No More Friendlies!

[BuSaPuNk]

Not sure if this was posted else where but this is great news.

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/Yagbod/status/692555606356549633?s=09[TWEET]

Dont have to worry about playing 3 games in 8-9 days anymore!

[Pint]

Not sure if this was posted else where but this is great news.

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/Yagbod/status/692555606356549633?s=09[TWEET]

Dont have to worry about playing 3 games in 8-9 days anymore!

Depends on your definition of friendly...

[OgtheDim]

Code....geez you tell the mods they are doing a good job and.....

Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/Yagbod/status/692555606356549633?s=09

[molenshtain]

Are we the best run team in the league? starting to feel like it.

[Areathrasher]

Dont have to worry about playing 3 games in 8-9 days anymore!

You might want to have a look at this seasons schedule again

May 14th - Whitecaps
May 18th - NYCFC
May 21st - Crew

[ManUtd4ever]

Just deal with it.

Sorry, couldn't resist...

[Red CB Toronto]

In reality the friendlies were never directed towards us who went to game all season. They were a marketing tool to build the brand with the general Toronto market but as we saw last year they really started to dip in mass market appeal. Now it did come down to the opponent and the Sunderlands, Boltons of the world just were not going to draw people in. But you take a team like Manchester City and they still had issues moving tix. I for one was never really bothered by them and took the approach if somone did have an issue with them they could choose to simply not go. Plus it was a bunch of reserves, academy kids and even trialists who played most of these matches anyway.

[Ivy]

Amazing. I'm all for MLSE organizing friendlies between 2 world Giants; just leave TFC out of it.

[Red I]

You might want to have a look at this seasons schedule again

May 14th - Whitecaps
May 18th - NYCFC
May 21st - Crew

That is such a crammed May sched. Mostly home games though, right?

[burlington Red]

In reality the friendlies were never directed towards us who went to game all season. They were a marketing tool to build the brand with the general Toronto market but as we saw last year they really started to dip in mass market appeal. Now it did come down to the opponent and the Sunderlands, Boltons of the world just were not going to draw people in. But you take a team like Manchester City and they still had issues moving tix. I for one was never really bothered by them and took the approach if somone did have an issue with them they could choose to simply not go. Plus it was a bunch of reserves, academy kids and even trialists who played most of these matches anyway.

I think the Man City game was a real changer. They played their big names in 1st half anyway, genuine world class stars such as Arguero and Toure and we couldn't sell out (can't remember if Silva played or not). The timing was all wrong for this game.
I think they would be better doing what was done down in the states when Utd played Real and had over 100,000 at it. You are bringing exposure to the game without negatively impacting MLS team's league plans. I appreciate those 2 teams would be hard to secure but a decent Italian team v a decent Portuguese team would sell out due to the support both leagues have here in Canada. Revenue is created and exposure to game is improved.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Just deal with it.

Sorry, couldn't resist...

Manning dealt with it. Fantastic.

[OgtheDim]

The funny thing about that Man City game was it was good fun on TV. Both teams were in game shape, for once.

[Detroit_TFC]

Amazing. I'm all for MLSE organizing friendlies between 2 world Giants; just leave TFC out of it.

True that. An international friendly on a TFC travel or bye weekend, with two decent teams, priced reasonably, should put 30K in the stadium no problem.

[TFC_Allez]

True that. An international friendly on a TFC travel or bye weekend, with two decent teams, priced reasonably, should put 30K in the stadium no problem.

I'm all for this. I might even consider going under these circumstances.

[BuSaPuNk]

Code....geez you tell the mods they are doing a good job and.....

Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/Yagbod/status/692555606356549633?s=09

Sorry at work and scrambled to put it up on break.

[BuSaPuNk]

You might want to have a look at this seasons schedule again

May 14th - Whitecaps
May 18th - NYCFC
May 21st - Crew

This is just a byproduct of not atarting at home till May. Hopefully after the expansion is done we wont have many months like that anymore.

[Mateo1985]

Wow this is great freaking news. Finally MLSE is taking their own team seriously.

[OgtheDim]

I think pretty much every team has at least one 3 game week. And if the league goes to a shorter schedule, and takes off more int breaks, we will all get more.

[BuSaPuNk]

I think pretty much every team has at least one 3 game week. And if the league goes to a shorter schedule, and takes off more int breaks, we will all get more.

At that point I would like to see the cap go up at least 3-4 Million and allow a few more roster spots.

[Onyx]

At that point I would like to see the cap go up at least 3-4 Million and allow a few more roster spots.

no way. not paying full price to see roster guys 12-20. lower the number of games.

[Justin10000]

I personally didn't mind the friendlies, but TFC needed to attract big name clubs. Like Campbell said, no one cares about Sunderland, or Bolton, and even Man City who are not that big of a club, even will all the money and recent successes.
With Copa, and Euro 2016, and players missing games, we don't need a friendly this year. But if Juventus, Man United, or (fingers crossed) Arsenal played a friendly, the stadium will sell out. Friendlies should be about the quality of the opposition and not just any European club.

[ag futbol]

I would like to think this is a step towards keeping the team fresh for league play. But cynical me thinks it's because there are so many major tournaments this year plus scheduling jam with the stadium they couldn't play these games even if they wanted to.

[bgnewf]

The thing that I hope MLSE FINALLY understands is the sophistication of the Soccer consumer in this market. Seeing these European clubs out of season is probably not much of a money maker (if anything) anymore and that these matches do nothing to build the TFC brand. Actually you could argue that they hurt the brand.... Don't think for a second that any of those non TFC season seat holders folks that paid money to see City or Real Madrid actually ponied up for TFC season seats after the fact.

If true this is a good thing.... But like many things MLSE the devil is in the details.

[Pint]

The players don't like playing them, the fans don't show up, supporters are very much again these games.

Didn't make sense to keep, doesn't mean that other events won't potentially take their place.

[jazzy]

I think the Man City game was a real changer. They played their big names in 1st half anyway, genuine world class stars such as Arguero and Toure and we couldn't sell out (can't remember if Silva played or not). The timing was all wrong for this game.
I think they would be better doing what was done down in the states when Utd played Real and had over 100,000 at it. You are bringing exposure to the game without negatively impacting MLS team's league plans. I appreciate those 2 teams would be hard to secure but a decent Italian team v a decent Portuguese team would sell out due to the support both leagues have here in Canada. Revenue is created and exposure to game is improved.

Silva played almost the whole game and was magnificent .......hated that they played TFC but seeing Arguero break in the late stages trying to poach a goal , for a non MC fan was not too shabby .

[Areathrasher]

This is just a byproduct of not atarting at home till May. Hopefully after the expansion is done we wont have many months like that anymore.

Until TFC qualify for the CCL again and you have a Sat/Sun - Tue/Wed/Thurs - Sat/Sun weeks in August and Sept.

[Auzzy]

Just deal with it.

Sorry, couldn't resist...

If you're referring to Kevin Payne and what he said about friendlies, the quote was "Get used to it."
http://www.wakingthered.com/2013/9/5...-leiweke-payne

I thought what was VERY interesting from the tweet thread linked above: apparently the club lost money on every single friendly so far except one. (The original tweeter thought maybe it was Real Madrid where they didn't lose money -- which is interesting considering they had to bring in grass for that game.)

I don't know if the players universally hated all the friendlies -- was somebody able to discuss that candidly with a number of players? (My guess would be some lower-tier TFC players might get a kick out of playing against teams like Liverpool, Real Madrid, or Man City. Did the TFC players get paid anything extra for friendlies?) For sure it seems TFC lost money on the friendlies; most regular TFC fans were disinterested & most supporters hated them; they realized there's a huge risk of unnecessary injury or overuse to their players & the regular season given tight schedules, limited rosters, and other absences; all the coaches hated them as a result, even if they had to pretend otherwise; and they probably could tell from their sales records that they had very limited success turning new fans from the friendlies into regular TFC fans or SSH'ers. Very limited upside. I always thought the league was pushing the friendlies for "exposure" but I don't really have a clue.

Hey, I'll embarrassingly admit that I originally got on the waiting list in order to get the "loyalty" price for the Real Madrid game, back when my son still cared about soccer. But I don't mind being the exception to the rule, and I'm happy the friendlies are gone.

(Now how is TFC going to scout foreign players though? )

[Red CB Toronto]

Well no one can ever take Gabe Gala's moment away. Not too many real estate agents in this city can say they scored against Real Madrid.

[Shakes McQueen]

This move isn't going to have a massive impact on the team, but at least it eliminates one unforced error we were committing every season.

Could be a lot of reasons they made this decision, but rather than speculate on that, I'll just be happy they made it.

[BuSaPuNk]

Until TFC qualify for the CCL again and you have a Sat/Sun - Tue/Wed/Thurs - Sat/Sun weeks in August and Sept.

Another not this year worry.

With the leauge addressing roster issues with TAM I expect another salary cap jump and a roster expanded to deal with fixture congestion in the future. Especially with the leauge wanting to win the CCL so badly.