Canadian National Teams & International Soccer

[argolio]

Didn't he used to play goalie for the Flyers before a tragic accident?

Wasn't that David Overstreet?

[ArgoRavi]

Hopefully this soccer league will actually help develop Canadian players: http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/in...n-league-r4701

[Argocister]

I think more along the lines.... hopefully this provides extra revenue for the CFL stadiums.

[gilthethrill]

Hopefully this soccer league will actually help develop Canadian players: http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/in...n-league-r4701

Does the MLS not develop Canadian players? I thought TFC has an academy, no? T-Bone to the rescue in 3-2-1....

[T-Bone]

Does the MLS not develop Canadian players?

They do.

I thought TFC has an academy, no?

They do.

A domestic national league will benefit even more Canadian players. It will help raise the level of talent in Canada and ultimately strengthen the depth of the national team, all positives. It's a great plan and I hope everything works out.

[ArgoRavi]

Does the MLS not develop Canadian players? I thought TFC has an academy, no? T-Bone to the rescue in 3-2-1....

According to an article that T-Bone pointed me too recently, Canadian players get little playing time with the Canadian MLS franchises. IIRC, American MLS franchises must have a minimum number of American players on their roster but I don't believe that the Canadian franchises need to fulfill such a requirement for Canadian players.

[ArgoGabe22]

According to an article that T-Bone pointed me too recently, Canadian players get little playing time with the Canadian MLS franchises. IIRC, American MLS franchises must have a minimum number of American players on their roster but I don't believe that the Canadian franchises need to fulfill such a requirement for Canadian players.

I believe MLS clubs require a minimum amount of "domestic" players. Americans on CDN teams = domestic while Canadians on American teams = international. Though, Each club must have a minimum of 3 Canadians.

[ArgoRavi]

I believe MLS clubs require a minimum amount of "domestic" players. Americans on CDN teams = domestic while Canadians on American teams = international. Though, Each club must have a minimum of 3 Canadians.

I am assuming that you mean that each club must have a minimum of 3 "domestics" which means that Toronto FC could have three American players and no Canadians and fulfill that requirement. Is that correct?

[ArgoGabe22]

I am assuming that you mean that each club must have a minimum of 3 "domestics" which means that Toronto FC could have three American players and no Canadians and fulfill that requirement. Is that correct?

Not quite. For 2013, MLS teams are only allowed 8 internationals meaning all other players must be domestic. Canadian teams must have a minimum of 3 Canadians as their domestics. American teams consider Canadians as internationals, while Americans on Canadian teams are considered domestic. I believe Montreal just has 3, while TFC at one point had 8 Canadians on their roster. From a developmental point of view, the MLS is not doing enough in developing Canadians.

[T-Bone]

If anyone is interested in attending tomorrows friendly match Canada vs. Jamaica at BMO Field at 7:30pm and would like tickets in the supporters section (south endzone) please contact me via PM. Tickets are $20 each.

[T-Bone]

For the patriots:

Watch Canada vs Colombia live on Sportsnet World & streamed live on sportsne.ca at 9pm ET. http://t.co/6EpSlbrYy4 - @CanadaSoccerEN #canMNT

— John Molinaro (@JohnMolinaro) October 14, 2014

[T-Bone]

Full time: #canMNT 0-1 COL.

— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) October 15, 2014

[ArgoRavi]

Ah, the glory days of Canadian soccer: http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/episodes/fro...ainst-all-odds

Interesting to see the type of turf that was being played on back in those days as well.

[T-Bone]

#canWNT is coming to Tim Hortons Field to play England on May 29 at 7pm. DETAILS > http://t.co/LHeTArB7vt | #Ticats pic.twitter.com/jf6zi23yFD

— Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats) March 18, 2015

[T-Bone]

The journey to #2018WC begins! Tix for #canMNT vs. Dominica here on 6/16 on sale 4/17 at 10AM: http://t.co/jmNMWrlGCO pic.twitter.com/Svlr1GbI7x

— BMO Field (@BMOField) April 14, 2015

Tickets are ON SALE NOW for the 2015 @CONCACAF Gold Cup here at BMO Field on July 14! Get 'em while they're hot: http://t.co/OcPORh4kv7

— BMO Field (@BMOField) March 19, 2015

[T-Bone]

.@CanadaSoccerEN #canWNT think you got what it takes? Some #CFL players have a challenge for you! #CanadaRED #CAN
https://t.co/pV5IrEd2ey

— CFL (@CFL) June 4, 2015

@CFL @CanadaSoccerEN #45yards #PrairieGirl @sskroughriders pic.twitter.com/wapO713Ubq

— Kaylyn Kyle (@KaylynKyle) June 5, 2015

Yesterday, we received a challenge from @CFL... Today, we counter! Do YOU have what it takes?! #canWNT will show you
https://t.co/4eDJmAFBWy

— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) June 5, 2015

Who said we can't play footy! ⚽ We accept your "crossbar challenge" @CanadaSoccerEN #canWNT #CanadaRED #CFL https://t.co/O33xMSWcTJ

— CFL (@CFL) June 5, 2015

[jerrym]

Canada wins Group A at Women’s World Cup with draw vs. Netherlands

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...ticle24973519/

[jerrym]

Josee Belanger scored to give Canada a 1-0 win over Switzerland.

http://www.sportingnews.com/soccer/s...-quarterfinals

The growing popularity of women's soccer in Canada is attested to by the fact that the 2015 Women's World Cup has already set an attendance record.

Attendance for the Women's World Cup will be at least 1.25 million, according to organizers.That number, which denoted tickets already sold as of Saturday evening for past and future games, beats the tournament record of 1,194,221 set at USA 1999. That edition featured 16 teams and 32 games, as opposed to 24 teams and 52 games for the Canadian version.

http://www.canada.com/sports/Women+W...505/story.html

[Mookie Fan]

People have complained more than once about how TSN often doesn't give the CFL priority by showing other sports on some of its channels. Most recently there have been complaints that horse racing I believe was shown instead of the CFL on 2 of its 5 channels. There have been many other complaints including TSN's reliance on American programming. Of course the business practices of Rogers are seen to be much worse.

TSN is owned by Bell as is CTV, an over-the-air network that has focused on mostly popular high-budget American shows for a very long time. That's their business for the most part, other than their newscasts. Many of the games of the current FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 have been shown on CTV, some aired on TSN and some were on both CTV and TSN. All of Team Canada's games aired on CTV and many of the other most important games did as well. The final on Sunday is available on CTV.

However, the game for third place between England and Germany on Saturday was only shown on TSN. That's the second last game of the tournament, the last game in Edmonton (where the tournament opened) and the members of the winning team get bronze medals on Sunday. That would be like CBC not showing the bronze medal game of Olympic hockey on its network. In this case, people without pay TV were out of luck, unless they wanted and were able to watch the game somewhere else. People in the Toronto area could watch the game over-the-air on Buffalo's FOX 29-WUTV if they could get the signal. Funny how FOX did show the game on the main FOX network and not simply on FOX Sports 1, even though the U.S. was not in the game for third place. There seemed to be a level of respect for that important stage of the tournament, although the main FOX network had fewer games than CTV overall. FOX also featured an hour-long pre-game show for the third place game, versus the 30 minutes for the games that have been shown on CTV. FOX also has an even longer 2 hour pre-game show before the final between the USA and Japan later today.

It was pointed out in the media that this 2015 Women's World Cup of Soccer is the first time Canada has hosted a nationwide international sporting event--EVER. This is because events like the Olympics are usually held in one host city and other areas or regions outside that city--in the same general area geographically, or at least usually not that far away. Also, other FIFA events held in Canada have been smaller and not nationwide.

This was a huge event, held across this country, for the first time, possibly not again for a very long time. It lasts about one full month. It features the women's version of the most popular sport worldwide, the world's most global game. It had storylines that do interest a Canadian audience, and games shown on CTV have had much better ratings than the admittedly still decent ratings the games shown exclusively on TSN have receieved.

What did CTV show between 4PM and 6PM yesterday instead of the third place game? The Ellen Degeneres Show and two episodes of Hot In Cleveland. I'm guessing they were probably not even new episodes, they were probably re-runs. That's really important.

The ratings would have been pretty big had the game been on CTV--and I think had Canada been in that game they would have had to change plans and shown it on CTV, as they did I believe by deciding to show the USA-Germany semi-final in Montreal on CTV after not initially planning to. The TV schedule changed on the internet for that game.

When CBC carries the Men's World Cup of Soccer, they usually have more of the games on their network. I realize they don't own a sports pay TV channel as Bell does and they have more of a Canadian and international focus because of their mandate. I also realize that money is what the Bell Corporation is after, but the prgramming decisions can be a bit obscene at times.

I'm just saying...

[Mookie Fan]

Rather than editing and lengthening my already long above post, I should add that the biggest complaint by CFL fans obviously is that Bell does not show any CFL games on CTV. They don't even show any of the CFL playoffs or the Grey Cup on CTV. Contrast this with the fact that you can watch many NFL regular season games and the NFL playoffs on CTV. It is interesting that the decision was made to show many Women's World Cup games on CTV, but the CFL, which happens every year and has a huge following in Canada and is a uniquely Canadian game, is never shown on CTV. CFL games draw big ratings like the World Cup Games. Bell apparently feels they can get away with this with their CFL coverage, but didn't feel they could get away with it for a short-term, high ratings international event featuring Canada and other national teams in the World Cup. I guess that's the best we can expect from a huge Canadian corporation and a big Canadian TV channel.

The federal government is similar. It sometimes supports funding stadiums for short-term international events, but is reticent to do so for professional sports teams--even CFL teams which mean more to Canada long-term.

It should also be mentioned that the Rogers-owned media has barely talked about this Women's World Cup of Soccer, as Bell has the rights and is showing the games on CTV and TSN, competitors of Rogers and their Sportsnet channels. I know Bob McCown hates soccer, but it is a big event happening in Canada. I'm not sure he has mentioned the World Cup at all. Maybe someone else has heard him mention it, but I haven't. There is very little true journalism on Rogers-owned sports stations anymore.

Although men's professional teams are more popular than women's teams, it is interesting that in terms of support for the national teams in Canada, the women's team often draws bigger crowds and has a bigger following in some circles than the men's team--at least since the London Olympics. The Globe and Mail noted that the women's team became cult heroes after their controversial loss to the USA and bronze medal win against France at those 2012 London Olympics. The men's team cannot sell out BMO Field for a World Cup Qualifier. The women's team has sold out stadiums of that size and the three biggest crowds for any national team in Canada, men's or women's, were three near sellouts in this current World Cup, 1 at the very large Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton and 2 at the also large BC Place in Vancouver. Obviously the fact that our women's team is ranked 8th in the world and have had more success may have a lot to do with it. The men's team is ranked 109th I believe.

Some women's sports like women's tennis have been popular for a long time. Women's soccer hasn't had a large following for as long, but it is growing and developing at a rapid rate, far surpassing the growth in women's hockey due to a number of factors. It's pretty hard to compete with the growth of a global game that is cheap to play and has higher participation rates--even in Canada. What soccer lacks in Canada, however, is an effective system for developing a larger number of elite level players. This has been discussed a lot in the media recently.