Cblake

CONCACAF could re-allocate the spot to another country. When teams could not take part in the past the team that replaced them was not always from the same country.

To be its the baseball stadium, unless a deal is made to keep the Champions in the Frontier League the stadium is going to be empty. I completely agree, there is a lot of irony here considering one of OSEGs five owners is on the board of the CSA. I have a hard time believing that a CPL deal in Ottawa being done without OSEG being involved a lot of ways. Ottawa is a government town, there is some old money, but does not have a huge corporate base. I wonder if say something like rugby league gets a footing in the market, if there will be enough dollars to go around. That will be key.

Lebreton Flats is a non starter in terms of a location for a pop up stadium, the land is just too valuable

And to think any group that is interested in bringing a CPL team to Ottawa will have to deal with OSEG when it comes to a stadium lease that will likely include no concessions and parking and any perspective partnerships will have to respect those that are already in place for TD Place. This is the one area where OSEG will have the upper hand on the CPL. The question will be how badly they want a team there, likely with unfavourable terms. This is why control of the stadium and all of its revenue streams is huge like most of the CPL teams have.

So how is the PCSL allowed to operate with teams in both Canada and the US?

It will be interesting as any deal for soccer in Ottawa will have to go through OSEG as the manage TD Place. As typical with any lease deal OSEG could keep concessions and parking to themselves, maybe giving the CPL owner 5-10% of it. The CPL will have to rely on ticket sales and sponsorships for their revenue. Also they would be hamstrung by the conflicts that will likely come up with as a result of what deals OSEG already has in place. It will be interesting.

The best way to do it is, 10-8-4-2. The 7 CPL teams, 1 L1O , 1 PLSQ and a 10th team, maybe from BC or something would be in the first round. The 3 MLS teams would join the 5 first round winners in the QF ... as the CPL hopefully expands the format would change. I would love to see a 40 team format , where its goes 32-16-16-8-4-2. This was the format used for the US Open Cup before it was greatly expanded which included all pro teams being entered.

Here is an example, Canada has two sanctioned pro basketball leagues now right the NBL Canada and the Canadian Elite Basketball League. No one is telling anyone which one teams can play in or not. The unique sanctioning power soccer has in their sport is something I still shake my head one.

Here is the question then, who has more power here, the CSA or CPL/CSB, if the the CSA say you can only play in the CPL then they have to be let in. The CSA can dictate that. OSEG has five owners of which John Pugh is one them. He is a true soccer guy and sits on the CSA board. This whole thing is bizarre. By not letting them stay in the USL, they have damaged the market, as going with no team in 2020 makes a out of sight, out of mind scenario. I can see OSEG deciding that rugby league looks interesting and with all the buzz it’s getting right now with Sonny Bill Williams signing with Toronto, I can see that interest really ramping up. I know it’s not ideal in some eyes to be in USL, but it’s a much better option than not having a team at all.

If The Fury/OSEG were hell belt on staying USL CONCACAF/CSA should have just let them. If CONCACAF\CPL is telling them the only place they can play, is the CPL , is there not an obligation for the CPL to just let them in, it kind of reads like OSEG is being told them need to partner with the CPL and neither of them are really understand. Who is setting the terms here , the CSA?

Being in the centre of the city would be something but I still think Lamport would be the better route with size and lack of a track but who knows.

Paul Beirne posted a pic of Varsity Stadium this week on social media with the comment would this not be a good CPL stadium. Wonder if he is teasing something as we know he is leaving his post as CPL president? I am not sure what I think about a downtown CPL year at this point in time considering York is still trying to find their footing but could be interesting.

Reports like this always are not always tell the entire story, but this article on the Hartford Athletic and their salaries. https://www.soctakes.com/2019/10/24/hartford-athletic-problems/?fbclid=IwAR13kXZJxqcHc2DdDHdM1_Jcmm0-ZDH8_a6mHWtbnPF2nWPbtqnPRFFY2KI

I would point out to whomever you are dealing with at the USSF in regards to the deadline that the CSA did not turn off the American Outlaws link for tickets in Toronto until two days before the match.

Absolutely , I am always for everyone coming together.