Confirmed: FC Edmonton whitdraws from NASL

[Blackdude]

http://www.fcedmonton.com/news/2017/11/24/club-statement--fc-edmonton-withdraws-from-north-american-soccer-league

[BenFisk'sBiggestFan]

I was just about to post this. There is no meantion of possibly continuing in the future either... 

[Gopherbashi]

"Discontinuing professional franchise operations" has a disturbing tone of finality to it.

[ChrisinOrleans]

Unless there is a contingency for CanPL, this is a large blow to the game in Canada. Especially out West. 

[matty]

The bad: no team for 2018

The good: academy remains open

[Bison44]

“Although we believed in and have supported the NASL business model, our franchise has proven to be unsustainable in the Edmonton market."

CPL are you listening??  Maybe whenever it might actually start they can learn from all the teams/models that couldnt make it.  

[Nick P]

I think one of the best ways to show the Faths our appreciation and encouragement to try CPL is to continue to support the club. At the top level may still be gone but the academy is here still

[Ansem]

9 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

“Although we believed in and have supported the NASL business model, our franchise has proven to be unsustainable in the Edmonton market."

CPL are you listening??  Maybe whenever it might actually start they can learn from all the teams/models that couldnt make it.  

Seems like a downtown soccer stadium is what he's after. Also clear he can't operate a CPL team on his own. He'll most likely need a partnership with deep pockets

[matty]

9 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

 

CPL are you listening??  Maybe whenever it might actually start they can learn from all the teams/models that couldnt make it.  

I agree the cpl (should it want the faths) should talk to fce about what did and didn't work and plot. Yes there are no international flights and maybe they could bus to to some cities but there are other issues like a 1m+ market not breaking the needed 5k.

[Ansem]

Just now, matty said:

I agree the cpl (should it want the faths) should talk to fce about what did and didn't work and plot. Yes there are no international flights and maybe they could bus to to some cities but there are other issues like a 1m+ market not breaking the needed 5k.

And Halifax can?

It's more about circumstances in the market than the market itself.

[matty]

3 minutes ago, Ansem said:

And Halifax can?

It's more about circumstances in the market than the market itself.

Was just coming to edit it. Was gonna say "what happens when" and what marketing issues exist

Also wouldn't worry about halifax as much as winnipeg or calgary

[Bison44]

Will it be any better for FCE in CPL?  Lower payroll?  Probably not, we are bouncing around a 1mil number, which is likely higher than he is paying now.   Less travel expenses? I guess it depends on who is there? But going to VAN, WPG, HAMILTON, HALIFAX should be cheaper than texas, New York, San Fran, Miami??  I hope so!!  More fans??  I would hope natural CDN rivalries would win out over the expected drop in soccer quality, but who can say??  UGGHH, help me out here, I'm trying to think positive but I cant come up with much.  

[Chad_Impact]

7 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

Will it be any better for FCE in CPL?  Lower payroll?  Probably not, we are bouncing around a 1mil number, which is likely higher than he is paying now.   Less travel expenses? I guess it depends on who is there? But going to VAN, WPG, HAMILTON, HALIFAX should be cheaper than texas, New York, San Fran, Miami??  I hope so!!  More fans??  I would hope natural CDN rivalries would win out over the expected drop in soccer quality, but who can say??  UGGHH, help me out here, I'm trying to think positive but I cant come up with much.  

Don't underestimate the value of being a "Division 1" league. 

[Ansem]

15 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

Will it be any better for FCE in CPL?  Lower payroll?  Probably not, we are bouncing around a 1mil number, which is likely higher than he is paying now.   Less travel expenses? I guess it depends on who is there? But going to VAN, WPG, HAMILTON, HALIFAX should be cheaper than texas, New York, San Fran, Miami??  I hope so!!  More fans??  I would hope natural CDN rivalries would win out over the expected drop in soccer quality, but who can say??  UGGHH, help me out here, I'm trying to think positive but I cant come up with much.  

Being televised would help...which he wasn't until now (except for those going out of their ways to get a live feed)

Marketing: I doubt NASL did much to market the league in Edmonton. FCE were pretty much on their own. Pretty sure CPL will do everything to help team with marketing and market the league properly to fans, which in terms would get them to care

Rivalries: Hard to care about North Carolina, Jacksonville, Puerto Rico and such places. Calgary, Saskatoon and British Columbia is much more attractive.

Sponsorship: CPL increases the value and numbers of sponsors, hence being televised being important.

Finances: All transactions in Canadian dollars is a huge plus.

Division 1: Sounds better than Division II or NASL --> hence sponsorship

Canadian League/Canadian Content/Canada: How many businesses in Edmonton do business in NASL cities to make it worth their while to sponsor the team. However, being on television from coast to coast and traveling is much more attractive for corporations to get interested. Just sell it as the "CFL" of soccer to businesses.

I think Fath questioning publicly Edmonton is a huge wake up call to both the CSA and CPL. There's a huge marketing job to be done in that city, hell the rest of the country.

@CSA, not only the 3 main cities matters. Listen to Fath's warning

[Complete Homer]

https://the11.ca/fath-fc-edmonton-will-not-return-in-any-league-unless-edmonton-proves-soccer-can-be-sustainable/

Sandor's article. Definitely not ruling out CPL but still pretty ominous. Sounds closer to a "I'll wait to see what CPL looks like after a year" instead of being q launch team

[Ansem]

2 minutes ago, Complete Homer said:

https://the11.ca/fath-fc-edmonton-will-not-return-in-any-league-unless-edmonton-proves-soccer-can-be-sustainable/

Sandor's article. Definitely not ruling out CPL but still pretty ominous. Sounds closer to a "I'll wait to see what CPL looks like after a year" instead of being q launch team

It's a warning to Edmonton itself. He wants to see the city (stadium file) and corporate Edmonton (Sponsorship + partneurship) to step up. Also, we have to realize how little the CSA did to promote soccer outside of the main 3 markets. No excuses to not have friendlies and WCQ outside of the main 3. That's utterly unacceptable.

[CDNFootballer]

4 hours ago, Bison44 said:

Will it be any better for FCE in CPL?  Lower payroll?  Probably not, we are bouncing around a 1mil number, which is likely higher than he is paying now.   Less travel expenses? I guess it depends on who is there? But going to VAN, WPG, HAMILTON, HALIFAX should be cheaper than texas, New York, San Fran, Miami??  I hope so!!  More fans??  I would hope natural CDN rivalries would win out over the expected drop in soccer quality, but who can say??  UGGHH, help me out here, I'm trying to think positive but I cant come up with much.  

Edmonton to Miami is cheaper than flying to Halifax, similar to Ottawa.

Edmonton to New York is lower than Halifax, Ottawa, and similar to Hamilton.

Don't think the travel expenses in CPL will be a whole lot less if the league is coast to coast(no Puerto Rico is great though) and its impact is overrated.

4 hours ago, Ansem said:

Being televised would help...which he wasn't until now (except for those going out of their ways to get a live feed)

Marketing: I doubt NASL did much to market the league in Edmonton. FCE were pretty much on their own. Pretty sure CPL will do everything to help team with marketing and market the league properly to fans, which in terms would get them to care

Rivalries: Hard to care about North Carolina, Jacksonville, Puerto Rico and such places. Calgary, Saskatoon and British Columbia is much more attractive.

Sponsorship: CPL increases the value and numbers of sponsors, hence being televised being important.

Finances: All transactions in Canadian dollars is a huge plus.

Division 1: Sounds better than Division II or NASL --> hence sponsorship

Canadian League/Canadian Content/Canada: How many businesses in Edmonton do business in NASL cities to make it worth their while to sponsor the team. However, being on television from coast to coast and traveling is much more attractive for corporations to get interested. Just sell it as the "CFL" of soccer to businesses.

I think Fath questioning publicly Edmonton is a huge wake up call to both the CSA and CPL. There's a huge marketing job to be done in that city, hell the rest of the country.

@CSA, not only the 3 main cities matters. Listen to Fath's warning

TV : FC Edmonton was televised locally for most  years of NASL although not this year. NASL had National TV deal with Bein Sports but clubs had to pay a fee for the enhanced production. If CPL can get a TV deal which actually pays $ to the clubs instead of only ad sharing like NASL has had it a plus, but don't see that happening the first few years at least.

Rivalries : Both league's have/would have their glam markets and blah markets, better rivalries will be made in CPL.

Marketing : Clubs usually do most of the marketing, CPL may or may not assist much in that regard.

Finances and Sponsorship : CPL is the winner here as far as CDN $ concerned and sponsorship as a D1 league as well.

 

Problem is Fath wants to see support for a CPL club but hard to see that unless he joins the league as far as fan support goes. Maybe he's angling for stadium upgrades to Clarke partly by saying this and maybe he also wants more of an independent club type league (more in tune with the rest of the world) that he's stated he believes in as opposed to a single entity/franchise one and wants to pressure for his preferred model. With CPL I think Fath will be out, or maybe in if he has additional investor joining for CPL but won't go it alone. 

 

[BuzzAndSting]

5 hours ago, Ansem said:

It's a warning to Edmonton itself. He wants to see the city (stadium file) and corporate Edmonton (Sponsorship + partneurship) to step up. Also, we have to realize how little the CSA did to promote soccer outside of the main 3 markets. No excuses to not have friendlies and WCQ outside of the main 3. That's utterly unacceptable.

Except for a horrendous showing the last time they ventured outside of Toronto or Vancouver. 

[Bison44]

1 hour ago, BuzzAndSting said:

Except for a horrendous showing the last time they ventured outside of Toronto or Vancouver. 

If you are talking about Montreal, it was dissapointing, maybe not horrendous.  But if we want a coast to coast league, then we should be able to let the national team play somewhere besides Van and TO now and again.  

[BCM]

11 hours ago, Ansem said:

Seems like a downtown soccer stadium is what he's after. Also clear he can't operate a CPL team on his own. He'll most likely need a partnership with deep pockets

Hoping that an owner with deep pockets bankrolls a team in perpetuity is not exactly a business model for a sustainable future. The business model has to forecast profits at some stage or the team/league won't last very long. 

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

https://the11.ca/fath-fc-edmonton-will-not-return-in-any-league-unless-edmonton-proves-soccer-can-be-sustainable/

“As for the Canadian Premier League, I love the idea, I think it’s important for Canada. But what we require is it to be sustainable. We need to be sustainable. Whatever we do, it won’t be USL. And the NASL is not sustainable in Edmonton.”

Think that's the epitaph for FC Edmonton, unfortunately. Not surprised the guy got fed up of losing into seven figures every year.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

15 hours ago, Chad_Impact said:

Don't underestimate the value of being a "Division 1" league. 

It certainly does wonders for the League of Wales. 

[dyslexic nam]

1 hour ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

https://the11.ca/fath-fc-edmonton-will-not-return-in-any-league-unless-edmonton-proves-soccer-can-be-sustainable/

“As for the Canadian Premier League, I love the idea, I think it’s important for Canada. But what we require is it to be sustainable. We need to be sustainable. Whatever we do, it won’t be USL. And the NASL is not sustainable in Edmonton.”

Think that's the epitaph for FC Edmonton, unfortunately. Not surprised the guy got fed up of losing into seven figures every year.

I am not sure how that is an epitaph.  He "loves the idea" - that is actually one of the most positive things he has said about the prospect.  Issuing a caveat that it needs to be sustainable is hardly a death knell - it is common sense business practice and perfectly understandable after his experience in NASL.  And he is a business guy.  Keeping his options open, avoiding any premature public commitments, and trying to give himself some levers for future discussions with the city and corporate community  is what any good businessman would do.

I guess I am in the clear minority, but under that circumstances and given the context as I know it (or at least believe it to be), I think this was the ideal time to take the necessary step of leaving NASL if he was ever to put a team in CPL.

By leaving this year, he gets to pay a $100k exit fee.  That would rise to $5M if the league regained D2 status or once again hit a critical mass of teams.  People have talked about the idea that NASL might have waived the fee just to get rid of the Canadian club, but as far as I can tell that is just blue-sky speculation on here with no real evidence behind it.   The risk of another $4.9M in penalties means that leaving the league this year was the only safe option if CPL is the long term play.  

And by continuing the academy, FCEd still has skin in the game.  Why would he do that unless he planned to continue on with a soccer venture?  He is carrying on with an expense line that doesn't generate much, if any, revenue.  That doesn't sound to me like a guy who is cashing out.  If a move to CPL (at the speculated budget) was planned, a crop of pro-trained young players would be a huge asset - and that is precisely what he is setting himself up to have.  

Finally, this development opens up one of Canada's absolute strongest markets for a CPL franchise - regardless of the ownership group. I sincerely hope that it is Fath's FCEd 2.0 given all that he has done for soccer and his demonstrated commitment, but the main thing is that the market is now open for CPL.  Having FCEd continue in NASL would have effectively locked CPL out of that market indefinitely.  That was always going to be a huge barrier for the league.  That barrier is no longer in place.

I am sure I will be told that I am wrong, but I am cheering this decision.  

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

9 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

I am not sure how that is an epitaph.  He "loves the idea" - that is actually one of the most positive things he has said about the prospect...

Everything said before the but in a sentence tends to be a way to soften the blow on the important bad news part that follows. Would have been better if what had followed that part had been something along the lines of, "...and we look forward to exploring our future participation in that league with Paul Beirne and the groups that are interested in other cities".

[BuzzAndSting]

10 hours ago, Bison44 said:

If you are talking about Montreal, it was dissapointing, maybe not horrendous.  But if we want a coast to coast league, then we should be able to let the national team play somewhere besides Van and TO now and again.  

There was less than 5 000 people. And 400 of then were Piette’s friends and family. That’s horrendous.