Well you said using "football" in the teams name was a farce, my argument was that using "football" in the team name has historical precedence and makes sense.
There's nothing "unauthentic" about it, and like others have mentioned if you've been watching any of CBC's world cup coverage "football" is being used all the time.
Soccer and football have been used interchangeably in Canada for a long time.
nevertheless it's a poor point for him to even try to make. The MLS is featured in the game and even tends to have some kind of MLS player on the cover (this was the case when i was more into video games 3-4 years ago). The fact is (american) soccer fans already have a video game. Also i quickly checked some lists online right now re: highest selling video games, and FIFA does show up. some of the lists are even listed as US sales.
The team name argument is also lame. I can think of a couple names that stand out: Real Salt lake (ya that is a stupid choice) and sporting Kansas city. FC Dallas is a bad one too, however the rest of the names aren't overly European or pretensious or anything. Toronto Football club. I mean that's what it is: It's Toronto's pro football club.
In fact, lots of the teams in the MLS have OVERLY Americanized names like the New england revolution, LA Galaxy, Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, etc.
This guys list is one of the worst critiques of soccer ever.
The MLSE studied the market, and decided that Toronto FC was a name that most of the market could get behind. It clearly indicates that the name resonates, with most Torontonians, some may not like it, most Canadians may prefere the word soccer, but for most of those who will follow football FC makes sense. Piking the name and building the stadium is about as much as the early FO got right, give them that.
Football was used in the Associations name until 1970, so that is 44 years ago not 80.
But more significantly here are the objectives of the CSA as described in it's by-laws:
Canada Soccer's objectives, as described in its by-laws, are to:[1]
- promote, regulate and control the game of football throughout Canada, particularly through youth and development programs;
- organize competitions in Association Football in all its forms at a national level, by defining the areas of authority conceded to the various leagues of which it is composed;
- draw up Association Football regulations and provisions, and ensure their enforcement;
- protect the interests of its Members;
- respect and prevent any infringement of the statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA, CONCACAF and The CSA, as well as the Laws of the Game;
- prevent all methods or practices that jeopardize the integrity of matches or competitions or give rise to abuse of Association Football;
- control and supervise all friendly Association Football matches played throughout Canada;
- manage international sporting relations connected with Association Football;
- host competitions at international and other levels.
Soccer is referenced 1 time, Football is referenced 6 times.
The term "football" is historically relevant, and currently relevant.
Last edited by Alonso; 07-04-2014 at 03:52 PM.
I don't care so much about the naming other than that we overuse the acronym FC when referring to team names like Toronto FC. If we are going to take the route of using naming conventions used everywhere else in the world, can we at least stay consistent with how they're used? I'm ok with referring to it as TFC as that seems to be a nickname established by the fans, but saying "Toronto FC" every time the team is mentioned in a TFC broadcast is ridiculous. FC isn't to Toronto FC what Maple Leafs are to Toronto Maple Leafs. The unfortunate part is that it's our own broadcasters who claim to be soccer guys (i.e. de Vos) who can't help but constantly say FC.
No one says FC Barcelona, FC Porto, etc. Do people even know it's Manchester United FC and not just Manchester United?
Then again, these are the same sportscasters that say "Inter Milan" and "AC Milan". People say just "Inter" and just "Milan".
So I guess he's right about the broadcasters being crap...
It's funny you bring that up, because all my friends who play video games really want an MLS-specific soccer game. They're generally not big soccer fans, but they do follow TFC and the league and don't really care about the EPL, La Liga, or even the World Cup all that much. I sorta get the argument to create an MLS soccer game.
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
^^The thing with ES Sports' FIFA (and any other soccer related video game) is that it tends to be rather generic once you step out of the major teams/leagues. The NHL franchise for example, has everything from specific stadiums and goal horns. When I had FIFA 10, TFC home games were in generic stadiums- I doubt they have added all of the MLS stadiums yet.
Having said that, I'd stick with the current version, just with some added improvements.
Home Depot Centre was in Fifa 13 and BC place is in Fifa 14
The Fifa franchise is based out of Vancouver, so they are pretty aware of the league. I guess it comes down to overall objectives. Imagine being a guy in Turkey who supports Galatasary and wondering why Turk Telekom isn't in the game, but BMO field is.
Last edited by jabbronies; 07-05-2014 at 01:46 PM.
IMO The use of the word Football doesn't come naturally to most and is done to appease the soccer snobs and prove some sort of "street cred".
3 of the bigger local clubs in the GTA and surrounding areas are also conflicted on the word. Add the CSA who is the governing body of the sport and now you have everyone wondering what should be used.
Sigma Refers to it as soccer:
http://www.sigma-sports.net/playerDev/index.html
Oakville Soccer Club
http://www.oakvillesoccer.ca/
Milltown FC use Football in their name but they use soccer everywhere else:
http://milltownfc.com/?page_id=246
Toronto FC plays in Major league Soccer
I can go on and on with references to Soccer in the local and national community. It just doesn't make much sense as to why we are determined to interchange the two words in Canada. It shows a lack of identity for the sport itself when you can't even refer to it with a single name.
Anyways - none of this is a game changer for me - these are all small things that could be improved to help the sport move along.
It's all dumb, but it's the small things that people get snagged on when trying to adapt to a new sport.
ya way to much thought put into this. Seems you get a bit made when people refer to it as Football. Who cares, its original name was football, it has been used in this county over many years, soccer is also mentioned today and by many. Who cares, people can call it what they want, does it really matter?
I wish Canadian football just kept with its original origins, makes much more sense really. The game gets its roots from Rugby, it was originally refered to as "Rugby Football". Another term originally used for football was "gridiron". Those names make alot more sense to me.
Last edited by james; 07-05-2014 at 10:42 PM.
Look that's my point, using the term football is not a farce, it's actually going back to the roots of the sport in this country.
It started as football, and was that way until 1970, then maybe the popularity of the CFL and NFL and the demise of soccer as a sport in the region called for a new term for the game of football. The term Soccer has been around for a century and became the norm for 30 years, and while the term football was still used it took a back seat.
But to say using football in TFC's name is a farce, is just to deny the history of the game in this region.
Wanderers, United, FC have all been used in Canada for over one hundred years and there is nothing farcical about it.
There is actually many theories why Gridiron is called "Football". Some theories are that many sport games back in the 1800's were played on horses, where "FOOT" "BALL" was played on your feet. Another theory was that a "Football" was 1 foot long, however if that was ever true it is not true today, as neither a CFL or NFL ball is 1 foot long, both are around 11inches. You also have things like in America early 1900's newspapers used terms such as "Soccer" "association Football" and "Soccer Football", in one case in 1911 all 3 terms were used in 1 article to talk about the same game, lol. And then you even have other sports like Gaelic Football, Aussy Rules Football, Rugby League nines (nicknames include Footy and Football) , International Rules Football, American Football, Canadian Football, Arena Football, and there are probably even more sports involving the word "Football". Anyways it is what it is, lol. I just think the name like "Gridiron" or "Rugby Football" would of saved a lot of confusion today.
Last edited by james; 07-06-2014 at 01:32 PM.
I do it myself. When I'm around you guys it's football but when I don't know the person I'll say soccer to avoid the definition convo. More and more it's people starting the convo with me with football because they know I follow the game. I don't think they're more or less knowledgable about the game but I appreciate the terrminology.
And I reveled in a convo post match with a faux fan after the match on the queen car. So smug with his accent to impress this girl I could tell he couldn't care less about the game here. He purposefully avoided the name of the game, smugly waiting for me to say one or the other until he couldn't bear it anymore and had to prove his superiority to his friend. "Do you call it soccer or football". I said I speak both. Whatever you'd like to talk about. He didn't want to talk anymore. Surprise.
Rugby football is always gridiron to me now. No one gets confused by it. As to its origin I'll never forget this:
"They're ruining Rugby" - Joe "King" Krol
5 time Grey Cup Champion with the Argonauts 1945,46,47,50,52
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
The League changed rules in the 50's that made it look closer to the game we know today. Joe Krol said the above quote after winning one of his 5 Grey Cups.
Till then the game was still called Rugby Football and the different leagues throughout the nation has "R's" in their acronyms.
ORFU- Ontario
QRFU- Quebec
IRFU- Inter Province
GridIron is still a child of Rugby Football. Soccer is Association Rules Football.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
well yes and no. Most occasions teams don't say the FC part, and more so for the bigger clubs then anything because everyone knows who they are without saying FC. However I have seen FC used on some teams, more so on smaller clubs. I did live in the Wimbledon area for a while in London, I did attend a couple Wimbledon games, and when the club was mentioned people always referred to them as AFC Wimbledon, don't know if that is because a lot of people probably don't really know much about them being a small club and rather Wimbledon more known for Tennis? that could be a reason. Or because of the fact the team folded, and then had to start so many divisions behind the top 4 pro divisions and had to start with a new name? But either way to say FC is never used isn't completely true.
You also see many times when England clubs are away on tour fans often bring flags to hang up. And many of them often include the initials including the FC on it. I know its not quite the same thing but,Here is an example.
Last edited by james; 07-09-2014 at 07:27 PM.
Ok maybe I should have used terms like 'usually' instead. My point is, you hear the 'FC' acronym far less in overseas broadcasts than you would in an MLS game. And I don't think it has to do with whether a team is big enough to stand alone without the 'FC'. In all PAOK games I've watched in English, not once have I heard PAOK FC and it's not a major European club.
I guess we have bigger problems but it's just a small pet peeve of mine. I'm not saying stop saying FC all together. I just would like to hear it a lot less often.
Having said that, I do see your points.
Last edited by PAOK17; 07-30-2014 at 08:26 PM.