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View Full Version : Should TFC have an NWSL offshoot team?



Abou Sky
03-27-2014, 09:03 PM
It would be sweet if they did, only 11 home games per side, first year they could give free tix for a bunch of games to SSHs, then build up a base.

It really wouldn't cost them that much, they could do $5 admission and make $ off of food & beer.

Any thoughts?

TFC07
03-27-2014, 09:12 PM
Where would they play? BMO field is getting crowded with Argos moving in and then we got national team playing a game or two there. Plus, we can't forget about Rugby Canada playing a game at BMO field per year.

RealG-TFC
03-27-2014, 09:16 PM
Lamport perhaps? Wasnt there supposed to be an affiliate PDL team in Hamilton to be created? Or did that get axed in favour of potentially luring a NASL team? I know some on here were speculating that we do what LA did for next year.

Waggy
03-27-2014, 09:16 PM
Where would they play? BMO field is getting crowded with Argos moving in and then we got national team playing a game or two there. Plus, we can't forget about Rugby Canada playing a game at BMO field per year.

Play at Lamport, with games either 2 hours before or 2 hours after TFC games? With TFC tickets good for half price on their tickets? It'd be a fun pre-post game thing

Abou Sky
03-27-2014, 09:19 PM
They could play a few right after TFC matches at BMO like they used to do with the reserves.

TFC07
03-27-2014, 09:31 PM
Play at Lamport, with games either 2 hours before or 2 hours after TFC games? With TFC tickets good for half price on their tickets? It'd be a fun pre-post game thing

Lamport is dump! No one is going to want to pay to go there to watch women soccer.

Shakes McQueen
03-27-2014, 09:35 PM
It would be nice in an ideal situation, but the last thing I want is BMO getting any more use than it already is (and will be if the Argos move in). I don't think Lamport is suitable.

Love to see it happen at some point, though.

- Scott

TFC07
03-27-2014, 09:36 PM
They could play a few right after TFC matches at BMO like they used to do with the reserves.

What if Argos are playing next day and they need to adjust seats, paint the field and doing typical maintenance work (field, stands etc)? Don't get me wrong. I support having Toronto NWSL team, but it's going to be hard for them to play at BMO field when TFC and Argos are taking turns playing there. Then you add national team and rugby, then it's even tougher to add 9 more dates.

Waggy
03-27-2014, 09:50 PM
Lamport is dump! No one is going to want to pay to go there to watch women soccer.

I'm talking about paying $5-10 bucks. Not a substantial amount. I think a lot of sports fans with daughters could be roped in. I think the womens hockey team in Toronto will do pretty well in the next few years as well for the same reason. If I have a daughter, I'd love nothing more than to spend a few hours taking in some high level womens soccer (or hockey). Especially at a few bucks a pop. And yeah Lamport isn't exactly Emirates stadium, but let's face it. Womens pro soccer isn't exactly high profile, and BMO might not be available as a home base. At least it's close enough that people can walk to/from BMO there. At least it's in the downtown core. Hell, for a womens pro game, varsity stadium could even work pretty well (think it seats 3-4 000?)

OgtheDim
03-27-2014, 10:04 PM
Would be a good idea downtown somewhere but not BMO.

Cas87
03-28-2014, 07:34 AM
A combo of Lamport, BMO and the TFC Academy.

Training will obviously be done at the academy anyway, beginning of the year play there (3 to 4 games)

During the beginning of summer (before Argos show up) play at BMO in conjunction with TFC games (2 or 3 games)

Lamport once the CFL starts, and use the CNE as a way to get people to go as well (ticket to NWSL = half off general admin, or vice versa) (3 to 4 games)

Viola ... 11 home games, all relatively together and using all aspects of TFC to pair with.

I say TFC even tries to pull off their own 'Soccer Weekend/Day in Toronto' with the academy, a NWSL team and TFC all playing over a summer weekend (Friday night to Saturday afternoon) at BMO to try and keep it in everyone's mind that BMO is the National Soccer Stadium first and foremost (and the Argos only use it because no one else wanted them).

prizby
03-28-2014, 08:05 AM
I don't think MLSE has any visions of getting a woman's team...they got a lot of other stuff on their plate

Detroit_TFC
03-28-2014, 08:22 AM
Toronto's name has come up now and again, not sure if it was MLSE as the ownership group though.

Lamport would be a good starting location, the Seattle team (not affiliated with SSFC) started at the SSFC training facility (which is a large complex, lots of youth, adult lges, etc) south of Seattle, max of 2000 there I think. Now will be in a Lamport-ish stadium downtown next to the Space Needle mainly used by the public school throwball teams. If a TO team gets some traction then could talk BMO F. Portland has the only team with real traction, but is affiliated with Timbers. Gets 11K per game, Timbers Army all in for it, owner Merritt Paulson all in for financing, etc.

Beach_Red
03-28-2014, 08:28 AM
Would be a good idea downtown somewhere but not BMO.

What's going on at Varsity these days?

jabbronies
03-28-2014, 08:57 AM
no thanks

Initial B
03-28-2014, 09:08 AM
What's going on at Varsity these days?
That's what I was thinking. Is there anything wrong with that site for soccer? Transit-wise, it seems Ideal.

TFC07
03-28-2014, 10:03 AM
That's what I was thinking. Is there anything wrong with that site for soccer? Transit-wise, it seems Ideal.

Ideal if you're taking subway (assuming it isn't shut down all time in the weekend to fix their signal), but what about those driving out of town? I assume a lot of women soccer fanbase will be girl soccer teams coming out of town to watch pro soccer. Lamport is little better, but condition of that stadium isn't good. BMO field is probably is best stadium, but it might be too big of stadium for women's soccer team though.

Still Kicking
03-28-2014, 10:58 AM
What type of surface is going onto the York University field? If NWSL is in a few years, subway will run up there and it has 407 just north.

shwade
03-28-2014, 11:03 AM
no thanks

Yeah.

Red CB Toronto
03-28-2014, 11:27 AM
While I am all for it, I expect there to be a TFC 2 in USL Pro way before a women's team would ever be considered.

RealG-TFC
03-28-2014, 11:56 AM
What type of surface is going onto the York University field? If NWSL is in a few years, subway will run up there and it has 407 just north.

The advantages of that could also proximity to the KIA training ground.

Yagbod
03-28-2014, 12:57 PM
Lamport is dump! No one is going to want to pay to go there to watch women soccer.

A bunch of us used to pay to watch the TFC Academy play there pretty regularly. It is General Admission, there is no security, you can bring your own drinks in and you can drop smoke bombs and light flares until you are blind and breathless.

It is a little piece of heaven.

Edit: I would buy season's seats in a second where ever they play. I love women's footy and it is getting better and better every year.

Brooker
03-28-2014, 01:04 PM
No thanks.

OgtheDim
03-28-2014, 02:13 PM
A large multi sport company going full on for a Women's professional team would be a BIG statement in this city.

Auzzy
03-28-2014, 05:26 PM
I would absolutely love having an NWSL team in Toronto. I think the stadium situation is doable, a couple of good options presented above. I don't know if an NWSL team is realistic for MLSE, no idea if they could handle that now. But I would love to go watch those games, and it would be great for my daughter as well, who is just starting soccer.

My wife would also love it -- actually watching women's soccer, incl. the recent women's World Cup and all the rest, is what got her interested in footy in general, and coming to more TFC games as a result.