Get a move on

MLS gives Toronto deadline on stadium to get team
Posted: Tuesday October 11, 2005 8:18PM; Updated: Tuesday October 11, 2005 8:18PM

NEW YORK (AP) -- Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber on Tuesday set an end-of-the month deadline for Toronto officials to agree on a stadium site and other financial issues or miss its chance to be granted an expansion team in the U.S. league for 2007.

Garber's declaration was seen by many as a way to spur to Toronto's city council, which has an Oct. 26 vote scheduled to approve 9.5 million Canadian dollars ($8.07 million) in funding for a 62-million-Canadian-dollar ($52.7 million), 20,000-capacity stadium at city-owned Exhibition Place.

MLS has been negotiating for about a year with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), owner of both the city's National Hockey League team and National Basketball Association Raptors, but has seen two stadium proposals fall apart.

"It's dead," Garber said, if the latest proposal isn't approved by the end of the month.

MLS' board of governors, representatives of the league's 12 teams, will vote on Nov. 12 to admit as many as two new teams to start the 2007 season. The vote, which will be taken a day before the league's MLS Cup championship game in Dallas, also will consider Houston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Milwaukee and St. Louis for expansion teams, Garber said.

MLSE, which Garber said would pay an entry fee "slightly higher" than the $10 million in the last round of expansion, has agreed to help fund the Toronto stadium, along with the federal and provincial governments.

Garber said at the beginning of the season that Toronto was all but assured of getting a team in the next round of expansion, and appeared to reiterate that pledge, assuming the local, provincial and federal agreements all reach an agreement with MLSE over a stadium, which also would be used for the 2007 World Youth Championship.

"We are close to finalizing a deal for '07. We've given MLSE an exclusive window through the end of the month, Oct. 31 to negotiate a deal for an expansion team," Garber said.

Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake began play this season in MLS, the first new teams since the Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion were added in 1998. The Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny were folded before the 2002 season.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

I'm not surprised, this has been talked about for a while. We have enough teams already but I think this would fly because we have a lot of immigrants who watch soccer.

A pro soccer team could be huuuuge here.

It would be big for Toronto....actually we are probably THE BEST site for soccer in North America

^ I doubt that, considering the big latino NYC population.

A 20,000 seat place I think would create the right atmosphere. No use having a 10-15K crowd at the skydome.

^ I doubt that, considering the big latino NYC population.

A 20,000 seat place I think would create the right atmosphere. No use having a 10-15K crowd at the skydome.

Soccer is the one sport that every culture loves...it's not like hockey or basketball where you have a huge population saying that it sucks.
Toronto is so diverse multiculturally and can easily fill 20,000 easily.
I'm surprised. you are one of the more knowledgable ppl here. You of all people should know this.

^Anyone remember the other Pro Soccer teams in Toronto, like the Blizzards. How many attempts have there been for Toronto Pro Soccer? However, MLS could be successful thanks to the professionalism of the TV broadcasting, league organization, and general marketing. They havn't generated fantastic crowds, but maybe it will grow.

^Anyone remember the other Pro Soccer teams in Toronto, like the Blizzards. How many attempts have there been for Toronto Pro Soccer? However, MLS could be successful thanks to the professionalism of the TV broadcasting, league organization, and general marketing. They havn't generated fantastic crowds, but maybe it will grow.

Exactly, It's all about the owner....and Especially the media....it's so vital that they push Toronto's team if they get one. The Raptors did such a good job of marketing the franchise years before the actual first game began.
It's about gaining that Canadian soccer attitude

i don't think the immigrant question is a factor here.. since most immigrants to toronto who are sports enthusiasts ususally support their home country's team... not really a local team

Not really, there are many immigrants like the Portuguese, Italian, etc./ who are crazy about soccer but it's not about MLS or Canadian soccer. Almost all of them are into Euro leagues back home like Serie A, Portugal, Bundesleaga, Lige 1, Spanish, etc. Most Canadians right now are into the EPL and MLS really isn't that big, and no doubt that the talent in Europe is better.

The MLS could potentially be big in Toronto but it would take some time for people to adapt to cheering for the hometown Toronto MLS team.

Great news!

I'm just wondering how good a Canadian soccer team would do against an american one..... any thoughts? Are we any good?

Do you know how a sports league works? It's not a national team vs national team.

Wow, what a great answer. You obviously aren't aware of the context of my question. buzz off

I can't see why a Toronto team wouldn't be competitive with other MLS teams. They do fine in NHL, NBA and MLB.

Not really, there are many immigrants like the Portuguese, Italian, etc./ who are crazy about soccer but it's not about MLS or Canadian soccer. Almost all of them are into Europe leagues back home like Serie A, Portugal, Bundesleaga, Lige 1, Spanish, etc. Most Canadians right now are into the EPL and MLS really isn't that big, and no doubt that the talent in Europe is better.

The MLS could potentially be big in Toronto but it would take some time for people to adapt to cheering for the hometown Toronto MLS team.

I hope we have the good sense not to spend a penny of tax dollars on this certain - to - fail project.

Here's how you sell out 20,000 seats for soccer:
1, Get the Leafs on board, and make those who want Leaf tickets buy soccer tickets. (Such a strategy would assure around 20,000 sales for any sport or event in the GTA!)
2, get a Premiership or Series A team in Toronto-- 50,000 would show up for a real deal, non - exhibition game, such as for Arsenal, Palermo or Athletico Madrid, etc.

However, MLS will FAIL! Too tredious! Unless Leaf season ticket holders are forced to go along. And even then, they will not show up!

And, we're not getting a European team here any time soon. The NBA will put a team into Paris before we get a European team.

Let those who want to get a team take a bath on the costs of this needless stadium. Suddenly, building it on the footings of the old CNE stadium, and make use of pre- fab as much as possible.

I hope we have the good sense not to spend a penny of tax dollars on this certain - to - fail project.

Here's how you sell out 20,000 seats for soccer:
1, Get the Leafs on board, and make those who want Leaf tickets buy soccer tickets. (Such a strategy would assure around 20,000 sales for any sport or event in the GTA!)
2, get a Premiership or Series A team in Toronto-- 50,000 would show up for a real deal, non - exhibition game, such as for Arsenal, Palermo or Athletico Madrid, etc.

However, MLS will FAIL! Too tredious! Unless Leaf season ticket holders are forced to go along. And even then, they will not show up!

And, we're not getting a European team here any time soon. The NBA will put a team into Paris before we get a European team.

Let those who want to get a team take a bath on the costs of this needless stadium. Suddenly, building it on the footings of the old CNE stadium, and make use of pre- fab as much as possible.

You do know that NOT EVERYONE is a leafs fan right...Do you have any idea how much people love soccer...even if a small fraction of soccer lovers show up to an MLS game...that it still a lot of people...you are WAY over-analysing the situation here. BUT I DO LIKE the " Get the Leafs on board, and make those who want Leaf tickets buy soccer tickets. (Such a strategy would assure around 20,000 sales for any sport or event in the GTA!)" idea

Generally, you show me a woman, and I'll show you someone who's not a Leaf fan, but doesn't mind the idea of her boyfriend spending a couple of hundred bucks on her, so eagerly goes to the game ... (Why do I know these things?... Why does it suck that I know these things?...) Women, generally, are not into the same sports men are into. (And we don't care for figure skating. The gold goes to the one in the pink dress --- that is to say, the gold goes to the man in the pink dress.)

When it comes to the stadium, I wouldn't mind the city forked over the footings of the old CNE stadium for free, but that' sit! I draw the line there. Go pre -fab. Avoid 'world -class', unless it's 'world -class' cheap.

Oct. 19, 2005. 01:00 AM
Stadium deal nearly done
Financing in place for facility at Ex
Ball now in court of key city groups

JIM BYERS
SPORTS REPORTER

After almost three years of false starts, Kevan Pipe says it's finally about to happen.

A deal to build a 20,000-seat, $63 million soccer stadium at Exhibition Place will go to public officials today for the first of a series of votes after representatives from the city of Toronto, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and the Canadian Soccer Association yesterday hammered out an agreement.

"We had marathon sessions and it was intense but in the end we got it done," said Pipe, the CSA's chief operating officer. "We have all the financing in place with three levels of government, MLSE and the private sector. To say this is a significant day for soccer is an understatement."

Deputy mayor Joe Pantalone said the deal will go to the board of governors of Exhibition Place for a vote today and to the city's policy and finance committee tomorrow. The full Toronto city council is slated to vote on the deal some time next week.

"I'm sure some people will ask questions but at the end of the day I think they'll raise their hands" in favour, Pantalone told the Star.

Major League Soccer officials last week said they want a team in Toronto in 2007 but that council has to agree by Oct. 31 in order to make it happen.

Pantalone said the city agreed to kick in another $300,000 to make the deal work, bringing Toronto's contribution to $9.8 million. The federal government long ago agreed to pay $27 million for a stadium in Toronto to host games as part of the 2007 FIFA world youth soccer championships, while the province said it would kick in $8 million.

MLSE will contribute about $8 million towards the stadium, which it will operate.


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I hope they build this on the old CNE Stadium footings! I hope the taxpayer WILL NOT be on the hook for any cost over- runs.

How many stadiums (stadia?) does Toronto and the GTA need? It's not like we're a European city with half a dozen soccer teams

$9.8 million is a great start....let's keep it coming...thanks for the update...Are Be

And mysteriously, it seems that Maple Leaf Square condos will proceed, even though it was being rejected for lack of office space.

Hopefully they can work out the deal quickly enough in time so that the stadium would be built in time for the 2007 Youth Championships.

And MLSE is just expanding its huge and powerful sports and entertainment empire with this and the MLSE square.

NFL?

And mysteriously, it seems that Maple Leaf Square condos will proceed, even though it was being rejected for lack of office space.

That's actually very fantastic news...

hopefully zoning laws will allow them to add more office space by increasing the height of the building....

So let's make a super tall...actually then you think about it.....it is in one of the better spots to make a super tall

It's a great idea...that is if people care about making the area more urban and inticing

maybe the argos might return to the ex and play in this stadium also.

maybe the argos might return to the ex and play in this stadium also.

They better not, they stabbed soccer in the back, so they should have to live with their decision. and i don't want to see grid lines all over the field in a soccer game.

To my understanding, the Argos have a very good deal (not free) to stay at the Rogers Centre. Plus, come November, sitting outside by the lake, with the blowing wind, although OK for the first 90 minutes, begins to REALLY SUCK. Indoors is good. And, one domed stadium paid for by the taxpayer is plenty! If private enterprise wants to build a dozen domed stadiums or whatever, so be it. I'm just not keen on the public paying for any more stadiums, domed or otherwise.

So, what's the outcome?

The city approved the stadium, and I think that was the only remaining hurdle worth mentioning. Seems like a done deal.

Soccer fans rejoice, those apathetic to the sport grumble, and I am glad to see that this will happen... though I remain slightly wary.

Thoughts?

There definetely needs to be more soccer on TV in Canada... I'm a soccer fan and american football and basketball just do not appeal to me at all. Hockey is an exception, its very similar to soccer and besides..it's our national sport!

Just about everywhere outside of North America, people are crazy about soccer and in major football competitions I always feel Canada is being left out. It won't be as good as the soccer back in Europe, but it's a start.

MLS has got to start promoting in Toronto.

So now we need a team name, any suggestions?

I agree that soccer in Canada needs a shot in the arm. It's an important sport, internationally, and it's somewhat embarrassing that our national team is currently ranked eighty-something-th. There's debate over whether or not MLS is the right way to go, but I think it could potentially help quite a bit (provided we get Montreal/Vancouver teams in future expansions).

As for the name, a lot of people have suggested they be named the "Blizzard" for nostalgia reasons. That would be fine with me, but I'm sure something better can be thought up.

The Toronto "Blizzards" actually sounds pretty cool. I dunno, some recommendations would be the Breeze, Blaze, Panthers, Rockets, Jets...

I just hope it's not something related to the TML like the "Marlies", or "Buds" or something like that and hopefully not something cheesy like the Toronto CRaptors.

How about The Toronto Urbanites???

FC Toronto? GTA United? South Tor?

I couldn't think of anything good... but really, I'd be cool with any name that doesn't rip off another existing soccer club.

I mean, there's a team in MLS that's actually called "Real Salt Lake"... how stunningly lame is that?

Are Be Toronto!
(Well, on the other hand, I don't know if I want to hear thousands chanting, "Are Be Sucks!" )

^ Maybe -> AB Screwball?

Well the majority of soccer fans want Toronto Blizzard for historical reasons, but I have also heard alot of people saying Inter Toronto as a possibility.

Toronto globals....would be a representation of our multiethic society

Toronto Urbanites...it just rolls of the tongue nicely...CMONCCXSCSCSCdfdgdfgasdfghdfgdfgsgdfgsdfgd

^ Maybe -> AB Screwball?
Hmm... I like it. :cheers: :drunk: :booze: :cheers1: :cheers2:

the urbanites??

how about the toronto men-in-skirts?

something a little more tough please. Besides its probably gonna be reminiscent of the euro teams just like the MLS teams in the US. Toronto United or something like that.

United comes from 2 teams joining together, thus being 'United.' Crapston North and Crapston East merge to form Crapston United, go on to beat local rival, Crapston Southwest all the time.

^whatever you get the point. REAL, AC, Inter I dunno what would apply to us but this is the format the names in MLS have been following.