun.com/2017/10/12/reds-must-focus-on-the-details-to-reach-records

So interesting takeaways;

- "A lot more happening" behind the scenes, "a lot of exciting things" but can't be reported on because it's not "sign, sealed and delivered."

- Believes that there will be announcements after the new year when the CPL would "have the news cycle to themselves."

- "There's a lot of stuff out there that's going to come out sooner, I think it's going to surprise and make a lot fans in the Toronto area, the Vancouver area and other cities pretty happy."

And we know Rheo's real name!

Edited October 13, 2017 by BuzzAndSting

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

7:00 is the timing. Think the key snippet was that strong hint at a GTA team unless Hamilton qualifies as being "Toronto area" in his mind.

Edited October 13, 2017 by BringBackTheBlizzard

[Rheo]

25 minutes ago, BuzzAndSting said:

So interesting takeaways;

Thanks for the recap, got busy at work before I could get around to it.  I was pleasantly surprised at his optimism towards the league.  Not too long ago (like last year I'd say) he seemed pretty down on the idea of it, but I remember him saying (I believe it was on his pod with Rollins as guest) that the more he heard the more he liked but where they intended to go and it seems to of grown with the apparent more that he know now.

[Complete Homer]

2 hours ago, Rheo said:

Thanks for the recap, got busy at work before I could get around to it.  I was pleasantly surprised at his optimism towards the league.  Not too long ago (like last year I'd say) he seemed pretty down on the idea of it, but I remember him saying (I believe it was on his pod with Rollins as guest) that the more he heard the more he liked but where they intended to go and it seems to of grown with the apparent more that he know now.

Yeah I'm pretty happy that Larson has turned the corner, shows how engaging the mainstream media a little can change the narrative. Still unfortunate he made the PDL comment though, seems like most soccer fans I've encountered that have heard of CPL have the impression that it'll be PDL level from his comment. While that's too bad, it does demonstrate his reach (at least in Ontario) and bodes well that he's getting excited about the league. 

[Rheo]

These are definitely interesting days to be sure.  The one thing that really surprised me with all the recent news bits was the CPL officially confirming the Surrey stadium news was related to them.  If I'm not mistaken that's the first time they confirmed a team's interest in an area without ownership going public as well.  Good to see them being forthcoming like this when asked.

[Blackjack15]

The excitement keeps coming to us and gets us pumped for a professional league in Canada, but we also gotta remember that the level/quality of play won't be as we might think it is, lower most likely. So I just hope and pray that Beirne and ownership groups get the business side of things right and that the average attendance is between 5,000-8,000 in the first year

Would be pretty incredible if Hamilton were to host Ottawa in the first ever CPL game and sell out Tim Hortons Field (22,500 +) 

Dream Big