World Soccer XXIX: Pro/Rel USA! just kidding!

[Shirtless Guy]

please continue

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: World Soccer XXIX: Pro/Rel USA! just kidding!

The brand-new Canadian Premier League just started up last weekend, so that's a thing.

Seven teams across Canada. Pacific FC (Vancouver Island), Valour FC (Winnipeg), Cavalry FC (Calgary), FC Edmonton (duh), York9 FC (York in suburban Ontario), Forge FC (Hamilton), and HFX Wanderers FC (Halifax).

First game went down as a 1-1 draw between York9 and Forge, second saw Pacific edge HFX 1-0. Watching Valour/Pacific now (Pacific up 1-0 at the half), the quality of play is surprisingly decent.

[mookie1995]

Re: World Soccer XXIX: Pro/Rel USA! just kidding!

the liverpool article in espn was interesting to read. collection of known stories et.al, but decently penned. no mention of the owners being the red sox however. seems like an easy throw in for a major us sportsnews entity.

mookie loves salah.
but hopes the mappies get another win

[Jimjamesak]

The brand-new Canadian Premier League just started up last weekend, so that's a thing.

Seven teams across Canada. Pacific FC (Vancouver Island), Valour FC (Winnipeg), Cavalry FC (Calgary), FC Edmonton (duh), York9 FC (York in suburban Ontario), Forge FC (Hamilton), and HFX Wanderers FC (Halifax).

First game went down as a 1-1 draw between York9 and Forge, second saw Pacific edge HFX 1-0. Watching Valour/Pacific now (Pacific up 1-0 at the half), the quality of play is surprisingly decent.

It’s not a terrible idea, the league is meant to be a place where non-MLS Canadians can play. The question will be whether they can sustain themselves long term, something that is always difficult.

The two big things that may hurt them are the fact the CSA and the league doesn’t want the MLS teams putting their Reserve Teams in the CPL, meaning the league is now essentially shut out of the three largest markets in Canada. The other factor is their salary cap is really low, a fact that caused Ottawa to bag off being the eighth team and stay in the USL (with a bunch of Canadian players).

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: World Soccer XXIX: Pro/Rel USA! just kidding!

It’s not a terrible idea, the league is meant to be a place where non-MLS Canadians can play. The question will be whether they can sustain themselves long term, something that is always difficult.

The two big things that may hurt them are the fact the CSA and the league doesn’t want the MLS teams putting their Reserve Teams in the CPL, meaning the league is now essentially shut out of the three largest markets in Canada. The other factor is their salary cap is really low, a fact that caused Ottawa to bag off being the eighth team and stay in the USL (with a bunch of Canadian players).

i was wondering why they went with 7. Doesn't it seem to make sense to avoid reserve teams since they're categorized as Tier 1 in Canada? It seems like the salary cap must be extraordinarily low since USL isn't exactly spending a ton?

[Jimjamesak]

i was wondering why they went with 7. Doesn't it seem to make sense to avoid reserve teams since they're categorized as Tier 1 in Canada? It seems like the salary cap must be extraordinarily low since USL isn't exactly spending a ton?

Yeah, FC Edmonton and Ottawa were to be the two existing teams to help found the league but Ottawa saw the cap level and balked as most of their players would’ve had to take pay cuts to play.

For the reserve teams I do understand the logic as they do want to keep it separate from MLS. But, like I said, they’ve also shut themselves out of the three biggest markets, long term I wonder how that’ll work.

[Kepler]

Re: World Soccer XXIX: Pro/Rel USA! just kidding!

Yeah, FC Edmonton and Ottawa were to be the two existing teams to help found the league but Ottawa saw the cap level and balked as most of their players would’ve had to take pay cuts to play.

For the reserve teams I do understand the logic as they do want to keep it separate from MLS. But, like I said, they’ve also shut themselves out of the three biggest markets, long term I wonder how that’ll work.

My guess is they build a good little league and wait for MLS to implode.

[Jimjamesak]

My guess is they build a good little league and wait for MLS to implode.

Nice trolling.

[Kepler]

Re: World Soccer XXIX: Pro/Rel USA! just kidding!

Nice trolling.

Not my intention. Not saying it's inevitable or desirable. But a competing league who is locked out of the big markets has to have it in their mind that MLS may overexpand and flame out, again.

[JF_Gophers]

Re: World Soccer XXIX: Pro/Rel USA! just kidding!

It's Canada. No one really cares about them.

[Jimjamesak]

Not my intention. Not saying it's inevitable or desirable. But a competing league who is locked out of the big markets has to have it in their mind that MLS may overexpand and flame out, again.

That’s not their intention at all. Beyond the ludicrous speculation of MLS “overexpanding” and flaming out, the CPL was created as a player development league for Canada. Essentially a place for Canadian players to play that wasn’t the USL or “random European second or third division team”. They’ve kept out of the MLS markets because there are teams there already that they can’t compete with financially.

[Kepler]

Re: World Soccer XXIX: Pro/Rel USA! just kidding!

It's Canada. No one really cares about them.

This is soccer. Nobody cares about us, either.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: World Soccer XXIX: Pro/Rel USA! just kidding!

That’s not their intention at all. Beyond the ludicrous speculation of MLS “overexpanding” and flaming out, the CPL was created as a player development league for Canada. Essentially a place for Canadian players to play that wasn’t the USL or “random European second or third division team”. They’ve kept out of the MLS markets because there are teams there already that they can’t compete with financially.

But you should be able to compete by not being as expensive right? Not to mention the biggest value of CPL is developing Canadians since Canadians count against MLS roster limits for US teams because US labor laws do not allow companies to distinguish between non-americans if they set limits?

[Jimjamesak]

But you should be able to compete by not being as expensive right? Not to mention the biggest value of CPL is developing Canadians since Canadians count against MLS roster limits for US teams because US labor laws do not allow companies to distinguish between non-americans if they set limits?

Yeah, being cheap is a way to keep competitive and development is the primary goal. It’s just, long term, it could be a problem as it could cause the investment to run off, ala the AAF, if there’s no real room for growth.

The one thing with new sports leagues like this is always the question of “ok, what about next year? Is there enough to go again?” MLS has finally gotten past that point recently and even that took ~15-20 years.

[Jimjamesak]

Re: World Soccer XXIX: Pro/Rel USA! just kidding!

While were distracted by Canadians, the Women’s World Cup roster was released.

All eyes on US.

23 players have been selected to lead the @uswnt's quest for a fourth ⭐️.

— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) May 2, 2019

All hail the team that will win again!

(Or lose in the quarterfinals)