Post by LleoPost by MHPost by Binder DundatSeason is over, Bayern have won their umpteenth title in a row. Dortmund
sinking like a lead filled zeppelin, actually more like self destructing.
Football season over.
No real football happening until the Women's world cup in the summer.
What do you mean ? The new super duper, premier Canadian Premier League
started today.
So why didn't you give us a preview on it? :-)
This league looks as though it is too ambitious, and I am afraid Binder
might be right and it will only go one season. Not a lot of household
names on the various rosters, but a few older players that were national
team regulars and played multiple seasons in Europe (Marcel Dejong, Nik
Ledgerwood, Marcus Haber, Issy Nakajima-Farran, Randy Edwini-Bonsu, Kyle
Bekker, Michael Petrasso, Gasparoto, Telfer.
7 teams is awkward, and it is a blow that Ottawa did not join in, but
preferred to stay in USL. Also no teams in Quebec.
Ticket prices are pretty high (mostly in the 30s as far as I can see),
which seems a lot for a product at this level. MLS cheap seats in
Toronto, and presumably also Vancouver and Montreal, overlap with these
prices. CBC will cover some games.
Go Pacific FC!
I suspect they will be good.
Post by LleoAny prospects that this league will successfully generate interest for the sport
in Canada?
There is lots of interest for the sport here, and many people play
(especially kids). All three MLS teams are quite well supported, and
there is a large market for TV coverage of all the big European leagues,
the CL, Europa etc. What there is not is a huge amount of support for
a Canadian league or lower leagues (like USL or the old A-league). The
original Canadian league founded on the Euphoria of qualifying for WC
1986 was never really sustainable, and the number of teams fluctuated
wildly and eventually it all petered out.
Since I moved to S. Alberta in 1986, I have gone out to support the
Calgary kickers, Calgary Strikers, Calgary Storm, Calgary Mustangs, and
I am sure I will make time to go to a few Cavalry FC games, but I am
quite pessimistic about the longevity of this league.
Surely a tall order in a country which has so many established sports
Post by Lleoahead of football in popular preference, but maybe the potential is there?
Potential is there. And this league might provide a slightly higher
level of competition for some young players, so even if it dies, it
could still achieve something.
I
Post by Lleoguess they must have their eyes set in 2026 and beyond.
Hard to say. there have been so many failures - the old NASL, the
Canadian league, and so on. MLS seems firmly established, though.
The 1986 version of the league might have met a different fate if
momentum had been maintained through qualification for WC 1990, which
really should have been attained with Mexico disqualified. But an
unlucky and not really deserved loss to Guatemala put paid to that.
(away goals).