BuzzAndSting

Right and those staff would be laid off as they’re most likely employed by OSEG and not the Fury limited partnership. And the locker rooms are part of the stadium which is operated by OSEG. Neither would have any value in a sale of the club.

You are correct about the assumptions about OSEG folding the Fury, because that's what the narrative is currently. Only Ruddy, Shenkman, Greenberg, Hunt and Pugh know the truth. The more I hear rumours and whispers about the club folding the more I start to think that the cost of moving to the CPL is much higher than we anticipate. It was rumoured last year that the Fury had negotiated a non-existent or minuscule exit fee with the USL if the club left for the CPL but we don't know how much or if the CPL would charge the club an entry fee. This is where I think the rumours of folding come from. If OSEG is faced with de-sanctioning and the prospect of paying another large entry fee it's totally plausible that they fold considering they've probably lost money or at best broken even year after year. As a former season ticket holder I would be devastated but I believe that scenario is becoming more and more likely.

"CPL is growing faster than ever expected with new clubs rumoured in Tokyo and California!"

100%. And I'm sure OSEG built in covenants into the lease with the limited partnership which runs the Fury, which is controlled by OSEG, which allows them to terminate the lease at any time. If the Fury are in trouble and they're considering folding the club they would terminate the lease and then look to renegotiate with a new club. I see a plausible scenario in which the Fury fold, a new group emerges with a CPL club and they negotiate a new lease with OSEG to play at TD Place.

OSEG built and operates Lansdowne which includes TD Place, both the field where the RedBlacks and Fury play, the stadium where the 67s play and the retail/office space around the two. The land and stadiums belong to the city but OSEG has exclusive rights to operate both for 20+ years (can't remember the exact deal and how many years left, it was either 25 or 30 when signed). Essentially they control the facilities and land as if they owned it. They choose tenants and lease rates, hold festivals and exhibitions, etc... OSEG also owns the RedBlacks, 67s and Fury, who are probably prioritized in that order. So if they decide to sell the Fury what would they sell? All of the assets "owned" by the Fury are probably actually owned by a limited liability partnership controlled by OSEG. Same with the brand and of all it's marks, the contract obligations, whether that's players or technical staff and anything related to the soccer operations. All front office and stadium operations staff are either OSEG staff or under the employee of a contractor like Levy. So what has value? The brand has some value but honestly very little, especially if the club isn't operating at TD Place and purchase of the Fury does not guarantee a lease at TD Place, that would have to be negotiated. All assets and equipment probably wouldn't amount to more than 6 figures. Contracts of players and staff have no value because a new owner would probably want to renegotiate those. The only thing that seemingly has any value is the USL franchise but that's basically worthless in Canada because of the issues with CONCACAF. Therefore the only potential buyers would be US based which then means everything else, like the brand, have no value. If I were interested in operating a team in Ottawa at TD Place, I would just wait out the Fury's death and then try to negotiate a lease. Or I'd look to build my own facility elsewhere. Either way I wouldn't be interested in buying the Fury.

OSEG has the sole right to operate TD Place and surrounding area for another 20+ years. There is nothing obliging them to grant a lease to a CPL club, whether that be a new club or the Fury under new ownership. And what do you mean “the operations” of the Fury?

Sale of the Fury, which would not happen, would only entail the obligation to pay existing contracts, the brand, the possible right to a USL franchise and a few soccer balls. There is no Fury infrastructure.

Who’s freaking out? Rollins speculation on twitter is just more of the same. My reaction comes from the sheer volume of mounting speculation around the situation with no indication that anything is different than the current narrative. When added all together it seems like the probability that the speculation is accurate becomes larger and larger.

Very odd. If you haven't checked out the planned development it's very impressive. A casino, two hotels, a 2500 seat theater and tens of thousands of square feet of retail and restaurants. The first phases, the casino, one hotel and the theater are all set to open in 2020. http://dlive.ca/

Good to see Max Tissot back at training. Although after today I don't care nearly as much anymore about the Fury... 😔

Maybe we should coordinate some sort of "CPL away" section for the game at TD Place. Wear your Voyageurs, Canada or CPL gear, congregate together and cheer on the CPL team? It seems unlikely but a strong showing might move the needle a tiny bit.

I was wondering why the supporter's section has looked so sparse. So disappointing. So true.

Worse has come to worst. I'm so disappointed and disillusioned as a soccer and CPL fan in Ottawa. I was holding out hope that fences could be mended and that the Fury would move next year or at most the year after. With this it seems at CPL franchise in my city is more of a long term prospect.

Ahhhh. Apologies, I misunderstood. So will you have torn allegiances? 😁

Don't think I do.