USL will it survive?

[Juby]

But the PDL team is in Victoria do you think they will move up or just move up to USL-2

the problem with the USL second division is although it's getting to be decently competitive, it's probably aided by the fact that all six teams are on the east coast(not literally the coast) so travel isn't so bad, I doubt they, or victoria would be down to join with those travel costs.

now this is just something to put into your heads IF the naslusl crumbles, and their is no good league for these canadian teams to play in, technically travelling across canada is cheaper then going to puerto rico and probably as cheap as going across the states (maybe different for edmonton cause your pretty far north) so hopefully they'd try a season or two in the csl, that would be a huge kick in the pants for the csl (they want to stretch out, and if a few western teams put together a division it would further help travel costs (if the made it something like 4 games in division, home and away for out) and it would pretty much depend on whether the csl stepped up it's game to something close to ussf d2 rather then slowly bring down the former ussf d2 teams. *wishful thinking*

[Blue and White Army]

Juby, several clubs began talks this past Tuesday about starting a west coast division of USL-2. I reckon Victoria would rather move to this than NASL/USL-1... but what do I know?

[Juby]

well then nevermind the first bit (but keep the second bit kicking around the back of your heads as like Plan D)

Juby, several clubs began talks this past Tuesday about starting a west coast division of USL-2. I reckon Victoria would rather move to this than NASL/USL-1... but what do I know?

[jloome]

I don't know how many of you have seen / seen pictures of Morrison Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska. Soccer-specific, it is on the campus of Creighton University. It has a capacity of 6,000ish, I believe. Its physical footprint, for your review, would fit on two of the four fields at Millennium Place in Sherwood Park, AB...I know because I dropped each satellite image on one another (yes, the scales were correct-ish...)

I continuously reference Millennium because of the following:

• It has ample parking and is well-positioned just off Yellowhead Trail and Hwy 216 / Anthony Henday...it, however, lacks good public transportation links;

• It has two 5 v 5 indoor soccer fields for off-season use / CMISL-crossover potential...

• It has good workout facilities, including weights, cardio-equipment, indoor track, gymnasium, swimming pool;

• On-site physiotherapy;

• It was loved by River Plate when they were here, so much so that Colo-Colo was encouraged to come here and use it for a 1-week training camp.

So, if the location was good enough for two prominent, internationally-respected South American sides, why not FC Edmonton?

Some links to good soccer-specific stadiums:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morrison_Stadium

WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WakeMed_Soccer_Park

Of importance is the price tag...both had costs right around $14M USD. Others in the 3,000 capacity range usually cost $7M USD. Battery Park (Blackbaud Stadium) cost $6M USD in 1999, and seats 5,100.

I'll agree with this save for one problem: the modern trend towards stadiums downtown exists because of the massive walkup potential. Stick it in Sherwood Park and you'll make it that much harder to get the soccer fans out.

Minnesota is doing pretty much exactly what you've suggested with the National Soccer Centre in Blaine, and their attendances have been terrible, rarely topping 2,000.

Strobe, I'd argue the current attendances are anything but a good sign. If you tap the base you need to tap to be successful -- the fans of the overseas game -- you should be able to sell out 5,000 in your sleep in this town.

[alberta white]

I'm not really saying there aren't other options, just that they all have their downsides as well... My preference is for a repurposed (or is that de-purposed?) Clarke stadium. I totally agree that would be the ideal location, it makes sense for the city and the construction could be minimal at first... but that takes some negotiations. I would vote for this option for next year if possible... I'm even willing to go with the field turf that's already there as long as there's no grin iron lines on it.

Based on the above Strobe,would it make sense for the club to find out what the paying public think of a relocation to Clarke. Surley a few clipboarded individuals (but not ESGers) wandering about at half time over the remaining games might help the Market Reseach on this, Perticular while the game is in the big house nect door to clarke?

[strobe_z]

Strobe, I'd argue the current attendances are anything but a good sign. If you tap the base you need to tap to be successful -- the fans of the overseas game -- you should be able to sell out 5,000 in your sleep in this town.

I'm not so sure. The potential exists, but given all the start/stops that have happened before (some more spectacular than others), I don't think any fan of the overseas game is going to give FCE the time of day until it's a bit more of a proven commoditiy. I agree with you that a cohesive marketing strategy is needed and a water-tight professional presentation... but NOTHING will change the mind of the largest potential market but a proven track record... and time. If I was FCE I would be encouraged by the early turn out, but we're really only 2 games in (not counting the Internationals). I would hope that roughly 2,500 at Foote Field would be an encouraging sign for FCE and not angry dispare - especially in an exhibition season.

Until we enter a real league you really can't hope for much. It'll be the draw of beating league rivals and a chance at the V-cup that will sustain this team (or not). Warm up matches against reserve/developmental squads is nothing to get overly excited about... and the internationals are simply to create the buzz.

The attendance of the reserve/developmental squad matches has been as good as any sane person could expect (especially in a less than ideal stadium) and the biggest mistakes about the internationals are:

1-Underestimating how many Chilean fans would come out to see Colo-Colo and overestimating how many of them will probably care about FCE afterwards. The biggest reason for this is that an "event" like bringing in Colo-Colo is much more of an opportunity to show "Chilean pride" than it is about enjoying soccer. I'd wager more than half of the Chileans that showed up probably didn't watch a game of the WC after Chile was defeated.

2-Overestimating how many "Chilean pride" events people are willing to attend. Having Colo-Colo play Vitoria effectively cut out those of us who are primarily interested in the home side (I didn't attend the match, nor cared all that much). It was banking on Chilean fans to show up... but they'd already "been there, done that".... and the Brazilian community (QUITE a bit smaller in Edmonton) are a lot less likely to pin "Brazilian pride" on a domestic squad.

3-We'll see what Portsmouth is like... to me this is the best opportunity to hook a few new fans. EPL is the most widely accessible league on TV here, so the more casual fans will have a better sense of the quality of the opposition, and the fans that show up to see Portsmouth are less likely to be doing it for "English pride" (in fact it might be quite the opposite among some English fans~), and a lot more likely to be hooked by the home side (especially if we put up a good looking fight).

[Blue and White Army]

The potential exists, but given all the start/stops that have happened before (some more spectacular than others), I don't think any fan of the overseas game is going to give FCE the time of day until it's a bit more of a proven commoditiy.

Agreed.

If we look at the big successes in North American footie in terms of rabid support (Portland, Toronto, Seattle), none of these clubs have gone after the soccer-snobs. They've all gone for the 18- to 45-year-old, party-hardy type. Why would FC Edmonton do it any differently?

[Trillium]

Cause some of the posters here are telling them go after the ethnic crowd..rounded out wth soccer moms....

Agreed.

If we look at the big successes in North American footie in terms of rabid support (Portland, Toronto, Seattle), none of these clubs have gone after the soccer-snobs. They've all gone for the 18- to 45-year-old, party-hardy type. Why would FC Edmonton do it any differently?

[jloome]

Agreed.

If we look at the big successes in North American footie in terms of rabid support (Portland, Toronto, Seattle), none of these clubs have gone after the soccer-snobs. They've all gone for the 18- to 45-year-old, party-hardy type. Why would FC Edmonton do it any differently?

18-to-45 year old soccer snobs. I spend every day talking to Toronto fans. EVERY ONE OF THEM, that I know, had an overseas club before TFC, so this nonsense.

[jloome]

And some of the posters here are just trolling because they dont' have an answer to common sense.

[Blue and White Army]

18-to-45 year old soccer snobs. I spend every day talking to Toronto fans. EVERY ONE OF THEM, that I know, had an overseas club before TFC, so this nonsense.

Sorry matey, but anyone willing to pay money to watch Danny Dichio play football isn't a soccer snob.