BreadBoy Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Seems to me that Toronto would be a good spot for a NWSL team, any insight why there isn't one? Apologies if already discussed at length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jith12 Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 (edited) 28 minutes ago, BreadBoy said: Seems to me that Toronto would be a good spot for a NWSL team, any insight why there isn't one? Apologies if already discussed at length. I would love to see an NWSL team here in Toronto. However, TFC has been 'round for 10 years now and we still are not up there with the Leafs, Raps and Jays. As much as us V's would follow it, it would be very slow to get off of the ground with casual fans. I would hate to see a Toronto team be formed and fold just a year or two later because the fanbase was not strong enough. That would hurt our chances of getting a team longer down the road. When soccer becomes more mainstream I would be all in favour of a Toronto NWSL team (Especially considering the CSA is a major funder of the league). Edited October 12, 2017 by Jith12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickH Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 It would be interesting to see an NWSL team in Vancouver in the near future. I think the fanbase would be there, but getting the right ownership group would be crucial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jith12 Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 3 hours ago, NickH said: It would be interesting to see an NWSL team in Vancouver in the near future. I think the fanbase would be there, but getting the right ownership group would be crucial. That is a very good point. I would like to see MLSE try a Toronto WFC platform and brand the team like they do for TFC. Similar to how most EPL clubs have women's affiliates (MCWFC, Arsenal WFC etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 No one has the vision or big picture to appreciate the value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick P Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 if MLSE can put a NWSL team at BMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 MLSE interested in NWSL team Jedi Ram and Onelessstar 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ansem Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 I hope CONCACAF says no of there are parallel plans for a Canadian league. This is a mistake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onelessstar Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 18 hours ago, Ansem said: I hope CONCACAF says no of there are parallel plans for a Canadian league. This is a mistake Having a professional team in Canada? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 6 hours ago, Onelessstar said: Having a professional team in Canada? He is saying that because if there is a Toronto team in the NWSL, it makes it harder for Canada to get a full league of it's own off the ground. He'd rather have, say, 6 to 10 pro teams than just 1. Jedi Ram, -Hammer- and Ansem 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red card Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 A Canadian league has a chance to be a top 5 women's league and certainly a top 10 league. NWSL min salary is only 35k and Italy/Spain are only becoming fully professional next year. So, it should be easier for a women's Canadian league to attract national team players of other nations. It won't have the Canada senior national team 1-20 players. But it should have a swath of the players playing in Euro leagues ex WSL & France D1. It should have also the swath of NCAA/CIS players who now don't pursue pro opportunities if not considered by the NWSL. Plus, there are players who are ready to be pro at an earlier age as is the norm in the men's game. While a MLSE run NWSL team will chug along a la the Argos/Marlies/TFC, the NWSL isn't the panacea that many on social media pine about. Avg attendance pre-covid was 7k. Only the Thorns and now probably ACFC get 15k+. US tv ratings are better than the MLS but most matches are only on Paramount+ in the US. So tv money is even less than MLS. NWSL has a international player limit of 5 per team. So, similar to MLS, Canadian players may be at a disadvantage. The Fed allocated players has been ended by Mexico & US. So, I'm assuming it has ended for Canada - but haven't seen any announcements. NWSL is also a poorly run league from endless coach abuse scandals, disregard for players' health, bad tv production, bad refs (worse than CPL), bad scheduling, playing through some international windows, imposing playing age limit until taken to court. some owners whose best before date has expired and skeleton head office staffing. Ansem 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 On 5/14/2022 at 10:49 PM, red card said: US tv ratings are better than the MLS Really? Any more details on this? Is it like, the average is higher for NWSL because when there are games they are on a big, main network as opposed to one of their other channels (example, NBC rather than NBC Sports)? Or is it just legit more watched than MLS on TV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie_the_parrot Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 (edited) On 5/15/2022 at 4:49 AM, red card said: A Canadian league has a chance to be a top 5 women's league and certainly a top 10 league... If you prefer a Canadian league on principle no matter what maybe just cut to the chase and say so rather than trying to build a rational argument for reinventing the wheel in this context when FIFA allows Canada to access cross-border leagues? Now that top European clubs are subsidizing the operations of full-time professional women's teams that first point is no longer applicable. It's been left way too late in the day for there to be any chance of that. Edited May 16, 2022 by Ozzie_the_parrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soro17 Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 If you want a case study in the consequence of foot-dragging and doing nothing while other countries elsewhere go professional, look at Canada Rugby post-1995. A steady decline into irrelevancy. It feels like an inflection point is coming for the women. Free kick and narduch 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red card Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 On 5/15/2022 at 11:44 PM, Kent said: Really? Any more details on this? Is it like, the average is higher for NWSL because when there are games they are on a big, main network as opposed to one of their other channels (example, NBC rather than NBC Sports)? Or is it just legit more watched than MLS on TV? Since NWSL went with CBS, the ratings have jumped to 400-700k range even with many matches starting at noon or 1. Now, as mentioned, there are limited matches on CBS. And there is no data for matches on CBSSN as Neilson doesn't cover them. Most matches are streamed which also have no public viewership data. MLS matches are 2-3x more on tv and average ratings of <300k are based on matches on ABC, FOX, ESPN & FS but excludes matches on Spanish language networks. US women friendlies have also easily outdrawn US men friendlies in the past decade. Athletic article today mentioned earliest date for NWSL expansion is 2024. And in light of Canada Soccer hiring Breagha Carr-Harris, NWSL might prefer using the hiring as an excuse if only to not have to worry about the logistics and expense of running a league across two countries. narduch and Kent 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Hammer- Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 I would think that you don't have enough ownership groups and that Canada Soccer doesn't want the women's league to end up like MLS & the CanPL. Where the top markets basically go to US interests and they dictate how many Canadians play and the other markets have a harder time drawing. I'm all for it so long as Canada Soccer makes it crystal clear to all ownership groups, that the second there are enough Canadian owners to run a Canadian Women's League, you will be made to make the jump to grow a Canadian league and ensure that understanding is ironclad and constantly reminded that it is conditional. Frankly, I'm almost tempted to make sanctioning depending on securing a bond to ensure such a jump happens gracefully. No Ottawa Fury BS again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie_the_parrot Posted May 20, 2022 Share Posted May 20, 2022 On 5/18/2022 at 12:11 AM, red card said: ...Athletic article today mentioned earliest date for NWSL expansion is 2024. And in light of Canada Soccer hiring Breagha Carr-Harris, NWSL might prefer using the hiring as an excuse if only to not have to worry about the logistics and expense of running a league across two countries. An alternative spin to this would be that it's interesting timing to be hiring a former MLSE employee for that post just before it was revealed in The Athletic that MLSE are interested in NWSL expansion: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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