NASL Franchise - Would you go?

The world cup is a once-every-four-years country vs. country event that people who don’t even care about soccer watch to cheer for their “old country”.

How do the Canadian ratings for the EPL or Serie A, or more relevantly the MLS, compare against the CFL? I’m guessing not so well.

Do you think the LEAFS and the SABRES will try to block it ?

Luckily for the rest of the planet, you are a very small minority.

I think you’re being too optimistic. There might be thousands of soccer fans in the area but not many would likely support an NASL/USL level team, certainly not as big a % of the football fans that support the Ticats. There’s a reason the USL Toronto Lynx drew less than 4,000 fans per game before TFC came along and even TFC doesn’t get the support of most of the soccer fans in the area. If Hamilton got an MLS expansion team, on the other hand, I think they would do quite well (start at 18,000/game and then settle at around 16,000 within few years). They would be profitable from the beginning if they get even half the sponsorship money TFC is getting (and why wouldn’t they?), esp with the new BMO contract.

Maybe they’d get Montreal Impact type crowd in the NASL I dunno. I just don’t think they’d be able to sustain it for that long at that level or make any money or increase the value of the francise that much anytime soon.

You can choose to believe this or not but vast majority of the people following the world cup are soccer fans, hardcore and casual. The hardcore portion of the fans support one of the half dozen leagues that are covered on Canadian TV and on the internet (on legal and illegal streams). Their numbers are relatively small for each league but when they come together to watch something the numbers multiply many fold as it does for the world cup and Euro cup.

Casual fans watch the world cup mostly because its soccer at its best (usually) with 736 of the best players in the world all competing at the same tournament. No individual league (not even the EPL) has anywhere close to this amount of talent and top players. Those are all spread out between half a dozen leagues. Many of these fans also have a rooting interest in their ‘old country’ as you said unlike in those European leagues. So until a top-quality league (with salary cap of lets say $10-20 mil) emerges in this continent where they’ll have a local rooting interest the world cup is probably the ‘league’ they’ll follow as it’s the next best thing (and the Euro cup to some extent). That doesn’t mean they don’t have the slightest bit interest in the sport. You don’t get 1.2 mil per game for 64 games at bad timeslot without that element. Otherwise many world cups from other sports like cricket, rugby, vollyball etc. etc. would have seen similar success on TV, or somewhat close at least.

My only problem with the NASL is that it's second rate. If we had an MLS team that played Toronto regularly, hell yeah I'd be there (even for the non-Toronto games). But for an NASL team, the prices better reflect the product, which means it better be cheap.

NFL-only fans criticize the CFL for being second-rate. That is, when they’re being nice and they don’t just say CFL is bush-league. But you obviously support it regardless.

I believe that Montreal and Vancouver both started in the “second rate” NASL and USL leagues before deciding to make the jump to MLS. The same could be done in Hamilton if people don’t close their mind to it because it’s “only” an NASL team rather than an MLS team. I think NASL is a good place to start building professional soccer in the city.

I played soccer as a kid and think it is a great game to play. But not a great game to watch.
However I think a team in Hamilton would draw well because lots of people seem to like it and more kids today are growing up with it.
Too bad rugby has not become as big as soccer in North America though. THAT is a spectator sport! :thup:

I'm trying really had to get into the world cup and trying really hard to appreciate the game.

I'd like to think I'd go to support a local ream, but I think I'd get bored and stop going.

Thing is, I'd go at the beginning and give it a chance, so who knows, there is a chance that something about it might hook me.

I might take the kids to a game or two, but definitely wouldn't buy season tickets.

I don’t deny any of that, but I don’t think World Cup buzz is any indication of how that would translate into support for an NASL team. I just think it’s a completely different animal.
If I’m proved wrong and it’s a success, then great. More money in the coffers.

But that is the same argument that we hear about the CFL, it’s not the NFl - a lot of people consider it second rate.

The CFL and NFL have distinct differences that offer each a certain level of uniquness.

Soccer is soccer, isn’t it?

This pretty much sums my view. The fact that this is the most popular sport on the planet is beyond perplexing to me. My only guess is that we in the ‘newer’ world were founded by people who were so sick of the game they were willing to risk life and limb to set sail and escape it.

Then, they landed in an area where the locals played Lacrosse to settle territory disputes and other beefs. And, if I know my history, they wouldn’t have seen a Wyandot (Huron) warrior rolling around on the field, clutching his shins, looking for a call after he was chopped down by a persuing Mohawk.

Tough to get too pumped for soccer after seeing that.

Not sure what your point is? Yes there are differences in the two leagues but the CFL is still second rate.

Soccer is soccer??? Have you ever been to England? there is the Premier league where the rich super stars play, making millions a year in front of very large crowds. Then there is the 3rd or 4th division where the “second rate players” play in front of smaller crowds.

I think soccer is so popular because it is t he most affordable sport to play. All you really need is a ball and an empty field. Nets can be make shift from anything they can find. It is like hockey here all of europe and Asia grew up playing it except in their case the rich, the poor, the middle class. In some countries soccer is the only thing that gives them hope and their country playing is a big deal and gives them something to be passionate about. Do I like soccer its ok I play in an indoor coed league. I watch euro cup and world cup and because of the background of friends I do watch different league games with them from time to time. Would I attend game sure why not especially if its summer and a nice night out and tickets are reasonably priced.

I think soccer is so popular because it is t he most affordable sport to play. All you really need is a ball and an empty field. Nets can be make shift from anything they can find. It is like hockey here all of europe and Asia grew up playing it except in their case the rich, the poor, the middle class. In some countries soccer is the only thing that gives them hope and their country playing is a big deal and gives them something to be passionate about. Do I like soccer its ok I play in an indoor coed league. I watch euro cup and world cup and because of the background of friends I do watch different league games with them from time to time. Would I attend game sure why not especially if its summer and a nice night out and tickets are reasonably priced.

Having been to a TFC game last year I can say I would go again if the atmosphere can be reproduced. Up until the playoff game last year at IWS I had never been to a game where the people are that pumped. So if that can happen here it is a good time, and if the quality is good I can actually enjoy the sport...

But thats the kicker; MLS is considered very low quality soccer (at least globally) hence the reason over the hill superstars join once they are all but finished. (see: beckham)

Now, NASL is at least a step or two in quality from MLS... eek. I will definitly give them a chance if there is a good time to be had!

The question is with all the efforts of the MLS to kill the NASL will it even be around by the time the stadium is built ???

Despite the gamesmanship (play acting, diving, etc...), which takes place in other games and not just soccer, I am one who appreciates the beautiful game. And I would be happy to go see them play on the East Mountain... It's close to home for me! And those who don't appreciate it yet should really get out more. It really is a good sport, when we learn to appreciate it. I mean some would say it's a slow game, but hey, you go full bore for 45 minutes and try to tell me that you won't get tired. A lot of the game is possession and management of time, energy and personnel, who have to stay on the field until sent off or substituted over three possible opportunities.

The fact is that there are a lot of tactics that are used and sometimes the game slows down for a few minutes, but it's like taking the puck behind the net on your side of the ice. It's seek a weakness to take advantage of and organize the next attack. Besides, I've seen my share of scoreless games and they are just as exciting as the high scoring ones. As always, it's the lobsided games that really bore us.

You guys just need to expand your horizons a bit and understand the game a bit better to be able to appreciate the beauty of the sport. Just like I said, the diving and hysterics in soccer is like fighting in hockey. Some like it, some hate it, but it is part of the game and either way we'd like to see less of it.

Just learn to enjoy it and the rest will fall into place.