The 24th Minute (extra points if you can tell me how it got its name) is one of the three authoritative blogs on Canadian soccer. It reported on meetings concerning the North American Soccer League (which is to Major League Soccer what the AHL is to the NHL), where possible expansion franchises were discussed.
One, Neil Malhotra and his Ottawa group, has been known for some time. The other, a group from Regina (yes, Saskatchewan) was a bit surprising.
The Saskatchewan group is looking to include a NASL team with its plans to build a stadium for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders. For those that don’t know, the Riders are a big deal in Saskatchewan. Like, a really big deal. So, there is a good chance that a stadium plan there might have legs.
Well, the downtown domed stadium project requires more events than Roughrider games in order to pay its way. A pro soccer team would mean an extra 15 or so dates a year: however it’s a good question as to whether there’s enough support in Saskatchewan to support a soccer team. That said, I’d buy season tickets for this. In a heartbeat.
Here’s the NASL home page. Apparently there’s going to be a team in Edmonton next year.
Wonder what Rod Pedersen and Mitchell Blair think of this. Who’s the money behind this? The provincial soccer association? Planet Roughrider?
