Cblake

I am not sure if that is the case because to really have a shot a drawing fans away from the big 3 will mean having teams directly in those markets. Soccer for most in this country is an in stadium experience thus going to games. MLS has not typically done well on tv in this country and the CPL growth is limited by the fact that they are on a paid streaming service. I do not see some big head to head thing going on between the two leagues. The levels are quite different but there is nothing wrong with that considering the economic differences and objectives. Even considering all this, I am 110% sure someone will think they can find success with a Toronto proper CPL team playing out of Lamport or something like that. Who knows if that can be successful, that is a question for a different day.

How are loans handled in the CPL. can the league block them? I wonder what would happen if a CPL team all of sudden went down to the path of pursuing cheap labour by getting players on loan from MLS teams?

Why is it ok for big Euro sides to place teams in the CPL but not MLS one like Toronto. It does seem somewhat hypocritical.

I live at Yonge and Eglington and quite honestly the trip for me to York University compared to BMO Field is pretty close to the same. The Eglington bus to Eglington West Subway, then the train to Pioneer Village or the Subway south and anyone of the various ways to BMO and the surrounding area. As a TFC STH i did go to a few York 9 games last year. I do see the potentially for marketing into the northern part of Toronto and the North York. That would seem like a no brainer for me.

24 teams, even 20 teams do not see it. With the supposed entry into our nation's capital that gives you eight. I think there is a pretty clear path that we can all see to 12-14 teams. Say you add in 2 teams in Quebec, Regina, the Greater Vancouver Area, another southern Ontario team ie London, KW or Windsor etc, maybe Moncton. Now the question marks are can you do both KW or London? Can you do both Regina and Saskatoon? I am also pretty confident someone/group will pop up at some point thinking they have the plan for success for a team in Toronto proper ie downtown. So when you reach that number I just not seen it making sense to break into two tiers on so many levels. Travel being a major one, value of the teams another and so on. If D2 does pop up in some form I really think it will be something unrelated to the CPL.

If you look back at the last 10-15 years in this country, the three levels have been the MLS, USL/NASL and then the province D3 leagues. With the introduction of the CPL that has not really changed, its just that the D2 setup has been rolled into another tier of D1. Also the CPL will have a much bigger footprint that anything we have had at this level before, especially as the league grows. So with that in mind it has to be determined what is D2 , maybe as its been talked about its some sort of low budget pro league with a regional foot print but beyond that I do not see much a future for that level. The CPL in my eyes will grow to 12-16 teams and as such with the geographic vastness of our country, promotion /relegation simply does not makes sense on so many levels. I think the place for CPL reserve teams in all honesty is in the province D3 leagues. Considering how much the CPL has relied on L10 players to fill out rosters it makes total sense when by 2021 we should have three of them with the BC in addition to Ontario and Quebec.

In my mind promotion relegation simply does not make sense. Think of it from this standpoint, say the CPL does get to say 16 teams. That would greatly help with travel so are you going to go and negate that by breaking those 16 teams into two levels. I just do not see it. I still doubt the CPL can get to that number anyways as the major issue has been facilities. So when it comes to D2 will be a completely independent thing as has been discussed. So looking at Ontario you can go along with the 401 and into Quebec. So with K-W, London and Windsor, I figure one of those will go CPL so you do have the other two. It will be interesting to see if a lower level is economically viable compared to what we already have in the provincial D3 leagues? Thats the question for me.

I wonder if the the CPL is insisting, pushing players towards signing multi year deals? It would make sense if they want to play the selling game. It would give the team some control. Could they have a take it or leave it type of approach especially when signing players from L1O etc? They have the leverage in situations like this. That is why when I read that there had been so few transfer fees paid to USL teans by their MLS ones I shrugged. USL has always been about the one year deals.

Is John Pugh one of the five OSEG owners? Will be interesting to see how his possible involvement would take shape.

Does the CSA have formal standards for D2 leagues/teams like the USSF does?

It will be interesting to see who the local partners are , those that will actually be managing the team? Wonder if OSEG could be involved from a sales and marketing aspect, collecting a management fee? Can not see Athletico running it from Spain.

How strong is the domestic Iceland side that Canada will see next week? This is a much better Canada side than the one played a pair of matches in Florida a few year back.

Jayden Nelson, what a bright future, looking forward to seeing him in TFC's pre-season with an eye on a first team contract.

Great to see Shaff making his debut, this kid is good.

Are these matches closed door or could someone just show up. I was surprised they published an attendance for the last game, it was 5.