MLS in Toronto in 2007?

[François]

MLS chief pleased with league's status

By Larry Morgan , Staff Writer

Major League Soccer is heading for another round of expansion in two years, interest by the Hispanic community has been tapped locally with the arrival of expansion Chivas USA and soccer-specific facilities are being built around the country.
Commissioner Don Garber has plenty to be pleased with, but he also admitted there is plenty of work to be done with the league, which is entering its 10th season.

"Over the last nine years, we've accomplished more than most people thought we would,' he said on Thursday at Home Depot Center, the latest stop in his league-wide meetings with players and officials. "The overall credibility and respect toward soccer in America has improved ... that's one thing we're the most proud of.

"But I'm not satisfied, even remotely close to that. We have a long way to go to push through some of the skeptics that still exist in the media and the general marketplace. We're committed to growing the sport and doing whatever it takes to make the United States a soccer nation.'

Attendance is up, television ratings have increased and the league recently entered into a 10-year, $150 million sponsorship agreement with Adidas. But one of the most significant steps taken toward improving MLS' marketability, particularly locally, is Chivas USA, which will be based along with the Galaxy at Home Depot Center.

Garber said it took him a year before he was convinced two professional soccer franchises could work in Southern California.

"Los Angeles is America's soccer city,' he said. "We're finally seeing the fruits of our efforts here over the last nine years with two clubs. We believe the Galaxy is strong enough, the fan base is committed enough, and team administrators are strong enough to manage through the ultimate indication of strength competition.

"That will keep everyone honest here. Teams will have to work harder to create a cauldron of soccer excitement in the Home Depot Center almost every weekend.

"We have a mini soccer nation here in Southern California,' Garber went on, "and we have to find that in other MLS markets.'

Garber said he has high hopes for Chivas, one of two expansion teams (Real Salt Lake is the other). If those clubs are successful, that could bode well for other potential franchises. One of them could be Club America, arguably Chivas' biggest rival in the Mexican first division. It also could be Toronto, which is believed to be the front-runner for 2007 expansion plans. Other cities in the mix include Houston, San Antonio, Seattle and Cleveland.

Garber also said Major League Soccer could go international in the future. He even envisions combining forces with the Mexican first division, but he quickly admitted, "That's not happening tomorrow.'

"I would argue that a merge between Major League Soccer and the Mexican first division would be one of the most powerful and popular sports in North America, bar none,' he said. "Imagine what those games would look like on Univision. A game against the Galaxy here, and an away game in Estadio Azteca.

"But you have to walk before you run.'

Defender Danny Califf is making steady progress from right knee surgery a little more than three weeks ago and is cautiously optimistic he'll be available for the Galaxy's regular-season opener in Columbus on April 2.

Califf made his first appearance on the practice field on Monday and is hoping to get in more serious work starting today.

"It's coming along,' he said. "I'm trying to take it slowly, but I'm definitely encouraged by the progress.'

Califf revealed he not only had torn cartilage removed in his knee, but some repairs also were made to the medial collateral ligament.

He said the frustration of being on the sideline has been worse than he ever could have imagined.

"Being healthy the entire offseason, looking forward to coming in and playing and having this happen makes you contemplate your future,' he said. "It's definitely the toughest thing I've had to go through. It's been a challenge.' Larry Morgan can be reached at (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2272 or by e-mail at larry.morgan@sgvn.com .

[James Bond 007]

10/11/2005 6:44PM

By Jonathan Nierman / MLSnet.com Staff

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber announced in a media teleconference call on Tuesday that the league is close to finalizing a deal that would land an expansion team in Toronto for the 2007 season. An Oct. 31 deadline has been established for MLS to reach a signed agreement with Toronto's Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment that would lay the groundwork for the construction of a new stadium to house the expansion team.

"We have been working with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and its president Richard Peddie ... talking about the opportunity for MLS to expand into Canada, specifically in Toronto," Garber said. "We are close to finalizing a deal for '07. We have given MLSE an exclusive window through the end of the month -- through Oct. 31 -- to negotiate a deal for an expansion team."

The league's plan is to add two new teams for the 2007 season, with the second proposed to be a U.S. city, though Garber declined to state which are frontrunners at this time. Several candidates to join Toronto as the second MLS expansion team in '07, assuming the deal is finalized, were mentioned during the call.

"We have a number of different cities that we are in conversations with at this point," Garber said. "All those cities are in the United States and they include Houston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Milwaukee and St. Louis. We've got a bunch of different markets that we're looking at for two additional teams. We'll finalize all of our plans for '07 expansion when we meet with our board of governors at the MLS Cup, which will take place at our new Pizza Hut Park."

MLSE is an experience ownership group accustomed to operating major professional sports teams that are based out of the United States. The company owns and operates the Toronto Maple Leafs (National Hockey League) and Toronto Raptors (National Basketball Association).

"We're very excited about our budding relationship with MLSE, particularly (chairman) Larry [Tanenbaum] and Richard and the staff that we have been meeting with," said Garber. "We think they are fantastic operators not just in hockey and in basketball, but we have spent a lot of time with them learning about the Canadian market, particularly as it relates to television, licensing, sponsorship and we're very impressed and believe that should they finalize a deal that they would add enormous expertise to our ownership group. We very much are looking forward to bringing that deal to fruition."

One of the key questions that has repeatedly come up about expansion into Canada is how it will affect the league's rules about domestic and international players. Garber said MLS has worked closely with the Canadian Soccer Association and U.S. Soccer to develop a situation whereby Canadian players with the Toronto team would be considered domestic players. Any players from other countries (including the U.S.) would fall under current MLS rules regarding international players, which allow four senior internationals and several youth internationals, thus opening the door for many Canadian players to ply their trade at the highest level.

"This is going to be a terrific Canadian-themed team where the ... vast majority of these players will be Canadian," said Garber. "There certainly are going to be fewer jobs with this team for American players than there would be if this team was in the United States and I think that just shows our committment to try to be the leader of this sport not just in the United States but in the region."

Several building sites for a new soccer-specific stadium in Toronto have been explored by MLSE, with Exposition Park leading the way. The new site would be close to downtown Toronto and easily accessible via several transportation routes.

"We think that the location of Exposition Park is the perfect location for an MLS stadium and one that will help revitalize the market and be good for the city," said Garber. "We also think that this facility would provide for an opportunity of a wide variety of other events, whether those events are high school or college soccer matches, rugby matches or even Canadian football matches. We think that this facility will be engaged for 40 or 50 dates a year."

Major League Soccer's major requirements for expansion include a dedicated ownership group, stadium plan and an expansion fee. Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake -- MLS expansion teams in 2005 -- reportedly paid $10 million for the right to join the league, and Garber said that the fee for a team in Toronto would be slightly more than that figure.

Oct. 31 has been set as a firm deadline to reach an agreement to expand to Toronto for 2007. Should that deadline not be met, Garber stated that the deal would be taken off the table. No formal announcements have been made about a timeline for the second proposed expansion team in 2007.

Source : http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news ... &fext=.jsp

[ultraboy]

Je me demande si veux -veux pas l'Impact de suivra un jour car sans Toronto et si , je dis bien si Rochester un jour n'entre aussi dans la valse de la MLS ..
Alors Montreal sera un peu isole, je sais ce qu'on a parle ici sur le forum concernant un demenagement, quelques pour quelques contre...
Mais...

[Invité]

are u serious?? toronto in the mls??? hahaha!!!!!!! they suck like hell, plus they have 500 people a game!!!! Next season i hope mtl makes them look like hams on the field ,WHAT MLS???? PLEASE LETS BE SERIOUS!!!!

[penz]

Hmmm... yeah, of course it wouldn't be the Lynx who would make the jump in the MLS...

[Invité]

who cares man!!! why should toronto represent canada??? why doesnt rochester or montreal go in the mls , these teams have potential ,not toronto, let toronto play baseball, soccer is not for them

[penz]

Click here :
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/423217381