Cavalry FC launch/2019 off season thread

[shermanator]

Checking in the morning after the event. I am absolutely ecstatic for this new club. People can whine and nitpick all they want about specific details, nothing can take away the excitement for me.

Lots of media there; Global, CTV, CBC, Fan960 (Pinder hosted), Calgary Sun, and likely more. While I dislike the name, when they explained the reasoning behind the choice, it made more sense. The logo is filthy, and the stadium is going to be awesome. The stadium plans kind of remind me of a proper National League stadium, complete with raised corner stand ala the neutral stand at Craven Cottage. I chatted with the CEO of Spruce Meadows, and while things are still being worked out, I'm hoping the small stand in the SW corner (near the corner flag and judges tower) will be the supporters section.

More importantly, I've already dropped $90 on my season ticket deposit and a hoodie.

[CrossCheck]

I'm with you, Mr. Shermanator, except I'm ok with the name. I enjoyed the launch and put down my season ticket deposit. Bought a hat too and the kids are fighting over who gets to wear it ☺️

[ted]

4 hours ago, DerHoota said:

Would love to see something close to this as the team primary kit.

 

Me too! Then we would call them "candy canes" and chant things like "Which one is Santa Claus?"

[Dub Narcotic]

2 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Are they not aware that the Boer War was one of the most disgraceful, ruthless, colonial aberrations in the recent history of the British Empire? I am shocked they could be so naive to think that was something admirable. 

I thought that was really tone deaf as well. Not only the excess militarism but glorifying a brutal colonial war where Canadians were used as cannon fodder by the British. 

[Rheo]

Sportsnet interview with Tommy Wheeldon Jr

https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/new-coach-gm-ready-get-work-calgary-team-cpl/

[Obinna]

At first I was disappointed that I would have to go all the way to Spruce Meadows to watch, but it is ever-so-slowly growng on me, so I am going to do my best to remain open-minded.

That said:

I don't like the name at all. Like sherm, perhaps I would have more appreciation once the idea behind the name was explained, but guess what? Names and brands shouldn't need explanation. They should be obvious and relatable. This is neither, at least for me.

Cavalry does not represent Calgary to me. At all. 

I would have preferred a name related to a geographic feature (foothills, whitecaps, timbers etc.) over this. At least "foothills" represent Calgary. I can relate to that. Even a generic FC Calgary would have been better than "Cavalry".

Do you think of Cavalry when you think of Calgary? I don't.

And they annoyingly sound the same. Calgary and Cavalry. Ugh.

The phrase "out of touch" comes to mind

I also feel like a club with ties to equestrian sports is going to draw a particular demographic. The born and bred calgarians if you will. Nothing wrong with that, but as someone who isn't from Calgary (and there are many of us), Spruce Meadows means nothing to me. I have no sentimental attachment to it. It is nothing more than a suburban location I must drive through to watch the CPL. Shame but it is what it is.

The flipside is that it appears to be a quaint and unique setting, so I am looking forward to that. Somebody mentioned a National Conference / league 2 feel. Certainly looks that way. That part is cool.

If Calgary can support a second club in the future, I would hope it is more urban, with a stadium in/near the core and with a brand that has room to organically evolve. Something like LAFC but on a smaller scale (obviously).

Calgary is not a big city, but it is the fastest growing in Canada and is becoming increasingly multicultural. As such, it would be wise for the next club (if it ever happens) to not be another suburban club. Something more urban and modern would, I think, catch on much more quickly than Cavalry FC.

Besides Calgary (i think) is aiming to be that cosmopolitan and international city of the future. You see it in the ambitious skycrapers that go up. You see it in the City's emphasis on public transit. You see it in their push for increasing density. It would be nice for the professional soccer (an international sport) club of Calgary to reflect that. To reflect where Calgary as a city is going. Cavalry FC feels like it will be the exact opposite, sadly.

I wish the club succes and despite how let down I am in many ways, and despite how nervous and pessimistic I am about it, I will show my support for the team...

Go Cavalry FC!

 

 

Edited May 18, 2018 by Obinna

[Kent]

25 minutes ago, Obinna said:

If Calgary can support a second club in the future, I would hope it is more urban, with a stadium in/near the core and with a brand that has room to organically evolve. Something like LAFC but on a smaller scale (obviously).

Calgary is not a big city, but it is the fastest growing in Canada and is becoming increasingly multicultural. As such, it would be wise for the next club (if it ever happens) to not be another suburban club. Something more urban and modern would, I think, catch on much more quickly than Cavalry FC.

I've never been to Calgary, but my hope for a second Calgary team would be for it to be in the north side of the city and owned by a family with the last name "Northern".

[Jason]

3 hours ago, Obinna said:

At first I was disappointed that I would have to go all the way to Spruce Meadows to watch, but it is ever-so-slowly growng on me, so I am going to do my best to remain open-minded.

That said:

I don't like the name at all. Like sherm, perhaps I would have more appreciation once the idea behind the name was explained, but guess what? Names and brands shouldn't need explanation. They should be obvious and relatable. This is neither, at least for me.

Cavalry does not represent Calgary to me. At all. 

I would have preferred a name related to a geographic feature (foothills, whitecaps, timbers etc.) over this. At least "foothills" represent Calgary. I can relate to that. Even a generic FC Calgary would have been better than "Cavalry".

Do you think of Cavalry when you think of Calgary? I don't.

And they annoyingly sound the same. Calgary and Cavalry. Ugh.

The phrase "out of touch" comes to mind

I also feel like a club with ties to equestrian sports is going to draw a particular demographic. The born and bred calgarians if you will. Nothing wrong with that, but as someone who isn't from Calgary (and there are many of us), Spruce Meadows means nothing to me. I have no sentimental attachment to it. It is nothing more than a suburban location I must drive through to watch the CPL. Shame but it is what it is.

The flipside is that it appears to be a quaint and unique setting, so I am looking forward to that. Somebody mentioned a National Conference / league 2 feel. Certainly looks that way. That part is cool.

If Calgary can support a second club in the future, I would hope it is more urban, with a stadium in/near the core and with a brand that has room to organically evolve. Something like LAFC but on a smaller scale (obviously).

Calgary is not a big city, but it is the fastest growing in Canada and is becoming increasingly multicultural. As such, it would be wise for the next club (if it ever happens) to not be another suburban club. Something more urban and modern would, I think, catch on much more quickly than Cavalry FC.

Besides Calgary (i think) is aiming to be that cosmopolitan and international city of the future. You see it in the ambitious skycrapers that go up. You see it in the City's emphasis on public transit. You see it in their push for increasing density. It would be nice for the professional soccer (an international sport) club of Calgary to reflect that. To reflect where Calgary as a city is going. Cavalry FC feels like it will be the exact opposite, sadly.

I wish the club succes and despite how let down I am in many ways, and despite how nervous and pessimistic I am about it, I will show my support for the team...

Go Cavalry FC!

 

 

Agree that this location goes against the trend of clubs looking to locate near the core/downtown of a city.  People living the northern part of the city have never had to make this kind of trek to go to a sporting event as all facilities of note have been central or in the north.  So that will be an adjustment.  Will it affect whether some people go?  Perhaps.  But it seems to me like they are doing a whole lot right so far.  Should be interesting for sure.

[shamrock]

There surely can be a place for Cavalry FC. But a LAFC in Calgary as rival would make it all the better. For that to happen, Cavalry FC would have to be a huge succes. To quote Obinna: 

Go Cavalry FC!

[shermanator]

@madmonte signed up an hour ago and he was member #168. Memberships just went on sale to the public this morning, so hopefully that number goes up this weekend.

[Rheo]

4 hours ago, shermanator said:

@madmonte signed up an hour ago and he was member #168. Memberships just went on sale to the public this morning, so hopefully that number goes up this weekend.

I just saw someone post 268 on twitter 

[Dub Narcotic]

Reading about the history of the ring road completion through Calgary's SW has been interesting. Sounds like that will be a boon to this team.

[BuzzAndSting]

1 hour ago, Dub Narcotic said:

Reading about the history of the ring road completion through Calgary's SW has been interesting. Sounds like that will be a boon to this team.

When is it due to be completed?

[SkuseisLoose]

2 hours ago, BuzzAndSting said:

When is it due to be completed?

according to the city of calgary's website 2021

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

On 5/18/2018 at 8:49 PM, Obinna said:

...Besides Calgary (i think) is aiming to be that cosmopolitan and international city of the future. You see it in the ambitious skycrapers that go up. You see it in the City's emphasis on public transit. You see it in their push for increasing density. It would be nice for the professional soccer (an international sport) club of Calgary to reflect that. To reflect where Calgary as a city is going. Cavalry FC feels like it will be the exact opposite, sadly...

The name could always go the way of Houston 1836 in MLS, if feedback suggests it is getting in the way of ticket sales. Think they should be mildly encouraged with 360 season ticket deposits to date as being a reasonable if not spectacular start given advertising campaigns during the World Cup are still to come, so I doubt that will happen. It's York 9 that looks much more likely to be in need of a reboot, but that was always going to be the most difficult market to gain significant traction in, while Calgary should probably be one of the easiest given the absence of MLS coupled with its large and rapidly growing metro population of 1.5 million or so and the multicultural angle.

[Obinna]

4 hours ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

The name could always go the way of Houston 1836 in MLS, if feedback suggests it is getting in the way of ticket sales. Think they should be mildly encouraged with 360 season ticket deposits to date as being a reasonable if not spectacular start given advertising campaigns during the World Cup are still to come, so I doubt that will happen. It's York 9 that looks much more likely to be in need of a reboot, but that was always going to be the most difficult market to gain significant traction in, while Calgary should probably be one of the easiest given the absence of MLS coupled with its large and rapidly growing metro population of 1.5 million or so and the multicultural angle.

Time will tell. Hope you are right.

[Redcoatsforever]

Does anybody have any current membership numbers?

It was at 336 a few days ago, I've been optimistically hoping they'd break 500 before the next club is announced.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

 

[Oranje]

Was there any word on season tickets pricing?

[Rheo]

1 minute ago, Oranje said:

Was there any word on season tickets pricing?

There's been no talk of ticket prices publicly yet to my knowledge, just the membership fee teams are charging at launch

[Oranje]

11 minutes ago, Rheo said:

There's been no talk of ticket prices publicly yet to my knowledge, just the membership fee teams are charging at launch

I am number 380

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

 

[Rheo]

 

[Rheo]

Cavalry FC Blog, 3 posts already

https://cavshalves.com/

[shermanator]

One of our supporters just signed up, and is #432.