CPL General

[ReedOnTheGrand]

16 hours ago, Complete Homer said:

I think it's actually a positive if they end up with someone to partner with for a permanent stadium. If this has legs, its going to be a bit down the road at the very least. since building a major stadium like that would require more lead time (edit: missed the 2020 target in the article). I don't think CFL would be able to sustain itself in a 7000 seat stadium, and the site is probably too small to get to that ~20k minimum CFL likely has

Maybe it lights a bit of a fire too if they know they have to rush to get a couple seasons in to establish themselves before the CFL swoops in

It says the CFL stadium is rumored to be across the river in Dartmouth, It could be a permanent location for the CPL team as the modulur stadium is definitely short term. 

[Ansem]

19 hours ago, nate95 said:

Address of the BCFC trademark is listed as 388 - 1111 West Hastings Street, which is the address of Knightsbridge Capital Group. President of Knightsbridge is Dean Shillington, who follows just about every CPL related account on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DeanShillington) and is followed back by Rob Friend, Joe Belan, and Lee Genier. Looks to me like the CPL Surrey group.

I'm just glad that deep pocket people/groups/corporation are involved. Regardless of if it's Surrey or Vancouver, the profile of CPL ownership so far has been consistent and that a great thing!

[Ansem]

Regarding CFL & CPL in Halifax

 

From the CPL group twitter:

 

Edited November 17, 2017 by Ansem

[Ansem]

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Edited November 17, 2017 by Ansem

[ted]

3 hours ago, Macksam said:

Yes, but let's see how this team conducts itself. Despite the name, which we don't know if that will even be it, let's see how the club tries to connect itself to the local community through other aspects of marketing and outreach.

Do you not see how a team playing in Surrey that calls itself "anythingbutSurrey" might be be perceived as giving Surrey the middle finger?

The name, is the first and most important identifier of the team. It is what instantly and clearly connects the team to it's community. Soccer worldwide is built on these local connections and the teams that do the best in marketing in MLS, USL and NASL tend to build at least a perception of those connections.

If nothing else, the name says, "we can move anywhere, anytime". Hardly a solid connection to the community.

[CDNFootballer]

On 11/16/2017 at 1:30 AM, harrycoyster said:

If the NASL is re-certified and continues operation, that means FC Edmonton wouldn't be allowed to leave NASL until either 1) the league fails or 2) the league reaches 11 teams again. So basically FC Edmonton would need to leave the NASL before re-certification to play in the CPL in 2019....assuming this news is true.

They could of course pay the abandonment fee, but that fee is reportedly around $5 million...far more than the $100,000 they'd have to pay to leave right now. I'd say paying that fee is out of the picture. 

Think FC Edmonton would have a special out to join CPL from NASL as a Canadian club and last founding member in the league.

NASL has had a good relationship in the past with CSA apparently and don't see them impeding FCE's exit. If they join for 2018 it will probably be with an agreement set up that they're leaving for CPL when it launches. 

[dyslexic nam]

I could see FCEd negotiating that sort of thing ("We can leave now for cheap when the league is hurting and put one more nail in the coffin, or we can stay and help keep it afloat but we can leave for cheap whenever we want") - and I think that would benefit both parties in the short term (and maybe even in the long term if it is true that NASL would prefer to not deal with the logistics of a lone Canadian club going forward). 

 It would also be the best outcome for Canadian footy.  Edm would get to play next year in a competitive environment, no matter how cobbled together the league may seem.  That would keep revenue rolling and keep their players and front office staff paid and playing.  And CPL would get a marquis franchise whenever the rest of the issues get sorted.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Did it ever become clear whether the hockey arena group in Surrey were after the same location that had been the focal point for the unsolicted approach by the would be soccer franchise? A SkyTrain station type of location on the edge of Surrey closest to downtown Vancouver looks more like an attempt to draw fans from the whole metro area rather than a carving out a separate niche in the Fraser valley sort of thing. If they want to go down the generic BC team name route they might as well just use Swangard in Burnaby to get the ball rolling, but maybe that's viewed as too bush league looking compared to a Whitecaps game?

[Macksam]

On 2017-11-17 at 6:05 PM, ted said:

Do you not see how a team playing in Surrey that calls itself "anythingbutSurrey" might be be perceived as giving Surrey the middle finger?

The name, is the first and most important identifier of the team. It is what instantly and clearly connects the team to it's community. Soccer worldwide is built on these local connections and the teams that do the best in marketing in MLS, USL and NASL tend to build at least a perception of those connections.

If nothing else, the name says, "we can move anywhere, anytime". Hardly a solid connection to the community.

Lol, I wholeheartedly agree with you on everything. For the record, when it comes to a club’s name, I would like it to be even more hardcore than that and named after the street, intersection or small area where the stadium would be located. However, that might be taking things too far.

Edited November 19, 2017 by Macksam

[MtlMario]

I have a cousin who's in marketing and he agrees that the team should be named after the city that it plays in to get as much local support as possible.

[SpursFlu]

On 18/11/2017 at 1:53 AM, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

Did it ever become clear whether the hockey arena group in Surrey were after the same location that had been the focal point for the unsolicted approach by the would be soccer franchise? A SkyTrain station type of location on the edge of Surrey closest to downtown Vancouver looks more like an attempt to draw fans from the whole metro area rather than a carving out a separate niche in the Fraser valley sort of thing. If they want to go down the generic BC team name route they might as well just use Swangard in Burnaby to get the ball rolling, but maybe that's viewed as too bush league looking compared to a Whitecaps game?

It' hard to say but the actual DT Surrey area is a couple kilometres away or 2 skytrain stations away (as we like to measure distance). The Arena area yet next to a skytrain is currently undergoing a huge makeover from a downtrodden wasteland of industrial and wreckage yards to new commercial and warehouses. There is a new community 3 sheet arena complex being built and the area is a blank canvass for sure but there isn' much residential. There is enough space there to do both. They would have to do some land consolidation (deals)with private 

 

The DT is filling up with residential and commercial towers and would be ideal. The only issue being it comes down to money and would the area needed for a stadium even touch the revenue generated by other projects that could occupy the same valuable real estate. I saw an a piece of land sold recently to developers who are building 7 towers plus commercial over the next 5 years. That' what they are up against

Edited November 19, 2017 by SpursFlu

[HfxCeltic]

On ‎17‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 1:05 PM, Kent said:

Regarding the Halifax CFL talk, I think it's concerning. SEA has always said the initial pop up wouldn't require public money, but they seemed to always be hinting that if it were to be expanded upon/made permanent a few years down the road, that would require public money. If this CFL team wants public money and the two teams have to fight over it, I imagine the CFL team would be the heavy favourites (obviously it will make a difference if CPL is asking for 5 million and CFL is asking for 250 million).

If public money isn't a problem, then I have a question for the people that know Halifax. Can you see the city building two stadiums at once? Or is that too much too fast?

Based on what we've seen in the past, it is very unlikely the city or province will provide funding for a stadium, so unless there is federal funding, any stadium would likely need to be privately funded. Separate from the financing perspective, I can't see Halifax City council approving land use for two stadiums.

I honestly think one of the stronger points for Halifax CPL over Halifax CFL is the low cost of the stadium and the spin of no government funding initially needed. More along the lines of a CFL stadium will likely need government funding (because it will be larger and more expensive), while the CPL stadium may not (because it will be smaller and cheaper) and is therefore more likely to be built.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Ultimately somebody was going to pay for the permanent stadium to follow the pop-up once a market for it was demonstrated and federal infrastructure money would be the prime candidate. No way was anybody in Ottawa going to agree to build a pro soccer stadium straight away in Halifax without seeing some evidence of spectator interest first hence the pop-up in that context. With the CFL it's a different story as federal largesse always seems to flow much more easily in that context.

[Rheo]

Chris Kivlehan from Midfield Press tweeted that he hears FC Edmonton is planning on sitting out 2018 and not playing NASL (sorry at work, can't link the tweet)

[BuzzAndSting]

2 minutes ago, Rheo said:

Chris Kivlehan from Midfield Press tweeted that he hears FC Edmonton is planning on sitting out 2018 and not playing NASL (sorry at work, can't link the tweet)

 

[ray]

3 minutes ago, Rheo said:

Chris Kivlehan from Midfield Press tweeted that he hears FC Edmonton is planning on sitting out 2018 and not playing NASL (sorry at work, can't link the tweet)

Wow.  That means a 2019 CPL launch is a virtual lock in FC Edmonton's eyes.  If date is pushed back, it would likely be the end of the team.

[Rheo]

I'd be more sure of this if Sandor tweeted it, no offense to Kivlehan lol.  Can't wait to see what he has to say.  If this is true it surprises me a bit.  Definitely interesting to see the fall out on this.

[Blackdude]

6 minutes ago, ray said:

Wow.  That means a 2019 CPL launch is a virtual lock in FC Edmonton's eyes.  If date is pushed back, it would likely be the end of the team.

 

[ChrisinOrleans]

9 minutes ago, ray said:

Wow.  That means a 2019 CPL launch is a virtual lock in FC Edmonton's eyes.  If date is pushed back, it would likely be the end of the team.

That is excellent news. 

Wow.  That means a 2019 CPL launch is a virtual lock in FC Edmonton's eyes.  If date is pushed back, it would likely be the end of the team.

This is not good news.  

It's like CanPL opens one door, then balances that door on a piece of string tied over an open volcano. 

[harrycoyster]

15 minutes ago, Rheo said:

I'd be more sure of this if Sandor tweeted it, no offense to Kivlehan lol.  Can't wait to see what he has to say.  If this is true it surprises me a bit.  Definitely interesting to see the fall out on this.

Kivlehan is just about as good a source on the NASL as you'll find. But as with all things NASL, this could change at any moment. 

[Rheo]

12 minutes ago, harrycoyster said:

Kivlehan is just about as good a source on the NASL as you'll find. But as with all things NASL, this could change at any moment. 

I wasn't doubting him totally (came out poorly rereading it), I know Midfield is a good source.  Just feel Sandor is pretty much "the" source when it comes down FCE and I'm really interested to hear what he has to say.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Rheo

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

1 hour ago, ray said:

Wow.  That means a 2019 CPL launch is a virtual lock in FC Edmonton's eyes.  If date is pushed back, it would likely be the end of the team.

Think that's one step too far in logic terms. Worth bearing in mind that Tom Fath wouldn't rule out the team folding when asked recently.

[BenFisk'sBiggestFan]

I think Tom Faith realizes that the CPL can’t be any worse financially than the NASL was. The fact that he kept FC Edmonton going this long is amazing. Shutting the team down for a year is basically at zero risk for him. He will have less expenses for the next year, and he doesn’t have to garentee entering the CPL. 

Edited November 22, 2017 by BenFisk'sBiggestFan

[Bison44]

Zero risk??  If you shut the team down for a year dont you risk losing all the players, staff, management etc?  Lose your fan base that you have worked so hard to build up??  It would be hard to take to see a second CDN club close its doors while things are supposedly getting better.  Shitty time for CDN soccer, whitecaps outsource their USL/development squad to fresno and now FCE close the doors??  

[Dub Narcotic]

Well, this is the explicit path the CSA chose for club soccer in this country, an all-Canadian pyramid or bust. Not to be a jerk but I don't think losing Colin Miller and his team is much of a blow in any case.