Quote:
Originally Posted by thurmas
I think MLS, CPL even CFL if they get their shit together could be the leagues of growth over the next 10 years as their cost structures and infrastructure needs are much more affordable for prospective ownership groups and more affordable for the average fan to attend games. In the U.S college sports is so big but also so much more affordable that it fills a void that the big 4 in the U.S. cannot reach due to being so unaffordable now as well NCAA fills the mid size American markets so well in places like Boise ID or Des Moines Iowa that the big 4 will never touch.
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Yeah, there is no real Canadian equivalent to the role that the NCAA has in the US. The CHL is probably the closest thing we have to that, but even then, there really isn't something like the D1 teams that draw huge crowds and followings. Some teams are good at capturing the public's attention like the London Knights, but most seem to have lower profiles unless they're playing in really small towns like Prince Albert where they're the only game in town.
It's surprising in some respects because you'd think hockey could achieve something like that in much the same way that American football fans typically follow the pro and college game. You don't see as much of that in Canada, at least apart from the World Juniors.
But yeah, something like the CPL is built to capitalize on that phenomenon of opportunities in smaller markets. Toronto has a team, but the CPL isn't really built with Toronto at top of mind.