ChrisinOrleans

I regularly attend Fury games, and even I didn't bother to show. Yesterday was beautiful, and I took the family to the park and an art gallery instead. Honestly, it was the first weekend in 6 months that Ottawa hasn't been a grey overcast frozen wasteland. We weren't spending it in a stadium sitting in one spot.

I was there, it felt like 6,500. Problem is we were allowed to sit where we wanted in a general admission scheme because the snow on the south stands hasn't melted yet. It was also a great game day experience with a few work colleagues. Good thing I didn't watch much of the game as it was a terrible result.

Oh man, you are sooo right about that in this town. The universities have semi-viable stadiums at best, especially uOttawa with one right off the highway and the renovated Lees station, but it would absolutely look 2nd fiddle to the Fury. Like, TD Place and a university stadium are not even comparable in terms of prestige or drawing power. CanPL would be setting itself up to look like the semi-pro league in town, no question. I haven't been down av. Bronson in an age and a half but I cannot imagine the stadium at Carleton is that much better. I like CanPL (it's the reason I joined the site), but if it means sitting in an ancient and tiny stadium next to an apartment building (even if its beside the scenic Rideau River AND has a giant Franco-Ontarien flag), I am picking TD Place because there is actually something to do with my kids before and after the game and there is a restaurant within a kilometre.

There is NO traffic on weekends on the bridges. At all. Even if it was dependent on Gatineau, the metro area there has nearly 400 000 inhabitants, and a stronger economy than Halifax. I think it would be fine-ish.

It's Halifax. And it's because they don't need to go "train" like inferior teams because they already have the 2019 trophy in the bag. (My confidence may be misplaced, but whatever, I'm in Halifax for a week this summer for work and I will NOT admit I am wrong now, nor in the future). Edit: this is a joke for anyone who thinks I have actual news or inside information...

...and people here wonder why the Voyageurs have trouble retaining members.

All of his communication about a team is en anglais uniquement. Not inspiring, if you ask me.

Seconded.

Depends. There are what I would call "soft Francos" who identify more as "Franco-Ontarian" than "Canadien-Francais", and they're pretty loyal to Ottawa teams, especially the uOttawa Gee-Gees and La Cité Coyotes. Same thing as Acadians with the team at U de Moncton. I mean, if Gatineau got a team and the alternative was the Fury, you'd quickly find me a fan of Gatineau. Also, the beer is much, much better in Gatineau, so yeah, I'd be all about this. And Gatineau actually has a ton of big companies based in their downtown (I work for one) and tons of people - especially Franco-Ontarians - cross the border every day.

Cela dépend du journaliste. Les journalistes du journal Le Droit à Ottawa ont suivi la première division canadienne, mais seulement dans le contexte d'Ottawa. Je pense que Moncton, Ottawa, Sudbury et même Winnipeg et Halifax pourraient tous être qualifiés de marchés avec une présence francophone suffisante pour mériter l'attention des médias. I mean, point taken here, but honestly if the <Canadian> league cannot be bothered to put out content in French for the 2-million French speakers outside of Québec, then it's not really <our Canadian leauge>, is it?

If we're looking at markets that have 200k+ in population, I am hereby declaring that Vanier + Orléans/PR, Ontario should be included. There are 296,000 Franco-Ontarians in Eastern Ontario, and of those 90% are in between Ottawa - Hawkesbury. We should have a Franco-Ontarian team, called CS Jeanne D'Arc (named for the street in Orléans, not ripping off the French hero), playing out of Le terrain des Gee-Gees, on Lees Avenue. This stadium already has the added benefit of already having a giant frickin' Franco-Ontarian flag mounted out front. It could also partner with Collège La Cité and uOttawa to snap up some of the local Franco talent to bolster the ranks. I don't know how, but they also need to find a way to make Amanda Simard the mascot, coach, team captain and goalkeeper all at the same time. Yeah, and if Moncton gets a team before Ottawa joins the league, it should be called "Evangeline FC" and play at Stade de Moncton at Université de Moncton. Calling it.

I mean, that's really late to the game, and only after a few people had massive tweet threads about the lack of inclusion (myself included). Like, it's great they're waking up. No criticism there, but there was no consideration, which kinda stings man.

Okay, I disagree with your take here (I don't think he's saying they have only 1 season) but we all just take a moment to be happy that for once FRENCH IS THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION ON A CANPL ARTICLE!?!?! Honestly this can happen though. Assimilation is real man. Lâchez pas la patate. *happy Franco-ontarien dance*

I've mentioned this before, but the fans in Ottawa really (really) liked Maxime Crépeau, and considered him "ours" - especially in Ottawa's large Francophone community. The fact that he was "on loan" really didn't come into the decision making behind that, because he was here and he wore the colours. I know a lot of people who are proud that even though he was shipped to the Caps from l'Impact, he was made into a quality product here in Ottawa. A lot of the TSN 1200 listeners at my firm are quite convinced he'd still be 3rd sting in Montréal if he wasn't moulded by Ottawa. This club was literally built by castaways, old-timers and loans from L'Impact de Montréal. Most people are comfortable with that, because a team of Ex-Montréalais (among others others) were the ones who almost won the NASL for Ottawa! If adding a few clowns Toronto FC players on loan recreates some of that magic, I'd say the vast majority of us would be okay with that. The back office stuff really isn't a part of the Ottawa sports psyche, in my experience. ...Except when Melnyk is concerned.

His agent has 5 players with Forge FC. It's less "nah... merci" and more, I received an independent competitive offer.