Vancouver FC - 2024 Season Thread

[RJB]

Seven straight without a win, and just three points in that span.  Not good enough!  

[CDNFootballer]

So a must win by Vancouver FC and a loss or draw by Pacific FC on "The Outcome" weekend games and VFC are in the playoffs.

[SpursFlu]

1 hour ago, CDNFootballer said:

So a must win by Vancouver FC and a loss or draw by Pacific FC on "The Outcome" weekend games and VFC are in the playoffs.

Unfortunately a pointless game for Forge v Pacific 

[jordan]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBNKREwTVOn/?igsh=MTduODBsajd2a29kMQ==

 

[nolando]

12 hours ago, jordan said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBNKREwTVOn/?igsh=MTduODBsajd2a29kMQ==

 

This club is an almost constantly revolving door at almost every single level. Players, upper management, trainers, game day staff. Doesn't point to a great culture.

[RJB]

I think the season is a failure for VFC.  Its hard to sell us on progress when they finish in the same spot, especially after going without a win to close the year.  I wonder how deep the changes will go.  

[narduch]

6 minutes ago, RJB said:

I think the season is a failure for VFC.  Its hard to sell us on progress when they finish in the same spot, especially after going without a win to close the year.  I wonder how deep the changes will go.  

They were in a playoff spot most of the season too

[nolando]

Let's not forget this team was in first place at one point.

[SpursFlu]

I think a playoff home game would have been the goal. 5th and final playoff spot would have been a push. So yah it was a failure 

A positive..  the team made some nice investments in to marketing the team more around the Valley and Langley. They also made some positive adjustments at the stadium. It all kinda happened towards the back end of the season which was kinda odd but positive none the less

[Unnamed Trialist]

1 hour ago, SpursFlu said:

I think a playoff home game would have been the goal. 5th and final playoff spot would have been a push. So yah it was a failure 

A positive..  the team made some nice investments in to marketing the team more around the Valley and Langley. They also made some positive adjustments at the stadium. It all kinda happened towards the back end of the season which was kinda odd but positive none the less

Do you mind me asking, since you are out that way: has VFC caught on like the basketball team, the Bandits, at the Event Centre in Langley. Or are they comparable? I felt the BB team had a decent connection despite not having great crowds, more youth, teens, but maybe I am wrong. I also had the idea that they might feed off each other, but not sure that has happened.

[SpursFlu]

11 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Do you mind me asking, since you are out that way: has VFC caught on like the basketball team, the Bandits, at the Event Centre in Langley. Or are they comparable? I felt the BB team had a decent connection despite not having great crowds, more youth, teens, but maybe I am wrong. I also had the idea that they might feed off each other, but not sure that has happened.

I think its pretty even. I think small things like Vancouver FC putting a youth team in FVSL premier makes a difference in exposure amongst soccer people in the area. Basketball crowd is a bit of a different crowd. They're more just there for the show. Both teams have upside and i think the key for both is just the general growth of the area and creating the perception of the LangleyEventsCenter as an entertainment destination and the Fraser Valley as its own center of gravity. Both teams would also benefit greatly from exposure and general credibility of the leagues they play in. A majority of people just have no idea what the CPL or CEBL even is. That might sound very negative but if you take a step back its actually a huge opportunity. Vancouver FC has plastered themselves on every bus stop in Langley. Probably helpful when you want the city to contribute to stadium improvements. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

2 minutes ago, SpursFlu said:

I think its pretty even. I think small things like Vancouver FC putting a youth team in FVSL premier makes a difference in exposure amongst soccer people in the area. Basketball crowd is a bit of a different crowd. They're more just there for the show. Both teams have upside and i think the key for both is just the general growth of the area and creating the perception of the LangleyEventsCenter as an entertainment destination and the Fraser Valley as its own center of gravity. Both teams would also benefit greatly from exposure and general credibility of the leagues they play in. A majority of people just have no idea what the CPL or CEBL even is. That might sound very negative but if you take a step back its actually a huge opportunity. Vancouver FC has plastered themselves on every bus stop in Langley. Probably helpful when you want the city to contribute to stadium improvements. 

Thanks, interesting. I went out there the year before they started and found lots of young guys carrying basketballs, coming from playing, making me think, hey, there's a culture. A bit of a vibe. I feel a team like VFC should not just be die-hard fans and families, that groups of mature teens should go on their own accord. 

Then there's another thing: some kind of ticket deal shared by the two clubs.

[SpursFlu]

47 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Thanks, interesting. I went out there the year before they started and found lots of young guys carrying basketballs, coming from playing, making me think, hey, there's a culture. A bit of a vibe. I feel a team like VFC should not just be die-hard fans and families, that groups of mature teens should go on their own accord. 

Then there's another thing: some kind of ticket deal shared by the two clubs.

I still think the big thing that may seem risky on the surface is changing the name to better represent the area and draw that clean distinction between you and the Whitecaps. I've heard this mayor (it's hard to tell what these municipal governments are about or even who they are) is really pro business and development. Hopefully he puts money in to the Langley Events Center area. Sounds like thats the plan. I feel Surrey and Langley will start to jokey for that entertainment alternative to going in to Vancouver so let's see. Having lived in Langley for a bit now I just chuckle at the stereotypes and misconceptions of the area. It's 2024 and one of the only remaining relatively affordable family communities left in the Lower Mainland. What do people think its going to look like? Prince George in 1983? To your observation, Basketball, Soccer, Hockey, Baseball whatever. It's all popular out here. I get jealous from my childhood because if I see an empty turf field, you'll routinely see 10 kids out playing a pickup game wearing Messi, Man City, Barcelona shirts. Which I had that back in the day

Edited Sunday at 07:10 PM by SpursFlu

[Unnamed Trialist]

18 hours ago, SpursFlu said:

I still think the big thing that may seem risky on the surface is changing the name to better represent the area and draw that clean distinction between you and the Whitecaps. I've heard this mayor (it's hard to tell what these municipal governments are about or even who they are) is really pro business and development. Hopefully he puts money in to the Langley Events Center area. Sounds like thats the plan. I feel Surrey and Langley will start to jokey for that entertainment alternative to going in to Vancouver so let's see. Having lived in Langley for a bit now I just chuckle at the stereotypes and misconceptions of the area. It's 2024 and one of the only remaining relatively affordable family communities left in the Lower Mainland. What do people think its going to look like? Prince George in 1983? To your observation, Basketball, Soccer, Hockey, Baseball whatever. It's all popular out here. I get jealous from my childhood because if I see an empty turf field, you'll routinely see 10 kids out playing a pickup game wearing Messi, Man City, Barcelona shirts. Which I had that back in the day

I know you are arguing for a name change, but just though I'd observe, the Bandits went the opposite direction, calling themselves Vancouver now, when before they were Fraser Valley Bandits.

It's obviously not an easy call that name, though I do agree it comes across as flat and generic and the idea of positive international Vancouver recognition hasn't really played out.

[SpursFlu]

3 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I know you are arguing for a name change, but just though I'd observe, the Bandits went the opposite direction, calling themselves Vancouver now, when before they were Fraser Valley Bandits.

It's obviously not an easy call that name, though I do agree it comes across as flat and generic and the idea of positive international Vancouver recognition hasn't really played out.

Well I have noticed with all their marketing you need a magnifying glass to find Vancouver FC, so I'm holding out hope

[CDNFootballer]

Think it would be a mistake to change the teams name. "Fraser Valley FC" or "Langley FC" etc may make some of the die hards happy but overall most fans are casuals and those names don't speak Top tier or have a stature like "Vancouver FC" does. More importantly, they need to market the team more so potential fans are aware of them and understand they play in a 1st Division league.

[SpursFlu]

Maybe for pe

34 minutes ago, CDNFootballer said:

Think it would be a mistake to change the teams name. "Fraser Valley FC" or "Langley FC" etc may make some of the die hards happy but overall most fans are casuals and those names don't speak Top tier or have a stature like "Vancouver FC" does. More importantly, they need to market the team more so potential fans are aware of them and understand they play in a 1st Division league.

Maybe for out of towners but in BC the brand "Vancouver" is like mud nowadays. Vancouver is basically a shit hole at this point. And a completely overpriced shit hole to boot

Edited Tuesday at 12:11 AM by SpursFlu

[Unnamed Trialist]

Vancouver Valley FC, there is no reason they could not do a combination that would work. Like an electoral riding name. Brighton and Hove, Vancouver and Valley FC. 

I realize that would also lead to the confusion between VWFC and VVFC, there's no easy way out.

For me VFC is flat, and so far I have not liked the shirts that much, like Pacific much better. 

 

[Sonny Heung-min]

5 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Vancouver Valley FC, there is no reason they could not do a combination that would work. Like an electoral riding name. Brighton and Hove, Vancouver and Valley FC. 

I realize that would also lead to the confusion between VWFC and VVFC, there's no easy way out.

For me VFC is flat, and so far I have not liked the shirts that much, like Pacific much better. 

 

 I agree it could work

[nolando]

Vancouver Valley FC sounds clunky as all hell to me. Another issue is anything with Vancouver and FC in it has a hell of a time getting by top Whitecaps search results for any casual Googling the Langley club. 

[nolando]

[jdheid]

35 minutes ago, nolando said:

Vancouver Valley FC sounds clunky as all hell to me. Another issue is anything with Vancouver and FC in it has a hell of a time getting by top Whitecaps search results for any casual Googling the Langley club. 

Agreed. Has anyone ever referred to the Fraser Valley as Vancouver Valley? I know they put a bunch of money into Langley, but would Swangard meet CPL criteria? I think that would bring way more people to matches. Put a temporary stand on the opposite side?

[Unnamed Trialist]

19 minutes ago, jdheid said:

Agreed. Has anyone ever referred to the Fraser Valley as Vancouver Valley? I know they put a bunch of money into Langley, but would Swangard meet CPL criteria? I think that would bring way more people to matches. Put a temporary stand on the opposite side?

It looks like the Whitecaps women's team in the new league will play out of Swangard. They are even speculating that will mean TSS Rovers gets kicked out.

But you are right: as I see it, Swangard would have worked better, though would not have had the ambition of trying to do this in Langley, at least they are betting hard on a new idea, even though it has only half worked so far.

[SpursFlu]

Just dump Vancouver. Its not complicated in my opinion. Vancouver can still be Vancouver. Nobody's taking that from them. It's time for people to open their minds a little and learn new things. Call them the Eagles, call them the Valley Eagles, Black Eagles, Bald Eagles, call them the Fraser Valley Eagles. To build off the Brighton example, call them Surrey and Langley. If you really want the local government to build you a roof, call them Langley Eagles or Langley FC. Call up Surrey and see if they'll build a stadium and call them Surrey FC. I do think the location in Willoughby does have the most growth potential of probably anywhere you can think of in the lower mainland. Call them whatever. Just ditch the Vancouver. And by the way, it's not code red on this topic. Either way things are fine. I'm just saying creating a different more appropriate image would probably motivate the market they play in a little more

Edited Wednesday at 06:22 PM by SpursFlu

[masster]

On 9/16/2024 at 10:15 AM, SpursFlu said:

Yah.. I think Sellouf is one of the most dynamic players in the league. He might hold the ball a little too long but the way he maneuvers thru defenders unlike most in this league. Dyer is a good player but a little more lunch pail. Very competitive guy

Looking back, VFC only managed 1 win in their 10 games after trading away Dyer. You still think they won that swap??