NASL bid ... with a catch
Young: Stadium on east Mountain
July 30, 2010
Larry Moko
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/Sports/article/816833
Tiger-Cats' owner Bob Young has begun the formal application process to land a North American Soccer League expansion franchise for Hamilton.
But in light of all the squabbling between the Cats and city over where the 2015 Pan Am Games stadium should be built, it certainly wouldn't be appropriate to call Hamilton's proposed soccer team 'United'. Young will back out of the pro soccer bid if the city chooses the west harbour site for the stadium rather than one he prefers on the east Mountain.
That decision will be made by a city council vote Aug. 10.
In conjunction with the soccer franchise, the Tiger-Cats plan to launch a Hamilton-based, regionally-focused, high performance soccer training academy.
Young says the facility would be spearheaded by soccer development experts, soccer administrators, professional coaches and players. It would offer instructional clinics to all levels of players.
In a release yesterday, Young said: "Due to the regional nature of soccer both within our city and our region, it is essential that this academy and soccer strategy be located at the east Mountain stadium that is easily accessible by multiple modes of transportation and provides a wealth of land for recreational purposes."
Facilitator Michael Fenn recommended the east Mountain site as a compromise solution. The city prefers the west harbour.
"It's an exciting opportunity in a growing sport," said Ticat president Scott Mitchell at a news conference yesterday. "Bob Young is hugely passionate about men's and women's soccer. We think there's a great opportunity to make Hamilton a focal point for professional and amateur soccer in southwestern Ontario.
"There's a lot of things you can do with soccer that you can't do with football. There's more dates."
Young is a significant stakeholder in the Carolina RailHawks of the NASL.
The Ticats also obtained letters of endorsement and support for their centre of excellence plans from national, provincial and local soccer governing bodies.
Hamilton has a first-year team (Croatia) in the Canadian Soccer League.
Stan Adamson, executive director of the CSL, said: "If Hamilton has an opportunity to play at a higher level and it's good for the Canadian game, we would be supportive of them moving up. Hamilton is a big city and deserves a strong soccer franchise. We're delighted to have Croatia in our league."
The NASL is part of the United States Soccer Federation Division 2 pro grouping. Teams this season are based in Puerto Rico, Montreal, Rochester, Carolina, St. Louis, Vancouver, Portland, Baltimore, Minnesota, Miami, Austin, (Tex.) and Tampa Bay.
The D2 Pro League is the second tier of the American and Canadian soccer pyramids below Major League Soccer.
Ron Smale, president of the Ontario Soccer Association, says there are 130,000 registered players within the Hamilton area. Al Carrafiello, president of the Hamilton and District Soccer Association, estimates there are 25,000 registered players in his association, 80 per cent between the ages of 5 and 18.
The Hamilton Spectator Cup is the oldest and longest-running soccer competition in North America. It began in 1896.
Games officials have given the city and Ticats until Aug. 31 to reach an agreement on the Pan Am stadium site.
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