A New Canadian Soccer League

HOW MANY TEAMS?

  One of the complaints that those who remember the old CSL (including current employees of the Vancouver 86ers) was that teams were constantly dropping out and Vancouver and others were supporting the whole league or being dragged down with them.
  Current proposals suggest an 8 - 10 team league across Canada. I see no reason not to start with 14-16 teams nationwide (the FIFA suggested limit to first divison leagues.) A larger number of clubs involved would accomplish several things:

1. It would reduce the impact of one or more teams leaving the league. Thus the larger, more stable clubs would not feel as though they are playing with a constantly changing cast of opponents.
2. The larger number of clubs would allow for more games within each division. The more nearby (relatively speaking) opponents, the more chance that true rivalries can develop including fans occasionally being able to travel to see away games.
3. The more communites involved the more exposure the league would get in the media. It is unlikely that a small league will produce teams so big they can capture the imagination like the Montreal Canadians or Toronto Blue Jays do. A larger number of local teams will increase overall attendance, media exposure and provide greater opportunities for Canadian players.

WHAT CLUBS DID YOU HAVE IN MIND?

  Let me begin by explaining why I use the term "club" and not "franchise". It is, in my opinion a great mistake to create a team from nothing and treat it like one small part of a restaurant chain. One of the flaws of the NASL was the lack of team history and connection to the communities. The Vancouver 86ers are an example of this. It has taken them ten years to almost be accepted by the local soccer community after they were created out of thin air.
  As well, it is crucial that the teams that compete in the league be more than just a twenty-man roster of players and some coaches. There must also be a reserve team playing in a regional league like the PCSL or CPSL(Ont). There should be a youth team playing under Olympic rules (U-21 with 3 overage players). This should be the minimum acceptable and within a few years I wouold expect the league to require each team to sponsor a women's team and women's youth team.
  These supplementary teams will provide great competition and training for a lot of players and will also help the teams connect to the community. A form of giving back to the commnuity that also is an effective marketing tool. A win-win situation for all concerned.

  To build a league from the bottom up and avoid the MLS/CSL/NASL arrogance of dropping a team into a community I sugest any new league look to already existing organizations. The following are suggestions only and reflect my desire to bring into this deal established organisations and geographic diversity (More on that when speaking of schedules.) I have named clubs where I am aware of them and cities where I wish to see participating clubs.
  PLEASE NOTE: None of the clubs listed below have any knowledge of my proposal and none have expressed (to my knowledge) any desire to start up a new league.

[This list is no longer being updated. See: PLEASE NOTE at top of page.]

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Team(city)	Home Stadium	Capacity	Current Affiliation
Vancouver 86ers	Swangard Stadium	8,000	A-League (USL)
Victoria United	Royal Athletic Park	5,700	PCSL
Okanagan Challenge (Kelowna)	Apple Bowl	5,000	PCSL
Edmonton Drillers	Commonwealth Stadium	62,000	NPSL (indoor)
Calgary	McMahon Stadium	37,317
Winnipeg	Winnipeg Soccer Complex	6,000
Regina Roadrunners	Taylor Field	27,000

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Team(city)	Home Stadium	Capacity	Current Affiliation
Bytown Gunners (Ottawa)	Frank Clair Stadium	28,500
Toronto Lynx	Varsity Stadium	10,000	A-League (USL)
Montreal Impact	Stade Claude Robillard	9,000	A-League (USL)
Quebec City	PEPS	8,000
Hamilton (Steelers)	Brian Timmis Stadium	5,000
London City	JW Little Stadium	6,000	CPSL
St. John
Halifax