Open Wide For Some Soccer!

[loki679]

3 hours ago, Lazarus said:

Let me guess - @Mike has been at the thread titles again?

 

 

 

 

Odds on his lass has heard that more than once

[TRon]

On 10/07/2023 at 16:12, David Edgar said:

Wonderful thread title.

 

Nothing will ever come close to 8mosphere, there were murmurings in Parliament of repealing independence following that abomination.

[Memphis]

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37996709/usl-set-vote-promotion-relegation-august-source

 

The USL - the second-tier league in the US behind MLS - is set to vote next month on adding promotion and relegation. Right now there's a 24-team Championship, a 12-team League One, and a disparate League Two that's sort of like a National League, still regional and with a lot of relatively small teams. Apparently there's enough support that observers think it could be implemented in 2024. I do broadcast work for the USL team in Memphis and I'd love to see the league adopt it. All of us in soccer in the US have been trying to get promotion/relegation incorporated into our leagues, it would be such a gamechanger for the sport. It's a tough sell in the franchise model that MLS uses but if it works in USL, there might be a chance. Keep an eye out. 

[toontownman]

It's going to be the same with the CPL up here. They talked wanting Pro/rel in the longterm from the leagues inception. We are close to having a division 3 (regional league 1's all across Canada). That will likely naturally grow to more teams building into an east and west division 2. If the CPL keeps adding teams I could see the CPL splitting to a CPL and CPL2.

 

However,When push comes to shove I think the pro/rel talk are empty promises. Owners who bought into the CPL from the start simply won't want their investment potentially getting relegated to lower leagues and losing revenue or fan interest. I think when the time comes they will vote against pro/rel up and down the pyramid.

 

I do think it could work to do it between the CPL and CPL2 though. I don't think there is any danger of markets losing fans if it's just 2 leagues up and down. If it was pro/rel up and down the eventual pyramid, I just don't think it would be sustainable or beneficial.

 

Curious to see how it goes in the States. A soft launch version is the way to go imo.

[Deuce]

  

[The Bonk]

 the perfect screen grab 

[Mike]

Messi is taking the fucking piss.

[Matt]

On 12/07/2023 at 13:41, toontownman said:

It's going to be the same with the CPL up here. They talked wanting Pro/rel in the longterm from the leagues inception. We are close to having a division 3 (regional  league 1's all across Canada). That will likely naturally grow to more teams building into an east and west division 2. If the CPL keeps adding teams I could see the CPL splitting to a CPL and CPL2.

 

However,When push comes to shove I think the pro/rel talk are empty promises. Owners who bought into the CPL from the start simply won't want their investment potentially getting relegated to lower leagues and losing revenue or fan interest. I think when the time comes they will vote against pro/rel up and down the pyramid.

 

I do think it could work to do it between the CPL and CPL2 though. I don't think there is any danger of markets losing fans if it's just 2 leagues up and down. If it was pro/rel up and down the eventual pyramid, I just don't think it would be sustainable or beneficial.

 

Curious to see how it goes in the States. A soft launch version is the way to go imo.

Biggest issue for the CPL is just keeping enough viable teams in the league. Lots of empty spaces on some games now (not counting games at CFL stadiums). Talk that there may be another team joining CPL from BC L1 for next season (TSS Rovers maybe?).

[Stifler]

On 12/07/2023 at 20:41, toontownman said:

It's going to be the same with the CPL up here. They talked wanting Pro/rel in the longterm from the leagues inception. We are close to having a division 3 (regional league 1's all across Canada). That will likely naturally grow to more teams building into an east and west division 2. If the CPL keeps adding teams I could see the CPL splitting to a CPL and CPL2.

 

However,When push comes to shove I think the pro/rel talk are empty promises. Owners who bought into the CPL from the start simply won't want their investment potentially getting relegated to lower leagues and losing revenue or fan interest. I think when the time comes they will vote against pro/rel up and down the pyramid.

 

I do think it could work to do it between the CPL and CPL2 though. I don't think there is any danger of markets losing fans if it's just 2 leagues up and down. If it was pro/rel up and down the eventual pyramid, I just don't think it would be sustainable or beneficial.

 

Curious to see how it goes in the States. A soft launch version is the way to go imo.

I’m not so sure. Canada is a massive country, and the league is not developed yet enough, they are getting League 2/ National league crowds so far. I doubt that they will ever get to a point where the 2nd tier team can afford to fly from Vancouver to New Foundland for an away match.

 

As for the MLS, the latest expansion team paid a $500m expansion fee. They will never allow relegation to threaten that sort of investment.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Stifler

[toontownman]

28 minutes ago, Stifler said:

I’m not so sure. Canada is a massive country, and the league is not developed yet enough, they are getting League 2/ National league crowds crowds so far. I doubt we they will ever get to a point where the 2nd tier team can afford to fly from Vancouver to New Foundland for an away match.

 

As for the MLS, the latest expansion team paid a $500m expansion fee. They will never allow relegation to threaten that sort of investment.

I agree, the CPL owners will likely be the same as the MLS when push comes to shove. A CPL1 and 2 wouldn't effect the gate massively though imo. I can't see local fans being less inclined to go if they are in CPL2. If ownership groups are in for CPL then CPL2 wouldn't make a huge difference in planning they would have to fly similar distances. 

 

It's a long time til that could happen anyway. Looks like there should be almost coast to coast L1 (D3) in Canada as soon as next year, the year after if not. Will take 4/5 years at least to settle and grow, likely 8-10 to grow and expand up into a east/west D2 for teams wanting a bigger challenge or testing the waters to try to transition into a CPL team. The CPL should be in a place by then to be near 16 teams. Probably talking another 5-10 before even considering a CPL2. That D2 league would basically be CPL2.

 

Also possible the whole lot collapses before then 😆 I do think everything is on a good path though. CPL2 might not ever happen but I think the rest of this pyramid will happen. Likewise for the women with the project8 league instead of CPL in that system.

 

                            CPL

                         (CPL2)

   Championship (East/West/Central)

L1 (BC, AB, Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, Maritimes)

[Matt]

I think you have to regionalise after CPL, which L1 will probably do in due course. L1 Prairies is looking like it might happen in 2024, then you have BC to Quebec under that banner. The CPL season as it stands is just too short and restricts revenue and the cup is over in a heartbeat. We need at least 32 league games a season.

 

Curious to know who the other CPLers on the forum follow?

[Stifler]

31 minutes ago, Matt said:

Curious to know who the other CPLers on the forum follow?

Forge FC.

[TBG]

Do they play games every couple of days in the MLS?

 

Sick of opening YouTube and being greeted with 'Messi shines once again this time against the Tampa Bay Pterodactyls'

 

Like I can't tell given how often these videos are coming up, whether they're in the midst of a pre season friendly tour or playing against their fiercest rivals in the league. 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by TBG

[Miercoles]

I think they're playing in a cup at the moment alongside the league. Unbelievable, I know.

 

TBF since they moved it to a platform you have to actually pay for, I haven't watched a second of MLS.

[toontownman]

12 hours ago, Matt said:

I think you have to regionalise after CPL, which L1 will probably do in due course. L1 Prairies is looking like it might happen in 2024, then you have BC to Quebec under that banner. The CPL season as it stands is just too short and restricts revenue and the cup is over in a heartbeat. We need at least 32 league games a season.

 

Curious to know who the other CPLers on the forum follow?

Until we get a team in SK I have been somewhat neutral. Soft spots for Halifax and Pacific though. Like the Cavs branding and Tommy Wheeldon Jr. too. 

[Astroblack]

7 hours ago, TBG said:

Do they play games every couple of days in the MLS?

 

Sick of opening YouTube and being greeted with 'Messi shines once again this time against the Tampa Bay Pterodactyls'

 

Like I can't tell given how often these videos are coming up, whether there in the midst of a pre season friendly tour or playing against their fiercest rivals in the league. 

 

Been living in the US for 20+ years and I still don't know how the MLS works. I think it's like the NBA with an Eastern and Western conference and a playoff at the end. 

 

But as far as cups, the days the games are played on, I have no idea. It's never been drilled into your head like the Premier League. You know the times, the days, Tuesday, Wednesday - Champions League, etc. 

 

MLS has done a terrible job branding itself. It's just a mess. Games go on during international tournaments and friendlies, friendlies with established European teams are prioritized over competitive league matches. 

 

MLS isn't something you can follow along with European football. You'd have to give up European football and dedicate yourself to the MLS solely to fully understand it. I don't know when the season starts or ends or anything. Messi can come, Beckham can come, it doesn't matter, they'll just end up on highlight reels.

[Deuce]

 it’s really not all that complicated.

[cubaricho]

Just now, Deuce said:

 it’s really not all that complicated.

I agree with this but I also broadly agree with Astro’s points. 

[Stifler]

To be fair, most of the games this season kick off around about the same time, however that time changes slightly week to week.

Matches are usually only over a weekend, usually early Sunday morning U.K. time, sometimes though they are earlier on a Saturday night.

[Astroblack]

5 minutes ago, Deuce said:

 it’s really not all that complicated.

If this is true, I don’t know of anyone on this board who follows an MLS team. I don’t even know who won the MLS title last year.

[Astroblack]

‘Premier League Mornings’. The Premier League has made name for itself in America. The only time people are interested in the MLS are pre season games for European teams in the summer months. 

[cubaricho]

7 minutes ago, Astroblack said:

‘Premier League Mornings’. The Premier League has made name for itself in America. The only time people are interested in the MLS are pre season games for European teams in the summer months. 

A huge problem is they play in the summer (to not compete with the NFL) when everyone has about 1000 other things to do and if they want to watch sport they go to a baseball game. 
 

Even just using where I live as an example; during the summer months, every weekend it’s a ghost town around the city, everyone is up in the mountains or on vacation somewhere. 
 

With the new rules at baseball games, the MLB games are a far more attractive proposition. MLS needs to take a look at the product and make some serious changes to keep up or they’ll fall behind. 
 

(not that I trust them to come to the right conclusions)

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by cubaricho

[Kanji]

19 minutes ago, Astroblack said:

If this is true, I don’t know of anyone on this board who follows an MLS team. I don’t even know who won the MLS title last year.

I live in Orlando. I follow Orlando City. Up until having a kid I had season tickets. I now go to a handful of games a season. I watch nearly every one of their matches. 
 

The league is a bit of a mess, the quality of football goes from bangers to absolute shite. Outside of relegation and tiers, @cubaricho i don’t know what they’d do, it’s just simply not built to be a top end league. Our best young players should be heading abroad to develop and should end their careers over here imo. 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Kanji

[Stifler]

I mean they must be doing something right, because it’s growing in popularity.

Nashville for example have a 30k stadium and fill it well. This is a city that’s in the south, they have an NFL team within the city. It is where people go for country music. It should by definition be one of the places you do not suspect that they would take to football (soccer) well, yet there it is, with one of the best crowds in the league.

[cubaricho]

9 minutes ago, Kanji said:

I live in Orlando. I follow Orlando City. Up until having a kid I had season tickets. I now go to a handful of games a season. I watch nearly every one of their matches. 
 

The league is a bit of a mess, the quality of football goes from bangers to absolute shite. Outside of relegation and tiers, @cubaricho i don’t know what they’d do, it’s just simply not built to be a top end league. Our best young players should be heading abroad to develop and should end their careers over here imo. 

 

 

 

Agreed. I think it’s hard because MLS isn’t just the only soccer game in town, if you know what I mean. MLB can change rules with impunity because there is no competition and it doesn’t have to adhere to rules made half a world away. 
 

Like if they think bringing back halfway/dribbling PKs makes the game better, they just end up looking like a total joke league because the product is way better elsewhere. MLB doesn’t have that problem. 
 

Also kudos to MLB this season. Attendance is up 10% and the highest it’s been in over 25 years. Wild stuff, and the game/product is so much more entertaining to watch now (the most important thing).